Page 96 of To Touch A Silent Fury
I tapped the space beside me, and as we had so many times before, he sat down, and I felt his warmth against my leg. The tears threatened again then, the sadness amongst the joy. I had forgotten what this felt like: to find home in people. I had to bury the memory of that knowledge in the snow to survive, I had to think only of my next move.
“Gently,” I said.
His hand shook as he reached out and touched the baby’s back.
In an instant, the dragon stirred.Stranger?
Seth pulled his hand away as if bitten by a snake.
Friend.I reassured him. Then I grabbed Seth’s hand and put it back onto his back, holding his hand against his side. The dragon only breathed.
I felt Seth’s fear dissipate into awe, and I smiled up at him.
He watched the dragon’s breath. “He’s so warm.”
I nodded. “Vellintris breathed a lot of fire against him, it’s no wonder he’s kept some of its lick.”
Through his touch, I felt his concern flare. “Why did you come here, Tani? Braxthorn is not a kind master even to his family. Surely there was some place else you could have gone? Or some place you can now run to?”
I dropped my eyes to his legs as I allowed myself to feel all of his emotions. I was out of practice, and yet I knew Seth enough to know there was not even a sniff of ill will there. Any negative emotion was only from a place of care for me.
He would not willingly betray me. And I needed allies now, more than ever.
“You do not have to be so concerned for me,” I said, tapping his hand and meeting his gaze again. “I have a plan.”
“What plan?”
I smiled. “To marry the victor of the Laithcart Games, of course.”
He blinked, and then shifted, turning on the bed to face me and look at me properly. He did not remove his hand, and his concern for me only spiked. “Tani, there was no victor. You saw that, right? That’s why you left. They all burned.”
My heart thudded in my chest. “Don’t worry, I recall the events perfectly. I’m not insane. The forest didn’t distort my memory.”
Seth blinked, and he then pulled his hand from under mine with a disgruntled noise. “Did you read me?”
I only stared at him.
His breath came heavier. “You can still feel.”
“I can still feel. And I seek my Fate’s conclusion.”
“You’re not Broken?” he asked, his voice higher. “How are you not Broken?”
“Langnathin killed all of the others. All of them fell,” I explained. “All but him.”
“But he burned them, he stopped the Laithcart Games for good when he killed those men. It was only careful manipulation that stopped the Triad from dissolving entirely.”
“Yes,” I said. “I was wondering how he managed to get away with killing half the Triad’s sons.”
“Braxthorn announced that if you were able to meet your Fate, that you would endanger the world.”
I laughed humourlessly. “They had a lot of faith in me.”
Seth only ran his fingers through his hair, looking more confused than ever. “Are you telling me that you believe Langnathin was the victor of those Games?”
I raised my hand, flexing my fingers. “I still have my power. He was the last man standing. It must be him.”
My childhood friend leant forwards, his elbows sinking to his knees. “This is a lot to take in.”
