With the Blood of a Dragon

Chapter Fifteen

NOTE: It's official! After I finish this book I will be writing a prequel! I am leaning towards the main character being Zacharia (Blaze), but I am calling for a vote. The story will be about Zach, Ayland, and Ever's life before they met Ven. If you have an opinion of whose perspective you want to see that in, tell me in the comments, keeping in mind that I feel like I could do the best job with Zacharia's perspective. However, if the majority of my readers want it in someone else's perspective, I will gladly do so.
That said, let's get into the chapter.
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I look around. "Anyone?"

Blaze scratches his head, running his fingers through his floppy, fluffy hair. "The dragon den." He says. "The one where the kingdoms get their blood. We know where it is."

"Then let's go." I say and start packing a bag.

"Ven, no." Ever says. "It's not that simple. In that cave, there's a dozen, maybe two dozen dragons. They work like a unit, and any one of them is stronger than all four of us combined. They'll welcome us in and as soon as they realize that all we want is a head they'll all gang up on us and kill us."

"She's not wrong." Blaze says. "It's not just pack up and go. We need a plan. A strategy." He grabs his pendant back from the pile. "And we'll actually need these."

"Why don't we just kill the queen?" Ana asks. "If killing a dragon is so difficult, wouldn't it be easier to kill the queen?"

"No," I say. "The queen has her own dragons, god knows how many. There will be know surprises, she'll see everything coming from eight miles away. Those dragons don't have a mind of their own. They are puppets. They're her dangerous puppets. They're way more dangerous than any pack of wild dragons."

"Got it." She says, looking scared.

"And you're not coming." I say. She begins to protest, but I stop her. "This is dangerous." I look her dead in the eyes. "And you are eight."

"She's a dragon." Ever points out. "She's the fastest one of us, and we're going to need all the help we can get."

I sigh and bite my lower lip. I look at the floor and respond, "You will be so extremely careful. You will not let another dragon touch you. Do you understand?"

She nods and fails at hiding a small smile. "So what's the plan?" She asks.

After going over the plan, I grab a bag and fill it with every knife, sword, bow, or other weapon I've gathered over the last ten years. I make sure they're hidden, but easily accessible in a moments notice. Blaze and Ever do the same.

Ever coaxes the Phoenix out of its perch. "Come on, Elemence, it's time to go." She mourners to the bird.

"Elemence?" I ask as I squeeze any food I can fit into my bag.

"I sorta named him," She says shyly. "A pet needs a name, ya know?"

I smile. "It's perfect."

She gets the bird to rest on her shoulder and Blaze begins to show Ana how to use a sword. She groans and looks up at me. "Can't I use a bow?" She asks. 

I shake my head. A bow takes too long to learn to aim. Time isn't something we have a lot of right now." I run a hand through her long blonde hair and fluff it a little. "And put your hair up, we can't have it getting in the way." I take my own favorite black bow out and throw a quiver filled with a dozen arrows over my shoulder. 

She glares at me and takes an old small bow out from my dresser. She sneaks an arrow out of my quiver. She nocks the arrow and draws the string back to her cheek. A bird flies past the cave entrance and she lets the arrow fly. The bird falls from the sky and she transforms into her feathery dragon. She leaps out of the den and comes back a second later with a dead gray bird in her talons. An arrow sticks out of its side. Ana looks up at me with innocent eyes.

I grin and she morphs back. I hand her my quiver and grab a second one from my dresser. "Use that one," I say. "All the others are going to be too heavy for you." She nods and smiles, looking pleased with herself. 

Blaze whispers something to Ever. She looks at us and nods, smiling slightly. She nudges him and winks. He pushes her shoulder and she laughs. Ever comes over to us and puts her hands on Ana's small shoulders. "Let's get you into some better battle clothes, okay hun?" Ever says sweetly. 

Ana nods excitedly and the two of them slip away to my dresser for old clothes. Blaze comes over and grabs my arm, gently pulling me away to the entrance of the cave. "Hey," I say quietly. "What's up?" 

"Can we go somewhere for a minute?" He asks, not meeting my eyes. He's quiet for a second before finally looking up a me. "We haven't really talked since..."

"Yeah, yeah sure." I say and look to Ana. "But-"

He interrupts me. "I already asked Ever to make sure she's okay," He says. 

I smile at him. "Okay. Let's go." We transform and he leads the way. He lands and transforms in the middle of the three trees that make a triangle. 

We sit in silence for a moment before I clear my throat. "So." I look at him and push my hair behind my ear. "Do I call you Zach now, cause I'm gonna be honest, I'd feel a little weird about it." 

He shakes his head. "I prefer Blaze," He laughs and looks into my eyes. A long silent pause rings in my ears. "You kissed me," he states. "I didn't just make that up in my head? It wasn't just a fantasy?" 

"It wasn't a fantasy." I take a deep breath. "I-" I squeeze my eyes closed, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I can't..." I swallow hard. My breath feels too shallow, like my heart and lungs and brain can't get enough air. My hair flops in front of my face and Blaze pushes it out of the way, getting a better view of my bright red face. 

"What is it?" He asks. "I'm starting to get a little worried here, Ven." He smirks a little, but his eyes look concerned. 

"It's just..." I look anywhere but his face. "I cannot loose you, Blaze." A small shy smile pushes its way onto his face. "You're my right hand, and my best friend. You are the only person that I know I will always have by my side. I can't lose that."

"I can't lose you either, Ven, you know I'd be lost without you." He says. his hand touches mine. "But..."He takes a deep breath. "You don't want me to be anything more than that." 

I look in his warm eyes. "Blaze." 

"No, it's alright, I get it," He looks at me, his expression sincere. 

"No, Blaze," I press, but he looks away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Really, Ven, don't worry about it." He starts to stand. 

I pull him back down to the ground and grab his face, making him look at me, listen to me. "I am in love with you."