Wings of Fire: Revenant

Chapter Thirty

"Seeker, what are you doing here?!" Moon demanded. "I told you to stay at the academy!"

"I'm sorry, Moon," Seeker said, flapping her way rapidly towards them. She looked shaken and out of breath, as though she had been struggling to catch up with the two larger dragons. "But I have to be here. I have to help him. Somehow I ... I think I'm the only one who can."

Seeker began to veer close to promontory where Peacemaker stood, and Moon bolted upright, gasping sharply at the pain in her torn wing. "Seeker, be careful!"

Seeker hovered momentarily, eyes darting from Moon's injury to the blood-splattered dagger still clutched in Peacemaker's talon. An alarmed expression passed briefly across her face, and for a split second Peacemaker expected her to change her mind and fly right back to Jade Mountain.

But she didn't.

Instead, she pulled her wings in and descended in a neat spiral onto the promontory next to him.

"Seeker!" Moon snapped.

"It's okay," Seeker replied without turning around, "trust me."

Seeker's eyes went briefly to Kinkajou, who was still shaking her head and making frantic, incoherent noises. Seeker gave the bound dragon a soft, reassuring smile, as if to tell her that everything was going to be all right. Her violet gaze then fell directly on Peacemaker, staring at him with profound, penetrating concentration, as though seeing through to something deep inside of him.

For just a moment, the whole world seemed to melt away. It was just the two of them, suspended in silence and darkness, unaware of anything else.

"Seeker ..." Peacemaker breathed. "What did ... how did you ...?"

Peacemaker wanted so much to go to her. He wanted to feel her wings around him and hear her tell him that this had all been nothing but a bad dream.

Suddenly, another bolt of lightning tore across the sky, reflecting sharply in the surface of the bloodstained dagger. The flash of light drew Peacemaker's eyes back down to the weapon gripped tightly in his claws – the same weapon that had nearly taken Moon's life.

This wasn't a dream, and he couldn't wake up.

"Go away," Peacemaker hissed, snatching up the enchanted scroll and holding it protectively alongside the dagger.

Seeker stared back at him unflinchingly. "I just want to talk."

Peacemaker backed away from her, tail lashing. "I'm tired of talking."

"Then listen," she commanded, her tone firm but not unkind.

"No. No, I don't want to hear anymore," he growled, baring his fangs.

Seeker raised her head and squared her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. "I know. But you need to hear this."

Peacemaker turned away from her, shielding his face with his wings. He was too afraid to hear what he knew she would say, and he couldn't stand the idea of seeing that same look Moon had given him in Seeker's eyes.

"Listen to me," Seeker continued in a steady voice, "I know you don't want to hurt anyone."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Because I know you, and I know you're a good dragon."

Peacemaker shook his head. "No, I'm not."