by Eric Vall
“As for you two ladies, I need you to keep the city defended,” I instructed. “I don’t know if anyone will attack while I’m gone, but we can’t be too careful. Alyona, I need you to double check all of your barriers and maybe set up a few more similar to the one you created when Ravi arrived. Laika, make sure we’ve finished the other guard towers and assist Natalya with the smithy. If she needs more materials, tell her to wait. I don’t want anyone besides those at the Asuran village to be outside of the walls while I’m gone. I’m not sure how far away we will be, but we have to assume I can’t travel back here fast enough to heal anyone who is seriously injured.”
“Of course, my lord.” Laika nodded. “Shall I continue to interrogate the prisoner while you are away?”
“No, I want to be here just in case he says anything useful,” I replied after I thought it over.
Suddenly, Alyona grabbed my hand.
“Evan, we will be fine,” she reassured me. “Hatra will still be here when you return. You can trust us.”
“I know I can,” I told her gently as I turned and gazed into her beautiful amethyst eyes. “I just don’t want anyone to take advantage of my absence.”
Alyona squeezed my hand, and on my other side, I felt Laika press her shoulder to mine.
“Have you talked to Ravi about when you two will leave?” Julia asked as she fanned herself. “She seemed anxious to get back to her people when we talked yesterday.”
“Not yet,” I said and turned back to my mother. “I just got back from my patrol with Valerra. I’ll talk to her once we’re done here. Do you know where she is?”
Everyone shook their head.
“I haven’t seen her yet today,” Ruslan replied.
“And I haven’t received any updates on her since she went to bed last night,” Laika added. “She must still be in her room. The guards have instructions to alert me whenever she leaves.”
“So, she hasn’t left her room all morning?” I asked in surprise.
“It would seem like it,” the wolf replied with a shrug before she pressed a hand to her gorget. A moment later, she spoke up again. “I just received confirmation, Ravi has not left her room all morning.”
“Thanks, Laika.” I nodded. “I should probably go check on her then.”
We all stood from the table, except Alyona.
“I want to continue some research, if that’s alright,” she explained when we all looked back at her. “I found a few books that contained some offensive spells that might be useful some time.”
“Okay, but I’ll see if anyone is free to come join you,” I replied with a frown. “I don’t want you here alone.”
“I can stay,” Nike interjected easily. “I have no further plans today anyway. I’ll help read through the books.” Then he sat back down at the table and picked up a random book that sat in front of him.
“Thanks, Nike.” I nodded in appreciation. “We’ll see you both later.”
Nike waved with his nose still buried in the book, and Alyona had already gone to the shelves and was scanning the spines of the books with her index finger. When she found one she liked, she plucked it from the shelf and held it in the crook of her arm.
I smiled at her as I turned to leave. My beautiful, studious princess always impressed me.
The rest of us left the library and walked the short distance back to the center of the city. My parents returned to the temporary palace while Laika and I turned toward the Blue Tree Guild’s airship.
We both nodded a hello to the guild members on guard duty at the entrance of the ramp. Then Laika led us up the path that Pyotr had used yesterday.
I was thankful the warrior had accompanied me.
“I have no idea how you know where to go here,” I said to the wolf Demi-Human. “I would get lost. These halls are impossible to navigate.”
“You will learn, Lord Evan,” she chuckled. “It just takes time.”
We eventually made our way up to the very top of the ship. Then we walked down the hall toward Ravi’s room, and two more guards were stationed at the front of the hall.
“Good morning, Lord Evan, Guild Leader,” the guards greeted.
“Morning,” I replied.
Laika crossed an arm over her chest in a movement the guards mirrored.
“As you were,” she told them as they dropped their arms.
Laika and I walked between them, and with a frown, I noticed the door to Ravi’s room was wide open. I turned to Laika, and her eyes narrowed. Then her ears twitched atop her head as she listened for any sounds that came from the room. I listened as well, but only heard the sound of quiet breaths, so together, Laika and I walked to the door and stopped in front of the threshold.
The wolf Demi-Human scoffed with a smile when we looked inside the room. Then she rolled her eyes and walked back to speak with her two guards down the hall.
Ravi was still asleep on the bed, and her orange hair lay sprawled around her pillow like a fiery halo. A few loose feathers were on the pillow and along the floor near the bed. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was set in a relaxed line, her arms were strewn out across the bed, and the blankets were bunched together in a pile at her feet. She had also apparently borrowed a nightgown from Alyona that seemed to be a little small, since the fabric was stretched tightly over the curves of her delicious body.
I pulled my eyes away from her and took a step into the room. I thought I’d been quiet, but Ravi’s eyes popped open with a gasp, and she jumped from the bed. She had summoned her blue fire before she realized it was me.
“Lord Evan.” She dropped her hand and extinguished her flames. “Sorry, you startled me.”
“It’s fine.” I smiled. “You didn’t attack me, so no harm done. Sorry for the early wake up call.”
“I didn’t sleep very well last night,” she admitted with a blush. “I’m not used to sleeping alone. My people and I sleep under the stars, so being trapped in this room alone made me feel overwhelmed.”
