Lord Dragon's Conquest by Sharon Ashwood

made of the cave painting and unfolded it, using her teeth and one hand. At last she pinned the paper down against Larkan’s back, comparing the drawing in the cave against the landscape spread out below.
    Keltie’s perceptions grew clear and sharp, as if her racing mind had pulled everything into focus. It was the dark arrow of Larkan’s shadow that had given her the clue. It slid over the ground like a fish through rippling water, a perfect duplicate of the image on the page. The bird in the cave painting was clearly a dragon, and the squiggles in the drawing weren’t random lines—they formed a map of the mountains. Maybe, just maybe, the painting was an invitation left behind by the Old Ones in case anyone chose to follow them.
    The realization made her heart pound. If the map did mark the path to the rift, why had no one tried to erase it? Obviously those who thought like Nadiana wouldn’t leave directions to freedom in plain view. But they forced everyone underground, didn’t they? No one saw it for years. Centuries. They forgot what it meant.
    But Keltie was trained to interpret the barest scraps of information. She squinted at the horizon, comparing painting to reality one more time. The bumps of twin mountains lined up perfectly. The hot thrill of her sudden understanding, of knowing she was right, brought a laugh to her lips. Take that , Switzer. He could steal the accolades for discovering her find, but only she knew what it represented. Giddy with pride and excitement, Keltie leaned forward and pointed a little to the west. Without question, Larkan stretched out his enormous wings and angled that way. Like a long, jeweled tail, the other dragons followed.
    And that was how they found the rift where the Old Ones had gone. It was but a shimmer in the air, perfectly circular but visible only at certain angles, like a transparent disk of glass. It was no wonder human eyes had missed it. Larkan and the others, however, sensed it at once. Where necks had drooped and wings slowed, now the dragons of the Flame flew with eagerness.
    Once they were facing the rift head-on, Keltie could see it clearly. It was several dragons wide, rimmed with a crystalline sparkle. The sun refracted in rainbows, blinding her. She thought she caught glimpses of what lay within the glistening circle, but she was forced to close her eyes. Larkan let out a mighty roar and dove for the shimmering ring. Keltie let go of the map and it flew away behind her. She flung her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life and love. They plunged through the space between worlds, the taste of clouds and wind on Keltie’s lips.
    There was a moment of nothingness, as if they were suspended in a silent mist. It would have been terrifying, but the feel of Larkan below her, warm and strong, kept panic at bay. In that strange, surreal second—no more than a beat of the heart—she realized how strongly their bond had formed. To say that they were hurtling into the unknown was an understatement, and yet they had chosen to do it together. She belonged, and she was wanted. Everything was possible.
    And then they soared high above a tropical sea, beach to one side and cliffs to the other. It looked pristine and wild, so beautiful that Keltie’s chest ached at the sight of it. “This is paradise!”
    Larkan circled the beach slowly, but no one appeared by land, sea or sky. Eventually, he landed and transformed back into a man. Keltie’s face grew warm. Tall, lean and sculpted with muscle, Larkan was a vision she would never get used to. Just looking at him drove the chill of the flight from her bones.
    “This is paradise,” he said. “And it is the home of dragons.”
    Keltie gazed around at the sapphire water and white sand. “Nice decor. More natural light than your last home.”
    Larkan gathered her in his arms, ignoring the excited chatter as other dragons turned back to their human forms. “You are my home,” he said, and he pressed his mouth