Selric’s expression darkens. “What did the snake say?”
“That he will come and burn down any city that harbors her.”
The Vaer’Tharion sneers, his dark brown hair falling into his face. “Arion can not find us. He is a blind fool.”
I shake my head. “We should leave. Now, not in the morning. We do not wish to endanger you or your people.”
Selric steps forward, his eyes sharp and calculating. “I understand. But my son’s savior is not leaving without proper provisions.” He turns to a nearby attendant, his voice commanding. “Get the supplies ready. Dried meat and water.A map.”
The attendant nods quickly and disappears.
Selric begins to speak so fast, I can’t pick up more than a fewwords. He talks to the guard, and if I didn’t know better, it would almost sound like he was arguing.
The guard leaves, too, leaving the three of us alone in the room.
Selric breathes through his nose.
“If you had not saved my son, I would not be so kind in this moment,” he informs.
I bow, and Arlet follows suit.
“We are grateful. We will not forget your generosity.”
The first attendant that he had sent to retrieve supplies enters from a side room. They are stored in a medium-sized, woven sack.
Selric gestures for the man to hand it to me.
I take it, bowing again.
Then the High Warden looks at the entrance as it pushes open, letting in cold air. A guard waits for us.
“All is ready,” Selric announces. “You will communicate with Mrath when you are finished, and we will make arrangements to meet again.”
“Gods, that was fast. Faster than I would’ve imagined. Our thanks again.”
Selric frowns. “Move quickly. And… thank you for the warning.”
I take Arlet’s hand, and begin to pull her out of the hall. We exit the mansion and step back into the cold night.
The pair of guards escort us to the edge of the city, where the high walls give way to the open landscape. They present us with the gear we’d used for riding lessons—dragonscale riding leathers and spectacles of some sort to protect our eyes.
The wind bites at our skin as we change. I put on my things first, and then help Arlet, shielding her from the eyes of the men. Something I fear I enjoy far too much.
Soon, a dragon appears in the sky. The emerald green beast is flying toward us, her wings slicing through the air with powerful strokes.
Familiar nerves build up inside of me.
The attendant who’d gone ahead meets us in the clearing, leading the emerald dragon down to place on a larger saddle.
“Come,” he barks out.
Just as we prepare to climb onto the emerald dragon, the ground beneath us rumbles. A deep, thunderous growl cuts through the air, and a golden light glows faintly from the shadows.
Then, the massive form emerges completely from the darkness.
I freeze as the dragon flies into view, her molten eyes gleaming with an intensity I recognize. Her golden scales shimmer, and her black horns twist elegantly from her head. Her claws, dark as obsidian, gleam in the dim light.
She moves with force, pushing the emerald dragon aside. The other dragon staggers, nearly tumbling off the cliff. Seraph growls, her wings flaring slightly in warning as she asserts her territory.