Page 49 of Dragon Valley
I scratched under Dusa’s chin. “I don’t recommend lying to me. My dragon can sense dishonesty and won’t hesitate to burn you to a crisp on my word.”
The large soldier’s eyes darted to my dragon and for the first time, looked genuinely scared.
“Let me through, Jast.” The voice came from within the protective circle of shields.
“Absolutely not, my lord,” the big soldier replied. “If this girl and her scaly beast want you, they have to go through us.”
“Let me talk to her and prove we’re not lying.”
A man pushed through, breaking the protective circle and smiled at me with the most dazzling white teeth I’d ever seen. His eyes were green like mine and he had a presence that somehow made the large, brutish soldier shrink back like a shy boy.
He approached me with confidence I never saw in a man before, not even a chief. His smile had that same easygoing lightness that matched his steps. His brown hair shined with a healthy luster and was meticulously cut in a style I assumed was stylish— shaved on the sides and longer on top. I had to admit it suited him well.
He wore a tunic dyed a rich, pigmented blue decorated with gold thread at the seams. Some kind of intricate crest sat over the left side of his chest, also in blue and gold. This man was clearly important. And wealthy.
“My name is Ignazio. You may call me Zio,” he said with a hand to his chest and a slight incline of his head. Jeweled rings glittered across his knuckles. “And this is my personal security detail. Jast is the captain of my guard.”
“You’re an important person,” I observed, trying to sound aloof but his obvious wealth and swagger had taken the wind out of my sails. I felt like a speck of dirt compared to him.
“Depends on who you ask,” he answered with that bright smile. “So what makes you think we’re acting like savage bandits, Nadiyah?”
“Even if you’re not,” I said evasively. “I’m with the rebels. Why would I trust anything royal soldiers say?”
“Because we’re telling the truth,” he answered, green eyes flickering to Dusa. “Your dragon, does she have a name?”
“Dusa,” I replied, taken aback. “How did you know she was female?”
“I read endlessly about dragons when I was a child,” he answered, his eyes sweeping over Dusa as if she were a masterful work of art, “and was lucky enough to have an anatomy book on them. Female dragons have shorter horns on their heads.” He pointed at her two main ones. “And longer teeth than males, which they use for extra defense against other dragons trying to eat their young.”
“That’s… correct,” I said, bewildered.
“I’ve also read theories on their ability to smell deceit and betrayal, and you’ve indicated Dusa can do just that.” He placed his hands behind his back, relaxed and unafraid as he met my dragon’s eyes. “Dusa, my men and I are not raiding villages. Rather, we are helping them. Am I telling you the truth?”
Her golden eyes narrowed, dark pupils turning to slits as her neck stretched out and sniffed him thoroughly. Zio’s soldiers watched with frozen horror as her snout bumped his chest, nostrils flaring with thin wisps of smoke escaping. A vein pulsed in his neck but aside from that, he showed no fear.
She pulled back and roared at me, her disbelief matching my own. He was telling the truth.
“Well?” he asked.
“We believe you,” I said, turning my gaze to him. “But I still have questions. How exactly are you helping the villages?”
“We’re providing financial aid, medical care and supplies, food, and weapons training to defend themselves against future attacks.”
“The same as we’re doing,” I mused, still unable to believe what I was hearing. “But why would royals give aid to anyone?”
“The rebel army has painted us all with a broad brush, I see.” But Zio’s smile was carefree and easygoing. “I can see why, but not all royals agree with what the king has done. Unfortunately we’ve learned that publicly disagreeing with His Majesty means a death sentence. So we perform small acts of rebellion secretly.”
My head spun with this information. “So he doesn’t know you’re out here?”
“The king? He’s gone so far off the deep end, he doesn’t know his elbow from his ass. My father thinks I’m in Nagaal looking for a bride.” He made a face indicating that was the last place he wanted to be.
“So…,” I speared my fingers through my hair, trying to make sense of the situation. “There are members of the royal family who are secretly working against the king?”
“Very few, but yes. We have a small resistance within.”
Hope soared inside me like never before. Caden and Captain Aron needed to know this!
“I have to tell the leaders of the rebel army,” I said excitedly. “They’re recovering from wounds and heavy losses in Dragon Vall—ahhh!”
