The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 33

I stopped walking as soon as that left his lips and looked at him. My eyes were wide, and I stared at him in shock. My mind was blank, and a shiver ran down my spine because there was so much power in that word, something that I had never experienced before.

It felt right for him to call me that, like I was waiting for him to call me by my title and to feel the amount of power in that one word. It made my skin crawl with so much power, and it felt like I was on top of the world where nothing could bring me down.

No wonder Jonah hated it when the Ären called him "Digra," for there was still power in that name, even though he did not have his dragon with him.

"Marini?" Caspian asked while he grabbed my arm. Concern filled his eyes when I focused my confused gaze on him. "Are you ok?"

I blinked and blinked again before I cleared my throat. "Uh, ya," I said. I cleared my throat again and rubbed my eyes. "I am fine."

Caspian's frown deepened. He didn't believe me; I could tell. He wanted to argue, to order me to tell him, but he knew that wouldn't work.

I sighed and shook my head. "The name Digra has a lot of power in it," I explained. "When you called me that, it felt right." I furrowed my brows and pursed my lips. "It was weird, but I am glad that you called me it."

Caspian studied me and tried to make sure that I was telling the truth. Slowly, his face grew brighter, and he dipped his head. "Then it is possible I can call you that in the future?"

I hesitated but nodded. "Please do not do it in front of others except for people who know what I am." I gestured for him to follow me and started to walk the rest of the way to the front with my pace quicker than it had been.

Something felt... off, and I did not like it. My whole body grew tense with each passing second because the closer we got to the front, the heavier the feeling became.

Caspian didn't say a word to me and picked up his pace. Worry filled his expression, and I had a feeling that he wanted to question me about what was wrong, but he knew better than to ask.

I made it through the front door and stopped suddenly in which Caspian almost ran into me but quickly recovered. I looked left and right, confusion bubbling in the pit of my stomach when I didn't see the old man by the door, waiting for me.

Caspian moved closer to me, and my body was super aware that he was there. "What is wrong?" he asked. "Why did you stop?"

I shook my head and looked this way and that. My stomach started to turn while I looked, and I had a feeling that something bad had happened or will happen. I could feel this sense of urgency, and I knew that I had to get Caspain out of there as soon as possible.

"Marini?" Caspian asked. He touched my arm, and I looked at him. Confusion filled his face while he studied me, and all I did was stare blankly at him. "What is it?"

I shook my head and sighed. "I don't know," I replied. "Something is wrong, Your Highness, I can tell you that much."

"What do you mean?"

"He's not here," I said. I stuffed the coins back into the basket and pulled out a knife, making sure that I didn't grab Mirïna. "He's supposed to be waiting out here, but he isn't."

"Then how are you going to repay him?" he asked, and I gave him a weird look. He raised an eyebrow. "What? I don't want you to get into trouble with him if you don't pay him."

I shook my head. "He'll understand," I replied. "I'll pay him the next time I see him. He knows that my main focus for right now is you."

"And what if he doesn't understand?" Caspian asked. "Then what?"