Page 93 of Galadon
Between his words and Morgan’s, she knew she needed to let it go. “At least we won, even if it was more challenging than we anticipated.”
“Yes, and we even saved some innocent lives.”
Rayna frowned. “What do you mean?”
He took her hand. “Come with me, and I’ll show you.”
They walked back into the camp and toward a large tunnel entrance. Several shifters in human form gathered near it with serious expressions as they spoke in hushed tones. They moved out of the way, giving respectful nods with downcast gazes as Galadon passed them. Rayna walked at his side into the darkness as the ground steadily declined. The occasional torch in the wall lit the way, providing a soft glow. Stale scents and body odors permeating the air burned her nose, making her think the place had been in use for a while.
The tunnel eventually opened into a fortified cavern with wooden beams. Shock hit her at what she saw everywhere she looked—scrawny human children mixed with a few uninfected adults. None of them looked like they’d bathed in a long time, and she doubted they were fed more than the bare minimum to survive.
“I’d heard they kept some dragon young, but not…” Words escaped her.
Galadon leaned close to her and whispered, “You didn’t participate in the interrogations after the war, but we heard of places like this and found as many as we could. The Kandoran liked to keep the children for labor and to infect them once they were old enough. Occasionally, some human adults are immune as well. Most of those are killed right away, but they often save a few to manage the children, such as you see here.”
She’d had no idea. After the war ended, she stayed for some of the funerals, as well as Bailey and Aidan’s bonding ceremony, but then, she fled. There’d been so much loss and destruction that Rayna needed time away to come to terms witheverything. It didn’t help that she and Galadon had also been in a bad place at that time.
A sorcerer with healing powers was helping a couple of the kids with infected wounds that hadn’t been properly tended. Shifters in human form handed out some of the food they’d found in a storage building. Rayna watched the scene with a heavy heart. It helped her feel better about requesting to attack this place, but she felt sorrow for what these children had suffered.
“What will happen to them?” she asked.
Aidan stepped up beside them. “There is a shelter in Norman that the city council set up. They took the orphans we found last fall and have been helping rehabilitate them. After they’re ready, they find families to care for them or keep and raise them in the facility. A few live in the village outside the fortress now. We’ll handle these children the same way.”
“That’s good,” she said, relief filling her that they had a plan.
Galadon squeezed her hand. “If we hadn’t come now, these children would have continued to suffer, and some wouldn’t have survived. They’ll have a chance at happiness and a normal life now because you brought us here.”
“He’s right,” Aidan said, giving her a reassuring smile. “Every time I lose some of my dragons, I feel the loss deeply, but I must remember the outcome achieved. One look at this camp, and it is apparent it needed to be destroyed as soon as possible.”
Rayna nodded. “Yeah, I see that. How are you going to move them?”
“We have enough fireproof potions for those in urgent need of care so they can be flown. I’ve already sent messengers back to request humans with horses and wagons to transport the rest. That will take time, but Falcon and his mate, Sabryn, will stay here with twenty shifters to watch over and prepare them for the journey.”
That travel method would take about five days, but it would be less scary than riding in a dragon’s arms for hours. Rayna could understand their reasoning. She wished there was something she could do, but her slayer duties didn’t lend themselves to caring for traumatized orphans who’d need specialized attention. Galadon would probably frighten the hell out of them, too, though she knew he wouldn’t do it intentionally. These children were all humans and needed to be looked after by their own kind.
“Perhaps we should help with cleanup outside,” her mate suggested.
There wasn’t anything they could do in here, but she was grateful he’d shown her how she’d helped in ways she hadn’t realized. A little girl who was maybe four years old with dark skin and frizzy hair gave her a shy smile. Rayna waved at her, and the child ducked her head. One of the shifters brought her some bread, which she tore into while scooting away from the others. A clear sign they’d had to fight for scraps of food while down here.
They lingered for a moment longer before she nodded at Galadon, letting him lead her outside. There was plenty to do before they could leave this place and head home. Halfway to the top, he stopped near a torch and turned to her.
“It was worth it, you know,” he said, staring down at her.
She scrunched her brows. “What do you mean?”
“All of it.” He pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in his embrace. “The centuries I endured alone before you came, all we’ve been through since we met, and this battle. I’m already seeing how much better you make my life, and maybe the struggle was necessary, so I’d appreciate you more. You even make fighting our enemies interesting in ways I never expected.”
That last part, he said with a wry grin.
Rayna let her love for him reflect in her gaze. “I agree with most of that, but I think you’re going to spend a few years making it up to me for being an asshole for so long.”
“And how do you wish me to redeem myself?” he asked, cocking his head.
She gave him a saucy smile. “I’m sure I’ll think of something…maybe it will involve you being on your knees. That would be a good start.”
Galadon narrowed his eyes. “My knees?”
“Yes, definitely. Maybe your tongue will be engaged in placating me, too.”
