Eryk glanced at his boots and then looked at her shyly, his mouth twitching up into a smile.
“Thank you.” She hugged him too.
He whispered something. Tilting her head, she strained to catch what he’d said. “Sorry, I didn’t hear that.”
Eyes wide, Eryk whispered, “I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as when you were harvesting piaua juice. Your face was radiant, lit by an inner light.” He ducked his head shyly again. “And you have really pretty eyes. I just wanted to tell you.”
Leah gaped, eyebrows high, not knowing quite how to answer. “Well, um...”
“Darynn told me it was the first time you’d spoken with a piaua tree.”
Now it was Leah’s turn to duck her head. “Well, it was. But I hope it’s not my last. Hopefully, I’ll visit again.”
He leaned in to hug her again, then stepped back and held her hands gently. A smile lit his face, making it shine like the morning sun. “I’d like that very much indeed.”
“So would I,” Leah answered, a surge of joy blossoming inside her chest until her skin felt too small to hold it.
Eryk and Darynn climbed upon their dragons and waved. The brown guards leaped into the air and flew off over Great Spanglewood Forest toward the Northern Alps.
Taliesin nudged Leah. “I just had a vision, a prophecy about your future.”
“What is it?” Leah asked. “Something to do with the brown guards?” She hoped so.
“Maybe.” Taliesin grinned. “But you have to find out some things on your own. I wouldn’t want to ruin all of life’s surprises.”
“By the First Egg, you’re infuriating.” Leah laughed, linking arms with him and giving one last wave to the brown guards winging northward.
§
Gret was running through the clearing, ducking between dragons, making a beeline toward Fenni, braids flying. Above Mage Gate, dragons wheeled in the air, carrying passengers back to Dragons’ Hold. Fenni helped an injured rider into Riona’s saddle behind Kierion.
“Be back soon,” Fenni said to Kierion, then strode out to meet Gret.
She was panting, eyes worried. “Have you seen Danion? I can’t find him anywhere.”
Fenni took Gret’s hand, and led her away to the trees where no one could hear them. He rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs, searching her brown eyes. “I’m sorry, Gret, Danion fell in battle. Kierion told me his dragon, Onion, died as well.”Although Danion had some annoying habits, Fenni knew he was a good man. His death was a sore loss to Dragons’ Realm.
She gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth. “Danion died?”
Fenni nodded. “I’m afraid so. He and Onion saved Kierion before they were killed.”
He wiped a tear from her cheek, but more streamed from her eyes. “I’m sorry to bear bad news.” He fumbled in his pocket for a kerchief and dabbed at her cheeks and eyes, but she kept on crying. Perhaps she did love Danion more than him after all. “I’m so sorry. Danion was a good man. I feel terrible, Gret. Maybe it would have been better if it had been me.”
Gret stopped crying, staring at him with wide eyes. “Oh gods, no! That would be much worse,” she said, her lip trembling. “I’m glad it wasn’t you because that would leave a hole wider than a dragon inside me. Danion was my friend, Fenni, that’s all. He was an amazing man, but you’re my future.”
She nestled her head on his shoulder. Fenni pulled her close and swore he’d never let her go.
§
It was dark when Ezaara’s bedraggled group of dragon riders and mages neared Dragon’s Teeth. There were still tharuks roaming around Mage Gate, but most of the dark dragons had been killed. Ezaara ran a hand through her tangled hair and shifted in the saddle.
Nearby on Erob, not letting her out of his sight, was Roberto. “I know how you feel,” he melded. “My sit bones are aching.”
“And my bow arm.”
“How’s the gash on your other arm?”
Ezaara shrugged. “The piaua’s healed it up fine.”
Gold wings glinted in the moonlight on either side of them. They were coming home with more than a hundred mages who’d left through the world gate with Mazyka years ago. And their littlings, who’d grown up on Earth.
Ezaara felt a little overwhelmed at the sheer number of gold dragons among the colored dragons from Dragons’ Hold, the brown guards, green guards, and sea dragons. The golds varied in hue—orange-gold, brown-gold, beige with a golden tinge, and burnished gleaming gold, like Mazyka’s grand dragon, who was large, but still smaller than the Dragons’ Hold royals—Zaarusha, Erob, Maazini, and Ajeurina.
