Page 70 of The Lost Child

“Well, that’s enough of that. We’ll have plenty of time to chat on the journey.” The male draken pushed between us, huffing and puffing.

Kaida released me and started gathering up a few bags and rolling up the furs I’d been lying on. “We can try our best to help, though I’m afraid we’re not exactly draken experts. I just recently found out about my heritage, and Nasi left the island when he was young just like you. I’m sure we can piece together what needs done, though.”

I frowned, simultaneously thrilled that the draken male had much in common with me and horrified that they might not have more answers than I did. They didn’t know what they were doing? “I don’t understand,” I managed.

Kaida looked to Nasi to explain, but the golden draken grumbled and looked away, uncomfortable. She sighed. “The home island of the drakens is abandoned. They were all wiped out during the demon wars. A few of us have survived here and there. I’ve been traveling south for a few months now with the intention of trying to find you.”

It was one thing to find other drakens when I’d had no real idea of where to look. But to discover my own people and then find out they were all gone just as Alkdama feared? I supposed I’d secretly hoped this entire trip she was wrong.

I sat back down on the dusty rock.

A heavy golden hand landed on my shoulder. I tensed but then relaxed. “It is a lot to change who you think you are and to accept who is inside of you.”

I glanced up at Nasi, wondering how he could read my thoughts so clearly. He leaned down closer so Kaida would not hear. “You have many scars. You were raised to be a trained fighter, weren’t you? A pirate lord in the king’s court claimed to have a draken he used as a weapon a few months ago. Is this you?”

It sounded awful when someone else described it, but I could find nothing untrue in what he said. I was trained cruelly from childhood to fight the master’s enemies and kill them.

“Yes,” I admitted softly. “That was me.”

I expected him to grow angry, or wary, and want me away from his mate. I expected that he wouldn’t want to help anymore and that I’d be on my own to save Nerissa.

I didn’t expect him to seize me like Kaida had, his arms tightening around me to the point when all the air in my lungs was forced out of my body. My wings fluttered in surprise as I stiffened, thinking he meant to attack me then quickly realizing this was yet another …hug. Warriors and fighters did not … hug. Did they?

“You are doing so well. Much better than I did at first.”

His voice was muffled against my shoulder. This was … a sign of … kindness.

He released me then, drawing back to look me up and down. “I was feral when my mate found me. I was on the island the day our race died and much of me died that day as well.” Nasi looked back over his head to where Kaida packed up their remaining belongings. “She brought me back.” His attention returned to me. “You are very strong if you never lost yourself.”

I lowered my face at his words. I didn’t deserve them. “You cannot lose what you never had to begin with,” I argued, trying to find the words to explain how I felt. This draken—Nasi—at least had memories of living with his people and with his family. What did I have but years of darkness?

My mood soured and Nasi noticed, muttering something about scouting for supplies and then he was gone with nothing more than a slight breeze to indicate he’d leaped off the side of the cliff.

The female—no, my sister—sat down next to me and leaned into my shoulder. No one had ever done that except Nerissa. It was nice.

“I can’t believe you’re here. I don’t think I actually expected to find you,” she admitted, speaking softly.

I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I stayed silent. The night was full of sounds, from the wind rustling through the nubby shrubs to the occasional screech of a hawk hunting. I could even hear lizards as they scuttled up and down the cliffs, each tiny sound amplified by the rocks all around us.

I focused on Kaida, who turned abruptly and studied my face, coming so close I had to fight the urge to lean back. One pale finger traced my nose, then my lips. She smiled. “You do not look much like me, but I see traces. Your nose and mouth are similar to mine.”

I scoffed at her eagerness to link us physically. “You are beautiful. I just look like this,” I offered lamely, not fully understanding how I could be in the same family as this beautiful, graceful female.

She laughed, the sound akin to the fresh feeling of raindrops on my face. “You probably favor our father. Nasi told me most of the males were off fighting when our homeland was destroyed. That means our father was a mighty warrior.”

Her words filled me with a kernel of hope that I clung to like a piece of driftwood. My father had been a warrior,just like me.

I wasn’t a monster. I was a fighter, from a long line of fighters.

My chest tightened and swelled with a sense of pressure. It wasn’t fear or self-loathing.

“You are right to be proud of him and yourself,” Kaida remarked lightly.

I jerked. Pride?

Her arms wrapped around my waist and she fell into my chest. I put my own arms around her, tucking her into me. This was different than when I held Nerissa. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to truly take in her scent. My instincts purred in satisfaction, happy and content that my nestmate was here and safe in my arms.

Nestmate… how lucky I was to have a mateanda nest mate! Two people who cared for me!

---