Page 34 of Realms of Shadow and Sun

An elderly man appeared as if from nowhere, walking towards the spot where Renya stood.

“Who do we have here?” he asked in a gravelly voice. Renya took in his appearance and surmised that he wasn't from the Sun Realm. His attire was completely foreign, different and more primitive than anything she saw during her time here.

“She's none of your concern, Travers.” Cressida's tone was harsh and contained an air of finality, as if any further questions about Renya would not be tolerated.

Travers glanced at Renya again, but quickly looked at the baby dragon.

“Well, whoever you are, it appears as if she's quite taken with you.” He flicked a dirty thumb towards the smallest dragon, who was prancing around the edges of the glass enclosure, trying to get Renya's attention.

Cressida watched the dragon, her eyes narrowing, but then turned thoughtful. She turned and looked at Renya, then back at Travers. “Do you think she'd permit her to approach?”

Travers nodded, stroking his grizzled beard. “She already looks like she's trying to bond. I've never seen one take to someone so quickly.”

“Renya, come here,” Cressida said. It was the first time she'd ever addressed Renya by her name. It sounded strange coming from Cressida's mouth, although Renya knew there must have been a time when she heard it frequently. She reached inside, trying to find some memory of this woman, but nothing came. She only saw the piercing blue eyes of her father that were identical to hers.

Obediently, Renya walked over to Cressida, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and excitement. “It seems as though this baby dragon is trying to bond with you. Do you know what that means?”

Renya shook her head, still surprised at the civil tone Cressida used. She was so used to hearing her saccharine voice, insults rolling off of her tongue.

“When dragons are young, they are able to imprint. Some imprint on their parents, some siblings. And sometimes, other creatures. Brutus, as you might have noticed, has imprinted on me,” Cressida explained. “I'm interested to know if this small female will imprint on you.”

Renya bit her lip, considering the implications. She was intrigued, and did want to see the little dragon up close. But the other dragons were incredibly frightening. The memory of their destructive power during the battle at the Twilight Kingdom was still fresh in her mind. “How does it work?”

“You'll need to enter the enclosure and walk up to her slowly. You'll know instantly if she imprints on you.” Cressida's voice held a note of anticipation that Renya had never heard before.

It was just as Renya feared. She'd have to get in the glass cage with the other dragons. Renya hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to refuse. But then she squared her shoulders. She must continue to impress Cressida. This would be a perfect way to show her mother just how brave and valuable she could be to her.

Cressida instantly acknowledged Renya's resolve with a small nod, a flicker of something like pride in her eyes. “Good. I knew you would be unafraid.”

With Traver's assistance, Renya entered the dragon's territory slowly through a small, hinged opening in the glass. The dirt floor was soft underneath her feet, and she moved along the edge of the glass wall, taking small, tentative steps. The air inside the enclosure was warm and humid, filled with the musky scent of the dragons.

Brutus, Cressida's bound dragon, glanced at her lazily before looking directly at Cressida. The Shadow Queen gave a quick jerk of her jaw and Brutus ignored Renya, and then snorted into the air and made a loud, visceral roar. The other two adult dragons looked at him, and then went back to what they were doing.

Renya walked slowly over to the pink-eyed dragon, her pulse thumping and her heart hammering like it might burst through her chest. The other dragons continued to ignore her, but the littlest instantly took notice. She didn't take her eyes off of Renya, her gaze intense and curious.

Unsure of what to do, Renya approached her and slowly reached her hand out. The dragon looked at her, unblinking and then cocked her head, the way a well-trained dog might. Then, without warning, she pushed her snout underneath Renya's outstretched hand and purred contentedly.

Surprised, Renya stroked the dragon's nose, its small scales still pliable, unlike the older dragons. A smile crept up on her face and the dragon nuzzled Renya's hand, emitting a happy, chirpy sound. As she touched the dragon, Renya felt a warmth spread through her, a connection forming that she couldn't quite explain.

“That's it!” Cressida said excitedly, her voice slightly muffled through the glass.

Travers clapped his hands, watching the scene before him. “You've done it! She's imprinted on you.”

Renya continued to pet the dragon, feeling an attachment to the creature instantly. Upon closer inspection, she noticed tiny wing buds jetting out from her back. The dragon's pink eyes gazed up at her with what seemed like adoration, and Renya felt a surge of protectiveness wash over her.

“She's a beauty,” Renya said, admiring the creature. Her midnight blue scales shimmered in the torchlight, and her lithe body moved with a grace that belied her young age.

“Then that's what we shall name her,” Cressida responded. “Her name is Beauty.”

As Renya stood there, bonding with the newly named Beauty, she felt a strange mix of emotions. Joy at this unexpected connection, fear of what it might mean for her future, and a glimmer of hope that this might be a way to get closer to Cressida and uncover her weaknesses.

Cressida watched the scene with an unreadable expression, but Renya thought she saw a softness in her eyes that hadn't been there before. “It seems you have a way with dragons, daughter,” she said, her voice holding a note of approval.

Renya looked up, meeting Cressida's gaze. For a moment, she saw not the Shadow Queen, but a glimpse of the mother she might have been. It was confusing and unsettling, but Renya pushed the feeling aside. She had a mission to focus on, and this new development with Beauty might just be the key she needed.

Chapter Eighteen

“Who are you?” Grayden demanded, staring down at the tiny woman standing in the doorway.

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