“Leave.” The word rumbled out of her.
Wait what? “Now?” I squeaked, bolting upright only to claw at the furs slipping off my shoulders. My shiver was immediate as frigid air wrapped itself around my warm body.
Uthal shook her head and frowned. “Soon.”
I let out a sigh of relief, and she nodded before walking away.
Falling back into the pile of furs, I smiled, remembering the conversation Uthal and I had last night. What I figured out while telling Uthal my story was she understood the common tongue a lot better than she could speak it. Which, really who could blame her? Except her pack apparently, but her pack didn’t have contact with others who were not Goliaths or random Dragons, or at least Uthal insinuated so. Settling right into the start of my story, Uthal listened with rapt attention. She was more surprised to learn Rafael was the Dragon Prince all along then learning I was a princess. She pointed to my heart then head and said ‘strong’ in a matter of fact opinion. I laughed, but she was very serious when she explained in the little common tongue she could speak. To the Goliath’s, leaders needed to be strong to the very end, no matter the situation. When I pointed out I was recently freezing to death in the snow before she saved me, I got a shrug and Uthal said ‘still strong’. I chuckled, continuing with my story and received animated faces from Uthal when I got to the wedding and my transfer to the Veiled Realm. She was beyond curious when I described the witch I met there, along with her cottage. I even put in the fun dialog between said witch and the gatekeeper’s host, making Uthal fall over laughing.
Then I got to the part I played in killing the gatekeeper’s host and how it was my fault Amelia had to stay behind.
Uthal had slid in close, wrapping her heavy arm around my shoulders, giving me a hug and murmuring words in her native language. Tears had threatened to choke me once more, and when I wiped at my eyes, Uthal said nothing and just squeezed me closer until I let out a squeak, unable to breathe from her hug. She released her grip on me, and I continued until I got to the part of the story with her ripping me out of the snow. Uthal had put her hand on my chest over my heart and said, “Strong. Good heart.”
One thing that really bothered me was Uthal’s reaction to the caves. She had frowned, saying something akin to unclean or fiend. She was unable to elaborate in common, so I decided to file it away for later, which I was doing a lot as of late, and see if the Mountain Dragons had any knowledge about the cave system. Uthal grumbled before getting up to retrieve an old hand-sketched map. With it, I was able to show her the route I had chosen to take, and Uthal promptly shook her head, insisting on leading me through the pass, on a quicker, barely visible route she traced on the map. She murmured something about me being small and weak, but I shrugged her comment aside as we had pored over the map into the late evening. Uthal shook her head more than once and pointed at other areas, more obscure ways I had no idea were even possible, essentially cutting travel out of the pass and into the surrounding mountain forest in half. Uthal pointed at a particularly steep route early on, but I had to refuse because of my ankle. She motioned a carrying position on her back, but I sternly told her no. I was not about to be carried around like a child. She growled and I growled right back at her, which amused Uthal to no end. By the end of the night, we had chosen a route that didn’t involve the particularly steep grade, but still one Uthal deemed fast enough even with my ankle. After plotting our route, Uthal found some wood and leather strips to splint my accursed ankle in. When I thrust my foot out from under the furs, we both stared at my ankle in horror. It had to be at least two sizes too large and had a sickening yellowish-green tinge to it. It was also extremely tender to the touch, which I found out when Uthal splinted it. There was a lot of shouting, mostly on my end, and Uthal laughing like a maniac. We both agreed after I laid on the furs panting like a horse at the end of a race, that my ankle was either broken or severely sprained. We had ended the evening then, and I fell deeply into sleep. Lucky for me, the dream I had was just that: a dream. I had never thrown what the witch called a stove out of the window and Amelia never rode around on the black hound, who had delivered the weapon after my ill-fated murder attempt with the gatekeeper’s host. Trying not to linger on the undertones of truth resonating through my dream, I was grateful for Uthal waking me up when she did because I had no idea what other weird things my mind was about to concoct up.
