Page 85 of Eluvonia
Kaida chuckles, his shadows rippling around him like a lazy tide. “And you’re not so bad for a golden pain in the ass.”
I watch the exchange, arms crossed, a small smile tugging at my lips. It’s rare to see this kind of bond—so raw, so deeply rooted in shared survival. It’s like watching two mismatched puzzle pieces click perfectly into place.
The silence stretches for a moment before Kaida speaks again, his tone shifting. “We need a place to go. We can’t hide out here forever.”
Declan snorts, his wings flaring slightly as he transfers hisweight. “Yeah, because we’ve got so many options,” he says sarcastically. “Fae hate us. Dragons hate us. It’s not like we can go hide under some Ymiral’s care like Tura and her clan.”
I slap his arm lightly, the sound sharp in the confined space. Declan recoils dramatically, clutching his arm like I’ve just severed it. “Ow! Aeris, I’m wounded! Betrayed! Do you know how fragile I am?”
I roll my eyes, fighting back a grin. “You’re an idiotic genius,” I say, ignoring his theatrics as I turn toward Kaida. “We can go to Tura. If the water Ymiral will let us back in, that is. Her town is hidden and neutral. No one would think to look for us there.”
Kaida grunts in response, a sound I’ve come to recognize as his version of “Yeah, fine.”
He steps toward the cave entrance, his gaze flicking to the storm outside. Snow batters the rocks, the wind howling like a creature in pain. “We can go once the storm lets up a bit,” he says, his voice calm and measured.
The three of us stand there, the storm raging outside, our breath misting in the icy air. Despite the cold, despite the uncertainty of what comes next, there’s a strange comfort in their presence—a reminder that even in the worst situations, I’m not alone.
***
The wind whips past my face as I cling to Kaida’s massive black Dragon form, his shadows curling around me like protective tendrils. They writhe and shift with the currents of air, occasionally brushing my arms or face like restless snakes. It’s oddly comforting, even as the cold bites at my exposed skin. Above us, the sky stretches out like an endless slate of gray, broken only by the sun’s faint shimmer through theclouds.
To my left, Declan soars in his half-shifted form, wings of molten gold beating powerfully against the wind. His form glints in the sparse sunlight, a beacon in the dull expanse of sky. He glances at me, his sharp eyes narrowing in what might be concern—or annoyance. With Declan, it’s usually a mix of both.
“You doing okay back there?” he calls over the rush of wind, his voice tinged with amusement.
I clutch one of Kaida’s obsidian scales tighter as he banks sharply to the left, his massive Dragon form narrowly missing the jagged peak of a mountain. My stomach lurches, and I shoot Declan a glare. “Oh, justlovely. Nothing like the exhilarating thrill of almost being flung to my death every five seconds.”
Kaida snorts below me, a puff of smoke rising from his nostrils. His voice rumbles through the air like thunder.If you fall, I’ll catch you. Probably.
“Probably?” I snap, leaning forward to glare at the back of his Dragon head. “That’s not as reassuring as you think it is!”
Declan laughs, his wings tilting as he maneuvers closer. “Relax, Aeris. If he doesn’t catch you, I will. Think of it as a team-building exercise.”
“You’re both insufferable,” I mutter, though a reluctant smirk tugs at my lips.
The ocean stretches below us now, a vast expanse of shimmering blue that sparkles despite the gray skies. Waves crash against jagged rocks, their white froth bleeding into the deep indigo waters. From this height, it looks serene, almost deceptively so. The vastness of it makes me feel small, like a speck of dust in an infinite world.
As we continue toward Veylwick, the first signs of the seaside town come into view. Worn roofs peek out from the horizon, their faded colors blending into the rocky coastline. Relief floods through me, and I exhale a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“There,” I call out, pointing toward the town. “I can see it. The water Ymiral is letting us in.”
Hope blossoms in my chest, a fragile thing that grows with each passing second. But as we draw closer, something feels… wrong. My stomach knots as tendrils of smoke curl upward, stark against the gray sky. The closer we get, the more the scene unfolds in horrifying detail.
“No,” I whisper, my breath catching in my throat.
The town is a graveyard. Homes lie in ruins, their wooden frames splintered and blackened from fire. Bodies are strewn across the sandy roads, their lifeless forms frozen in grotesque poses. Blood stains the ground in dark, jagged smears, mixing with the ash and debris.
Kaida lands in the town center, his claws digging into the sand as his massive form shifts beneath me. I slide off his back with shaky legs, my boots crunching against the debris-strewn ground. Declan lands beside us, his wings folding behind him as he surveys the destruction.
The market stalls that once lined the streets are tipped over, their colorful fabrics torn and stained. Fish and fruit are scattered across the ground, their vibrant colors dulled by ash and blood. I cover my mouth with my hand, the smell of charred wood and death overwhelming my senses.
“What happened?” I ask, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to steady it. My fingers dig into Kaida’s scales for support as I glance around, my eyes burning with unshedtears.
“The Dragons came.”
The familiar voice pulls my attention, and I turn sharply to see Tura standing a few feet away. Her wide-brimmed straw hat dangles from her hand, crushed and crumpled as if she’s been gripping it too tightly. A long claw mark mars her face, stretching from her left eye to her chin, the edges of the wound raw and red.
“Tura!” I rush to her, my feet slipping slightly on the blood-slick ground. My hands hover uselessly in the air, unsure whether to embrace her or examine her injuries. “What happened? Are you okay?”
