Page 41 of Ava's Love of the Dragons
"Made a mistake? You wanted to kill Ava so I wouldn't be distracted!"
"No! I didn't want that and I would never have done it. You know me, Kilian." He looked at him imploringly, but Kilian shook his head.
"Apparently I don't. You took her to the other world and left her there. You told me she wouldn't want to come back. And then you even try to kill her when she fights her way back?"
"I only said that to scare her."
A vein throbbed on Kilian's forehead and his pulse was racing. He wanted to lunge at his former best friend, but he controlled himself, as he had learned years ago from Master Clark.
"You've gone too far!"
Rob's shoulders sank. "I know." And he looked like he meant it, too, but Kilian was too upset and Rob's actions too unscrupulous. He felt betrayed. Betrayed by his best friend.
Kilian stood up, then his chair wobbled dangerously and toppled noisily against the table as he paced angrily back and forth. "For your betrayal, I should throw you in a dungeon!" He met Rob's gaze and they both knew he wouldn't do it. That he couldn't risk it. But Rob didn't play his trump card, instead raising his hands placatingly.
"I'm really sorry, man."
"You've said that already. You should be glad she's not hurt!" His eyes flashed dangerously as Rob stood up and approached him.
"What can I say to make you trust me again?"
"Trust you?" Kilian snorted.
"Have you never made a mistake?"
Kilian's jaw clenched as his friend now played his trump card after all—or at least suggested that he was keeping it in reserve. But contrary to Kilian's expectation, a sympathetic expression came over Rob's face as he gave him a friendly slap on the upper arm.
"I'm really sorry. I went too far, but we're so close to our goal. Think of the dragons. Think of what we've been working towards for years. I wanted to do it for them, but I realize now that I should never have interfered."
Kilian closed his eyes, because he knew Rob was right. That he needed him.
Could he ever trust him again?
"I see how much she means to you. And I'm really sorry, man, that you can't afford your personal happiness. Truly. I wish it for you, you know that. But don't risk what we've achieved in the last few years for her. Think of your family. Think of Thalara."
Kilian clenched his fists, the veins on his forearms standing out. To finally vent his anger, he swiftly drew a dagger and hurled it past Rob, just by a hair's breadth, at the opposite wall.The blade stuck in the wood as Rob didn't even flinch and looked at Kilian understandingly.
"You can still trust me. I've proven that by telling you that Elora found out where she was staying. Why would I have done that if I hadn't realized my mistake?"
Kilian snorted, although Rob had made a good point. That was why he continued to listen to him.
"You know how I feel about her, but I won't make decisions on your behalf anymore. I promise you that." Rob raised his hand and extended his forearm to him, where a small dragon was burned into his skin. "We once swore something, remember? For the dragons."
Kilian ran his hand through his hair, but then let out a noisy breath. He looked at Rob one more time before turning his own forearm, where the small dragon was burned into the skin. "For the dragons."
Chapter 20
Draco urged Ava to rest, which she did after tucking the Isip stone into her pocket, keeping it within reach. After all, the magical stone had already helped her in the fight against Elora's followers.
Although the duel with the brutal mage Arthur kept replaying in her mind as if she were reliving it, she eventually dozed off. It felt like it was only for a few minutes, though. At some point, she startled awake and looked at Draco, who narrowed his glowing eyes.
"They're here."
Her pulse skyrocketed."Who?"
"The mages."
Ava jumped out of bed and crouched next to him. Cautiously, she peered over the windowsill outside but couldn't see anyone. The outlines of the surrounding buildings and the grandstand were vaguely visible, nothing else.
