* * * * *
“I said keep going!” Valaira hollered as Nwour crashed down, his wings tucked against his body.
“I have been flying all night,” the dragon hissed, curling his long neck back to look at her. “You have been sitting. Do not begin to give me orders,” his slits narrowed and tongue flicked as he spoke.
Valaira scowled right back, sticking her finger out and tapping him on his hard nose. “And you do not forget that you would not be released if it was not for me!”
Long, thin pupils locked and blinked quickly, “You had no more to do with the barrier lapsing than anyone. You may be powerful Valaira, but so am I. Those cheap tactics may work on your minions or that foolish king you have in your grip, but not on me.” He pressed his face closer to her as she slid off his back, “You promised me Grahamas, and I agreed to help you. So I believe it is you who needs me. Do not forget that…and do not forget who I ultimately serve.” His leathery, spiked tail slapped the ground and his black tongue flicked out again, “You will allow me to rest. It would be furious if It learned you exerted me to the point of a second death.” Valaira tried her best to mask the fear caused by the implication.
“Be quick,” she glared, unable to argue. He was right, and in a huff she moved towards the end of the trail to wait impatiently. She supposed it was necessary—him resting. He had been forced to travel all night looking for the group. However, they had traveled northeast; Valaira and Nwour traveled southwest, past Loruze to the ocean’s edge. They were lost. She had them right in her grasp and they vanished. Her eagerness to find them again was driving her mad, enough so that she would even try to bully a dragon. Elryia’s magick was important to her and Grahamas’ Hope was necessary for her goals. She had been patient until now, had waited until Estophicles verified both Graham having the armor and Elryia being as strong as she sensed. Now that he had, she was free to use every one of her resources to capture them. No more hiding allies, and no longer needing to make them. But her haste lay not in finding them, she would chase them to the other end of Eldonia and she had all the time to do so. It was, however, what she saw yesterday that had inspired such a pace.
Lornya was not the only one who was able to see the black aura mixed within the group. Valaira was more attuned to it, able to see it for what it truly was: unfathomable, unrelenting evil. It was perhaps what she had been searching for—the key to ending all of this. She had originally sought Hope and Elryia to drain their magick. She needed more to garner enough power to keep herself alive for what she believed a long quest. When she saw the aura yesterday, she realized she was much closer than she first imagined. Valaira didn’t know who it was, but she was desperate to learn. To find it before the rest discovered it or was able to stop it.
“I suppose that’s long enough,” Nwour’s eyes were still narrowed and his tail crashed to the ground.
Valaira dismissed her thought for the time being and leapt on the creature’s back, stabilizing herself and gripping the horns. His wings thumped and lifted them into the air once more.
“Where?” was all the dragon said as he continued to climb.
Valaira considered, “Grahamas and the others are probably heading as far from Sharia and Kaldus as possible…” She stopped, thinking.
“Well?” Nwour grumbled, growing impatient from simply hovering.
“Northwest, towards Davaina.”
“Fine,” the dragon chuffed, turning then dropping his head. His whole body followed and his wings spread, gliding along the wind to where he was ordered. “But remember, only I am to take Grahamas’ life.”
The wind charged through her hair, tossing it every direction like frantic lightning, “Only after I get Hope.”
Nwour thought for a moment and then bowed his head, “Agreed,” he finally stated, “And what of the rest of them?”
“Hmm…” A devious smile passed along her lips, one that Nwour was unable to see, “Are you hungry?”
Nwour laughed, his whole body shaking so abruptly it almost threw Valaira right off, “Quite.”
In A Time Of Darkness Page 70