ROLLING UP INTO A SITTING position, Uthal dropped her bag and mine next to the cave entrance and strode back to me, holding out her giant hand. Grabbing on, she lifted me up to a standing position and handed me a walking stick which had been hers. She had cut and shaped it down to my size sometime after I had fallen asleep, and I was insanely grateful for it. I tested it out by hobbling around the cavern for a few minutes before nodding to Uthal when I was comfortable with it. When I tried to take my pack at the cave entrance, Uthal swiped it out of my grasp and swung it onto her back along with her own. She purposely ignored my complaint and walked away. Secretly, I was relieved. We both knew it was going to be slow progress through the pass and into the forest, even with all the added shortcuts. My ankle was already throbbing, and I was happy to not have the added weight of my pack. It was rough starting out as Uthal tried to find an adequate path through the freshly fallen snow to the main part of the pass. We had to double back a few times, and I could see the look of frustration become increasingly obvious across Uthal’s face. We eventually made it and from there on out, Uthal set a grueling pace. It was around mid-day when I had to call out for a break. The pain radiating through my ankle and up my leg was becoming too much to handle, and my foot had gone numb some time ago. Uthal grunted when I called out and paced back to the large boulder I was leaning against to try and catch my breath. I was glad Uthal was much more empathetic to humans then her Goliath counter parts, and I was becoming increasingly more comfortable around her swift actions. What I was not expecting though, was for her to grab me by the waist and sit me down on top of the bolder. My surprised yelp echoed through the pass, and Uthal glared at me.
“Sorry,” I whispered with a wince.
Uthal told me early on to make no loud noises. It was my shout yesterday which triggered the first snow slide, and I really did not want to repeat that experience again. Using the impromptu break to drink some water and munch on some dried fruit from my pack, Uthal grabbed a dark blue jar from her pack and opened it, revealing a dark brown sludge within. She tugged off my boot and slathered the brown sludge onto my ankle. Making the mistake of looking down at my foot, I nearly fainted. My ankle was worse. The bruising had darkened, changing from the light yellow green to a dark nasty green and purple. I refrained from looking at it again until Uthal shoved my boot back on. My foot was no longer numb, and all I could feel was a dull ache in my ankle. I was going to have to figure out what was in that sludge because it made the pain disappear altogether after a minute. Uthal reached up to place me back on the ground. Expecting it this time around, I made sure not to make a sound. Feet securely back on snow-covered ground, I nodded to Uthal and we continued on. With her grueling pace and magic ointment on my ankle, we were able to make it to the end of the pass by nightfall. Uthal pushed on a little farther, making it to an area right outside the pass; a grove surrounded by trees, making an ideal camping spot. The mountain air felt thicker and warmer already, which I was extremely grateful for. Helping with what I could until Uthal shooed me away, I sat on a rock, resting and staring at Uthal as she finished setting up our camp. The ointment on my ankle had worn off about an hour back, and pain radiated up my leg once more. Fortunately, I had the night to rest. With an audible sigh, I craned my head back, stars beginning to wink into existence one by one as if some god above was hand painting them onto a canvas. Uthal made it back to the clearing with a handful of wood, and my sigh made her look up as she set up the fire. She looked at me, to the sky, then back at me and pointed to a spot next to her. Guess that was my cue to come back to camp. Hobbling over, I sat on
a fallen tree positioned perfectly next to the fire and Uthal joined me. Continuing to look up at the night sky, I pointed out my favorite stars and their given names. Uthal looked at me quizzically.
Pointing to the brightest star in the sky I said, “You see that star? It’s called the Rover’s star.”
Uthal squinted up at it. “Why?”
I smiled. “Would you like to hear the story?”
Uthal grunted and poked at the fire with a stick. Taking her grunt for a yes, I continued, “Long ago, a little girl wandered alone by herself, lost and frightened. She was so scared of the dark, she prayed with all her little heart for someone to save her before darkness fell. It was the moon goddess herself, sleeping high in the sky, who heard this little girl’s prayer and felt moved to help. As darkness fell, the little girl heard a whisper. “Look up,” a voice echoed around the little girl. Looking, the little girl caught sight of the brightest star in the inky blackness of the night sky. “Follow your star,” the voice echoed once more, and so the little girl did. She followed the star throughout the night and as dawn broke, she stumbled across a small cottage full of all the comforts she could ever ask for. Legend says this little girl was the first Rover of the Old Lands. It also states that if you are ever lost, just follow the brightest star in the night sky, and if you are in need, a Rover safe house will appear.”
