by Skye Horn
“Let’s go,” Adrian whispered to Thea, pulling her through quickly before the guard would change his mind. Enough money could buy you anything you wanted in Blackmire. Loyalty was a lost cause.
Thea followed without question as they headed toward the cliffs where they typically trained. However, instead of heading up the normal path, Adrian walked past, bringing Thea with him, to a more overgrown path.
“Where does it go?” she asked, eyeing the path he expected her to follow. For the first time, she looked nervous.
“To the beach. That’s where the caves are.”
Thea watched him with curiosity, but didn’t ask any other questions, so he tugged her toward the pathway, clearing away some of the brush with his sword so that they could walk through.
The path was long and winding, but eventually, they descended to the soft sand of the beach below. The waves crashed along the shore as the moon glistened over the sparkling waters of Blackmire’s sea. Adrian admired the sight, momentarily distracted by how far the horizon stretched. He’d lived in Blackmire his entire life, and never ventured to any of the other kingdoms, but it was what lay beyond the sea that truly interested him. Surely an entire world must exist outside of their small pocket of magic. Perhaps a world without warring Goddesses and wicked kings.
The familiar thoughts twisted his heart into a deep longing, but he knew he’d never have the freedom to leave. Not while his sister needed him, at least.
“Adrian?” Thea asked, noticing that they’d stopped moving.
Adrian turned his gaze away from his dreams and started leading Thea along the base of the cliffs toward the caves, letting the roar of the waves drown out his thoughts. “This way.”
As they neared the caves, Adrian’s heartbeat quickened. He wondered if he was doing the right thing by showing her this, but there was no turning back now. If he didn’t take her into the caves at this point, she’d only come back on her own, and there would be nothing he could do to protect her then. Even now, he might be the only one to keep her safe.
“Do not let go of my hand. Do you understand?” he asked as he turned his head to meet her gaze. The dark cave entrance stretched out in front of them and the sea behind, but this could change everything. He’d only ever brought one other person here—Caden—and he would live with the regret of that for the rest of his life every time he saw his friend’s scars. He frowned, examining Thea’s beautiful skin under the moonlight. Adrian had been only a boy when Caden had been hurt. He wouldn’t let the same thing happen to Thea.
He couldn’t.
“Understood,” she agreed, but her eyes drifted toward the darkness, full of curiosity. She pressed her palm more tightly against his, as if to validate her promise to listen, and he took a deep breath. The scent of salt on the ocean breeze comforted him as he led her into the darkness of the damp cavern. The sound of water dripping from stalactites echoed on the walls. A cool breeze ruffled the bottoms of their cloaks with their growing descent. Adrian hardly let himself breathe, feeling the tight grip of Thea’s hand around his own. Her pulse raced so wildly that he felt it in her fingertips and he wished for nothing more than to turn back, but there was no escaping where fate had brought them now.
You visit me twice in one week, a gentle voice sang through his mind, calming the thrashing of his heart. There was excitement in her tone, followed by confusion. But what is this new scent I smell on you?
A friend, he responded immediately, reaching out with his thoughts to the creature that lay just around the bend.
Like Caden? Her voice was laced with regret, and his stomach twisted into knots. They’d both been so young… out of control. Or something different?
The power of their bond tickled his mind, searching for an explanation he could not give.
I smell her fear.
Adrian wasn’t sure how to answer that. Of course Thea was afraid. He’d led her down to a beach in the middle of the night and was now taking her into the heart of the cliffside without so much as an explanation. He should have been screaming at her for trusting him so easily, but instead, he relished it. Even after everything he’d done to her, she was giving him a second chance to prove himself, and he would not make her regret it. He’d promised to be honest with her, and as they rounded the corner, that was what he planned to do.
There was no light left in this part of the cave, but his eyes adjusted to the darkness just as he knew hers would. At first, it looked as if they were staring at a large mound of rocks that blocked their path, but Thea’s sharp intake of breath told him that she sensed what type of danger she approached.
