Page 38 of Cats Never Fly

Okay, it probably sounded more like a gasp, but that would be a wrong conclusion.Idid not gasp unless it was for dramatic effect.

Iwasn’t sure whatSimonhad wanted.Hehadn’t told me yet, but our magics weren’t wasting time waiting for words.Icould almost explain my own reaction—Itended to be decisive—but this was the most definitive actionSimonhad taken sinceImet him, butIwasn’t sure he was aware of what he was doing.

AndalthoughIhad impulsively agreed toSimon’sunspoken invitation for more, it almost felt like my magic was surrendering.Whywould it do that?

BeforeIcould utter a word of protest, fence it in, or establish any limits, our magics collided.Theyrubbed up against one another in a bizarre way that reminded me of cats marking their territory.Andapparently my territory now includedSimon, and his included me.

Dragonswere notoriously independent creatures.Myclutch mate andIleft our parents’ nest as soon as we were able.Weall still talked regularly, even doing video calls on holidays, but our lives were separate.Mysister andIdidn’t even live on the same continent as each other or our parents.I’dlived alone for centuries, andIliked it that way.Myhome was my castle, and my hoard was mine and mine alone.

Butthis little cat had somehow breached my defenses.

Hismagic vibrated against mine like it was purring.Sucha strange sensation.Iwasn’t sure what to think of it all.Iwasn’t disappointed, but it was… unusual.Yes,I’dwanted the cat shifter from the momentIhad him in mycoils by the lake, but this… this was something different.Thiswasn’t lust.Iwasn’t merely seeking physical pleasure from him, nor was he just a means of keeping me out of that cage.

Thiswas something else entirely.

Somethingintangible but powerful clicked into place between us, andIknew in that moment the summoning magic had won.Theagreement was made.Thecontract was complete.Ourlives were irrevocably locked together.Andneither of us had discussed or agreed to the terms.

Ourconnection must have originated from whatever spell the whistle had evoked.Abond, but not a natural bond.BeforeIcould retract my magic and extricate it from his,Iswore theEternalMagicherself wrapped around us and added another layer to our bond.

Igasped.ThistimeIcould have pretended it was for dramatic effect.Thesituation warranted a little drama.Butthe truth was, everything about this made me short of breath.Igasped again.

“Sonof a fire breather.”Ichoked out the curse.

Myskin tingled with the strength of the newly forged connection.Couldit really be so simple?Happenso quickly?Couldhis life become entwined with mine in one unguarded moment, an impulsive push of magic, and a nudge from theEternalMagic?

Hismagic had decided what would happen, mine had submissively agreed, and boom it was done.Justlike that?

Igrowled at the thought.

Idid not submit.Iwas never the submissive one in any relationship.Iwas a dragon.Iwas always in control.Whathad my magic been thinking?

Exceptmy magic hadn’t acted alone, had it?Simon’shad been right there too.Wewere in this together.

Thatdamn whistle had fucked us both over.Although, based on the way our energies swirled and danced around us like this new arrangement warranted a joyous celebration, it was hard to tell.Italmost felt like they were frolicking.Andthen our magics moved through one another, merging and blending until it was impossible to tell where his ended and mine started.Buteven now, it all felt hollow.Shallow.Notquite right.

Andworse yet, there was no going back.Ididn’t know howIknew that,Ijust did.

Nausearoiled through me.Thiswas not whatI’dplanned whenIfirst realizedI’dbeen summoned.Butmy magic—well, andSimon’stoo—had decided for us.Andthe connection was so much deeper thanIcould have imagined.

Thepower of the summoning magic overruled everything else.NowIwas trapped here withSimon.Iwouldn’t be going back to that cage.Nottonight.Iwasn’t saving anyone.Allthose people would stay trapped because my magic selfishly chose to connect withSimon.

Ifmy little kitty cat had been holding out hopes of finding his mate,Isuspected this pseudo-bond of ours had just destroyed any chance of that happening.Itwas too deep and powerful to allow another between us.Oncethe bond formed, even as artificial as it was, it would eliminate the chance of anything else.Ihadn’t expected that from a summoning bond.Whywould anyone perform a summoning if it meant they’d never find their mate?

I’dlong ago given up on finding my fated mate, butIwondered ifSimonwould resent this change.Wouldhe be disappointed when he got to know me better?Ofcourse,IknewIwas fabulous, butI’dalso never let anyone close enough for them to decide if they thought that was true or not.Iprayed my timid little kitty wouldn’t regret binding himself to me like this.Itwas all a little too much, a little too fast.

“Whathave we done?”Iwhispered.

Chapter Twelve

SIMON

“Thatwas the bond, right?”Igasped asOgden’smagic flowed through me. “Theone that started from the whistle?”

“Yes.It’sdone.”Ogdensighed. “Iwon’t return to the cage now.Ican’t because of the connection between us.”

“I’mnot your master,”Isaid quickly.Inever wanted him to believe that.Butat the same time, selfishly,Iwanted to rejoice.Ogdenwouldn’t be going back there.Hewas safe.Here.Withme.Ifthere was anythingIknew about, it was how to stay safe.Noone would cage him again.

Hismagic continued to rush over me.Untilnow,Ididn’t think anyone but mages could manifest external magic, but clearlyOgdencould.And… maybeIcould too?BecauseIwas pretty sure that’s what just happened.