Chapter 8
“Okay – that should be all we need for the trip,” Kira said, checking over their packs and provisions once more. She’d done dozens of overnight hikes and camping trips in the parklands, so she was well-versed in what they’d need.
She didn’t usually do hikes like this in winter or fall though, when the mountains could get dangerously cold at night, but she knew the thermal sleeping bags and the heavy-duty tent they’d packed would be enough to protect them.
“I guess I can’t really predict what the curse will do to try to stop us,” Caleb said, looking a little apprehensive. “Like I said, it’s never done anything that could actually kill me, but there’s a first time for everything. And I couldn’t stand it if you put yourself in harm’s way for my sake.” He glanced at her. “Are you sure you can’t just draw me a map or something? If it were just me, I could probably handle it –”
“No.” Kira shook her head firmly. “It wouldn’t be responsible of me to let you run around in such a rugged part of the park by yourself. And I’m a park ranger – I can handle myself. I grew up running around this place. And believe me, this cave isn’t exactly easy to find. Even if I drew you a map, finding it would be tricky.”
Caleb sighed. “There’s really nothing I can do to talk you out of this?”
“Not a thing.”
Maybe the firmness in her voice really did convince Caleb it was a hopeless case, because he didn’t raise any more objections as they shouldered their packs, before stepping out into the bright fall sunshine.
At least the weather was perfect for the hike – cold but not too cold, the sky blue and clear. It was as if the park was trying to show off its beauty to Caleb: the deciduous trees were brilliantly orange and yellow, a stark contrast to the deep green of the cedars and pine. Kira could hear birds calling to each other as they flittered between the branches. Everything was peaceful and serene – the most perfect place she could ever imagine.
Caleb seemed just as entranced as she was, and happy to simply listen to the wind gently creaking the boughs of the trees and the sound of birdsong. Kira found herself feeling a little ashamed of having accused him of only being interested in the park because he was interested in finding his treasure – it was obvious he was genuinely enthralled by the beauty everywhere around them.
But to be fair, can you blame me for having a moment of doubt?she thought – it wasn’t every day someone told her such a fantastical story! And then showed her such fantastical things!
Kira stared at Caleb from beneath her eyelashes. It seemed impossible to believe that just an hour ago, he’d turned into… into a dragon. With scales and wings and a long neck and sweeping tail. He definitely looked like a completely regular human now.
Well… maybe not completely regular.
She honestly didn’t think regular humans came in such a degree of handsomeness. Regardless of whether Caleb turned into a dragon or a squirrel or a waffle iron, she still couldn’t seem to help being wildly attracted to him.
They’d been interrupted in their kiss by Caleb’s need to be honest with her before they went any further, which Kira appreciated. But…
But if I kissed him again now, would he still pull away? Now that I know the truth, there’s nothing keeping us apart, right?!
Perhaps he was worried about the curse – he’d said he didn’t want to risk the people close to him. And after what had happened with the tree branch, Kira found she couldn’t really blame him for that.
But if it turned out she was wrong about the aurum lacunosa and it wasn’t the key to breaking his curse after all, did that mean they wouldn’t be able to do anything about the attraction Kira knew she felt simmering between them?
Kira shook her head. No. No, I don’t care about that.
She’d never met anyone like Caleb before – no one she’d ever gotten along with so instantaneously, who she felt so comfortable with. And she’d never felt this kind of powerful attraction to anyone before in her life.
Not to mention, he was a dragon.
Kira felt a warm little shiver running down her spine at the thought.
There had to be something there, curse or not. Caleb couldn’t just come into her life, be so charming, sweet and hot, tell her Oh, by the way, I’m a dragon, and then just leave again. That just wouldn’t be fair at all.
“You’ll have to tell me more about this whole dragon thing,” she said as they walked, trying to jerk herself out of her slightly morose thoughts. “Like… have you always been a dragon? You said it was a family thing, so I’m assuming you don’t need to get bitten by a weredragon or something like that to gain its powers.”
Caleb laughed softly. “No, nothing like that. It’s definitely a family thing – dragon clans have been around since I don’t know when. Clans are just like huge extended families, and we’re pretty close-knit. It used to be the case that dragons were at each other’s throats a lot – lots of fighting and wars, and settling things with duels – but we don’t do things like that anymore. We’re a pretty civilized bunch now, I promise.”
“Huh,” Kira said, digesting that. “But you do put curses on each other?”
Caleb shook his head. “No – not anymore. Like I said, that curse has been on my family for generations, and the clan that did it doesn’t even know that kind of magic anymore. It’s why they couldn’t offer me much help in breaking it, except to show me that parchment. They have no idea how it works.”
Kira laughed. “Well, that’s a little inconvenient.”
Smiling, Caleb glanced across at her, his eyes warm. “It is, but I guess coming out here has had its benefits. If they’d just waved a magic wand or whatever and taken the curse off me, then I never would have had the chance to meet you. I guess sometimes I do have good luck.”
Kira flushed, feeling her stomach turning over. “I – I’m really glad I got to meet you too,” she managed to squeak out. Then, she gave herself a shake. What am I, a woman or a mouse?! “More than glad. I mean… I’ve never met anyone like you before. I don’t just mean the… the dragon thing, though obviously I’ve also never met a dragon before.”