Chapter 98 98- Do Not Ignore When He Stops To Sniff The Air Mid-Date
LEXI
This time, I'm ready for the lurching feeling in my stomach as we ascend and I’m prepared for the rush of air and the sudden drop of the ground beneath us. So instead of being scared, I’m just… Elated. Even though my face is wrapped in a scarf and being blasted with cold night air, and I am up so high that if I fell I would be totally dead, I feel completely free. Like I can finally breathe for the first time since I shifted. The tension that’s been sitting in my chest all day just… Loosens. I relax forward, pressing closer against Blake’s neck, my arms wrapping more comfortably around the base of his shoulder spikes. The scales beneath my gloves are warm and solid, reassuringly real. Every movement of his wings shifts the air around us in slow, powerful pulses and I feel the rhythm of it through my whole body. I see why Blake likes flying so much. Up here there’s nothing pressing in on me. No staring students, no worried teachers, no whispered conversations or people taking pictures. We are just… So far away from everyone and everything. All the things that were bothering me and making me feel trapped feel small from up here. Distant. Almost unreal. It’s hard to feel hunted or cornered when the entire city is spread out beneath you like a glittering map. It’s just Blake and me and the night sky. And I trust him. Completely. I’m not even thinking about the fact that I’m hundreds of metres above the ground anymore. I’m not worried about falling or slipping or him dropping me. It doesn’t even cross my mind. Blake wouldn’t let that happen. Blake must be enjoying himself too, or maybe he just knows that I am, because he doesn’t head straight toward my parents’ house. Instead he banks slightly and begins circling the city. The lights below us stretch out in glowing lines and clusters, streets winding through dark neighbourhoods like ribbons of gold. Cars move like tiny insects far below. He flies smoothly, lazily almost, gliding between wingbeats. Every now and then he dips slightly or tilts just enough to change direction, and I lean with him instinctively. It feels natural now, my body moving with his without thinking about it. At one point I laugh into my scarf when he swoops a little lower over a cluster of buildings before climbing again. I swear I can feel the pleased rumble that vibrates through his chest in response. We circle the city for almost half an hour. It’s a good thing he’s so warm or I would definitely be frozen by now. The heat from his body seeps into my legs and hands where I’m gripping him. My thighs in particular are pressed against his warm scales and the contrast between that and the cold air whipping around us is strange. By the time he finally turns toward my parents’ neighbourhood, I’m a weird combination of sweaty from the warmth of him and cold from the wind. My hands in particular are a little frosty. Eventually the houses below start to look familiar. He slows as we descend, wings spreading wider as he glides down toward the ground. Blake lands in my parents’ front yard, probably because it’s the only place he would actually fit. The grass bends under his weight as he touches down, his wings folding slowly back against his sides. I wait for him to let me down. But he doesn’t immediately lower himself. Instead he lifts his head and pauses, sniffing the air. His gaze sweeps across the street, the neighbouring yards, the roof of the house. His body is perfectly still except for the slow movement of his chest. Looking for trouble. I follow his gaze and notice two serious-looking men stationed near the front door. The guards the principal mentioned. Right. How long can they stay? What happens when they leave? What am I supposed to do about making sure my parents stay safe? Okay. Nope. I stop that train of thought immediately before I spiral. That’s something to figure out later. With my parents. Finally Blake lowers himself and extends a wing so I can climb down. I practically slide down it this time, the smooth scales making it easy to slip back to the ground. My boots hit the grass and I step away quickly to give him space to shift. Another burst of flame. A moment later Blake is standing there again in human form. The second he’s upright I instinctively move closer, pressing myself against his side. My hand grabs his arm without even thinking about it. I just… Feel so grateful right now. Grateful that he brought me here. Grateful that he listened. Grateful that when everything in my life suddenly became terrifying and uncertain, he didn’t hesitate to take me somewhere safe. I’m not sure he really understands how much this trip means to me. But I lean against him anyway, hoping maybe he can feel it.
As we approach the door, the guards clearly recognise Blake and me and step aside with a slight nod. Well… They nod at me. They mostly just watch Blake warily. I can’t really blame them for that. Blake is still standing very close to me, tall and calm beside me, but there’s something about the way he carries himself that makes people instinctively cautious. Protective. Dangerous. The guards’ eyes track him carefully as we pass. At least they’re not glaring or taking pictures. But… Now that I think about it, I don’t actually know these people. What’s to stop them from wanting to hunt me or something? The thought makes my stomach twist a little and I instinctively inch closer to Blake’s side, my shoulder brushing his arm. His presence is warm and solid next to me, and without even looking he shifts slightly closer in response, like he felt the movement and understood it immediately. Principal Istvan trusts these people to protect my parents. And realistically I don’t have much choice other than trusting them myself. But it’s hard. It’s really hard to place my life, and my parents’ lives, into the hands of strangers. Strange how that wasn’t stressful when it was Blake I needed to trust with my safety. That thought settles somewhere deep in my chest as I pull my key from my pocket and unlock the front door. The familiar click feels oddly comforting. We step inside. The house is dark and quiet, the way it always is in the middle of the night. The air smells faintly like my mum’s cooking and the lavender cleaner she always uses on the floors. My parents are clearly asleep. I don’t want to freak them out too much, so instead of creeping through the house like some kind of burglar or yelling up the stairs, I just start turning on lights. The dining room. The kitchen. The hallway. Soft yellow light fills the house one room at a time. My dad is a very light sleeper. Growing up, he always woke up if someone so much as opened the fridge too loudly. So I’m absolutely sure he’s going to wake up any second now. Sure enough, by the time I make it back to the kitchen, I hear the familiar shuffle of slippers coming down the hallway. My heart jumps. Dad appears in the doorway a moment later, squinting against the light with sleepy confusion.
“Lexi?” He says, voice thick with sleep. And that’s it. The moment I hear him say my name, something in my chest just breaks.
All the fear and tension I’ve been holding in comes rushing out at once. My vision blurs as tears spill over and before I can even think about it I rush across the room toward him. He barely has time to react before I’m hugging him. His arms come around me immediately, strong and steady as always. He pulls me close without hesitation, like he’s done a thousand times before. There’s something special about a hug from my dad. Mum is affectionate and hugs me all the time. She smothers me in love and affection so regularly that it’s almost expected. Dad is different. He’s quieter about it. More reserved. I know he cares just as much, but he doesn’t always show it as easily. Which makes moments like this feel even more important. He tightens his arms around me and rocks slightly from one foot to the other, the same comforting motion he used when I was little and had nightmares. I hear footsteps behind me. I glance back through watery eyes just in time to see my mum stepping into the kitchen, tying the belt of her robe around her waist. Her gaze moves from me to Blake standing nearby and then back again. Instead of panicking or asking questions, she just smiles softly.
“Well…” She says calmly, turning toward the cupboards.
“I guess I’ll make some hot chocolates then.”