Page 130 of Dreams and Dragon Wings
Warmth brushes against my scales. The Aether thickens around me.
Stronger now, it booms two words directly into my soul:
« Have faith. »
I flinch backward and bow my head, removing my fangs from their threatening position. My jaws snap shut around mere air.I do,I promise.I do have faith.
But still, my emotions rage—a tempestuous swirl of doubt and shame.
DoI have faith? Do I truly trust in my God’s plan?
I am aware of the goblins now crowding close, their glittering eyes watching me within the moonlight dappling the hills of the Vale. Of my queen and aunties lingering further back, waiting with bated breath to see what I will do next. It feels like a betrayal to them to not kill Malice now.
But to shed his blood would be an even greater betrayal—a betrayal of my God’s trust.
His plan is better than mine.
Iwillhave faith. I choose to do so.
Joy courses through the bond.“I am so proud of you,Na’theryn,”Aurelia whispers within my thoughts.“We need not be like him. We can choose to walk the harder path.”
What a wisedrakiraI have. Warmth blooms in my chest. My thoughts stray, drifting toward how much I would like to kiss my fiancée right now.
Fiancée.
Aurelia and I are betrothed. Soon, we will be married. Soon, we will rule Drakara together just as her mother prophesied we would.
It hardly feels real.
“You will leave this place,” I instruct my uncle, wrenching myself back to the moment. “You will fly straight to the Living Waters and submit yourself to the Great Weaver’s judgment. After that—if He allows you to live—you will depart Drakara entirely. You will live out the rest of your days in exile, far from me and mine.”
The bell tolls yet again far in the distance, as if to punctuate my words. Malice winces, as if even all the way out here, the sound pains him.
“You… are letting me go?” he asks.
I press more of my weight on his chest and snarl, “Yes. Do you agree to my terms?”
“Yes!” he eagerly agrees, his gaze awash in open surprise. “Your will be done,Theryn’kai.”
I am not satisfied with his answer. This has been entirely too easy.
But what more can I do?
Slowly, carefully, I withdraw from my uncle. I release him from his bonds. But my hackles still raise as he rolls to his paws and takes to the air, flying hard and fast through the night toward the Flora Vale’s distant borders.
Suspicion gnaws at my heart.
I do not trust him.
But as the Aether swirls around me again, I know what it says without it even having to say it:Trust me.
I huff out a sigh and bob my head.I do, Na’Eruv. Always.
Drawing in threads of Earth, I expend most of what energy I have left seeking out and healing all the many small hurts—the bruises and cuts—littering my queen’s form.But what about Malice’s army?I worry while I work. The Flora Vale might be saved, but what about the Aerie?
Still, his forces march on my stronghold.
Still, my people need my aid.
