Page 40 of Crown of Ashes and Awe

Griffon nodded. "We barely escaped without the black dragons' notice. They've been scouring the skies non-stop. We are waiting for a break, so we can leave again. We've been given the impression that visitors are unwelcome."

Tearloch chuckled. "It's not you. It's your dragon."

"Foreign dragons are not welcome?"

"Just blue ones."

"I don't understand. What does color have to do with anything? I've seen every color dragon, and?—"

"Every color?" Bain whistled.

Morrow explained. "Typically, we only see black and gray ones. An occasional brown or albino."

"The problem isn't with your dragon," Tearloch continued. "It's with a prophecy. The most ancient prophecy of Hestia proclaims that when a blue dragon returns to the skies of Hestia, all Hestians will die."

Lennon laughed. "Your prophecy was wrong then, wasn't it? Here we are, and you all look fine to me. Besides, if there was such a risk, I can't believe Moire would have expected us to come. She would have found a dragon of a different color at least. Right?”

"Moire?" Minkin struggled to speak through her pain. "You meanttheMoire, the prophetess?"

Lennon and Griffon exchanged a look, then fell silent. She turned her attention back to Minkin. Griffon used his foot to move the pile of sticks further from the fire. Neither of them answered.

Morrow wouldn't let it go. "Tell us. Who was your passenger?”

Even without his wings, Griffon loomed over the tall guard. He stepped close and waited for the guard to cower. "We have no interest in your palace intrigue. We want nothing of your politics or prophecies. We will leave tonight, and the blue dragon will never be seen again." He glanced at his mate, who nodded.

"Until then," Tearloch said, "we will stand guard with you. All of Hestia is probably hunting your Kivi in hopes they can prevent their fate. Our fate.”

Nogel finally dragged his attention away from the dragon and joined them. "I was told the king's sentries chased you off of Hestia. Why did you come back?"

"I’m afraid that was me, that first time.” Lennon waved her hand above her head. “Kivi and I followed our instincts, and they led us here."

"And your second coming was to…to deliver a passenger. Did anyone see you then? Perhaps the king doesn’t know the blue dragon returned."

Griffon shook his head. "We were seen. It's why they search the skies now.”

Tearloch knew the answer, but he asked anyway. "Where will you go?”

"Home. Earth." Lennon stood, stretched, and sighed wistfully. "I thought maybe Hestia was our home. Kivi seemed to think it was."

“Earth?” Asper laughed. “I thought that was superstition. But why would she think this is home? Don’t you have dragons on Earth? Don’t you have Everfolk?”

“Everfolk?”

“Those with magic,” Tearloch said.

“On Earth, they are called the Fae—a race of people that we believe came from here.”

Tearloch watched the radical concept register to his fellow Hestians. He was finding it difficult to believe himself. After all, Earth was believed to be the place one’s spirit went if one were to actually die. Apparently, that part was the true superstition.

He put a question to Griffon. “Is this why you speak our language? Are you one of your Everfolk?”

“I am. We believed Lennon was an Uncast until we learned she was last of the DeNoy."

"The last?” Nogel shook his head emphatically. “Hardly. There is an entire community of them in the east. It’s the only place on Hestia where you will find colored dragons. All except blue, of course. By royal decree, the DeNoy are not to be touched. And as long as they keep their population under control, the east reaches belong to them.”

"A community?" Lennon looked at her husband, her eyes suddenly wet. "I'm not the only one!"

He pulled her under his arm, squeezed her against him, and nodded to Nogel. “No blue? Why?”

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