“I’m sure it would feel that way to you, Fraeyn. Whenever something isn’t your responsibility, it’s someone else’s. But for me, everyone here is looking to me to help them, to train them. And what do I know? I only recently learned of my abilities. You were there as we learned them together. Sure, I knew a few things before that, but my knowledge hadn’t really sparked until we began training together.”
“I know. But you’re a good teacher.”
“You could be too. You know as much as I do,” Naveen said.
“No. I don’t think so. I’m just a kid.”
“Fifteen is no longer a child, Fraeyn. You are a man now. And I’m going to need you to step up as a man. I can’t do this alone.”
“Zaviana will be back,” Fraeyn said.
“Will she?” Naveen asked. “Look, as much as I want her to return, it’s been almost a month. She could have been captured, or she could be dead. We don’t know for certain.”
“But, what of Devarius? We can’t face the empire without him.”
“Yes, we can,” Naveen said. She brushed her hand against his temple. “And if they have indeed fallen, we must. The resistance isn’t about one man or woman, it is about all of us. But not just all of us here in the resistance, but everyone in all of Kaeldroga. They all depend on us to stop the empire from destroying land and families.”
“I—”
“Do you feel the weight of the burden yet, Fraeyn?” she asked.
He nodded.
“I have been instructing everyone by myself, and I could sure use a hand.”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked.
“I need you to help me train everyone. I need you to be an instructor. You’ve been practicing long enough. It is time you help others. Can you do that?”
“I can.”
“Thank you.”
The wind blew hard and Naveen clutched her wool sweater tighter. She wasn’t enjoying the Red Winter, and it was even worse that Adeth Peak Isle was in the south. She missed Anius, the small village she’d lived in. Their winters were bad, but compared to the stories she heard of the Southern cities and villages of Kaeldroga, Anius seemed to pale in comparison.
“Naveen,” someone called from behind her.
Naveen turned around to see Paedyn and Tynaer approaching. Paedyn held his chin high and had a large smile upon his face. No matter where Paedyn went, he always seemed energetic and happy. Naveen sometimes wished she could experience the same emotions.
“Good morning, Paedyn.”
“Good morning to you as well. It’s a fine morning, is it not? What a beautiful red sunrise. What fantastic weather.”
“It’s freezing,” Naveen growled.
“Exactly. Much better than sweating, ehy?”
Naveen shook her head. “Why are you here?”
“Why should I not be here? After all, I am Devarius’ fill-in.”
“Does that mean if Devarius doesn’t return, he’ll be the leader?” Fraeyn asked.
Naveen tried not to laugh.
“Devarius will return,” Paedyn said.
“I hope so as well,” Naveen said. “Now, why are you here?”
“I came to check on your progress. With the absence of the dragomen, it falls to you to give us an edge in hand-to-hand combat. So, how is everything going?” Paedyn asked.
“We have about a hundred and forty people who can use magic, all with various levels of ability, and none, including me, as skilled as Zaviana.”
Paedyn frowned. “But, everyone’s getting better, right?”
“A little, each day.”
“How many different types of scales do you have?”
Naveen furrowed her brows. “What do you mean?”
“Yours is purple, is it not?”
“Yes.”
“Are there any other pretty colors?” he asked.
“We have three blues … but other than that, every other scale we have is red, from the dragon we carved them from in Saefron.”
“Is there enough scales?” Paedyn asked.
“Enough?” she asked.
“Does everyone have their own scale? Or is there sharing?”
“We do have enough, but we only have a few scales remaining.”
Paedyn nodded.
“Why?” she asked, her brows furrowing.
“I sent Lilianya on a quest north of here to search for more scales.”
“Search for scales?”
“We have a lot of wyverns here on this island, and while they don’t want us carving scales off their living flesh, they’ve been here a long time. There has to be scales somewhere on this island, whether from a fight up above that caused scales to fall to the ground, or in some burial place from wyverns or dragons of old.”
