Page 34 of Vathia
He shakes his head before his long neck bends down to look me in the eyes. “You have a destiny, Talyn, and it’s at your mate’s side with the others. You are fated for greater things and you will do a lot more than petty raids. You will help the small Queen save this realm from complete destruction. It’s time to leave here. We’ve been lingering here too long.” He nudges my stomach with his massive snout, almost knocking me over. “You’re healed enough. Let your mate help you heal the rest of the way. The mating bond is everything, and I wish to see my mate as well, before I start burning down villages,” he adds.
“I need to talk to Sabish first.”I pause, then, “Ravina’s dragon is really your mate?” He’s told me this before, but I still can’t believe him and the other dragons hid this from us. It’s difficult to wrap my mind around. It’s obvious they’ve known about this for a while.
“She was destined for me and the others since the beginning of time. As for why we didn’t tell you, it is not our place to interfere with the fates,” he grumbles cryptically.
Fucking dragons with their secrets.
I turn and begin heading back into the city. Am I really going to head to Vathia? Zaddro has been pushing for it since I healed, but I’m not sure I can stomach the look in their eyes when they realize what has happened. Killian’s parting words linger in my head: “Let me help. It’s safer if we’re working together.” He had a feeling and I ignored it, and I forced him to stay away for a month… If I hadn’t been able to escape… If I was still trapped there I may not havewantedto come back.The horrors that would have happened are not anything anyone should ever have to experience.
I shut down that line of thinking. Zaddro is right. I need to head back. The little things I’m doing to help the rebels are small in the grand scheme of things; the longer the Lords are left to rule, the more our realm falls into chaos. I rub the pain in my chest—the pain begging me to go to Vathia to be near her, but the thought makes me panic and I feel like I’m fighting against myself.
Striding into the tavern, I head to the counter where Sabish is talking to one of her patrons. She sees me heading her way, whispers something to the male and heads over to me.
“I know that look in your eye, Little Craven. You’re heading out?”
I dip my head. “It’s time. I’ve lingered too long and my dragon is getting antsy to get back with the rest of his wing. I just wanted to thank you for making sure I was taken care of here. If you need anything in the future, please let me know. I’m in your debt.”
She throws back her head and laughs. “Just get rid of those evil fuckers and we’re even. I’ll get the kitchen staff to throw together some provisions for your trip. You’re welcome back anytime, and I’ll send word if we hear of any more of those shadow creatures.” She shivers. “Nasty bastards, those things are.”
“Thank you, Sabish. I appreciate it, and you have my word. The fae of Damorleia will be at peace once more—even if I have to die to see it happen.” As I walk out of the bar, a sinking feeling anchors in my gut as I fear what’s to come when I arrive in Vathia.
A PART OF me is glad that Zaddro can’t fly as fast as Aemon’s beast. It’s been a long week of hard flight across the entire realm, but the closer we get to the Capital of Vathia, the more a knot twists in my stomach. Zaddro is positively delighted though.
Smug bastard.
Although there’s one thing I can definitely admit to: the tether that has been pulling me this direction is finally letting up a bit. The emotional turmoil from being so far away from Ravina is lessening and making my thoughts more bearable, which in turn makes me feel guilty.
My hand goes to touch the scarred tissue of my stomach and I swallow hard, choosing instead to cling to Zaddro’s saddle like my life depends on it. I can’t keep thinking about what happened there.
My beast pushes his calming energy towards me but sparks of volatile anger linger behind the forefront of his emotions. He’s equally angry—angry he couldn’t sense the bond to know I was in trouble. We’ve talked about it and he knows there’s nothing he could have done, but for a dragon that can kill and fight, a beast that’s practically at the top of the food chain, he feels as if he let me down.
The familiar sight of the cliffside castle eases something inside me. I’m not sure if it’s because the beings I care for the most are there right now, or from all the comforting childhood memories or the scents of ocean air and florals bringing back a sense of nostalgia. Either way, Zaddro and I circle before landing just outside the makeshift Keep for the flying creatures. A purpledragon, the one who chose Ravina, lingers in the entryway, watching us with assessing eyes.
“My precious Treasure,” Zaddro whispers. “Get off me, rider. I wish to greet my mate properly. You should go do the same. Vasari said they should be having dinner.” He shakes as if to dislodge me—not roughly, but just enough to show his impatience.
With a burst of air I use my magick to lower me off of him, and the second my weight is off his back he moves. He approaches the deep purple beast like an excited dog before their necks entwine with each other.
Leaving them to their reunion, I figure I should get mine out of the way and head toward the dining room. Nothing much has changed here at the Zorn abode besides the absence of Lord Zorn—Aemon’s father—and it’s still to be determined whether that’s a good thing or not.
I enter the grand hall that leads to the seaside dining room when suddenlysheappears at the end of the hall with Aemon and Jesper flanking her, and I know Killian isn’t too far behind. My boot pauses mid step and the thing I thought was long dead in my chest stutters. Something seizes in my gut, some warning system that tells me to run, to get away, but I can’t.
She’s every bit as beautiful as I remember, with her long wavy reddish-brown hair and bright sapphire eyes that hold a look of recognition. A spark of familiarity I thought I would never see again.
The boot that was paused mid-step moves backwards. I’m not sure I can do this right now.
“Talyn,” she whispers. “You finally made it. I-I remember you.” A look of confusion wars in her expression with anger that I’m not sure is directed at me.
Jesper touches her arm with ease and longing and she shrugs him off, snapping at him in a tone too low to hear. But he just seems excited by the fact that she paid him any mind.
Aemon’s gaze meets mine and I know from years of being friends—brothers—with him that she knows who we are to her and the extent of what that means.
“Now that you’re here, I think we should all talk. But perhaps after you’ve rested from your journey,” she adds, giving me an out. “Are you hungry? Dinner was just served when Vasari let me know you’d arrived.”
It’s too much too soon. Flashbacks of those few days spent in the Craven household makes my heart rate increase. An inkling of a conversation I can’t remember lingers in the back of my mind.
“I’m good. I’d rather not spend time with a female who decided to shirk her duties and live amongst the rabble, letting them do fate knows what to her. I’ll take my dinner in my rooms thanks.” The vile words spill out of me and I instantly regret them, but I can’t seem to care at the moment. I just need to go—to get out of her assessing gaze. Maybe it was too soon to come back. I should have sent a letter or something to let them know I was fine.
I turn on my heels and rush off towards the quarters Aemon has kept for when we visit. Maybe a bath and a glass of bourbon would help, then when my head clears I’ll talk to my brothers without her around, and we can finally come up with a new plan on how to remove the corrupt Lords from power so our people can move into an era of peace.