Uthal had ceased jabbing at the fire halfway through my story and stared at the star in question before pointing to another star, asking if that one had a name and story. With a grin, I spent the rest of the evening pointing out the stars hanging high and bright in the crystal-clear sky, teaching a Goliath the star stories of our realm.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The Rovers Star – Rafael
The stone underneath Rafael’s grip groaned but didn’t crack as he braced himself on the balcony railing. Night had fallen long ago, and he stared up into the sky, eyes searching until he found the one star he was looking for. The Rover’s star. A click sounded and Rafael’s shoulders tensed, not needing the coming lecture which was about to befall upon him. Two strong hands slapped the stone railing next to his. Glancing over, Rafael took in his father surveying the Stronghold grounds before his eyes fell onto his son’s face.
“How are you holding up?” The king’s voice, low and soft, echoed into the night.
Rafael shook his head, unable to put into words how his heart was breaking. It had been over three months, and Maribella was still missing. He and his Dragon had been working in shifts around the clock, allowing the other to rest while one was fully in control. Transitions like this were dangerous and frowned upon among the clans. The more rein the Dragon had, the harder it was to gain back control as a man. Rafael’s father cleared his throat before reaching up and gripping his shoulder.
“Maribella loved...loves stargazing. When the skies were clear, she used to sit outside her cabin for hours.” Rafael’s throat was thick with unshed tears. “Four months into my visits, I asked her if I could join. Do you know what she said?”
The king shook his head. Rafael let out a low chuckle laced with sadness. “She said only if she could tell me the story of the stars.” A hot tear rolled down Rafael’s cheek as he pointed to the Rover’s star. “That was the first story she told me.”
The king let out a sigh, hand slipping from Rafael’s shoulder and back onto the stone railing. “I’m proud in how you are managing to hold yourself together, my son.”
Rafael snorted, looking at his father in disbelief. “I’m a mess, Father. I’m barely holding it together.”
“Yes, but you and your Dragon are working together. You are still in control even if you don’t feel like it, but you need rest.”
“I’ll rest once my mate is back in my arms.”
The king shook his head and turned, arms crossed. “I can only imagine the pain you are feeling right now. If I ever lost your mother, I would be a shell of a man. A Dragon losing his mate is akin to ribbing out one’s soul. Living would be impossible.”
Rafael stayed silent, his father’s words echoing through his mind. Maribella was his heart, and he knew with every fiber of his being she was still alive, out there somewhere. He just needed to find her and bring her back home.
Time ticked by in silence. The king was not a man of many words. He preferred action, working strategy with the castle guards and Stronghold sentries. The queen was happy to take over the reins to the clan in all other ways. Rafael remembered what his father once said about her.“I might be King through my bloodline but your mother, she earned her title. She never sat back once and allowed this life to be given to her. I admire her, and I am proud to be called her mate.”
“Are the Mystics playing games, Father?” Rafael murmured.
The king looked at him questioningly, but Rafael knew his father’s looks. He wanted him to explain why he thought this.
“Do you think they are making Maribella earn her place? Are they testing her?”
The king frowned at Rafael’s questions, thinking. “It is usually best not to dwell too deeply in why the Mystics do the things they do. Even the Elders don’t know their plans, and they speak directly to the messengers. Did the knight tell you they were testing Maribella?”
Rafael shook his head, his Dragon starting to rise from its slumber. “No, Father. The knight and her companion neither denied nor confirmed my suspicions. She said not to fret, but her companion cut her off before she could tell me more.”
Rafael’s Dragon rose in the back of his mind, pushing to take over, impatient to get back into the sky. Caramel eyes exploded, turning amber and energy burst from Rafael’s skin. The grip on his human shoulder had Rafael’s Dragon riding his mind, turning to face who dared stop him.
“Don’t roam too far, Rafael. You are needed at the training grounds tomorrow.” The king’s voice was no longer smooth but graveled, the eyes of his Dragon peeking out. The energy burst must have triggered his father’s Dragon, but the human was still in control.
“We will crush the coward who dares oppose us, who divides our attention from our mate. Now step aside.” Rafael’s Dragon growled before shaking off the King’s hand.
The king’s whole body tensed, but after a minute, the fire in his eyes died down as his Dragon drifted back into his mind and he took a step away.
