"Aye," he said. "That's why we call them the Wise Ones."
I hadn't meant the dragon's eyes, although they were also magnificent. It was the rider's gaze that had seared itself into my soul, and I knew that I would dream about it for many nights to come.
I shook my head and took a long, steadying breath.
As the haze lifted, reality crashed back with the acrid smell of gunpowder mixed with the sharp scent of dragfire, the nauseating smell of burned flesh, the copper stench of blood, the dead bodies strewn about, and the moans of the wounded.
Then, the throbbing pain in my palms suddenly registered—the splinters buried in my skin from the tower's rough wood making themselves known.
"We have to make sure all the Shedun left behind are actually dead." Ednis was already moving toward the ladder. "We also need to check for survivors, take care of our wounded and prepare our dead for their rites."
I started to follow, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. Now that the immediate danger had passed, my body was remembering how to be afraid. My hands began to shake violently, and I clung to my rifle by sheer determination.
"Hey now," Ednis's voice softened as he turned back to me. "It's alright, Kailin. It's over. You did good."
A sob caught in my throat. "I killed people."
"No," Ednis said firmly, walking back to me and placing his hands on my shoulders. "You killed monsters. Those weren't people out there, Kailin. People don't slaughter innocentvillagers in their beds or torture captives to death for the sake of their twisted god's pleasure."
The tears came then, hot and unstoppable.
Ednis pulled me into a rough embrace, letting me sob against his shoulder. "It's okay. Let it all out."
He smelled of gunpowder and pine smoke, so much like my father that it was enough to center me and help me regain my composure.
When my tears finally slowed, he held me at arm's length, studying my face. "You've got steel in you, girl. Now, go on home and get some sleep if you can. We'll take care of the rest."
"But I can help?—"
"You've helped plenty," he cut me off. "This next part is not for you. Go home, check on your animals, and try to get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll honor our dead, but tonight, there's more ugly work to be done."
I wanted to argue, but exhaustion was already settling into my bones. Looking down from the tower, I could see shapes moving in the predawn light—villagers emerging from their homes, checking on neighbors, gathering the fallen.
As I climbed down the ladder behind Ednis, my muscles protested every movement, and as I made my way home, every shadow made me flinch, every sound had me clutching my rifle, but finally, I made it through the door.
I needed to check on the sheep, but it would have to wait.
Chicha launched herself into my arms the moment I crouched down, her tiny body vibrating with relieved whimpers.
"We are okay," I whispered, holding her close. "Thanks to you. You saved us, you little alarm fiend." I kissed her shaggy head. "Wait until Mom and Dad hear that. Mom will make you your favorite snack."
At the wordsnack,Chicha perked up and lifted her snout.
"Tomorrow, sweetie." I kissed her head again.
Tomorrow, there would be funerals to attend and damage to repair.
Tomorrow, we would mourn our losses and strengthen our defenses.
Tomorrow, I would face my parents when they returned from Skywatcher's Point and tell them that their sixteen-year-old daughter had killed for the first time.
Tonight, though, I would cuddle my little dog and dream about a pair of dark eyes with molten gold swimming in their depths.
2
ALAR
Present time.
