Marked By a Dragon

Chapter 10 - The Sweet Embrace of Familiarity

Chapter 10 - The Sweet Embrace of Familiarity

        “Ashlyn, wake up! NOW!”  Was the roar that jolted me awake. Instantly I was alert, glancing around in fright. Wind was whipping my hair back and my eyes stung with tears from the wind. All around me there was fire and dark smoke, accompanied by painful keens and furious roars. It was only then did I realize that I was free falling, no longer in the safe niche of Caij’s shoulders. A piercing scream escaped me as fright took over. Free falling was one thing when done willingly, but this, this fall to the death, was something else entirely. Just as I broke through the dark cloud of smoke, a blur flashed and caught me, bringing me to relief.

        Until I realized the dragon’s hide, who upon I was riding, was as red as blood. I screamed again, unadulterated fear filling me. I’d much rather plummet to my death than be back in this creeps grasps was the one thought swirling through me as I readied myself to jump off of my kidnapper. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I flung myself off his body, and into the sky. Once again, blackness overtook me, and I welcomed its embrace as I plummeted towards what was certainly to become my death.

(Talon’s point of view)

       I felt fear, not my own, but Ashlyn’s. Being the first thing I had felt from her in months, it was not the most comforting thing, yet it still spurred my hope of finding her. That was, until our connection went completely black. I panicked immediately, and rushed to find Selene. I ran into the front yard to see her calmly planting a tree, as if her own daughter was not missing. This angered me greatly, causing an inhuman roar to rip out of my throat, not only scaring Selene, but also shattering the sense of normalcy that had settled over the house in the past few days. A dark cloud of anger covered the older woman’s face at the disturbance I had just caused.

       “Talon! I suggest you take your attitu-“

        “Don’t even start with me Selene! I felt something, a huge pike of fear, and then she was just gone. Her very presence winked out like candlelight. Then I come out here in a panic to find you planting A FUCKING TREE! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you not interested in finding your daughter? Am I the only one that cares here? Maybe there’s a reason Caij just left you!” I finished in a huff. Tears started pouring down Selene’s face at the mention of her lost Dragon, and instantly I regretted my harsh words. “Selene I’m sorry. I was angr-“

        “She’s not dead. You’re still standing, aren’t you?” was all she whispered as she pushed passed me and went into the house. I went to follow, feeling stupid and insensitive, but got the message loud and clear when she slammed the door and locked the dead bolt. Sighing in defeat, I shifted and took off, letting the winds carry me wherever they deemed fit.

        (Ailden’s P.O.V(mixing it up a bit;P ) )

        I glared at the two unconscious people lying in my dungeon. I could not grasp how an untrained witch and an old dragon could have broken out of his top-notch cells. I walked down four cellblocks and inspected the damage done. The east wall was completely blown to bits, nothing but rubble remained. I growled and stalked back over to Ashlyn and Caij, unlocking their cell and dragging her out, wicked ideas already forming in my mind. Yes I thought, this is going to be fun.

        (Ashlyn’s P.O.V)

          I groaned in pain, I opened my eyes and then immediately squinted at the bright light. Rubbing my forehead in confusion, I looked around at my unfamiliar surroundings. Grass stretched on for miles, an occasional flower peppered throughout it, and the sun shone brightly in the sky. I furrowed my brown, and then sucked in a shark breath as I looked behind me.