Chapter 81: When The Wind Shifts

The Ferris wheel loomed above them, its spokes painted white and gold, catching the last rays of sunlight.

The ride operator gestured them toward an approaching gondola.

"Next!"

The gondola swayed gently as they climbed in—half-enclosed with curved glass panels and an open side facing the park.

Kane settled onto the cushioned bench, arranging the dragon and fox plushies carefully in his lap.

The space was smaller than he’d expected. Much smaller.

Cyrus slid in beside him, and Kane immediately felt the warmth radiating from the dragon’s body.

Their knees brushed as the gondola rocked slightly, the confined space forcing them closer.

Cyrus had deliberately chosen the seat closest to the open side, positioning himself between Kane and the sixty-foot drop.

The wheel began its slow ascent, and the ground began shrinking beneath them.

"You know," Kane said, glancing at Cyrus’s hands as they gripped the gondola’s safety rail, "for someone who claims he’s not afraid of heights, you’re doing that white-knuckle thing again."

The dragon’s knuckles were indeed pale against the metal rail, though his posture remained perfectly straight.

"Again, I am not afraid of heights." Cyrus’s voice carried that familiar dry edge."I’m afraid of poorly maintained carnival equipment."

Kane grinned and, without warning, placed the white fox plushie directly on Cyrus’s lap.

"What are you doing?"

"It’s an emotional support plushie," Kane announced cheerfully, patting the toy’s head. "You clearly need him more than I do right now."

Cyrus stared down at the stuffed fox, its amber button eyes gazing up at him innocently.

"I don’t need it."

"Oh come on, everyone needs emotional support sometimes," Kane interrupted, settling back against the bench.

"Even intimidating dragon CEOs who pretend they don’t have feelings."

Cyrus said nothing, but his grip on the rail loosened slightly, and the fox remained in his lap.

The gondola continued its climb, and Kane pressed closer to the glass panel, his breath fogging the surface slightly.

"Look at that," he said, pointing toward the sprawling park below.

"You can see the whole maze from up here. There is the churro stand, which still has a line wrapped around it.

His finger traced along the glass as he identified each landmark.

"The Drop Tower looks tiny from here. Hard to believe we were screaming on that thing a few hours ago."

"Mmhmm," Cyrus made a noncommittal sound, but when Kane glanced over, the dragon’s eyes weren’t following his gestures.

They were fixed on Kane’s profile, studying the way the golden light caught in his silver hair and painted his skin warm.

"The city looks incredible from this angle," Kane continued, shifting to get a better view of Feilun’s skyline in the distance.

"All those glass towers catching the sunset—"

He turned back toward Cyrus, catching the dragon mid-stare.

Cyrus’s gaze immediately snapped to the horizon, his expression perfectly neutral as if he’d been admiring the view the entire time.

"Yes," Cyrus said smoothly. "The architecture is... notable."

Kane’s lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement, but he didn’t call him out.

He settled back against the bench, the dragon plushie’s soft fabric warm against his palms.

The gondola swayed gently as they almost reached the wheel’s peak, the entire park spread out beneath them like a miniature world.

Cyrus was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the distant city skyline.

"So... "How do you feel about your first time at an amusement park?" asked Kane casually.

Cyrus was quiet for a long moment, considering the question.

"It’s..." He paused, searching for the right words. "Louder than I expected. More chaotic."

Kane waited, sensing there was more.

"However, it is not entirely unpleasant," Cyrus admitted while absently stroking the soft fur of the white fox.

"The engineering is questionable, the food is overpriced, and the games are rigged—"

"But?"

"But you enjoyed it." The words came out softer than intended. "That was... worth observing."

Kane felt a warm sensation unfurl in his chest, but he maintained a light expression.

"Observing, huh? Is that what you call it when you cheated at ring toss?"

Cyrus’s mouth twitched—almost a smile. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"Right. Just like you have no idea how that ceramic cat ended up in your car."

Cyrus opened his mouth, then closed it again, his usual composure faltering for the first time all day.

He could deflect and make up some story about coincidence or chance encounters at the shop. But the words wouldn’t come.

Kane was still waiting for Cyrus’s response when a burst of giggles erupted from the gondola beside them.

He turned to look and immediately recoiled.

"Oh, gross."

A couple in the adjacent gondola was locked in an aggressive makeout session, complete with wandering hands and breathy moans that carried clearly across the small gap between them.

"Get a room," Kane muttered, deliberately turning away from the display. "Some of us are trying to enjoy the view without witnessing... whatever that is."

Cyrus, however, found himself watching the pair with unexpected interest.

The woman’s fingers tangled in her partner’s hair, their bodies pressed close as the Ferris wheel carried them slowly skyward.

There was something almost... poetic about it.

Soon, their gondola reached the peak of the wheel. The entire city stretched before them, bathed in gold and amber light as the sun touched the horizon.

A sudden gust of wind rocked the gondola, making it sway more violently than before.

Kane’s grip tightened on the dragon plushie as the entire structure creaked ominously.

"Okay, maybe you had a point about the safety—"

Cyrus moved without thinking, his arm shooting out to brace against the gondola wall behind Kane’s head.

His other hand found the bench beside Kane’s thigh, effectively caging the fox spirit against the seat.

Kane’s words died in his throat.

Cyrus was suddenly everywhere—his broad shoulders blocking out the view, his crimson eyes intent and focused.

The scent of his cologne mixed with something distinctly draconic filled the small space.

"Cyrus?" Kane’s voice came out smaller than intended, his amber eyes wide.

For the moment, neither of them moved.

The gondola swayed again, but Cyrus remained perfectly steady, an unmovable anchor in the chaos.

Then his expression shifted, becoming almost gentle as his free hand lifted toward Kane’s face.

Kane held his breath.