Page 7 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
Running away was off the table. Another plan was needed. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, even though her heartbeat felt like it was twice as fast as normal. Best to stick to the truth. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong.
"This belongs to me. I found it on the riverbank."
"Hold me close to you,"the voice in her head whispered."Don't give me up."
Who kept speaking to her? Heavens, she wasn't going crazy, was she? Was this entire world just an illusion of her desperate mind longing for distraction?
"Why are you carrying the stone with you?"
The soldiers thought the find was just a stone too?Even though it glowed so intensely? An uneasy feeling crept over her. Something strange was going on. If only she could understand what ...
"I—"
"Don't tell them anything. Keep going before they realize what I am. Get me to safety."
The voice in her head sounded real. And it was so desperate—so urgent and pleading—that Ava wanted to give in. She had to.
Whatever she had gotten herself into, she definitely wouldn't be able to take a Sunday stroll to the city.
She carefully studied the uniformed men who were staring at her like bloodhounds. She didn't need to pay attention to her queasy gut feeling and her rapid heartbeat to understand that she was in danger. Acute danger. If there was one thing she could rely on, it was her survival instincts, even though it had been years since she'd needed them in this sleepy town.
The captain took another step towards her. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, which was still in its sheath. "I'm asking you for the last time: What kind of stone is that?"
Her senses sharpened as she watched the captain, and her pulse quickened even more. This heartbeat was certainly not what Aunt Helen had meant when she advised her to finally make something of her life and experience an adventure.
Her aunt. That was it! She would simply play the part of the lost tourist, which was somehow true anyway.
"I live in the small town back there and accidentally came across this path. But I really need to get back now. My aunt is expecting me." If she didn't want to enter thishidden area and didn't run away like a criminal, maybe she could just leave.
She tried to turn around, but the soldier grabbed her wrist and the three riders drew their swords as if Ava were a serious threat. They tightened the circle and didn't take their eyes off her for a second while their leader tugged at her wrist.
"You're staying right here!"
"Let me go!" She tried to free herself with one hand without dropping her discovery, but his grip was unyielding. With narrowed eyes, he leaned forward and eyed her suspiciously.
"Why did you really come? Are you planning an attack on the king?"
There was still a king here? What kind of old-fashioned world had she stumbled into?
Wait. She couldn't let his words unsettle her. If she acted unsure, the soldiers would believe she really was up to something. "I'm not planning any attack! I'm from the city behind the river, I've already told you that."
The uniformed men exchanged brief glances. Another jumped off his horse, came over to them with large strides, and whispered something in the ear of the leader, who eyed her skeptically. She thought she heard the words "portal" and "outside," but wasn't sure.
The captain widened his stance and pointed to her discovery. "Give us the stone and you can go!"
She didn't need to hear the voice inside her to know that this wasn't an option. She wouldn't give up the stone. She couldn't! It was like a foreign power, a bond that had formed in seconds. She and this strange find belonged together.
"This is my stone and I'm taking it with me."
The captain was so angry that a vein stood out onhis forehead, making him look even more threatening. He yanked her towards him. "Then you will?—"
There was a deafening roar. A loud beating filled the air as if someone were shaking out a bedsheet, and a strong wind blew.
Strands of hair came loose from Ava's loose bun. Her scarf threatened to fly away and her jacket almost fell to the ground, but she managed to grab both at the last moment. Searching for the cause of this gust of air, she narrowed her eyes, but the sharp wind brought tears to her eyes. She turned to the side, her gaze swept the sky, and she let out a scream.
Rising directly above her was a huge dragon!
Its scales, illuminated by the evening sun, shimmered white and blue. It was almost as big as five elephants, and its broad, leathery wings could have encompassed the crown of a tree. It had a mouth that was large and lined with sharp teeth. But the most frightening thing about it was the large, snow-white eyes and the cloud of smoke that came from its throat and drifted upwards in small dark clouds.
