Page 115 of Shadows of Destiny
Their worldwouldbe a better place; she had faith in the child to correct the wrongs committed over the last millennia. It would take time, but the girl could do it.
Their new queen may be young, but she was capable and strong. She’d proven that by helping to wrest the throne away from the usurper.
But still, Alina yearned for the children she wouldn’t have, the eggs that would never hatch, and the lack of young amongst the dragons. They could all live forever and never die, but those who wanted offspring would have an emptiness inside them.
But not everything can be perfect, and even with the new queen on the throne, not everything will be. There is still so much to do, so far to go, and the Reaver is still out there.
She was aware of the threat he possessed to all those who remained. Maybe not to the queen, but to the other realms, the immortals, and the dragons. And the queen’s love for him might stop her from doing whatever was necessary to eradicate that danger.
The dragons couldn’t harm the Reaver, but if he turned the shadows on them, the shadows could destroythem. It would be best if someone killed the Reaver before then, but it would have to be someone extremely powerful.
The queen was one of the few who came to mind, and the others who might stand asmallchance against him were from realms far from this one or realms completely hidden to outsiders.
The Reaver had left, probably to keep from unleashing more destruction, which meant the dark fae still had some control over the shadows. That wouldn’t remain the same if the queen died.
Alina could help with that problem as she hadnointention of letting anything happen to their new ruler. They’d all lost and been through too much for such an atrocity.
Alina’s biggest problem now was still being awake when she desperately needed sleep. Yawning, she settled her head on her feet, nudged one of the eggs closer, and fell into a deep sleep.
She had no idea how much time passed before she woke to a strange noise and something pushing against her. Alina lifted her head; smoke billowed from her nostrils as she prepared to destroy an intruder.
She searched the cave, but it remained pitch-black, and she saw no sign of an invader. But that noise… what was it?
It was an odd, small chirping sound, yet it was strangelyfamiliar?
Alina’s head snapped down, and a strange squeak escaped her when a tiny, orange dragon lifted its nose and pushed against hers.
It can’t be!
But it was! One of the eggs had hatched!
The orange dragon unfurled its wings. When it yawned, a small puff of smoke drifted from its mouth. But not only was italiveand against her body, but the remaining two eggs stirred as her other wyrmlings sought to break free.
The top of one cracked, and a small red head poked out. The dragon squeaked and fell forward when it lunged toward Alina. It rocked in the eggshell it still mostly resided in.
Alina hadn’t believed it possible for a dragon to cry. She’d never heard of such a thing before and certainly never experienced it, but two tears, one from each eye, rolled down her cheeks to drip into her nest.
Though she’d gone to bed with hope in her heart, she’d also been certain there were many dark days in their future.
Now she realized far more hope and life remained in this land than she’d ever dreamed possible. For here was proof that an arach on the throne was what Dragonia, and all of them, needed most.
The queen had brought life back to Dragonia. And now the realms would learn all she could do.
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