“It looks like a gleaming chest of treasure, something Captain would covet.”
“I have to meet this captain of yours someday.” She smiled.
“Of mine? I’d say he’s his own man. Did you know he knew my father before he turned?” Roberto’s gusty sigh echoed through Ezaara’s mind.
They all had scars that needed healing. Her own stomach felt hollow at the loss of Ma. And Pa had just regained his new life as a dragon rider, only to lose his wife. A tear tracked down Ezaara’s cheek. She wiped it away with a grimy hand. But another slid down to replace it, and then another.
What she needed was a long bath, but, as Queen’s Rider, there wasn’t much hope of that tonight. They still needed to hunt down any remaining tharuks at Dragons’ Hold and clean up the slaughter. Gods, it had only been yesterday that the wall of the main cavern had been staved in and Zens’ troops had flooded into Dragons’ Hold on their killing spree.
The first time the hold had ever been breached—and it had happened while she was Queen’s Rider.
“And while I was Dragon Queen,” rumbled Zaarusha. “You’ve done admirably. No one has ever been able to vanquish Zens, yet you killed him. You’ve stopped the senseless slaughter of our people. I’m proud of you. Don’t you ever forget it.”
Ezaara tilted her head. “One thing I’ve always wondered is how you knew where to find me.”
“I’d heard there was a skilled healer in Lush Valley. Handel had prophesied my rider would be one of Marlies’ progeny, so I went searching.” Zaarusha chuckled. “He said you were meant for Roberto, which is why he insisted that the council appoint him to train you.”
Ezaara smiled. “That wily old dragon.”
“He certainly is,” Zaarusha replied. “Ezaara, don’t forget what I said: I’m proud of you.”
Zaarusha’s love washed over her, filling her with sweet—no, bittersweet—satisfaction, despite her tears. Many friends had fallen today—and over these past few months. From now, a new era could start at Dragons’ Hold. Hopefully an era of peace and prosperity, now that Zens’ shadow no longer darkened the land.
The fierce peaks of Dragon’s Teeth glinted in the moonlight. They swept over the mountains, across the basin. Dark blobs littered the stony clearing beneath the southern wall of Dragon’s Teeth where their caverns were located. No doubt, carcasses of dragons, riders, tharuks, and mages.
As Zaarusha and Erob landed on the ledge of the council chamber, dread coiled in Ezaara’s belly at the massacre and wreckage that would be awaiting them.
§
Linaia’s wingbeats slowed as they neared Dragon’s Teeth. “You’re tired too, aren’t you?” Adelina asked.
“Yes, those flaming shadow dragons were quite nimble. It was hard work ducking their beams and fire, but I suppose we won’t get much rest tonight.”
Adelina was dog-tired, exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to snuggle into her bed and sleep. “I doubt that there’ll even be a bed left at Dragons’ Hold if tharuks have rampaged through the place.”
“If worst comes to worst, I’ll shelter you under my wing.”
“Nearly there!” Kierion called. He and Riona were flying only a few wingspans away. He’d been attentive throughout their journey, waving, calling out to keep her spirits buoyed. After finding her father, hating him, then losing him again, her heart was broken into so many pieces she
could never imagine being whole again. At least she had her trusted friends with her as they surged over the peaks of Dragon’s Teeth and headed down to the basin.
Linaia melded with her, “Riona has asked us to follow her. Kierion wants to show you something.”
“All right then.”
As Linaia spiraled down, Adelina soon realized they were heading to the clearing where, only a few days ago, she’d breakfasted with Kierion in the snow on her name day. Gods, she’d thought her littling years had been rough, but she’d seen more death and carnage in the last few days than in her whole life.
Linaia thudded to the snow. It was still icy cold here. The only sign that they’d been here was the bench, shrouded in snow. Adelina held onto the saddle and slid down Linaia’s side, dropping to the ground.
Kierion snatched her up in an enthusiastic hug.
“Shards, how can you have so much energy after that battle?”
“No matter how tired I am, I always feel great when I’m with you.” He grinned, leading her to the bench. He retrieved a blanket from Riona’s saddlebag, kicked the snow off the bench and laid the blanket on top.
