Page 32 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
He shrugged, his gaze wandering into the distance before turning to her again. "Something that will get you into even more trouble if I tell you."
She snorted. "Do you think that's how to avoid answering my questions?"
One corner of his mouth lifted, almost imperceptibly. "You take care of the dragon egg, stay out of the rest. Believe me, it's better for you and for the egg."
"Another vague answer. Be careful, I might stop asking you questions."
"Which I should prevent at all costs, of course."
"Absolutely. After all, you don't want to upset the prophesied dragon guardian."
"And you don't want to upset the most powerful dragon fighter." His eyes took on a subdued glow, but it disappeared immediately. Instead, he nodded forward. "Better hold on tight."
"Now you're trying to distract me? That won't wo- AAAAAHHHH." The fire dragon zoomed toward the ground at breakneck speed. It felt like they were in free fall. Ava screamed and held onto Lilly, who enthusiastically threw her arms in the air and let out a cry of joy. The wind tugged at her body, threatening to push her off the dragon's body, but Kilian put an arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest, keeping her secure. She wished she could have denied it, but she was glad for the support. She held Lilly with both arms to keep the girl from falling, trusting that Kilian wouldn't let go of her. And he didn't. Only when they landed with a gentler jolt than expected next to the other dragons did he release his arm.
Ava's stomach turned—thankfully she hadn't eaten for hours—and her hair was sticking out wildly from her head. Nothing remained of the pretty hairstyle Lilly had given her. "Heavens, who does this voluntarily?"
"I do!" Lilly threw her arms up once more and laughed.
Four riders, all dressed in dark leather, emerged from behind the waiting dragons. Their looks were skeptical and distant. Wait, weren't these the warriors who had accompanied Kilian to the ball?
Lilly patted the dragon's back with her flat hand. "Thanks for the great flight." She swung one leg over to the other and simply slid down. Ava followed her with her eyes and took a deep breath. She should probably dismount too, before the dragon flew off. But how? It looked easy when Lilly did it. Ava didn't have a fear of heights, but... okay, maybe she did have a little fear of heights, at least when it came to climbing down this body from several meters up high.
"Do you need help?"
Kilian's voice sounded rough and close to her ear. He was still sitting close behind her. As his men's eyes were skeptically fixed on her, she became notably aware of this proximity, which made her move away from him.
"I can manage." Before fear could paralyze her, she swung one leg over to the other, sent a quick prayer to heaven, and slid down Lilly-style. The momentum was enormous and the impact hard, but she caught herself before her knees buckled beneath her. Apparently, the adrenaline hadn't completely subsided yet— she wouldn't have credited her tired legs alone for such a feat. After all, she hadn't moved them for hours.
The egg was safe in the bag she wore across her chest, leaving her hands free. The little one hadn'tspoken during the flight and had probably been sleeping. Carefully, she stroked along the curve described by her bag.
Kilian landed gracefully beside her, and his dragon immediately turned so that they stood in its enormous shadow, hidden from the sentries on the ramparts.
The dragon riders silently approached them and looked at them expectantly. Rob, who had not been a fan of Ava at the ball, eyed her skeptically. "You brought her?"
"It's our best chance."
Rob raised his eyebrows. "Here at the front?"
Kilian crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance, which might have been why none of the other dragon riders posed any objection. After all, he was the leader. "The king is keeping his distance, and that's all that matters right now."
"So what you suspected is true? She really has a..." Rob's attention shifted back to Ava and landed on her bag, as did the gazes of the other warriors. Her cool, unapproachable aura wasn't exactly inviting, which prompted Ava to clear her throat and lift her head. If she wanted to maintain control, she couldn't just listen silently as the men decided her fate.
"Yes, it's true,shereally has a dragon egg. Andsheis present and possesses the ability to move her tongue in ways that produce sounds. Therefore,shecan speak for herself."
Two dragon fighters smirked, and one of them laughed. "I like her."
Given his friendly face, round as a pumpkin, she could say the same about him.
"Who's the little one?" asked another, who was wearing a red cloth around his wrist.
"I'm Lilly, and it's only because of me that Ava knew to turn to Kilian. I hope we can count on your discretion. I probably don't need to explain how serious this matter is."
The men laughed, and Lilly indignantly raised her chin. Ava patted her shoulder. It was good that someone was standing up to the overly confident dragon riders.
Ava carefully observed Talus, along with its numerous guards. The settlement didn't look sleepy at all, but rather like a fortification where nothing happened that didn't inevitably reach the king.
"How do you plan to keep our presence in such a large city secret, not to mention the dragon egg?"
