Page 72 of Dragon Valley
“Stop worrying. He’ll come back.”
“I haven’t felt him in days,” I admitted. “I try to sense what he’s feeling but it’s like calling his name and he won’t answer.”
“He’s busy. He probably has a whole village to rebuild, and family to catch up with.” Azel hugged me around my waist from behind and planted another kiss behind my ear. “He promised you, didn’t he?”
I nodded, keeping my gaze on the wide, empty plains south of Dragon Valley.
“Then trust him.”
He released me and went to tend to Ryo, while Dusa and I kept watching. Kept waiting.
After the battle, Caden left with the other soldiers to see what was left of their homes and families from before the war, if anything. It felt like Azel leaving me all over again, just a different area of my heart that ached.
I feared it would be a long rebuilding process, but he swore he would come back soon.
“My home is with you. No matter where I roam, I’ll always come back,” was the last thing he told me.
I tried to find comfort in the fact that I felt no pain from him, but the nothingness through our bond almost made me feel worse.
A flash of movement and snap of jaws jerked my attention toward Dusa. Grey feathers flew around her and she looked extraordinarily guilty.
“What have you got, girl?” I asked.
She opened her mouth carefully to reveal a trembling, terrified bird. A paloma.
With a piece of paper rolled up and tied to its leg.
“Give it here, girl! It’s a letter from Zio.”
Fresh hope bloomed inside me. Or maybe I was just grateful for a distraction. I removed the note from the bird’s leg and set the poor thing free before I eagerly unrolled the paper.
To my surprise, he wrote it in our native dragon runes. I’d been wondering if we’d be able to communicate in written form, but seemed to underestimate how much he learned from books. I leaned back against Dusa’s side and began to read.
Nadiyah,
Forgive me for taking so long to write. The Tannian nobility has been in an uproar since the Battle of Dragons, as I’m sure you can imagine. It’s pure chaos here and we’ve been trying to keep our heads down. But don’t fear, we’ve been hard at work too. In fact, it’s been good to see Caden again and I’m sure you know Captain Aron too.
Caden apologizes for not reaching out to you but the mission we’ve coordinated had to be kept to the highest level of secrecy. He asks me to tell you he’s keeping his promise.
To make a long story short, King Anton and his entire line of succession has been removed. The war is truly over. We are finally rebuilding a (hopefully) better Tannia.
Queen Soraya has been chosen by the Gods as the ruler to lead us through this new age. She comes from humble beginnings and is still rather overwhelmed, but she reminds me of you, strangely enough. Some of the remaining nobles of the old regime are giving her a hard time, but she is tenacious and wiser every day. I see the potential for a fair and just ruler in her.
In fact I suggested she visit Dragon Valley soon, now that I hear the barrier to outsiders has been lifted. She seemed keen on the idea and fascinated by what little I knew of your home. If I’m lucky enough, she may even bring me along in her retinue! I just may be able to write that book like you suggested.
I hope I’m not too forward in saying so, but I do wish to see you again, Nadiyah. I think of you often and fondly, as I’m sure many men do.
Regards,
your friend Zio
I looked up at Dusa when I reached the end of the letter, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Still, questions buzzed like insects throughout my mind. Why would Caden lie to me about going back home? What had he and Aron done exactly?
Common sense told me they killed the king and his immediate family. But who all did that consist of? Why be so secretive about it?
I mulled it over as the Rider approached, his dragon landing hard and scrambling to a stop just feet away from Dusa and me.
“Chief!” he hollered, sliding down in a hurry. “Chief, this is urgent!”
