The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 40

Charles and Maron looked at each other while I sulked over my food. They had an expressionless gaze on their faces while they looked at me again, but I didn't meet their gaze nor question it.

"Did whatever happened to Silan make you act like this?" Charles asked and gestured towards me, and I shrugged and didn't respond because I wasn't in the mood to be questioned. Charles scowled and narrowed his eyes, and I could feel it burning a hole through the side of my head. "Marini," he warned in a tone that I had never heard from him before directed towards me.

I looked at him and gave him a weird look when I noticed that he looked at me with a shocked expression on his face, and fear filled his eyes. "When did you learn that tone?" I asked, all but amazed at the male in front of me.

"Uhhhh..." he said and looked at Maron for help. His eyes were wide, and he looked terrified because he had no idea how I would react, even though I wasn't that mad at him for using a tone like that towards me when he had no reason to.

Maron sighed and shook her head, pitying the older male. "Don't mind him," she said, finishing up another loaf of bread and letting it rest. "You'd think that he'd know better than to use a tone like that with you."

"I don't mind," I replied and shrugged, indifferent that he used that tone with me because my mother used it with me all of the time. "I am wondering when he learned that tone since he doesn't have any kids." I narrowed my eyes playfully at the older male, and he slowly started to relax when he figured out that I wasn't mad at him.

"Josh is like my son," Charles said and slowly nodded because he knew what I meant. "Believe it or not, I have learned it with him." He narrowed his eyes teasingly, and I raised an eyebrow. "Where have you learned it?"

"Griffith," I replied without a second thought, talking about the now second oldest of my siblings. I shrugged and started to finish up my food, knowing that it was almost time for me to leave, for I had a feeling that Jonah was about done with whatever he needed to do.

I could feel my dragon's impatience and knew that he wanted to come and find me since they were taking so long to collect me or let me go through the doors and go into the training room, and his impatience started to become my own until I was shoveling the remaining food into my mouth.

"How?" Charles asked and raised an eyebrow in question. Amusement and disgust filled his eyes while he watched me eat, and Maron tsked before she went back to whatever she was doing.

I shrugged and grimaced while I slowed down again so that I could talk to him. "Basically by watching Mama, and since he loves to push my buttons..." I trailed off and shrugged again, not going into too much detail because Charles already knew how much of a pain he could be. "He knows that he is supposed to be my eyes and ears on what is going on and around the house, especially with the others and making sure that they stay out of trouble. But for some reason, he loves to be the one that causes trouble."

Charles scoffed and bit back a chuckle while he rolled his eyes. He knew that my brother was nothing but trouble, even though he was of pure heart, something that I protected. "Most of you are part of the Hargen Tribe," he said and winked. "You are all nothing but trouble."

I tipped my bowl towards him, about to drink the remaining broth that was left over from the meal. "That is where you are right, Charles," I said, "but don't forget, we are also the most respected."

Charles nodded while I drank the rest of the broth. "And I never will," he promised. He cleared his throat and grew serious while he looked at the wall.

His eyes became glazed over, and I looked at him with wide eyes before I looked at Maron because it seemed to me that he was seeing something else from somewhere else.

Maron quietly shook her head, indicating that she couldn't answer my unasked question, nor did she advise me to ask Charles what happened while he blinked and came back to reality.

Charles blinked again and rubbed his eyes before he cleared his throat. He focused his gaze on me and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes while he nodded and cleared his throat again. "Go," he said. "The lantern is out. It's time for you to start training."

I sighed and nodded while I stood. I wanted to ask him how he knew, but I knew better than to ask, especially since Maron was still looking at me while she did something else for the pub. "Ok," I said and offered Maron a small smile. "Thank you for the meal, Maron. I appreciate it."

Maron nodded and dipped her head into a small bow. "It's my pleasure," she said. "I am always happy to serve you." She cleared her throat and grew serious. "Now, go," she said. "Your companion awaits."

"So that means for you to hurry up and stop stalling," Shilan scowled. "I don't like keeping apart from you."

I didn't respond and rolled my eyes. I didn't want to be apart from him either, but until the whole world changed its views, then I was going to have to be.

One day, I would be able to walk side by side with him or at least fly high in the sky on his back, watching over my people.

However, as I walked to the back room, leaving both Maron and Charles watching over me, I knew that it was time yet; it wasn't time for the Dragon Riders to come out of hiding, those with and without their dragons.

Soon. We will be able to do that soon, but not today and not in the near future. But soon.

***

Shilan ran towards me as soon as I walked into the training arena, followed by Jonah. He grunted a greeting and nudged me with his snout, and I would have fallen over if it wasn't for Jonah, who stopped me from falling.

"You took too long," he said and nuzzled me deeper. "What took you so long?"

I rolled my eyes and scowled. "Very funny, Shilan," I said. I rubbed the bridge of his nose, and he closed his eyes and purred happily. "You know that I can't come back here unless the light is out." I sent Jonah an annoyed look, and he smiled innocently and shrugged in response.

Shilan grumbled. "I know," he said and flicked his tail annoyed. "And you needed to eat, but I don't understand why you couldn't just eat here." He opened one eye and looked at Jonah with a disgruntled look in his eyes.

"Because there is no fire here," Jonah said. "And it wouldn't make sense to create fire here when there is a big one in the kitchen," he added, and I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"And you wanted to discuss what you wanted me to do tonight with Arden," I said, and he nodded. I looked around and noticed that the High King was not there and frowned while I looked at Jonah. "Where is he?" I asked, not knowing if I should tell him what had happened to me without him.

Jonah scowled playfully and folded his arms across his chest. "Why?" he asked while he studied me to see if he couldn't find out what I was hiding. "Do you not want to tell me this information by myself first?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I would prefer it if it was with both of you," I replied. "I don't want to repeat myself, and I am sure that I will need his help with whatever I tell you both."

"Hmph," Johan said, dissatisfied with my answer. He tapped his finger against his arm and didn't budge, and I didn't budge either because I did not want to say everything multiple times, especially if there was a chance ears had been placed in here.

"You don't have to keep stalling," the familiar voice of Arden said, and I relaxed and turned to look at him. He smiled and bowed his head when he caught my relieved look, but it didn't hide the worry in his eyes. "I am here," he said while he walked over to us. "So, what is it that you want to discuss with not only Jonah but me as well?"