Page 83 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
"She distrusts me because I'm working with you."
"That's not all. Ava, you need to know the truth. Especially since you've decided to stay here, I owe it to you to tell you the truth."
She listened intently. "What do you mean?"
"The prophecy doesn't just say that you will change the fate of the world. It also says that you have the power to overthrow the strongest sorcerer."
Finally, everything made sense. Now she understood why the sorceress had captured her and let the dragon child go. "That's why she wanted to kill me. Before I become a threat to her." A shiver ran down her spine.
"I thought you should know. You need to watch out for her. Her and anyone else who has anything to do with magic."
Her body stiffened. Good thing he didn't know what Lilly was capable of. "Thank you for telling me."
Worries started to make their way into her mind, but they'd reached the border and Rob was steering the dragon sharply to the right. The king's soldiers looked up at them, the captain wasn't among them. From up there, Ava finally understood how the soldiers had been able to sneak up on them unnoticed. They hid in a small building covered with branches and leaves that made it unrecognizable from a distance. Next to it there extended a large rock, and they stood behind it with their horses, ready should anyone dare to cross the portal.
When the border guards saw Rob and his dragon, they saluted and made no attempt to run after them to ask for identification or motives, even though the dragon was clearly losing altitude.
They landed right on the riverbank. Of the river that connected the two worlds. Did the chimney sweep know there were dragons? After all, he had been telling her about this land since her childhood.
As they'd been flying, Ava had wondered if she would tell Helen the truth. But her aunt would probably think Ava was completely insane. Just because the chimney sweep might have some idea of what went on in this other world, she shouldn't unnecessarily worry Helen.
Rob jumped off his air dragon's back and helped her down. Normally, she would have refused his hand, but she didn't want to reject the symbolic hand of friendship. She didn't know how often she would see Kilian and his dragon fighters when she returned, whether she would really work as a kind of dragon guardian and have regular contact with them. Either way, she was glad to have cleared up the friction between Rob and herself. And she was glad he had told her the truth.
She briefly considered asking him about the prophecy in detail, but she could do that on the way back. Now she just wanted to say goodbye to Aunt Helen, something she'd been avoiding all her life, and get it over with as quickly as possible.
Rob leaned against his dragon and crossed his arms over his chest. He was every inch the popular dragon fighter who, like Kilian, conquered women's hearts—even if his effect fell significantly short of the strongest dragon fighter's. "How much time do you need?"
She shrugged her shoulders thoughtfully. Theshorter the farewell, the better. Besides, she didn't want to keep him waiting unnecessarily and was hoping to get back to Lilly and the dragon as quickly as possible. "I'll be back here in an hour at the latest. Is that okay?"
"Sure." He closed his eyes, determined to take advantage of the down time, but Ava hesitated.
"Rob?"
"Mhmmm?"
"Thank you."
He just nodded. It wasn't a big deal. But for Ava, it was. That was why she immediately set off so she really would make it back in an hour and not keep him waiting unnecessarily. And then, she could ask him all her questions.
Her feet tingled as she crossed the invisible threshold into her old world. A crackling sensation ran through her body like a weak electric shock. It disappeared as soon as she had left the border behind.
She walked over the pebbles and followed the narrow path to the stairs at the bridge. Then she jumped up, taking two steps at a time. Who would have thought that after all this madness, she could still have so much energy? Perhaps it was the energy of a new beginning, her spirit of optimism, and her unbridled joy.
It was late afternoon. Helen was sure to be in the shop. Hopefully, she'd been sensible and had closed the store for an hour to rest. Inevitably, she had doubts about whether it was wrong to leave her aunt alone. After all, she had been there for Ava back then. Wouldn't it be selfish to leave her behind?
On the other hand, there were Lilly and the dragon...
Gnawed by nagging doubts, she turned into the street where the shop was located, approached, and stopped when her gaze fell through the shop window to the interior. Her aunt was standing at the counter. She had flushed cheeks, her lips painted red, and was laughing so hard her entire body shook.
Right next to her at the counter leaned—who would have thought?—the chimney sweep, making eyes at her. They were chatting, flirting, and both visibly enjoying themselves. He stroked her forearm, and she laughed coquettishly.
Ava watched them, and a smile spread across her lips. Had she not just gotten in her own way with her stubborn insistence on staying with her aunt? Had she also been standing in her aunt's way of living life to the fullest?
If she hadn't left, she would have been standing in the shop now, and who knows if the chimney sweep would have dared to come in then. Who knows if her aunt would have taken greater care with her appearance that morning and been open to batting her eyelashes at the neighbor.
An excitement took hold of Ava, spiraling through her body in vibrational waves. By leaving, she had made room for someone else in Helen's life. For a new love. If anyone deserved this second chance at happiness, it was Aunt Helen.
Smiling, she watched the two of them and hesitated to go inside. She didn't want to interrupt them. She didn't want to get in their way. Her aunt was doing fine; she didn't need Ava. And at that moment, Ava finally let go.
