Page 65 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
Disappointment threatened to overwhelm her again, but she didn't allow it. As she fought against it, her chest tightened. She'd thought she'd suppressed all feelings, as she was so good at doing.
This wasn't like her. She was strong. She was independent. She didn't want to get involved with anyone anyway. And that's how it would remain!
When she spoke again, she had herself under control and focused her attention on the dragon she was responsible for. "I mean that he's protecting you. He's the strongest dragon fighter, little one. He'll take good care of you. And as soon as you hatch, Thalara will take you to safety. She's the largest living fire dragon."
"But I want to stay with you forever. Don't you feel it? We belong together."
Yes, she felt it, but perhaps this was normal for adragon guardian. For the little one, however, everything would change once he had broken through the eggshell. "The most important thing is that you're protected, right? And right now, I am protecting you with the strongest dragon fighter along with his dragon. Have faith."
The egg's glow intensified. Before long, it would be blinding, and she would have to look away. But she kept her focus unwaveringly on the egg and her inner world on the connection to the little one. For just as she gave him strength, he gave her strength too. She embraced the emotions they shared, the special bond, and felt a love like never before in her life.
"You're safe, have faith. I'm so looking forward to seeing you in all your glory. I want to see how beautifully your scales shine in the morning sun, to stroke them and find out if they feel similar to an eggshell, and I want to look at your face. Believe me, it will be so beautiful."
The egg glowed even brighter, and her heart expanded. The second pulse she felt within sped up, becoming more powerful, thundering. The moment had come. Finally. She felt it. The young dragon was ready.
Lilly quietly entered the room and stood beside her. "Is he hatching?"
Nodding, Ava moved aside a bit so the girl could sit with them. "We're watching over you, little one, we're here to welcome you. You can come out of the egg now. Everyone's ready, everyone's excited to meet you."
She had no idea where her words were coming from. Deep inside, she seemed to know what the dragon needed to hear to finally break through the shell. As if it were knowledge from her ancestors stored in her cells.But she wasn't just saying it to encourage the dragon to hatch. She was saying it above all because that was exactly how she felt in her heart.
The purple shimmer grew stronger and stronger, engulfing the entire room and radiating into the corridors. As if from far away, she heard Marcus's footsteps, but they didn't come to them and moved away instead. Probably to give the dragon the necessary peace.
Ava stroked the scales, which now seemed as translucent as wax paper. She felt a flurry of excitement and the next moment a piece of the shell cracked open. A tiny talon appeared, looking velvety soft, then withdrew again only to break through the shell once more with even greater force, this time in a different spot. A second talon broke its way to freedom. It cracked and crackled until the upper part of the egg was broken through and there appeared a tiny dragon head, barely the size of a tangerine, with a piece of eggshell lying on top.
Laughing, Ava pulled the shell off its head and the dragon squeaked with joy. It was a soft, high-pitched squeak. He didn't have to look around for her and instead, with his first glance at the world, looked directly into her eyes. A feeling of happiness flowed through her, enveloping her body like a protective cocoon. The connection they had forged strengthened into an inseparable bond as they looked into each other's eyes for the first time.
She held out her other hand and turned the eggshell so he could step out of the debris. He crawled onto her hand, so small that he fit on it like a newborn kitten.
His scales shimmered with the same color as the egg had before—a strong, warm purple. Maybe that meanthe would become a fire dragon, like Kilian's. Ava gently stroked his dragon scales. They felt cuddly soft, as if they were fur. His head and back were covered with spines, but they were so pliable that they bent to the side when touched. His tail was also covered with scales and spines, and at the tip were three bulges.
Ava looked at him, her vision blurred by abundant tears. "You're beautiful."
"So are you, Ava."Tears glittered in his eyes, which shimmered gold.
Overjoyed, she pulled the baby dragon to her chest. She cradled him lovingly in her warm hands and her gaze fell on Lilly, whose tears were running down her cheeks.
"Thank you for letting me be here." She only whispered.
"I'm glad you came." With those words, Ava opened an arm and Lilly also snuggled up to her.
So they sat close together for a while—a dragon child, a lost girl, and a woman searching for her rightful place in the world. And in that one moment, she knew she had found it.
Chapter 25
Loud voices and the sound of boots on the floor fought their way into her consciousness. She would have loved to have spent half an eternity in a tight embrace with Lilly and the dragon child, but restlessness took a hold of her, making it impossible to shut out reality any longer.
She opened her eyelids just as Marcus came running in. He opened his mouth, about to say something, when he discovered the baby dragon on her hand. His eyes grew round and he stepped closer in awe.
"Wow. Welcome, little one. You've arrived at just the right time."
Ava sensed his unease. "What's wrong?"
Marcus exchanged a brief glance with her, which already communicated the essential information: Danger!
"A group of mages has snuck into the city. Kilian has managed to prevent them from getting down here so far, but we need to get out as quickly as possible."
Ava looked at the dragon child. There was no question why the mages were coming right then.
