Page 40 of The Fractured Prophecy

“Yes, well, I haven’t gotten to the good part yet,” Galan said. “You people keep interrupting me. Except for Torvo of course, he’s got the brooding thing down—maybe you should take a lesson from him, Riv.” He winked at me.

As it turned out, Galan had made his way back through the wild woods below the sky kingdom, having to fight off not only searching guards, but beasts as well. I didn’t think he was exaggerating either, based on his scar. Though he said he received that when he finally reached Tromodia. Apparently, he’d managed to drag himself to Lou’s doorstep, but if it hadn’t been for her, he wouldn’t have made it. She’d kept him hidden and safe at The Shipwreck Inn, where he’d recovered and begun contacting old alliances in an attempt to build a rescue party. Though they were still in the planning stages.

“You really would have come to Centos to try to break us out of the palace?” I asked. I knew he was brave, but I also knew he wasn’t stupid.

“Well, we did have someone on our side who I thought might make all the difference. In fact, she’s been dying to see you, Nye. Though, it took me quite a while to figure out why she was following me, who she was, and even longer to earn her trust.”

My brow furrowed, and I wiped some wispy white hair from my face. I’d tied it back, but it kept sliding out of the string. I had no clue who he could be referring to. I knew no one outside of those he’d already mentioned.

“She and Carn have become fast friends. If I’d known that was what would get her to approach me, I would have travelled here sooner than when Riv sent word to Shar.” Galan always loved to shorten people’s names, so it was no surprise he chopped Sharlyne’s in half.

As if on cue, a shadow passed over us, and Carn started jumping in circles, making me grab for Rivven’s hand to keep from flying off the boxy saddle on the giant lizard’s back. We all looked up, and my mouth dropped open. Circling above was a black dragon, leathery wings gliding silently through the clear sky. A shining purple stomach extended all the way to her barb-tipped tail. I knew instantly who she was. She was maybe half the size her mother had been, but gods, was she beautiful.

“Ven!” I yelled, waving my arms like a crazy person. All three men practically tackled me, pulling me back down.

“I was right, then,” Galan said near my ear. “She’s the baby you saved in Astridon. She hatched.”

“Yes,” I agreed, tears springing to my eyes. “I named her Vengeance. Let me go.” I wiggled against Rivven’s grip since he was the one to keep hold of me.

“You don’t have your body,” he reminded me, unmovable as though my attempts had the effect of a feather against a dragon. “She may not recognize you.”

“I’m hoping she will despite your smelling different,” Galan said. “She sensed you on me after all, so I wonder if dragon’s use magic to locate people. That had to be how she found me. But we can’t make any assumptions, and though not full grown yet, she has gotten her fire. So, let’s take this easy, shall we?” He offered me a hand, and Rivven loosened his grip enough to allow me to take it.

I let Galan help me stand as Carn resumed his charge toward the mountains, with Ven gliding gracefully above him like a cloud with a mind of its own. I couldn’t stop staring. She was so beautiful. And I’d saved her. Balram had orchestrated the murder of her mother, but Ven had survived. It proved something beautiful could come from horror.

When we reached the foothills and a small spot of shade, Riv made some clicking sounds with his mouth, and Carn came to a stop, settling down to rest. Ven circled, slowly spiraling downward until she landed, tucking her wings beside her. She stomped forward, making up the distance, and lowered her long, onyx snout to our level. Her bright saffron eyes danced back and forth as she took us all in. I smiled.

Slowly, so the men wouldn’t tackle me again, I stretched out a hand and took a step forward. She pushed her snout to it, nearly knocking me over. The surprisingly velvety feel of her scales made me let out something between a laugh and a sob.

“You do know me, don’t you, Ven?” I soothed, and she huffed in clear agreement, tiny puffs of smoke issuing from her nostrils on either side of where my hand lay. Tears of relief stung my eyes. Ven saw who I was inside and accepted me. “I hope you ate lots of bad guards to get so big and beautiful.”

Rivven raised an eyebrow and stepped beside me, reaching his own hand out. Ven jerked a little, narrowing her gaze. “He’s a good guy,” I said, and she relaxed into his hand.

“I’m glad you didn’t attack the Night Kingdom,” I said to Galan. “I don’t want her hurt.”

“Oh, well, as long as you have a preference for which of us gets hurt,” he said.

I threw a glare over my shoulder. “You know what I mean. She’s still a child.”

We made camp so the dragons could play together, and we could rest. I reveled in the joy of them rolling around in the sand as we enjoyed more provisions supplied by Galan, but really by Lou, as I learned. She’d been silently helping fund everything as it turned out. My heart swelled with gratitude toward her. We may have had our differences, but the fiery red head obviously meant well and was on our side.

“I hate the idea of leaving Carn behind like we had to last time,” I said, fighting the urge to lean on Rivven’s shoulder. When I’d embraced Riv in the forest—well, I hadn’t been thinking clearly about the fact I was occupying my sister’s body. I was just so happy he was alive.

“He’s safer here,” he answered, hugging his own legs, and I wondered if it was to keep from reaching for me as well. “And Ven probably is too. I know she’s not a desert dragon, but she will stick out, and we’re going to need to keep a low profile.”

I hated that he was right. “But I just reconnected with her.”

“She comes and goes when she wants,” Galan interrupted. “She showed up in the skies above The Shipwreck Inn, and Lou nearly had a heart attack. But so far, other than strange looks, no one’s dared to try or even say anything. Honestly, I suspect Lou’s started liking having her around as long as she keeps her distance. Her presence attracts business and intimidates those she’d rather get rid of.”

“See?” I said to Rivven, who just scowled.

As though she’d been summoned, Ven trotted over, pausing with her snout a few feet from where we sat. She tilted her head, the light of the fire reflecting off her scales beautifully. I smiled and crawled over to her on hands and knees.

With another huff of steam, she lay down on the sand and waited as I settled against her, sighing at the warm feel of her body against mine. The same heartbeat I’d heard when she was in the egg nested in my room relaxed me in a way I hadn’t felt in what seemed forever. I snugged in close, and she curled around me, resting her head on top of mine. It was easy to drift off like this, safe, warm, and reunited with my friends.

Nineteen

Nyah