“That explains why the door was open,” I noted and glanced back at the opened threshold.
Ravi blushed even deeper and then cleared her throat. “Did you need something from me?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I said. “No one had seen you yet today, and it’s nearly noon.”
“What?” Her eyes went wide. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I slept so long.”
“It’s fine,” I replied and waved off her apology. “Like I said, we just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Thank you. You are very kind.” Her face suddenly turned bright crimson, and she glanced down at the nightgown she was dressed in. “I’m so sorry. Let me change really quick, and then we can head out.”
Her red robe was draped over the dresser in the corner, and she grabbed it quickly and pushed me out of the door.
A moment later, I heard her trip and stumble behind the closed door.
“Are you okay?” I called out.
“I’m fine!” was her muffled reply.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Ravi was dressed in her robes, and her hair seemed to be brushed. Her cheeks were still red, though, and I wondered if it was because she had changed so quickly or because she was still embarrassed about everything.
“Shall we?” she asked as she stepped out of the room. Then she caught sight of Laika and the guards and grinned. “Good morning, everyone! Though I suppose it’s afternoon now. How are you?”
“Your Highness.” Laika bowed. “I am well. I hope your stay in the airship was comfortable?”
“It was lovely!” Ravi gushed as we walked past the guards. “Thank you again for your generosity. I must have one of those beds one day.”
Laika spoke quietly to the guards and relieved them of their current duty. They each crossed an arm over their chest and disappeared down the hall, and I heard them descend down the stairs. Ravi, Laika, and I followed after them and walked back down toward the exit of the ship.
When we were finally out
side, Ravi stretched in the afternoon light. She turned her face to the sun, closed her eyes, and let out a happy sigh.
“So, Ravi,” I began, “you want to get to your people as soon as possible, right?”
Her face turned toward me, and she opened her eyes.
“Yes.” She nodded vigorously. “I don’t know how long we have until my people are overrun by the creatures of the desert.”
“Right,” I muttered with a worried frown. “So, we should leave immediately then. I’ve already made preparations here while I’m gone so we can leave tomorrow morning. Does that work for you?”
“That’s perfect. Thank you, Lord Evan.” Her hand delicately grabbed my arm, and goosebumps flecked my skin. “I cannot express how grateful I am to you. I shall forever be in your debt.”
“I’m glad I can help,” I said, but then her hand slipped off my arm, and for a moment, I missed the contact. “Though I do have a few questions about the creatures you are so scared of. What do you know about them?”
Ravi furrowed her brow as she thought of her response.
“They are terrible,” she finally shuddered as a chill swept through her body. “They are a colony, at least a thousand strong. They have black bodies that are immune to fire. And their blood is toxic. It burns anyone who causes them harm. This is why my people cannot win against them. Our fire does nothing, and anytime we injure one, we injure one of us as well. We were forced to just flee from them, yet they continue to hunt us.”
That description sounded awfully familiar.
“Echidnas,” I said as realization swept over me. “Your people are being stalked by a colony of echidnas.”
I felt my heart drop. Those fuckers were nearly indestructible. I could still feel their toxic blood as it burned through my scales.
Ravi looked at me in surprise. “You know of these creatures?”
“I’ve fought them once.” I nodded. “I understand now why your people run from them.”
“This is great news!” Ravi exclaimed, and her blue eyes shone with hope. “You know how to kill them without injury!”
“Not really,” I admitted. “They did burn me. I just have magic that allows me to heal.”
“I see,” Ravi murmured with a slight frown. “But you’re a mighty dragon, surely they stand no chance against you.”
“I’ll still help you, don’t worry,” I reassured the phoenix before I turned in the direction of the Crimson Canyons. “I’ll just need a little help from someone.”
The sun had begun to set when I finally had the chance to make my way to Valerra’s canyons. I couldn’t see the crimson dragon anywhere, so I made my way to her cave, landed silently, and changed into my human form.
“Valerra?” I called out into the dark cave. “You home?”
“What do you want?” she replied from deep within.
I walked toward her voice, which I instinctively knew had come from her lair.
“I’m here to talk.”
“No, I’m not in the mood,” she snapped, and annoyance was clear in her voice. “Go away.”
I rolled my eyes at her tone.
“That’s too bad, I’m already here,” I said dryly.
“Go home, Evan,” her voice repeated from the shadows of her cave. “You’ll be here in the morning, we can talk then.”
“I can’t come in the morning,” I explained, “which is why we need to talk now.”
The silence that followed was cold.
“Fine,” she finally answered in an icy tone.
I approached her lair and found her, in dragon form, in front of all her treasures. She had coiled herself into a large ball, and her tail flicked near her snout. Her golden eyes glared as I came closer.
“I told you to leave,” she spat at me as I sat down on a small stool she had stuffed away in a corner.
“And I told you, I want to talk to you,” I told her and made myself comfortable.
She pulled herself out of the ball and snorted. Smoke billowed from her nostrils, and her tail swished back and nearly collided with one of her many piles of gold.
“I told you, I am not in the mood,” she grumbled. “Go away.”
“And I said no, I want to chat.” I smirked.
