Page 7 of Raven's Dawn

“Oh, for star’s sake,” Luci cut in, exhaling deeply. “This is absurd. While I see both perspectives here, so long as they stay with Laila, Jeremy, Connor, Naomi, and myself, they’re safer than they would be with anyone else. And regardless of safety, we need to take the life eaters out of the equation. Sending them off to kill Angels won’t do a damned bit of difference, otherwise. They have too much power. They’re giving too much power to the Angels. To end the war on this world, we need to take out their nukes.”

Laila wagged her finger at him. “Thank you. My point exactly.”

“Well, you’re the tiebreaker,” Jeremy said. “Are you voting in our favor?”

A heavy breath. “I don’t like it, but I suppose I am. Warren, Ramona, Rain, Graham, Ezra, and Jake will come with us. Jake is my biggest concern, if I’m being honest. Given his history, he could be a problem.”

“Can’t say I disagree with that,” Jeremy muttered.

Truthfully, neither did I.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Naomi said. “For now, everyone needs to get an overnight bag together. Something you can carry, easily, over rough terrain.”

Connor turned his attention to me and Warren. “Suitcases? Not the way to go, guys.”

“Backpacks, reusable water bottles, and a sleeping bag,” Laila said. “Light layers, and bring a coat.”

“And get out of the damn button up and slacks, man.” Giving me a once over, Jeremy shook his head. “Anything would be better than button ups and slacks.”

“I’m not stupid, you know.” I frowned at them. “I brought other clothes. I was simply wearing these. And, I supposed if there was ever a special occasion, it would be nice to have something decent to wear.”

“No special occasions in the near future, esiasch,” Laila said. “Get comfy in sweatpants.”

“Save them for the solstice festival,” Iliantha said brightly, giving me a soft smile. “Hopefully, you all will be back by then.”

3

RAIN

“I thought grass didn’t grow here.” Gazing down at the threads of green stuck to my black boots, I squeezed Graham’s hand. “Didn’t you say that?”

“Further north, where I’m from, it doesn’t,” he said. “Maybe a few patches of green in the summer, but not like this.”

“Interesting.” I turned his way and gave a smile. “In respect to Earth, this is Greenland, right?”

“Aye, it is.” Trailing his thumb over the back of mine, he pointed to the left with his other hand. “If you travel that way by dragon for a little more than half a day, you’ll wind up in what we call Canada.”

For whatever reason, that got me a little bit giddy. “And that’s what you call the Open Lands, right?”

“You’re catching on, mo stoirín.” He smiled back, then let out a soft laugh. “Why is this so exciting for you?”

Because I had spent almost one hundred percent of my life in a small Minnesota town. “Why was it so exciting for you when you first came to Earth?”

“Because I was getting out of this gods’ forsaken shit show.”

That was fair, and I didn’t want to invalidate his feelings. But I wasn’t sure what to say. He was here again. He didn’t want to be, and he was, for me, and for Warren, and for Ezra. There had been no arguing with him about it. He decided he was coming, and I was grateful for that.

I couldn’t say I was grateful for the way this was affecting him, though.

So instead, I changed the topic. “Does everyone have a dragon here?”

“It’s easier to ask how many dragons have people,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, if the Open Lands are only a day’s flight, and you had a dragon, I’m just wondering why you came to Earth instead.”

“Only a day’s flight from here. Not from where I’m from. And that’s counting on good weather.” Approaching a small bridge to the courtyard Laila had instructed us to meet her at, Graham glanced over his shoulder to do a headcount. I did the same. And sure enough, everyone was here. Warren and Ezra were walking hand-in-hand, Jake was just behind them, and Connor and Naomi took the flank. “But to answer that question, things just weren’t as simple back then.”

“Because Iliantha now has trade deals with the Open Lands. And because of Laila and Jeremy, and the US government. Right?”

---