Page 12 of Dragon Throne: Part One

Pulling away, I took his hand in mine.

“For years, I’ve given everything to my people. And every time tragedy struck, I pushed myself to keep going, thinking that ‘soon’all of this would be over. Once Raithian was gone, I would finally be happy.Yet, I don’t want to keep waiting to feel that. Waiting for something that might take our entire lives to achieve or might never come. I deserve to be happy now… and Braxton makes me happy.”

His honey eyes brightened, the muscles of his jaw clenching harshly and showing the emotion he, too, hid from everyone else. Kingston didn’t speak. He didn’t need to say a word. Happiness was such a fleeting thing in our world… He understood.

“The danger you fear for me out there, threatens Braxton’s safety too,” I reminded. “I have to find him, Kingston. Will you help me?”

Letting out a burdened sigh, my guardian scowled. “Let’s not waste any more time.”

Such a massive heart.

Smiling, I turned to look at Willow to find her standing right behind me.

“I told you so,” she grumbled, making my smile widen. She’d always known about my feelings for Brax, even when I profusely denied it. Nothing escaped Willow.

“Thank you so much for being here for me, even though I know you are hurting too. We’ll be back soon. Wish me good luck.”

“Good luck finding that stubborn, ungrateful, senseless man? Fine, good luck.” Huffing, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Sorry. That is the best I can do.”

“That will do.” After squeezing her and placing a kiss on her cheek, I faced Kingston. “I have an idea on how to find Brax.”

“This is the worst idea you have ever had,” my guardian grunted while Aeramen climbed him like a mountain, settling on his broad shoulders with a squeak. The bronze Dragon babe was growing like a weed, but Kingston was massive so he could still carry the weight.

“Stop complaining. It’s just a Dragon babe,” I chided and turned to Imogen, who was trying hard not to laugh at his discomfort. “Thank you so much for letting us take him so early this morning. We’ll bring him back before his mother calls him to her lair. I promise.”

Allowing herself a chuckle at Aeramen’s mischiefs, she focused on me. “Don’t you worry, darling. Aeramen will take you to him. His bond to Braxton is strong.”

Blinking, confusion and worry coursed through me. “How do you know?”

She glanced at the babes all around her, as though it should be obvious.

“I know Dragons almost as well as I know myself. That, and I saw Tharion fly him away last night.” Her attention shifted to my guardian, exchanging a cryptic glance with him. “He only left because he needed time to himself. We all do sometimes.” With a sigh, she walked further inside the cave. “Bring Braxton back to us, my queen. We need him.”

“Thank you, but I’m not your queen yet,” I replied. “I’m just the princess.”

“You have never been ‘just’ anything… Evanna Skyborne,Queen of the People.” A warm smile curved her lips, before she disappeared into the darkness with the babes.

A strange feeling coursed through me with her words, a feeling Kingston seemed to share—like she knew more than we suspected—but I had more important things to tend to right now.

* * *

Magic flowed freely through my arm shield, securing my hold on Luna’s neck scales as she veered in the air, exiting through the mountain’s fissure. Spartan flew with my guardian behind us. Pinks, purples, and soft oranges painted the sky of Caelisium with the sun’s emergence, slowly giving way to the new day.

Even with the breathtaking sight, my attention remained on Aeramen. His tiny wings extended on each side as he sat before me; eyes closed while the breeze caressed our forms, whipping my long hair behind me. Part of me was amused at his behavior, after all, he wouldn’t be able to fly like this until he was much older. Yet, the other part of me was certain he was focusing on feeling his connection with Braxton to help us find him.

Dragons were brilliant beings; I didn’t need to have a bond with him for him to understand exactly why we needed his help.

The land rushed below us silently, lakes, trees, even mountains passing us by without providing any hope. We had surveyed the area twice now, but Braxton couldn’t be found.

“Anything?” Kingston yelled from beside me on his ride, and I just shook my head, my eyes returning to the bronze babe. “He wouldn’t go further, into the Desertlands or beyond, would he?” His voice was filled with worry as it carried over the wind. “Only one thing awaits him on the other side…”

“Raithian,” I finished for him and shook my head, my chest tightening. “No, he wouldn’t. Imogen was right. Braxton just needed time for himself. To process what he learned, to make sense of things.”

With a settling breath, I placed a hand on Aeramen’s back just as Luna and Spartan veered left, going around the surrounding areas yet again. The bronze babe opened his eyes, turning to face me as his wings closed. He looked up at me, a mixture of heartache and need in his eyes.

“Please…” I begged, not really finishing the sentence. There was nothing I could say that would truly express how desperately I needed him to keep the hope alive for me. I couldn’t lose Braxton too… not him. That would be the thing to destroy—

Aeramen’s eyes suddenly glowed the most beautiful color. Gold. Just like Brax’s Dragon Eye always did. They had connected. A loud squeak erupted from the babe’s mouth and Luna echoed the call.

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