“Did you ask the wyverns if it would be all right to take wyvern scales from their fallen companions?”
“No, but I didn’t ask Lilianya to dig up bodies. Just look around for some scales.”
“I see,” Naveen said.
“And hopefully, if she finds some, we’ll have more than just fire scales to use in battle.”
Naveen’s eyes flashed. A grin settled upon her face. “Yes, that would be good.”
“Perhaps you can do a survey to see, if possible, what element each person would like to master. Perhaps this is why some people are excelling faster than others. Perhaps they were meant for a different element.”
Naveen bit her lip. “Interesting.”
“Don’t get anyone’s hopes up, though. We don’t know if she’ll actually find anything.”
Naveen nodded. “Understood. And thanks.”
He winked at her. “Anytime.”
31
Devarius held onto Ayla tight, one of his arms wrapped around her neck, the other clutching tightly to the saddle. They soared through the air at an impossible speed, faster than Ayla had ever traveled before. Chalce flew ahead of them with Derkas and Zaviana on his saddle, Derkas in front and Zaviana holding onto him from behind. Devarius twitched his nose as he looked at them. He repositioned his goggles so he could see ahead. Devarius had been skeptical that he would ever need goggles to fly Ayla, but he was glad he had them. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see through the massive pressure of air pressing against him with how fast she was flying.
Why the hurry? he asked.
Dragonriders all around us.
As soon as she spoke into his mind, two dragonriders appeared in front of them. Ayla and Chalce split apart, parallel with each other. Fire erupted from the two dragons, coming toward Ayla and Devarius. Ayla spun her body to the side, and the flames from one dragon touched her underbelly, while the other dragon’s fire went just over the top of Devarius’ head. It burned and he clenched his teeth, but it didn’t touch him. For that, he was lucky. He patted the vials of wyvern oil clipped to his sash.
I can drop acid on them if you get me close enough, Devarius said in his head.
No time. If we delay to fight, more will come.
Devarius frowned. So, what is the plan?
Fly. Fly away.
They will chase.
Yes, but only a few will be able to keep up. If it’s just a few, we can take them … over the Drakeos Sea.
What if it’s more than just a few? What if they get word to others about the direction you’re traveling and the entire empire comes after us?
Then, we die, Ayla said.
Devarius’ forehead wrinkled as he bit his lip. Reassuring.
Quite.
They continued to fly forward at an impossible pace, and when Devarius glanced behind him, he realized the two dragons who had attacked them were gone. Somehow, they’d outpaced them. He grinned. A bug slammed into his teeth, and he gagged as he spit it out. Devarius had forgotten to keep his mouth closed while flying again.
I don’t see why you’re complaining … beetles are delicious, though too small to satisfy an appetite, Ayla said.
Devarius gagged.
Another dragonr
ider appeared flying toward them from the east. Devarius turned his head to look back in front of them. Chalce was well ahead of Ayla and Devarius. The dragon’s larger wings allowed a faster long-distance flight when compared to the wyverns’ short-distance speed. Chalce was too far ahead. Devarius wondered why the dragon didn’t wait for them. Devarius and Ayla would surely be caught while Derkas and Zaviana escaped. He gritted his teeth, renewed hate for Derkas consuming him. Devarius had never trusted the man, and wondered if it had been his plan all along to leave Devarius behind.
Hold tight, Ayla said.
Devarius barely had time to furrow his brows before Ayla started to rotate in circles like a barrel rolling down a hill. His grip intensified as he clutched the reins around Ayla’s neck. He held so tight that he hoped he wasn’t hurting her.
Everything spun. Devarius wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn’t, too intrigued by watching the world spin. In moments, he was dizzy and couldn’t see straight. Objects blurred all around him, and he struggled to keep holding on as his consciousness began to fade. He knew if he let go, he would surely fall to his death.