“But how…” she whispered into the dark, never letting go of him.
At the sound of her voice there was a great puff of hot air, and what had looked like a pile of rock at first sight moved, revealing a deep golden eye with dark pupils slit vertically into the middle.
The cave shook as the creature lifted up onto its hind quarters, scales-covered tail stretching out around her with such weight that the ground began to tremble. Adrian felt Thea tense at his side and knew her instincts were telling her to run, but she stood with her feet planted to the ground, palm growing sweaty in his own from the heat inside the cave.
Adrian stepped closer to her side so that their arms brushed and leaned his head down to her ear to speak, not wishing to startle anyone with loud noises.
“Thea, I would like to introduce you to Sorlas, protector of the skies, my familiar.”
“Your familiar is a dragon?” Thea’s voice was hardly audible. It trembled over each word as Sorlas’ second massive eye blinked open. They glowed like orbs far above their heads, and to a stranger, perhaps they would look vicious, but to Adrian, they were only curious. He sensed his familiar’s longing to lean toward them, but under Adrian’s watchful eye, she remained in place.
We need to do this slowly, Adrian explained.
There is no slow way to introduce a dragon. Sorlas laughed but remained still regardless.
Thea was tracing the hilt of her sword, and at first, Adrian thought she meant to draw it, but then he remembered what was engraved there as she said, “I didn’t think they were real.”
At this, Sorlas let out a heavy huff that Adrian recognized as a laugh. Thea stumbled backward, casting a terrified look at him that made his heart cinch.
Yes, if Thea had wandered into these caves alone, Sorlas would have acted on instinct and likely incinerated her, but that wasn’t the case here. She had come as a guest of his, a friend. Sorlas would show her the same respect she showed him.
The dragon’s green scales bristled with movement as she leaned her head forward toward Adrian, slow to extend her long neck in the too-small space. Although she was large, she would grow much larger according to the books Adrian and Caden had spent endless nights bent over. She was only a few years old at this point, still growing and learning. She pressed the warm tip of her nose against Adrian’s forehead affectionately as Thea’s entire body quivered beside him. He clutched her hand, praying she would not make any sudden movements that might startle Sorlas.
“I’ve missed you too, girl,” Adrian said, reaching his free hand up to press against the side of Sorlas’ mouth. Her lips pulled back into what looked like a vicious smile, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and Thea whimpered.
Who is this strange girl? Sorlas asked, one eye watching Thea.
“Adrian, how do you have a dragon as a familiar?”
“She came to me,” he explained. Just like the legend of all familiars, they came in times of need. Sorlas had been a strange find indeed. “I was seventeen when my sister fell ill and my father left. He told us he couldn’t handle a sick child, but he’d been looking for an excuse to leave for years. He had been a blacksmith, but I knew nothing of the trade. No matter how hard I worked to make a living in the village, it was just never enough to keep Emilie taken care of. My mother was never any help.”
Sorlas let out an angry huff and he stroked his hand
up toward her ear soothingly.
“I used to travel to the black markets of other villages to try and find medicine that would help my sister for lesser cost, but it was rare that anything worked. Then one day there was a merchant in the market with an egg. He claimed it was a dragon, but no one believed him. He was trying to sell it for an outrageous price.”
Adrian’s fingers traced Sorlas’ scales with ease and he felt the low rumble, like a cat’s purr, beneath his touch as she settled back onto the ground, resting her head at his feet. Thea stared in surprise at the ease of this action.
“Despite only having enough money to purchase medication, I ended up speaking with that merchant. The egg sang to my soul, making it impossible for me to turn away once I’d seen it. He told me I could never afford it—said he was looking for a specific type of buyer. I wasn’t going to give up, though. The longer we spoke, the angrier I became. I asked him how he’d come across this egg and he told me a tale of slaying a dragon in a faraway land across the sea, all to take her golden egg. My temper got the best of me that day and I drew my sword, but I was not the only one watching the interaction.
