Soar

Chapter 14

Only then, seeing the sun already high overhead, did I realize how long I had slept. A pair of dragons darted across the sun and my thoughts turned to Runedan.

Tryven followed my gaze. "They usually stay at the caves unless their duties call them away. Dragons, I mean."

I stared at him, my chest tightening. "I did not know that. No one told me. I thought...." When would I see Runedan again? "Why?" I whispered.

Shrugging, Tryven avoided my eyes. "It is how things are. That is their city; this is ours."

"I thought you lived together."

"We do." He gave me a crooked smile and squinted south. "We share the same mountain."

"That's not what I meant. Runedan and I, we came together. We...." I let out a heavy breath. There was no reason to get angry at Tryven; how could he have warned me?

"You must be a magician," Tryven said suddenly. He took my arm and pulled me around.

With a crash of wings, Runedan landed in the castle yard, followed by another, larger dragon. The weight in my chest faded and I ran to meet him. He lowered his head so I could hug his snout.

"You have cut your hair," he rumbled. His tail snaked around my leg.

"Yes." I hid my tears behind a laugh. "It was hopeless."

Behind me, Tryven said, "Oh! I thought something was different."

Runedan snorted. "Trust a peacock to never look past his own feathers."

Releasing his nose, I stepped back so I could look him in the eye. "What do you think of it?"

"I never imagined I would begrudge the company of my own kind so soon." His head hung close to mine, his dim eyes regarding me.

The other dragon, a green female, rattled a laugh. "They are a strange culture to adjust to. Good morning, Tryven."

Tryven stepped around me and bent his head to the dragon. "Vedis. What are you doing here?"

"I am our friend's escort while he familiarizes himself with the world." Her golden eyes shifted to me. "Would you be Azadryn?"

I nodded.

"Then allow me to welcome you. Mind where you step. People tend to lose themselves a great deal around here."

I started to ask her what she meant, but Runedan snorted. "Is this doom-saying a habit of yours?"

"Runedan!" My dragon had turned to glare at Vedis, revealing his neck and shoulder. "Your collar is gone!"

His wings fluttered and he ducked his head. "Indeed. My kinsmen may have their faults, but they would not stand to see me wear it a moment longer than necessary."

I stepped around him to examine the place where the collar had hung. The scales were broken and misaligned around the area, and a stripe in the shape of the collar was paler than the rest. Somehow, my dragon looked smaller without the hateful metal ring.

"Tryven!"

We all turned to see someone racing up the road and waving wildly. It was Hatesa.

"Erizar is on his way!" she yelled before she reached us.

"I shall see you later, Tryven," Vedis said. To Runedan: "You know where to find me." Then she flew off.

Hatesa was waving for us to hurry. Tryven tried to catch my hand to pull me along but I held back. "Go ahead. We will be behind you."