Page 86 of Wrath of the Dragons
She climbs up a cliff a few yards away and spreads her wings for an even takeoff, slowly gaining altitude but never tipping up enough to jostle us. Cayden’s wounds need to be bandaged. I slide the satchel off my shoulder and pull out a clean rag and waterskin, needing to clean his torso first. It’s always been easier for me to heal strangers—healing even a small scrape on a loved one riddles me with unwanted emotion. Cayden sucks in a breath, groaning when I press the rag over the largest gash on his side. His eyes blink open and focus on my face as best as they can. I command Calithea to glide. It’ll slow us considerably, but I can’t stitch him unless she keeps us steady. Ryder and Finnian will probably finish with the soldiers and portal to Avaloria, the oceanside town in Vareveth, before us. There was no sense in ustraveling back to the manor when we’d have to travel to the docks before first light, but part of me still wishes we were able to.
I thread the needle and get to work. “One day you’ll stop getting hurt to gain my attention.”
His lips quirk in a dopey smile I’ve never seen on him. He’s not fully conscious yet, but I know he’s fighting his way toward it. “It’s worked like a charm since the first night I kissed you, and I don’t plan on stopping.”
He falls asleep again and I finish stitching. Calithea gains speed every time I finish a gash, covering more distance while I thread the needle. Thankfully not all his wounds are that deep, and once the blood is cleared, I take a moment to admire his markings and trace them with my finger.
The trees fade away, and Avaloria takes their place. It’s a small town within Vareveth made of curved roads and old stone bungalows along the coast. Ships are anchored in the distance and smaller boats bob along the docks with fishermen hauling in nets of their daily catches. Calithea and Venatrix land in front of the inn. Every quaint house along the street has wreaths made of colored sea glass and seashells. It’s clear they’re homemade, which only adds to the charm, as do the weathered painted shutters in shades of various blues, greens, and corals.
I use the lull of the surf crashing against the shore to drown out the pained screams that surrounded me moments ago. Our accommodations are set on the water, and I’m hoping we can still hear the waves through the closed windows. I’d love to come back here in the summer, but I’m eager to get out of the cold.
Saskia bursts from the entrance with Finnian and Ryder hot on her heels. Ryder is still caked in blood and quickly overtakes Saskia in her pursuit. “What took you so long?”
I unhook the straps attaching us to the saddle and slide down. “I couldn’t stitch him if Calithea flew at full speed.”
“Cayden!” Saskia shouts.
“Not dead. Hate to disappoint.” Cayden sits up and mirrors myactions, using Calithea to steady himself and patting her scales. “Thank you for the ride, pretty lady.”
“Let me help you inside.” Ryder steps forward, but Cayden presses a hand to his chest to halt him as he pushes on without assistance. He shouldn’t even be awake right now, let alone walking, and my temper rises at his stubbornness. He shoves open the door made of green and blue sea glass within a shell-covered arch. The innkeeper by the front desk screams and drops the stack of linens in her arms.
“I have that effect on people.” Cayden leans against one of the white pillars that support the ceiling. “Room?”
“U-up the stairs and to the right, Your Majesty. It’s our finest one.”
“Thank you,” I say, ducking under his arm. If anything, it’ll help him keep his balance. He doesn’t look at me, and the dopey smile is nowhere in sight. I know I did the right thing. I didn’t do anything he wouldn’t have done for me.
Chapter
Forty-three
Elowen
My hair is still dampfrom the bath when Ryder finds me at the small dining table. Similar to the entryway, the tabletop is made of broken sea glass sanded by the waves, proving once again that even broken things can still create something beautiful. His dark eyes are shadowed with regret as he finds Cayden’s sleeping form sprawled out on the bed.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, gesturing to the trays of food a servant brought up. All I’ve managed to do is pick at some bread while watching the waves through the arched windows and the rise and fall of Cayden’s chest through the seafoam canopy. I may physically be at the inn, but mentally, I’m still in the battle. I can’t stop thinking of the wyverns and the white eyes of the mages as they controlled the creatures. I will always choose my dragons, no matter the enemy, but watching the beasts fall from the sky twists my heart in the aftermath.
“I ate a bit before I bathed,” he says, claiming the seat across from me. His gaze remains on Cayden as he drags a hand down his face. “Is it all right if I sit here? I should’ve asked.”
I give him a half smile while blinking away the moisture in my eyes. “You’re his best friend, Ryder. Of course you can.”
“They’ll get easier.” He gives me a knowing look. “The battles.”
I nod, clearing my throat and taking a sip of tea.
“I didn’t know what he was doing when he tackled me.” A muscle twitches in his jaw. “Everything happened so fast. We finally managed to get through the gap by some miracle. We were still packed together when the bomb went off, but he grabbed me to cover me before the explosion launched us through the air.”
“None of this is your fault, and he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”
“He would’ve died had you not tortured yourself,” he snaps before squeezing his eyes shut. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lose my temper.”
“I understand.” If Ryder thinksthatwas losing his temper, he should’ve witnessed an episode from Ailliard. When I was fourteen, he destroyed the bookshelf I made myself in a fit of rage.
“He’d do the same thing when we were younger because I had Saskia and he had no one. I just want him to stop viewing himself as expendable and invincible.”
I look to the waves again, remembering Cayden telling me about how they calm him. “What were you two like when you were younger?”
I’ve always had a hard time picturing how they became friends, but maybe reminiscing will help Ryder through his emotions. Ryder is the type of person who could befriend a rock, and Cayden is the type of person to throw a rock at someone.
