Page 87 of The Last Dragon
“And others?” I blurt out, without considering her feelings.
“They’re fine. Minor bruises,” she says, nodding toward Alex. “Broken ribs will take a while to heal, but he’ll manage. He’s strong.”
Even though her words mean a great deal to me, I still can’t feel comfort or relief. I continue to scan the room, trying to keep my composure and not let my feelings leak through me. My eyes meet Sayna’s again, and a soft smile washes over her face.
“She’s fine,” she says. “Nida’s fine.”
Relief hits me in the chest. I notice sadness tugging on her lips, lingering in her eyes. Nothing she had said to me prior to Nida mattered, but now, realization sinks in.
“I’m sorry about your son,” Isay. She’s quiet, as if deciding whether it was my fault or not. At least, that’s the feeling I get.
“Caspian knew what he was getting himself into,” she says with a sigh, forcing me to believe that it’s some form of acceptance. “You did everything you could.”
Not enough.
Sayna stands up and takes the tray, leaving me with my thoughts. I could’ve done better. Maybe I overlooked or missed something. My mind feels like it’s splitting into two, and I can’t tell what is reality or not. Everywhere I go, death follows.
Suddenly, the room fills with laughter, familiar voices spread, and before I know it, I’m surrounded by five faces, carrying bruises or cuts on their skin.
“He’s finally awake!” Raumen says, slapping my back as I attempt to sit up, sending a bolt of lightning pain through it. I grunt and exhale with a laugh as I try to hide that my body isn’t really up for it. Nida and Eryca sit by the side of the bed, and my eyes meet Nida’s. I spot a small cut on her eyebrow and a bruised lip. Her eyes beg a million questions, but her lips are like a locked door. The bruise is in a healing stage, and the cut is stitched.Wait.
“How long was I out?” I ask.
Everyone’s bodies tense, and they shuffle uncomfortably.
“Four days,” says Ilian with a gulp. My eyes grow wide. I quickly fumble, attempting to get out of bed. Everyone gasps.
“Divines got a mission for you?!” Ilian exclaims, pushing me back to my bed. I try to wiggle out of his grip, but even now, my body is too weak to even stand.
“You need to stay there!” Raumen mumbles.
“Has anyoneseenwhat happened?” I say, confused. My head burns every time I think of the expedition. I sit up, but the moment I do, my vision blurs and the room begins to spin. Nida presses her warm hands on my chest, steadying me and pushing me back down.
“Wain has it all covered, alright?” she says, blowing her hair out of her face. “You need to rest.”
I look at her and grunt in disagreement, but her pressure is convincing. Pain still soars through my body. I sit back down, and everyone sighs in relief. Silence stretches as I lay in bed, tugging on the bandages on my chest. I inhale the smell of herbs and dirt circulating the room. It’s calming. Reminds me of home. Of the botany chamber, a few yards away from my house. What used to be my house, that is.
“How many returned?” I finally ask.
“Twenty-seven.” Eryca’s voice leaves her breathless, and I shut my eyes.
Not again.
Twenty-seven out of two hundred soldiers.
“The second army?” I lift my head up.
“All made it back,” whispers Sam. “The two Scouts made it to the second army in time, and reinforcements responded. But the Redsnout managed to get away.”
“I haven’t seen anything like it before,” Eryca says, her eyes hollow, as if she’s reliving it all again.
“Me neither,” Raumen sighs.
Ilian shifts uncomfortably. “I have.” His words slice through the air, and everyone holds their breath. Even me. “Once. I’ve only seen one thing behave like that—a cow right after giving birth to a calf. Those things are vicious.”
Was it male or female? I glance at Nida, who’s frowning at Ilian’s remark. If he’s comparing the Redsnout to a mother cow… could it be female? Could it be protecting something? No one could’ve gotten a clear look—especially not when the dragon was using the earth itself to drive us out. That’s not Redsnout behavior. Only one kind of dragon fights like that. A Stonetail. Images briefly flash before my eyes of the dragon that nearly slaughtered all of us. The smell of iron and smoke seeps back in, as if I’m there again. What the hell is that Redsnout?
Sayna returns with another tray in hand. Seems like it was a few minutes, but an hour has already passed. She signals to the rest of the unit to leave. Everyone, aside from Nida, goes. She sits close by my bed, her hand wrapping around my arm, and I feel a tremble in her fingers.