“You are nothing more than an irritation,” she hissed, and I frowned as her words took on more of a bite than usual.
“You’re being a bit of a bitch.”
She growled and snapped her teeth at me.
“Valerra, stop it!” I growled, and my voice turned dark. “I just want to talk, but if you’re going to continue to threaten me, turn human so it’s an even fight.”
I could feel her irritation like static in the air, but she slowly shifted into her human self. Her golden eyes still burned with anger, but at least now she couldn’t bite me in half. She was naked, per usual, and her crimson hair fell across her chest.
“Thank you,” I told her, and she rolled her eyes.
“So, what is it that you so desperately want to discuss?”
“I found out what Ravi’s people are being stalked by.”
She feigned disinterest, but I could see her anger vanish and curiosity replace it.
“Am I supposed to read your mind?” she drawled as she lounged provocatively, like she couldn’t care less about what I had to say. “Tell me what it is.”
“It’s a colony of echidnas,” I explained. “That’s why they are such a problem for the phoenixes. Their only weapon is fire, and echidnas are immune to fire.”
“Hmm,” Valerra hummed as she narrowed her eyes in thought. “I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise. Those pesky vermin thrive within the desert. Do you know how many are in the colony?”
“It sounds like a thousand or so.” I shrugged.
Valerra laughed loudly.
“Good luck with that!” She laughed again. “You could barely handle the few we fought a few weeks ago!”
“We?” I echoed with a raised brow. “You let me fight them alone and then laughed when they burned me.”
Valerra rolled her eyes, but I pressed onward.
“And I killed them all, didn’t I?” I asked rhetorically. “No thanks to you, I might add. But that’s why I’m here. I want you to come with us. If there really are thousands of them, we are going to need two dragons, not one.”
Valerra’s laughter died down as she looked at me in surprise.
“You want me to abandon my sister’s egg to run off with you to save a group of strangers? Evan, you can’t be serious.”
“I can’t fight that many alone, and you seemed to be pretty confident last time,” I argued. “We can take your sister’s egg to Hatra. Alyona will ensure her safety, you have my word.”
The crimson dragon barked out a laugh of disbelief.
“Evan, I will not leave my sister’s egg in the hands of humans.” She looked at me like I had grown two heads.
“You already have,” I countered with a smirk. “Remember the whole death curse fiasco? Alyona and I kept your sister’s egg safe, and she will do it again. She’s already agreed to help you out.”
“Of course, I remember,” Valerra sneered. “I also remember I was next to the egg at all times! Now, you want me to abandon it and entrust its life to humans? My answer is no, I will never leave my sister’s offspring behind. I nearly lost it once, I will never make a mistake like that again.”
“Valerra, I need your help,” I told her honestly as I met her gaze and held it. “With your size and strength, we could destroy the echidna colony easily!”
Echidnas were nearly impossible to kill with their acidic blood and fire-resistant bodies. Dragon scales were much tougher than human skin, and I could always heal the phoenixes who were injured, but I didn’t want to cause anyone pain if there was another way.
And the other way was Valerra.
“You could,” Valerra sniffed before she turned away from me, “but my answer is still no. I will not help you. Now, leave my canyons. I will see you when you return
.”
My anger bristled under my skin as she turned her back. I felt scales run up my arm, and I took a deep breath to control my anger. I knew she was stubborn and hot headed, but so was I.
I would not allow her to win.
“No. If you refuse to help me now, we are done. This thing we have,” I gestured between us, “is over. I won’t be back for patrol, or any personal visits. You can keep your precious canyons, and I’ll make sure no one comes near them. I’m done. I won’t be back.”
She growled in fury, and her golden eyes glinted like a raging fire.
“Fine!” she snarled. “If you want to risk your life, go right ahead. I won’t stop you. Just remember, dragons are rare, and I will not risk the life of one of our own to save a race that, until today, was supposedly extinct anyways!”
Her anger seemed to fuel mine, and I felt myself lose control. My scales crept further up my arm, and the heat of my flames licked across my hands.
“You’re right, dragons are rare,” I replied, and my voice was strangely calm. “Maybe you should think about that before I leave here. I don’t see any other male dragons around, Valerra. What is your plan after the egg hatches, huh? Do you want your family line to die off with you and your sister’s offspring? If I leave now, I will never come back here. You better hope the seed I poured into you the other day impregnated you, or you will be alone forever and destroy all hope of a family.”
I knew I went slightly overboard with my rant, but I was angry and only wanted to piss her off, and it worked.
Valerra spun and stomped toward me. She placed her hands on my chest and shoved, but I refused to budge. I kept my glare on her face as she tried in vain to push me again. Then she roared in irritation as I grabbed her hands off me, and she jerked out of my grip.
“Get out now, before I transform and rip you to shreds,” she warned, and her voice was as sharp as her teeth and talons. “I don’t need you.”
“Oh, so you are pregnant?” I snickered.
“I don’t need to answer that,” she growled, but I could see the kernel of fear deep in her eyes.
I had my answer. She didn’t want to be left alone, and she needed me to make babies, but she was too prideful to admit it.