Page 17 of Of Blood and Banes
I swallow as I recount Sethan’s words.
Lead through fear or respect…
Later, Sethan isn’t in attendance at dinner. Tawny takes the lead table for herself and her closest guards. When I ask her if they eat all their meals in this extravagant building, she mentions this is the community hall, and each town in the Dragon Lands has something similar.
Cole is absent, which makes me suspicious he’s with Sethan. For believing I’m the chosen one, Sethan sure has yet to includeme in their hours-long conversation. I’m adding it to the list of questions.
After our meal, I slip out to the forest to see Daeja. Her large silhouette sits at the base of a tree, staring up at the branches as she tilts her head back and forth.
“What…are you doing?”I ask her.
She jumps before glancing over at me.“It was looking at me.”
I stop next to her and follow her gaze up into the dark pine tree. On a branch thirty feet above us is a snowy-white owl, watching us with black beady eyes. It tilts its head unnaturally to the side, almost upside down, then flips it into the opposite direction moments later.
Daeja attempts to copy its movements, also twisting her head at undoubtedly uncomfortable angles.“Do you think I could catch it?”
I chuckle.“You probably wouldn’t want to eat that one. Plus, didn’t Archie and I give you enough?”
“I always have room for more.”She flicks her gaze over to me with a playful blow of steam.
I pat her thick neck, welcoming her hot breath in the cold winter night.“Archie believes owls are bad omens, so I’d leave this one alone. Which…I wanted to ask you. You normally don’t like humans—so why Archie?”
“I suppose I can be easily persuaded,”she purrs, still fixated on the owl.
I smile to hide my laugh—definitely a bottomless pit.“Or food motivated? Noting that for future reference?—”
“I thought I might find you here,” a feminine voice calls from behind me.
Following the voice, I turn and find Melaina. She stands with her arms crossed over her chest.
“If your father sent you here to escort me back…” I whisper, taking a half-step closer to Daeja, even though I’m not sure how to finish that sentence.
“You’re not in trouble,” Melaina covers quickly. She uncrosses her arms and walks closer, her gaze floating up at Daeja. “I still can’t believe you had a dragon all this time, though…”
The owl startles and shoots into the air with a muffled ‘hoo,’ and Daeja tears her attention off the tree branch to Melaina.“Well, she better believe it,”she grumbles, clearly disappointed Melaina managed to scare off the owl.
Melaina takes a few cautious steps toward us, and Daeja snorts, causing Melaina to flinch and freeze, her gaze locked on Daeja in awe and wonder.
I throw out a half-hearted laugh, following her gaze to Daeja. “Yeah…it was no easy feat.”
“A friend,” I warn, patting Daeja’s neck with a bit more force to prompt her to lower the bristling horns around her head.“She’s no threat.”
“I don’t need to worry if she’s a threat. I only need to remind herIam a threat.”
I shake my head with a laugh that spills out of my nose, and Daeja bumps her muzzle into my gloved hand. I pet her scaly snout, and the tension melts away from her, drip by drip.
“I imagine...” Melaina calls behind me. “My father says she hatched with you. Is that true?”
I nod before turning to face Melaina. “Though, that wasn’t information I shared with him.”
Daeja settles down into the ground, tucking her front legs underneath her chest and her back legs hidden underneath her belly. Like a clunky, giant loaf of bread. Her white eyes still watch Melaina with unmistakable caution.
Melaina mumbles, “My father also told me there’s a prophecy. And…”
I finish for her as a silence settles between us, “And it’s about me. And you believe it?”
Melaina shrugs. “I’m not sure. I don’t know what to believe anymore. All my life, I was taught rebels and dragons were bad. I’ve spent years thinking my father was dead, and I trained to protect my family and the kingdom from those who killed him. From rebelslike him. And now…now, I don’t know. He’s leading the people I swore to kill.”