“A man stepped in, concealed beneath a cloak, before I could make my first attack. He leaned close to the merchant and slipped a pouch of coin into his hand, then took the egg and turned to walk away. I remember chasing after him, begging him to sell me the egg. He asked me why I wanted it so badly, but I couldn’t explain the longing feeling I had to be with it.
“Eventually he stopped and pulled back his hood, revealing a face I’d known since childhood. A face we were taught to fear. This was Caden, the prince to the throne of Blackmire. I dropped to my knees and begged forgiveness, but as you know, Caden is not his father. He lifted me to my feet and placed the egg in my hand, saying, ‘I just wanted to see what you would do to get it.’”
“He gave you a dragon egg?” Thea asked.
“Yes, as well as a spot in the king’s army. We’ve been friends ever since, and he has watched Sorlas grow with me. I didn’t know what a familiar was until she hatched. That’s when I heard her thoughts for the first time. Not many Fae gain familiars in Blackmire.”
Thea looked from Adrian to Sorlas with a saddened smile. “I lost my familiar a few months ago. I know that pain of separation all too well.”
Adrian stilled at that. He couldn’t imagine losing Sorlas. He’d had her for nearly a decade, and although that was young for a dragon who would surely outlive him, he couldn’t imagine outliving her.
Sensing his sadness, Sorlas rolled her head against his feet. He saw the fear melting away from Thea, layer by layer, but then she asked the question he had been terrified to answer.
“Is this why Caden’s face—”
Adrian nodded before Thea could finish the question, and Sorlas closed her eyes with a shame he’d sensed in her since the day of the accident.
“We were young when it happened. Caden and I were sparring, escaping the palace courts for a period of time, but we shouldn’t have used real swords. Caden caught me off-guard.” At this, Adrian let go of Thea’s hand to tug up his sleeve. A scar the length of his forearm was visible on his skin. “Sorlas was young too. She saw the blood and thought Caden had meant to hurt me. Before I could stop her, she went after him to protect me.”
Adrian stroked the top of the dragon’s head gently. “It was no one’s fault. Caden still comes to visit her. He even brings chickens when he can to give her as a treat, but I vowed I would protect Caden since that day. He is my best friend and will make a greater king than this kingdom has ever seen.”
Thea nodded her head in agreement and then finally looked toward Sorlas directly. Adrian saw her eyes examining the beautiful scales that coated the dragon’s skin. They were an emerald green, but he’d seen them look gold in the sunlight when they had the luxury of seeing it. He hated keeping her locked up in here, but they had all agreed it was for the best. Still, nearly ten years in the dark was far too long. On cloudy days, Adrian would sneak her out of the cavern and soar with her above the cloud protection in the sky. These were his favorite days.
“How does no one know she is here?”
“The caves are treacherous to anyone who doesn’t know how to navigate them, and the ocean waves drown out any noise she might make. No one bothers her here.”
“But she’s trapped. Shouldn’t she be free to the skies?”
“After Caden bought me the egg, we spent months researching dragons.” Adrian tilted his head toward the corner of the cavern where stacks upon stacks of books rested. They’d been stockpiling for years, trying to learn everything they could about Sorlas. “They were hunted in Faerie centuries ago… that is why no one has seen one in so long. The merchant truly must have taken her from another land, a faraway place where her kind still live. We fear if anyone knows she is here, that they will hunt her down.
“But we also know she is our greatest weapon.”
At this, Sorlas reopened her eyes, war glistening in the depths of her gaze. “Dragons were bred for war, and it is said that their riders—their familiars—were nearly unstoppable upon their backs. However, with only one dragon, we need a plan of attack.”
“You ride her?” Thea’s amazement was evident, but Adrian just smirked.
“You think your wings are fun? You’ve never sat upon the back of a dragon.”
Sorlas let out another rumbling chuckle that made Thea step back.
“It’s okay; she’s happy to meet you. She doesn’t get to meet many people.”