“Did Riona forget to put the bench back?” She sat down and he joined her.
Kierion shrugged. “I decided to leave it here in case we wanted another romantic picnic.” He sighed, dragging his fingers through his grimy soot-streaked hair. His face was blackened with dragon char.
She probably looked the same.
Kierion took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He pulled an apple out of his pocket, cut it into wedges with his knife and offered her a piece.
She hadn’t realized how hungry she was; her stomach rumbled. Adelina bit into the juicy apple.
“A copper for your thoughts,” Kierion said.
“I’m not looking forward to going back. To finding what’s been left behind.”
“Neither am I. This war has taught me a lot.”
His perspective was always interesting, different. “Apart from bloodshed, desolation and robbing people of hope, what has it taught you?” Adelina felt hollowed out at the memory of Amato’s dead body and the hundreds that had fallen.
Kierion’s pretty gray eyes blazed. He took her hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed it softly, never taking his gaze from hers. “It’s taught me that I never want to lose you. How fragile life can be. And how I should never waste time again, telling you every day how much I love you.”
His words stole Adelina’s breath. She gasped. “You what? I mean, I know I love you, but I never thought… I didn’t know…”
Kierion gave her a lopsided smile. “Adelina, I’m serious. And for once, I’m not pranking. I’d like to be hand-fasted to you. Um, I mean… ah, if you’ll have me.”
Emotion rushed through her chest, tightening her throat. Tears pricked her eyes. She flung her arms around him, pulling him close, crying—smelling the ash in his hair, the dried salt on his forehead, the tang of mage flame from riding with Fenni, and the musky scent of dragon.
“Yes, Kierion. I would love to be hand-fasted to you. I can think of nothing more perfect than being hand-fasted to the man I love.”
§
She loved him! She loved him! She loved him! Kierion squeezed Adelina tight, vowing that he’d follow her to the ends of the realm and back if he ever had to. Never again would he let a misunderstanding come between them. Never again would he let his stubborn pride rob him of the woman he loved. “I promise you, Adelina, never again.”
“What? You’ll never hug me again?” Dark eyes dancing, she gave him that cheeky grin he loved so much.
“I’ll never ever let you sneak out of my life again.” He laughed, picking her up and spinning her around and around in the snow. “Gods, you’re beautiful. I want to spend every living moment with you.”
§
The door to the council chambers thudded open and people rushed out—people Ezaara had never seen before. From their tattered clothing, gaunt faces and hollow eyes, they must be slaves from Death Valley. Someone must’ve saved them.
Roberto slid from his dragon and helped her down off Zaarusha. Squeezing her hand, he murmured, “This’ll be Tomaaz’s doing. I left him and Lovina in Death Valley to care for the slaves. They must’ve brought them here through the realm gate.”
A blue guard with her arm in a sling and a gash across her cheek pushed her way through the crowd and fell to one knee in front of Ezaara, pounding her heart with her fist. “My honored Queen’s Rider, Zaarusha alerted our dragons that you have vanquished Zens. I, Jacinda, vow to serve you with love and humility, thankful for the lives you have saved.” She swallowed and rose to her feet. “My husband and family were murdered at Zens’ hands. Now they can have peace, flying with departed dragons, knowing he is gone.”
Roberto melded. “She and her dragon were injured, so I told them to come back to the hold and prepare for our return.”
“You knew we’d return?”
“I hoped so,” said Roberto, “but for a while there, it wasn’t looking too promising.” His ebony eyes were warm in the glow of the torchlight.
The guard continued, unaware of their mind-melded conversation. “We’ve cleared the chambers and caverns of tharuk corpses, although a few live tharuks remain in the dungeons. Half of the infirmary is ready for patients. The wounded dragons who returned to the hold have burned many bodies in the clearing, but there are still more. There are many more slaves from Zens’ mining crews who’re currently clearing the main cavern as we speak, piling bodies in the clearing and dragging rubble outside.” She tilted her head. “Ezaara, for years, Dragons’ Hold has been impenetrable, inaccessible to the people of the realm. If we can clean up the tunnel Zens made and guard it well at the chasm end, we could share this beautiful basin with all the citizens of the realm.” She blushed. “I know it’s probably too early to be thinking of these things, but I have a lot more ideas if you’d like to hear them.”
