DRAGON MARKED (On Hold)

5

Blayre

It seemed that Sebastian was only capable of giving  them one day of recovery before his curiosity overcame him and he requested that Blayre, Caval, and Fletcher (by association) attend him in the study with Azure, who he had prepared a meal for.

He must have had enough knowledge of dragons to know they ate their meals whole, for he had no qualms about allowing her to eat on his clean floor. Sebastian watched Azure intently, eyes glazed over, scribbling on paper, until Caval interrupted with a clear of his throat.

Blayre took in a lungful of the fresh breeze that blew in through the window, suddenly feeling a pang of homesickness for the mountain air of Blumore. Odd, that she would feel homesick for a place that had been the location of her most unhappy years. But she supposed it was the study with its large wooden desk, and picture windows that reminded her of her father's study. One of the few spaces in Blumore that wasn't tainted by her stepmother Lady Marianna's touch.

"Yes, I am sorry – it is just that having the opportunity to study a Northern dragon in the flesh – it is a rare thing indeed. Something no scholar has been able to do in ages. Not since..."

"We Emarians wiped them out of existence?" Blayre interjected, feeling slightly bitter at what her own people for doing what they had done hundreds of years ago.

Sebastian looked at her with a keen interest, "Indeed," He said. He glanced at Caval and said "She thinks like an Academic."

Caval shrugged, "It's one of her many endearing qualities, old friend."

Sebastian continued to address Caval, and Blayre suddenly felt as if she were awkwardly listening in on a private conversation.

"I often was angry – in the time that you have been gone." Sebastian said. "Angry that you would return to such a place. A place where they marked you like property. Seemingly only for the power it promised..."

Blayre's brows elevated as she listened. She felt Azure, meal finished, rub against her leg. Blayre reached down and absentmindedly scratched the dragonling, but her attention was focused on the two sorcerers. There was tension here. And she could feel it in the form of magic beginning to build upon Caval – a sure sign that the expertly trained mage was feeling on edge.

"But when I received your coded letter, detailing the rebel cause in Emares, and your intent to come here with the dragon, I felt relief." Sebastian continued. "I should have known that you were always looking for your next research project."

Blayre coughed, involuntarily. Research project?

Blayre could feel Caval bristling. "That isn't quite the reason for my return, Sebastian. Twelve Hells, there's also the fact that we're being hunted by the Emarian crown."

"Well, the point is, you came here. With this woman who is possibly even more intriguing than the dragon from what you say of her."

Now it was Blayre's turn to bristle. "What exactly has he said?"

Caval went rigid. "Blayre..." He said her name as though he were falling from a cliff and she was the last thing he could grab on to. But the fury building up inside of her, at what was implied...

Sebastian, to his credit, looked completely confused by her reaction. "He informed me that you could sense magic, as easily as one can see colors, or smell different foods at a market."

****

The blind white rage that Blayre felt at Caval's betrayal was too much. He had brought her all this way, seemingly out of danger, and had put her in the most danger she had ever been in her life. When Ripley had discovered her secret, back in Mountainvale, it had been different. Ripley had something to hide too. Collateral.

Blayre didn't have a secret to hold against Sebastian.

Which meant, she would have to find one, if she wanted to ensure that her secret was safe in this damned place.

Blayre was down the hallway, Azure following her worriedly, vocalizing her distress in high pitched squeaks and trills.

Despite the roaring in her ears, she knew that Caval trailed her – she could feel him without looking back. That sense she had. That sense of magic that was as natural to her as sight or smell. The damned mage was soothing Azure with his magic. She could tell.

Twelve hells. Caval had blown her in. All this time, and trust. And all they'd been through, and he had blown her in.

"Blayre." He said desperately as she reached her room. She felt him reach for her then. Felt the static prickle of his magic as he neared her skin.

She entered her room and once both she and Azure were inside, she turned to the door and pointed. "Get. Out." She said to Caval.

"Blayre." He said again, more desperately this time.

"Out,"

"Best let her have a moment too cool down, Cav." Said Coneesa from behind Caval.

Blayre could have thrown one of the potted vases at the other women's head, she was in such a rage. Instead, she slammed the door shut, sending the vases on the console table in her room to rattling. Cool down? Blayre thought herself to be a very calm and reasonable person. But she'd never cool down. Not from this.

A/N: Well that escalated quickly. What do you think, is Caval still redeemable at this point? Or have you chalked him up as the ultimate betrayer?