Page 368 of Of Empires and Dust

“You found them?” Coren’s eyes lit up.

Calen nodded. “They are being tested for the Calling as we speak. I can’t see why they would be different to any other eggs in Epheria, but your master thought they were worth giving her life for.” Calen sucked in his cheeks, tapping his foot against the ground. “She wanted you to know that you were ready. I could feel it in her heart that she believed you would be strong enough to survive.”

Coren stared at Calen for a moment, but it wasn’t what he saw in her eyes that betrayed the grief within her, it was Aldryn. The massive dragon craned his head down and pressed his snout into Coren’s side. She snapped her eyes shut for just a second before opening them and grasping Calen’s forearm. “Thank you.”

“Thankyoufor saving our lives. Iralíse alaith, vésani. Aer varno.”

Fly well, sister. Be safe.

“Ar du.”And you.Coren grasped Calen’s forearm. “We will see you in Aravell. And if you are not there, we will fly to Salme.”

Calen made his way over to where Therin stood beneath Varthear’s wing, threads of the Spark weaving into the dragon. Tivar stood beside him, both Avandeer and Valerys curled up at the dragon’s head, watching, while Asius sat on a low rock to Tivar’s right.

“Calen Bryer, son of Vars Bryer.” Asius grunted as he tried to rise, his usually stony face grimacing.

“Rest,” Calen said. Despite Asius sitting and Calen standing, Calen had to actually lift his hand to lay it on Asius’s shoulder. “The portal will be open soon, and the Healers will look after you.” Calen drew a short breath. “I am sorry for the loss of Thacia and Moras.”

“They are part of the earth once more.”

“As we were, so we will always be,” Calen said, remembering the phrase Asius had used when they had first met.

Asius gave him a soft smile. “They can rest now. It is a rest they deserve. And many draw breath because of it. Gods willing, Larion will be in Aravell when I return. And for the first time in centuries, hundreds of my people will be together. It is only a shame that Senas, Thacia, and Moras will not be among them.” Asius grimaced as he sat upright and stretched out his back. “When you return from Salme, I need you to promise mesomething, Calen Bryer, son of Vars Bryer, and Valerys, son of Valacia.”

“Name it, Asius. If it is within our power, we will see it done.”

“I need you to promise that my people will fight in the heart of the battles to come, that we will stand at the front of every line, and that we are beside you when we tear down Al’Nasla’s walls.”

Calen had never seen such fire in Asius’s eyes, never heard such emotion in his voice. Calen wrapped his fingers around the Jotnar’s pale blue forearm. “La’natal du myia vandíl.”

I give you my oath.

“Ar du, myialí,” Asius responded.And you mine.

Calen inclined his head to Asius, then looked over to where Therin and Tivar had been tending to Varthear. “How is she looking?”

“I’m not a strong enough Healer to see to these wounds on my own. Not properly,” Therin answered, looking back at Calen with a sympathetic smile. Therin had seen Rist. “But this should get her to Salme. Tessara brought Healers with her.” He looked over to Una, Kaygan, and Boud. “It would be simpler if we could bring a Healer here from Aravell.”

“That it would,” Calen responded. “For some reason, I don’t think Kaygan wants this to be simple.” Calen reached up and brushed his fingers along Varthear’s scarred snout as she leaned down to greet him. “Thank you. Without you, we would be dead.”

The dragon gave a low rumble, her nostrils flaring as she blew a warm breath over him. Flashes of memory passed through him, but they were not Varthear’s… They were Ella’s.

He saw himself through his sister’s eyes as he lay unconscious in the snow, Rhett kneeling beside him. Panic flooded her heart, followed by warmth as Rhett picked Calen’s body up from the snow.

The memory flashed forward to when they sat on the porch before The Proving, Calen sharpening his knife on the whetstone. He remembered that morning well.

“How sharp can a knife be?”Ella asked as she found Calen sitting on the porch. Calen remembered his sister speaking those words in a mocking tone, but as he looked through her eyes, all he felt was worry and fear.

Calen pulled his mind away and stared into the dragon’s red eyes. “How do you have those memories?”

“What’s wrong?” Tivar asked, turning her head to look into Calen’s eyes. She touched his cheek, cupped a hand to pull his eyes towards hers. Her touch was gentle and soft, her skin warm.

“I…” He looked into Tivar’s eyes, finding genuine concern there. He pulled his cheek away, glancing over at Ella. “I’m all right,” Calen answered, gathering his thoughts. “We need to be in the air.”

“Avandeer is ready,” Tivar responded, not looking away from his eyes.

Calen nodded slowly, reaching out to Valerys as both he and Avandeer rose from behind Varthear.

Therin turned and wiped the blood from his hands with a ragged old cloth. “Calen, if Valerys would have me, I would fly with you to Salme.”

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