For the Love of Tia: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 4.1 by S. E. Smith Page A

“I only want to keep you safe.”
    “ I know,” she responded
lightly. “I know. Now, let us see what marvelous creature you have
discovered.”
    Tia snapped the reins on
her flying beast and drew in a shaky breath as it rose swiftly into
the air. She loved flying. She loved the freedom. Sometimes when
she had trouble breathing, she would close her eyes and imagine she
was as free as the flying beast s were. It helped to calm the panic that rose inside
her.
    *.*.*
    “ Jett,” a soft whispered
voice called out frantically. “You are going to get not only
yourself killed but me too!”
    Jett turned and grinned at the dark
sand-colored face rushing up behind him. “Santil, if you are afraid
of death, go back. I want to see the underground world again,” he
said with a silent laugh before turning to scoot through the narrow
opening between the dark rocks.
    “ You want to see the
female again, you mean,” Santil growled out. “Did you not see the
huge creatures that just flew into the cave? They could step on us
and not even know it. We will be nothing but a pile of goo on the
bottom of their feet.”
    Jett just shook his head.
Santil was always looking at the gloomy side of things. Jett was
the youngest son of the King of the Sand Kingdom. His thirst for
adventure had gotten him into trouble more than once but he loved
the freedom of soaring over the sands, even if it meant being in
danger of being eaten every once in a while. Several months back,
he and Santil had been flying over the sand dunes scouting for
enemy worms that had attacked
one of their military posts on the outer rim of their Kingdom. A
small pod of the damn things had surprised them. Santil had been
thrown off of his sand skimmer. Jett had engaged the worms and led
them away. Unfortunately, he had encountered a larger pod of them
and was forced to seek shelter. That was how he found the small
crack in the rocks that had led down to the most incredible kingdom
under the sands.
    And that is where I found
my bride, he thought with
satisfaction. Now all I have to do is
steal her away.
    Jett jumped down off the
higher rock face, landing on the smooth surface. He knew the tunnel
by heart now. He had returned to it over and over since he
discovered it, watching, waiting, wanting. The first time he saw
the delicate, green female he had been entranced by her beauty. Her
large, dark brown eyes spoke of secret s he wanted to know. She moved like
the sands dancing in the wind, barely touching the surface. She
always wore a gown that was made of the colors of the sky before a
storm. His fingers itched to peel it from her slender figure. He
wanted to run his lips around her tiny pointed ears and see if his
whispered words of love would be returned.
    He had no doubt in his mind that he
loved her. She was with him every single moment whether he was
awake or asleep. His mind could picture every small smile she gave
to one of the many people of her clan that came to see her. He
loved to watch her as she studied the plants and mushroom shaped
trees of her underground world. But he also worried that she would
not care for the bright world of his kingdom. He feared she would
not enjoy the sands or the fierce winds and storms that sometimes
swept over his home.
    “ Well, are we going or are
you going to stand there daydreaming all day?” Santil asked in
irritation, jumping down to stand next to him.
    Jett started when he realized that he
had been dreaming instead of walking. He turned to look at Santil
for a moment before turning his head to look down the dark tunnel.
Making up his mind, he turned back to his friend once
more.
    “ I want you to stay here,”
Jett commanded. “I will return in a few hours and when I do, I
won't be alone. I plan to bring my bride with me.”
    Santil rolled his eyes in
exasperation. “ Don't you think you should ask her if she is interested in
you first before you steal her away? ”
    Jett grinned at his
friend. “ What fun
is there in