Before his eyes closed, he saw a large blue dragon flying toward him. It spun in circles as it flew, though, when Devarius thought about it, the dragon was most likely flying straight. He was the one spinning. The dragon opened its mouth, and a thick blue mist blazed from its jaws.
Devarius slipped from consciousness. Everything went black.
Devarius.
He twitched. But his eyes didn’t open.
Devarius!
He opened his eyes.
“What happened?” he asked aloud.
You blacked out.
Obviously, he said telepathically to her.
For a moment, he’d forgotten how to speak to her in his mind. His mind was disoriented. He remembered spinning, and spinning, and a little bit more spinning. Everything around him still spun, though Ayla flew straight. They were over the sea now, and Devarius breathed out a gasp of relief.
We’re not out of the water yet, Ayla reminded him.
Devarius chuckled. Nope, we’re over it.
Really? Ayla asked.
What? Paedyn would have laughed.
Paedyn laughs at everything.
True. What happened to the dragonrider?
Chalce froze it.
Devarius’ eyebrows raised. And?
They plummeted to the ground.
Devarius was sorry to hear that. He knew the dragonrider was trying to stop them, and possibly kill them, yet he still felt guilty that they’d had to die.
This is war. Casualties happen.
I know, Devarius said. It doesn’t mean I’ll like it.
If you plan to be a good leader when this war is all said and done, that will be a good quality to have.
Leader? Devarius asked. I don’t want to be a leader.
You already are one. The resistance follows you.
Once the empire is defeated, there can finally be peace. And then I will rest.
A leader must step up to keep the peace. A society must have direction; otherwise, it will fall into chaos.
I don’t want that responsibility, Devarius admitted.
Understandable, but someone will need to take it.
Devarius gulped. He knew Ayla was right. Some men were leaders, but most were followers, and if they had no one to follow, the world would slip into chaos. And they needed a just leader, a moral leader, someone that everyone could look up to. Devarius didn’t want to be that person, but he was beginning to accept that he might have to be.
His brows furrowed as he contemplated what Ayla had said. Wait a moment, a society needs a leader. How do you know this? I thought the wyverns were a free society without a leader, more wild than structured. Are you telling me that’s not true?
Ayla didn’t respond.
Do the wyverns have a leader? Devarius asked.
Yes.
Who? Devarius asked.
I cannot say.
You can’t?
No.
Devarius gritted his teeth with frustration. It’s all right, Ayla. I understand.
He looked back out to the ocean. The red sun was absent, but the sea glimmered in the two moons’ light. The blue and orange from the moons made a violet-like shimmer in the water that was beautiful. He relaxed for a moment as he enjoyed the sight.
Devarius couldn’t relax for long. Ahead of them hovered two dragonriders. They roared as they flew side by side toward Devarius and Ayla. Devarius glanced to his side to see Chalce with Derkas and Zaviana right next to them. His heart beat faster as the two dragons approached. Their mouths opened wide and two wide bursts of flames spilled toward them. Ayla dipped her nose and angled her wings, making them dive hard and fast, dodging the flames as they passed over Devarius’ head. He could feel the warmth, but he was far enough away that it didn’t burn. Glancing up, he saw Chalce had escaped by flying above the flames.
Frustration crept through Devarius. He’d thought they were finally home free, but the dragonriders had a different idea. Now they were delayed from reaching the island, and even worse, the two dragonriders now saw which direction they traveled over the sea, which meant even if they did escape, if one of them returned to Melonia to the emperor, he’d be able to tell the empire which direction the resistance was fleeing toward.
Ready an ice vial, Ayla said in his head.
What? Devarius asked.
Chalce and I have a plan.
I thought he couldn’t communicate with you.
He can’t use words, but he can use suggestions and I can tell when he implies yes or no.
All right. What’s your plan? Devarius asked.
When I tell you to, drop the vial.
Understood.