Thea, who had not retaken Adrian’s hand, crouched low just in front of Sorlas’ face and then looked at him with a question in her eyes. He nodded his head, indicating it was okay, as she reached out to touch his dragon’s nose with her tiny hands.
Sorlas let out a snort that clearly made Thea jump, but she did not back away.
She is brave, despite her fear. I like her.
“She says she likes you,” Adrian said and watched a smile light up Thea’s face. It was always surprising to see a real smile there, but he couldn’t help the flutter that erupted inside him at the sight of it.
As do you, I see, Sorlas teased.
Adrian ignored that and knelt to sit beside Thea on the ground next to Sorlas. The dragon immediately lifted her head and placed it onto his lap. Guilt flooded him for not visiting more often. He was only able to come down to the caves once or twice a week, but even that had grown more difficult since Thea’s arrival. As usual, though, Sorlas didn’t complain.
“I like her too,” Thea said looking the dragon over. “Thank you for letting me into this part of your world.”
“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” Adrian asked hopefully.
What did you do? The accusation in Sorlas’ tone was sharp. A breath of hot hair escaped her flared nostrils in a snort.
Thea’s giggle in response was like bells chiming around him. “What’s she saying?”
“She’s saying you are avoiding my question,” he lied, but smiled a little, liking the sound of her laughter.
“Forgiven is a powerful word,” Thea said, folding her hands into her lap. Adrian’s smile faltered, but he nodded.
“However,” she continued, “I understand why you did what you did, and I’m trying to come to terms with that.”
Adrian nodded, understanding.
“Well, in that case, I should apologize for my behavior since your arrival.”
Thea lifted an eyebrow at him.
“I guess I’m not great with meeting new people.”
At that, Thea’s laughter echoed around the cave as Sorlas’ filled his mind, Apparently, these two were going to get along just fine.
Chapter 19
By the time they walked back onto the beach, Thea’s mood had lightened. The moon was still high in the sky above, and despite the lateness of the night, the cool breeze off the sea left her feeling wide awake.
“So that’s my secret,” Adrian said as they walked along the sand. He had his hands t
ucked inside his cloak. The tide was low at this time of night, but Thea could see from where the snow ended and the sand began that the water would nearly touch the cliffside at high tide. She expected that was why Sorlas was so deep within the cave. “What creature was your familiar?”
Thea hesitated but decided there was no harm in talking about Faylon with Adrian. “He was a Unicorn.”
Adrian blew out a breath and looked at her in surprise.
“I didn’t know those still existed.” Then, seeming to think about what he said, he groaned. “Sorry—what an insensitive thing to say!”
Thea gave a sad smile, watching her feet as they walked. “It’s okay. I don’t think there are many left, but he died a hero.”
She was relieved when Adrian didn’t ask her to elaborate on how Faylon had died, not knowing if she could bring herself to talk about how she’d saved Kieran’s life at the moment. There was so much they didn’t know about each other, having been at the ends of their ropes with each other since her arrival, but now, after he’d shared such an intimate part of his life with her, Thea felt that she could be a little more open.
That realization terrified her, though.
“What are you going to do, Thea?” Adrian asked, after the silence had grown awkward. They were only about halfway back to the path, but Thea stopped walking at his question. She didn’t know if she was ready to go back yet. Would he return to being cut off from her? Would they be friends? Or would she be expected to be furious with him?
“About what exactly?” Thea asked, even though she knew exactly what he was talking about. She glanced toward the ocean, letting her eyes drift as far away as possible, and wondered how long she could outrun this conversation. She couldn’t pretend her entire world hadn’t just changed. Even if she escaped to a cave with a dragon for a short time, when it came back to reality, she would still be a mother in the next few months. She didn’t know how to wrap her mind around that.
“The baby. Kieran. The war?” She felt Adrian’s eyes on her as he spoke, but didn’t look at him. There was no easy answer to his question. Of course, she planned to do everything she could to keep her child safe. It was the last piece of Kieran she had, a piece of her she felt a strange new protectiveness over.