“Ielo, calm yourself,”Aurelia said, though her voice remained cold.
“We are not leading them here,” Sofia said. “They found old texts and they have—they have Eha’s child. They’re using him to find the path.”
“Eha?”The white dragon that had originally greeted them stepped forward.“Chalia, does she speak the truth?”
“Eha was captured by their chief commander,”Chalia said.“She’s been imprisoned in the city—I spoke with her.”
“You wereinthe human’s city?”her mother growled as a snowflake from above hit Fox’s cheek. The sky was growing gray, thick flakes falling to the ground.
“Mother,”Chalia said, her voice a plea. “We need to save her. We need to fight.”
“Eha dug her own grave when she left the nesting grounds, just as Crax did before her. We are just lucky you have come back to us safely.”
“So, we abandon her?”Chalia asked, head raising, her wings no longer pressed to her body.
“We protect our own. We have stayed hidden and safe for centuries, and we will continue to be safe so long as we act wisely.”
Sofia stepped forward, and Fox had to stop himself from holding her back. He wanted to step between her and the dragon, but he also knew she’d just as likely stab him as thank him.
“You aren’t understanding. There is no sitting in safety. They are coming. You need to fight.” She threw up her hands. “Or at least run.”
“Why should we listen to the humans who tried to kill us? Your kind feared our power after everything we had done and given. You saw our poweras a threat, and you attacked. Humans are full of hatred and fear and cannot be trusted.”
Ice spread from where the dragon’s talons pierced the snow, and Fox watched as it spider-webbed out, toward where Sofia stood. He felt his body clenching, but he held himself still and watched as Sofia stood, unflinching. The ice stopped before it reached her.
“I’m not going to pretend humans are worth saving,” Sofia said. “But at least save yourselves. Please.”
Aurelia watched her for a moment, silently, before turning away. They watched as the dragons seemingly talked amongst themselves. Time stretched out, and Fox looked between Chalia and the other dragons, but based on her own frustrated expression, she wasn’t part of the conversation either.
At last, her mother turned to them, not quite leaning down this time to speak.
“We will allow you to return home alive if you leave now and do not return.”
Fox stepped past Sofia, his own throat burning with his anger. “Don’t you understand? They are coming.Hundredsof trained soldiers. And they aren’t coming to kill you. They’re coming to enslave you. The chief commander is researching how to control you.”
“Impossible, Little One,”the dragon said, her tone mocking.“We cannot be controlled, and we will not get involved in human affairs. Now leave.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
SOFIA
Sofia was breathing through her nose, trying to keep her heart from bursting through her chest and the rage from exploding out of her. She felt powerless—hopeless. Chalia’s own helplessness radiated from her in waves. This wasn’t supposed to be how this went. They needed to understand. They needed to fight for themselves, at the very least. But Sofia was left, standing with the snow seeping through her pants, watching Chalia’s mother turn away.
“And Chalia,”Aurelia said, voice as cold as the mountain wind.“You will return once you drop them off with their people. Then we will have a discussion about your behavior.”
Chalia and Sofia both stiffened in unison, the dragon’s wings laying back tight against her body.
“Mother, please,”Chalia said.
“This is not up for discussion. You have put your people in danger with your childishness.”
“I’ve seen what the king’s people are doing. You’re the one not listening.”
“I will not be reprimanded by humans and a child who refused to listen when she was given a direct order.”She twisted around and looked at the small dragon that had been tussling with Chalia earlier.“Jobin, you take the humans back to their camp. Chalia will stay here.”
Sofia felt the absence already, imagining what it would be like to leave Chalia behind. Her breath caught in her chest.
No.