The Dragon Prince - Book 1: Cold War

The Chill of Other Hearthfires

     "Quick, hold ma' hand and pretend like ye' mean it," Rayla whispered as she glanced over her shoulder.

Callum pulled the cowl of his tunic over his head and grasped the young elf's right hand, his fingertips gently touching the webbing between her four long digits. It was an innocent gesture but the intimacy gave Rayla a light tickle in her stomach making her heart pound a little harder. The pair jumped in surprise as a sudden chorus of cheers followed by rapturous laughter coming from the centre of this Sunfire Elf village. It was odd to hear such immense joy in contrast to all the skullduggery that brought them to the village in the dead of night.

This Sunfire Elf village was typical of their society. Streets inlayed with polished stones glowed red like fire, reflecting the light of embers floating along the causeway. Even in the dead of night, this town was as bright and vibrant as any elven town during the day. Few villagers loitered in the streets as most of them rushed towards the centre of town to participate in the evening festivities.

    'Wasting away a perfectly sensible night to celebrate menial festivals was what Sunfire elves do best,' Rayla had half-jokingly told Callum when she convinced him to make this trip.

Rayla lifted their entwined hands to her mouth and pantomimed kissing Callum's forefinger. She let both of their hands continue to cover her mouth as she whispered, "I think we're being followed."

    Callum began to to turn his head but Rayla tugged their hands downwards and pulled them both forward. "Don't look, dummy! It's this way," she said.

The pair had made their way up the cobble street and away from the glowing embers of the urban square. The Sunfire elves they passed were so caught up in their reverie that they paid little notice of the cloaked Moonshadow elf and her human companion. Some villagers were enjoying themselves too much and Rayla could smell the heavy stink of Sunplum wine on their breath. She guided them through corridors and paths that snaked its way up the hill overlooking the town. Rayla told him she knew this place by memory but that memory was from a very long time ago.

    They had backtracked down the same pathway a third time when Callum let go of Rayla's hand and said with a sigh, "we're lost aren't we?"

    "No, I think it's down this way fer' sure," Rayla said as she continued walking down the pathway towards a t-intersection.

Callum yawned and leaned against the side of an elven home. He began rubbing his eyes, trying to coax his brain to give him a third wind. He had to occasionally remind Rayla about the limits of human endurance without sleep and she would always grimace and say the exact same thing.

    "C'mon, ya' big baby," Rayla said with a grimace, "just a wee bit more before you can rest."

    "It's not that, it's just... maybe I wish we could have come here officially instead of sneaking in like thieves. Especially considering the fact that, you know, we brought back the dragon prince."

   "The same dragon prince who humans stole in the first place," Rayla reminded him.

   "I know, I know... it's just," he said rubbing his temples, "I'm beginning to think coming here was a very bad idea".

    Rayla placed the tips of her fingers lightly under Callum's chin, lifting his face up so she could look into his eyes.

   "You said you wanted to learn about the sun arcanum, right?"

   "R-right", said Callum.

   "And I said I knew the perfect teacher for you, right? After all this time time, are you ever going to trust me?"