Ezaara was gob-smacked. Here they were, battle-weary and exhausted, yet Jacinda already had plans. As she opened her mouth, struggling to think of what to say, Roberto tipped back his head and laughed.
He clapped the blue guard on the shoulder. “Your plans sound very interesting, Jacinda. But let’s hear them tomorrow after we’ve cleaned off our battle grime and had some sleep.”
§
Roberto put a protective arm around Ezaara and helped her back up into Zaarusha’s saddle. He climbed up behind her, and Zaarusha flew toward the Queen’s Rider’s cavern. Roberto cradled Ezaara in his arms, nestling his chin on her shoulder. “I suggest we take a long hot bath while our dragons hunt.”
Ezaara leaned back, enjoying his comforting warmth at her back. “That sounds so nice,” she said wearily.
“Do you know what sounds even nicer?” he asked.
“What?” The breeze ruffled her hair.
“Spending our lives together, without living in Zens’ shadow. A bright new future that I never dreamed would be possible.” He kissed her neck. “I’m glad you had the courage to jump on Zaarusha in Lush Valley.”
“I’m glad you did too.” Zaarusha belched a gust of flame, heading toward their ledge, her triumphant roar rumbling through the night.
Her mother was dead and their realm in tatters, but they had each other. And a new future ahead of them. “I’m glad too.” Ezaara smiled, turning in the saddle to meet Roberto’s lips.
Roberto kissed Ezaara. Kissed away the memory of the battlefield. The loss and the pain. And welcomed her home.
Zaarusha landed on the ledge, waiting patiently until they were finished. “About time,” she said as they dismounted. “I’m hungry and need to hunt.”
Ezaara and Roberto laughed, walking hand in hand into their chambers.
A New Dawn
Dawn peeked over the tips of Dragon’s teeth as Maazini touched down outside the infirmary. Tomaaz helped Jael out of the saddle.
“Go and find Lovina,” Jael muttered. “I’ll be fine from here.”<
br />
“You sure?” Tomaaz gestured at Jael’s stomach wound. “That looks painful.”
It was. Jael gritted his teeth and held his hand over his belly as he staggered to the infirmary doors.
Tomaaz swung down and came over to open the heavy door for him.
“Thanks,” Jael grunted, sweat beading his forehead.
Tomaaz was haggard, his face lined with grief. “I’ll check in on you later. I just want to make sure Lovina’s all right.”
“Rightly so.” Jael had never known what it was like to have a mother burned to cinders in midair, but from where he stood, it looked pretty grim. He supported himself with a hand as he stepped over the threshold. The rear part of the infirmary was in chaos with people righting overturned beds, scrubbing walls and bustling about, putting tharuk damage to rights. The area closest to him had already been tidied up and the beds made up with fresh linen. Some were occupied with wounded; many were waiting for the influx of patients from Mage Gate.
A tall redhead who’d come through the world gate was checking patients and issuing soft-spoken commands to the people tending them. If he wasn’t mistaken, many of the mages tending the ill and wounded were riders of those magnificent gold dragons. He guessed that made them dragon mages of sorts.
A girl came over. “Please sit down.” She ushered him to a bed and examined his wound.
Jael winced. “It’s not that bad.”
She felt his forehead. “You have a fever. Your wound could be infected. You’ll need Serana to see you. She’ll be here soon. In the meantime, I’ll bring you some feverweed tea.”
She bustled over to the redhead, who glanced up and nodded, then continued her work.
Soon the redhead was at Jael’s bedside, wavy locks tucked over her shoulder. Her jade eyes swept over him, taking in his bent knees, his bloody hand clutching at his wound, the layers of ragged clothing that had been sliced through by that horrible shadow dragon’s eye beam. It had only been a glancing blow as the dragon had fallen to its death, enough to hurt like wildfire, but not enough to spill his guts like Seppi’s. But it had happened last night, and now he wasn’t feeling so great.
Riders of Fire Complete Series Box Set books 1-6: YA Epic Fantasy Dragon Rider Adventures Page 153