Rafael’s Dragon gripped the stone railing with weak human hands, launching himself over, shift already underway the second his feet left the ground. One second his human half was falling, the next strong wings snapped out, soaring up into the night sky. The Dragon banked hard, sweeping over the castle and balcony where he had plunged off. Below him stood two Dragons in their human form, the King and Queen of the Stronghold embraced in each other’s arms, watching as their son flew away. Cold rage burned at his heart, and his human half rolled to the surface.
We will have that, he whispered before fully submerging back into his subconscious.
Rafael’s Dragon silently agreed as he soared over the castle once more before banking down, past the Stronghold, heading away from the mountains and toward the Endless Forest.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Morning came early, accompanied with a crisp breeze. “Uthal?” I stood in the middle of the camp as she rolled up a sleeping blanket and placed it into the pack. She stopped, looking my way when I called out. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me to the Mountain Dragon Stronghold?”
She shook her head and continued packing. “No. Uthal stay. Pass home.”
Sighing, I hobbled over to the fire to make sure it was completely out. Before going to sleep last night, I’d asked Uthal if she wanted to accompany me back to the Stronghold. She told me no, the pass was her home. But I was hoping for a change of heart overnight. Uthal was fast becoming a friend in my mind, and I didn’t want her to be living in the pass alone. “You will always be welcome if you change your mind. We, the Stronghold, can use you. You are a strong warrior and very capable.”
Uthal grunte
d, and I turned away, jabbing the dead ashes of the fire with the walking stick and balancing precariously on my good leg. Leaves crunched, and I turned back as Uthal walked over to me. She grabbed my hand, placing the blue jar full of mystery ointment in it. “Keep. Use.”
“Thank you,” I murmured before tossing caution to the wind and throwing my arms around Uthal’s massive frame, gripping her tightly in a big hug.
Her pat on my back was hesitant before pushing back from my embrace. “Stay Strong. Uthal visit. Maybe.”
With a chuckle, a wicked thought popped into my head. During our night in the cavern, Uthal had expressed wonderment in my choice to marry a Dragon. Goliaths considered Dragons attractive due to their strength. Dragons were the only beings in this realm who could best a Goliath one on one without cheating she’d said.
I smirked. “Uthal, you come visit me and maybe I can find you a sexy Dragon suitor.”
I caught the beginnings of a blush rise on Uthal’s cheeks and she shook her head, breaking eye contact and mumbling something too low for me to catch. Glancing back at my face, she shook her head once more. With a laugh, I hobbled over to my pack before slinging it onto my shoulders. “Until we meet again, Uthal?”
She held her hand up in goodbye before turning back toward the pass. That was it, then. I was on my own for the rest of my journey back to the Stronghold. With a shake of my head, I turned, heading deep into the Endless Forest surrounding the Midnight Mountains.
IT WAS LATE MIDDAY, and the sun beat down relentlessly on the trail. Sweat dripped from my hairline and into my eyes. Stopping to wipe it away, I reached for my water skin, downing what little was left. After checking the map Uthal had graciously left me, the only water annotated nearby was at the mountain falls, but at my hobbled pace, there was no reaching the falls any time soon. I was on the lookout for any smaller bodies of water while traveling, but I wasn’t having much luck. Moreover, I needed to rest my ankle again and put on the ointment. Spying a boulder a little ways off the trail under a large, canopied tree surrounded by dense bushes, it seemed like an ideal area to rest. After taking care of my ankle and rebooting, I was debating the best way to get off the boulder when an echo of laughter reverberated through the trees. Considering I was deep in the mountain elves’ territory until I reached the falls, and they hated encroachers, I did the first thing to pop into my mind. Pulling my cloak quickly around my head and shoulders, I panic rolled off the bolder, falling headfirst into the dense bushes. The branches snagged and pulled at my cloak, but it did its job in protecting most of my flesh from getting pricked by the small thorns. Besides a faint, stinging sensation across my cheek and along my hands, I was perfectly fine. The bushes had broken my fall when I landed in a small indent next to the base of the boulder. From down here, I could make out the small animal runs leading this way and that within the underbrush. The runs were just large enough for me to crawl through, so long as I took my pack off first and had my stomach on the ground the whole time. Holding my breath, I listened carefully for voices.
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