Ayla changed directions and flapped her wings to fly upward. She wasn’t as strong or fast as a dragon when traveling a long distance, but over short distances, Ayla was unbeatable, especially with her maneuvers, and as the two dragons spotted her, she showed her skills off.
Their flames crisscrossed each other’s as they spiraled toward them. Ayla reared her wings backwards, flapping a few times, and went from forward momentum to backwards. Hummingbirds and wyverns were the only flying creatures Devarius had ever seen do this. The wyverns didn’t use this tactic in battle too often, and Devarius wondered why. Perhaps it was difficult for them, or perhaps they wished to keep the ability hidden unless necessary.
Ayla was able to easily dodge the flames as she flew backwards, and as the two dragons saw this, they repositioned their aim and tried again. Just as easily as flying backwards, Ayla changed directions again, diving forward and dodging the flames once more. She climbed until she hovered above the two dragons.
Now! Ayla shouted into his mind.
Startled, Devarius paused for a second before he remembered what he was supposed to do. He dropped the vial, and as soon as he did, Ayla nose-dived after it. Her speed excelled the gravity that pulled the vial, and soon she beat it, until she was well underneath the two dragons, while the vial was still above them. Devarius raised his head to watch the vial. Chalce appeared, blowing the largest ice breath Devarius had ever seen. It struck the vial, shattering it. The blue oil sprayed in all directions, dripping over the two dragons, who immediately began to freeze.
The dragons’ wings no longer flapped as ice formed over them, and they began to fall from the sky. Devarius’ eyes widened as he realized they were falling toward them, as along with the blue oil that had missed them. Ayla didn’t look back though; she continued her dive downward, and forward. She escaped the dragons and most of the oil, but a small drop landed on the tip of her tail, and it began to solidify with ice, altering her aerial balance. She wavered from side to side, no longer able to use her tail to stabilize their dive.
Devarius watched as Chalce sped toward them, flying straight between the two dragons, shattering their wings as he rushed toward them. The two dragons fell even faster now as each of them lost a
wing, pieces of them as shattered ice collapsing to the sea below them.
Ayla couldn’t stabilize herself, and was heading straight for the water. However, before they crashed, large dragon talons wrapped around Ayla’s neck and tail. Chalce had grabbed Ayla. The large dragon flapped its wings and continued flying south.
Devarius glanced behind them and saw the two red dragons and their riders sinking into the sea. He shivered as he knew it could have been him as well.
Tell him thank you, Devarius said.
I have.
I hope to see no more dragons today, Devarius admitted.
Me too, Ayla replied.
Chalce coughed.
Devarius laughed. He wondered if the dragon heard his conversation with Ayla, and if he understood.
Besides you, of course, Chalce. You’re always welcome to show up.
Devarius couldn’t be sure, but he swore he could feel a smile enter his head.
32
Paedyn strolled to the wyvern nursery. Aquila had returned to her position taking care of the wyvern eggs, but she still wasn’t a hundred percent. Her wyvern was in even poorer health than her. The dragomen had really done a number on the poor wyvern. At Paedyn’s request, Tynaer had placed over a dozen guards at the nursery during all hours. Aquila was irritated to have them around, but also grateful for the additional defense, especially when she and Tynaesha weren’t fully healed yet.
Aquila was kneeling on the ground, a rag in one hand and a wyvern egg in the other. She was washing the egg, which was something she did every day. The wyverns trusted her implicitly with their eggs, and Paedyn could see why. She took care of them like they were her own. He’d sure never washed his own eggs—though, to be fair, Paedyn didn’t exactly have eggs, except duck or chicken eggs for breakfast. But those weren’t exactly fertile eggs, at least, he didn’t believe they were. But, perhaps it was a good idea to wash them before he ate them.
“Good morning,” Paedyn said.
Aquila paused her scrubbing of the egg to look up at him. She smiled. “Morning.”
“How are you doing this morning?”
“Better. Every day is better. Most of my strength has returned.”
Dragonia- Dragonia Empire series Box Set Page 50