Page 107 of A Rising Hope

I abandoned her.

My trembling hands found my discarded dagger in the dark. The metal hilt of the blade felt light in my hand, and I let it dance, carving my skin inch by inch until a sliver of reprieve would find me.

65

FINNLEAH

My legs ached as I hiked a steep hill to the outskirts of the small town that the Destroyer armies had settled in. The serpentine rows of tall weeds and wildflowers turned a deep shade of blue under the silver moonlight spilling from the clear sky above.

Two dark heaps as tall as the hill itself leisured atop of it.

“Resting with your full bellies?” I shouted at them angrily. Two pairs of enormous yellow eyes opened, their vibrant color, like a sun, glowed in the dark.

The dragons didn’t move, watching me pant as I ran up the last remainder of the hill until I was just a step away from the tip of their elongated noses.

“You can’t do that to people,” I snapped at them. Both of them huffed a cloud of smoke in protest. I coughed. “Do you understand the havoc you caused? The chaos I have to deal with now because of you?” I raised my brow in question as I glared up at both of them.

They snuggled against each other, their enormous tails the size of bridges, wrapped around their vast wings all tucked in.

“You attack only on my command,” I scolded them, as if they were disobedient children. “You do not eat people, for fuck’s sake.” I rubbed the sides of my head. One of them gently nudged me with their muzzle, almost pushing me down the hill. “Do not eat humans.” Their yellow eyes blinked a few times in question. “It’s not up for discussion. Got it?” I pointed my finger at them, reprimanding.

They didn’t speak, but I somehow understood them. There was no need for language. Our souls simply communicated in a language no mind could recognize. Together we were one whole.

They were a part of me. And I was a part of them.

“Now enough complaining.” I let my fury calm at their piercing stares. “Just stay away from the people and towns for now while I try to figure out what the hell am I supposed to do.” I rubbed my forehead, trying to think.

“For a start, you could do me and then we could see where the night takes us.” A familiar chuckle sounded from behind, and I didn’t have to look back to know who was there.

“You were supposed to be resting.” I turned to face him. Gideon was climbing up the same hill, a long cane in one hand, a pair of boots in the other. He was still bare from his waist up, though this time there was a new accessory. My eyes lingered on the wedding band tied on his wrist. I tried not to smile at the notion, but the crooked tug found its way onto my face anyway.

The man couldn’t find a shirt, but made sure he put on a makeshift wedding band.

“If I remember correctly, and I do, your exact words were, ‘learn how to walk first and then we’ll talk’.” He shook the cane in the air, as if proving his point.

“Who’s the poor soul you stole a cane from?” I said loudly, watching him struggle the last few steep steps of the hill.

“Sweet of you to think I stole it.” The corner of his mouth tugged upwards at my narrowed glower. I didn’t take his bait, sohe continued, “The man will be fine, he’ll recover, the girl whose boots I got, on the other hand, probably scarred for life. Here.” Gideon threw the pair of boots at me, before unexpectedly collapsing to the ground like he’d meant to do that all along.

Fuck.

I slid down the hill, reaching for him. His cane dropped to the side; his eyes closed.

Fuck.

I scanned his body for any visible wounds, but there were none. I dropped to my knees near him, my hands reaching for his head, my heart racing.

But within a blink, he grabbed both of my wrists and with a single twist he rolled on top of me.

I gasped, but he was already pinning me against the dirt, laughing.

I’d slap him so hard had it not been for my restrained wrists.

“Prick! I thought you died again!” I wriggled under his hold, kneeing him only with half of the intent to the stomach.

“You didn’t actually think I’d stay in that cold and lonely bed the entire night, did you?” He smirked, enjoying himself. “Besides, I had to see these for myself.” His eyes darted to the two dragons, curiously observing us from the top of the hill. “Actual fucking dragons.” He shook his head like he was still questioning what his eyes saw, though it wasn’t too long before he returned his attention back to me. “Not too shabby for an assassin.”

“No,this.”I headbutted him straight in the nose, then kneed him hard enough where he buckled, losing his hold just long enough for me to twist under him, rolling him over until I was atop of him. This time it was me who was pinning his arms above his head. “This is not too shabby for an assassin.”

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