*ON HOLD* The Airborne Oracles [Book I - Breeding the fire]

Chapter Twenty-Five

[Dau ddeg pump]

Embered sparks of fire rained over the bedrock surface as the quaint copper pot rolled from the coals and crashed over on the ground.

The brew of herbs poured out of its holder and creeped between the cracks and holes of the promontory. A stream of the now-ruined tea travelled pass Nixie's feet whilst she stared at the disaster on the ground.

She inhaled her next breath with clenched fists and tight shut eyes. Valerian root, malok leaves and a strong smell of warm spices engulfed her nostrils.

Were it not for the bitter taste the air brought on her tongue, she would be reminded of Irgis' warm embrace. The exotic spice reminded her of the deep mahogany and sandalwood Irgis carried with him. She loved his smell. She loved...

1... 2... 3...

A long and much-needed exhale passed through her mouth and she refocused her gaze.

The herbs she carried bordered on short supply, but the constant throbs that pulsed through her body made it impossible to breathe without sipping a dosage of Nealgo's brew of tea every now and again.

She gathered the small crucible from the ground and thanked the mountains in silence that Claus packed it for her. With a sigh, she gave way under her feet and sat down in front of the crackling fire that she and Paduss created lang syne. The remainder of the water in her pouch refilled the pot as well as the third last sachet of herbs in her satchel.

Her hand swiped the moisture, caused from fever, off her forehead - a new companion to her aching body. She lifted the metal with shaky hands and placed it back on the burning coals. Once satisfied with its position, she leaned back and felt her head reaching Paduss' side. She closed her eyes and joined Paduss in their rest as she waited for the water to boil.

Perhaps it was the egregious discomfort she wrestled within her own body, or the gnawing thoughts that transformed her mind into a battlefield. Regardless, it had the ability to send her into a spiral where time evaporated without realisation.

So much so, that she was too slow to notice the unfamiliar footsteps that dawned upon her. With effort, she pushed herself up and retreated deeper into her dragon's side.

A man, clothed in black leather, stood tall before her. The faint hue of blue and yellow extended around the black of his irises and onto his cheek.

Blackeye.

However, he did not look at her. His warm complexion seemed rather ill as he gaped at the sleeping beast behind her.

"Oh," she breathed. He has not seen a dragon before.

It was easy to forget that she too, would have been in shock if encountering a dragon for the first time in the lowlands.

Nixie cleared her throat and the man directed his head at her, but did not break his gaze with Paduss, "Hmm?"

"You are Blackeye," she uttered with a raise brow.

The man nodded his head in silence and leaned his shoulders to the side. The expression on his face differentiated between furrowed brows and widened eyes as he inspected the features on Paduss.

Finally, he spoke, "Claus did not kid when he sent the raven." He stepped towards Paduss' tail and bent down in investigation, "A dragon, he said. I thought my old pal had lost his bonkers!" Blackeye spoke only to himself as he eyed the beast with curiosity, "I said a dragon? Only will I believe when I see it! Aye, but here I am! Staring at the offspring of Leviathan! With my very own eyes!"