Lephas’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “A dragonette?”
“A dragon?” Lori screeched, darting further behind the commander.
The dragonette swooped down, wide wings stirring the snow beneath them up into flurries. It glided past Faye and Raxx, heading straight for Lephas. The commander readied his stance, but did not free his sword. He watched as the dragonette landed before him, skidding to a halt.
It was the most beautiful, yet terrifying creature Faye had ever seen. Its scales were glossy and deep sapphire blue. At its chest, it appeared to be wearing a sort of leather vest and a scrap of material was tied around its neck like a scarf. It turned to hiss in their direction, flashing rows of sharp, needle-like teeth and Faye took a few steps back.
The dragonette stared at Lephas. With slow, deliberate moves, the commander reached out and pulled a piece of flowered parchment from the leather vest. A letter.
The creature stretched its nose out to Lephas, sniffing at him curiously. Lori squeaked in terror and Faye watched as the dragonette’s eyes lit up. It stalked around Lephas, craning to get a closer look at Lori.
“It means you no harm,” Lephas murmured to the princess.
Lori squealed something incoherent and froze as the dragonette pressed its nose against her hair, its nostrils flaring as it took in her scent.
After a few sniffs, the creature’s eyes shone excitedly and it released a low, rumbling sound, pleased with its discovery.
“W-wait is that...My scarf?” Lori shouted, her fear suddenly forgotten. The princess reached out and untied the filthy rag from the dragonette’s neck.
As soon as her sister had unfurled it, Faye recognised the material at once. She released Raxx’s hand and hurried over to join Lori.
The dragonette’s eyes, filled with suspicion, watched Faye as she approached. The princess stopped a safe distance away and held out her hand to the creature. As it had done with Lori, it took a few tentative sniffs of her before releasing the same low, satisfied rumbling noise.
“That’s one of your scarves from home, isn’t it?” Faye muttered, staring in amazement at the material in Lori’s shaking hands.
“Yes, without a doubt. I’d recognise it anywhere. How in Hestaesia did it—”
“Sivelle.” Lephas turned to face them, the letter open in his hands. “She’s written a letter. Says here she was glad to have received your birthday wishes?”
Raxx joined the group and glanced down at Faye. “I can explain that another time.”
Lephas cocked a brow, but turned and passed the letter to Lori.
“We might want to cancel that rescue mission we’ve been planning,” Lephas continued, turning to face Raxx. “Haros is in Awrelwood with the eldest Goldwyrm sister.”
Faye’s mouth fell open and she hurriedly crowded in beside Lori, eager to read the letter in her sister’s hands.
Raxx had informed Faye all about Haros and how he had gotten captured during the same fight that had brought Lori and Lephas together. Though she had never met the man, the princess was relieved to hear he was alive and well.
“That’s a relief.” Raxx laughed. “How has he ended up there?”
“It’s a long story. I think you need to read the letter.”
“This creature belongs to Sivelle,” Lori mumbled, casting her eyes warily over the dragonette. “It says here her name is Nyre and—”
The dragonette let out a high-pitched screech in response to her name, spreading her wings out to flap them back and forth excitedly. Snowflakes buffeted up into the air around them. Though Nyre was only the size of a large dog, there was no denying the power she harboured in her muscular body.
“Sivelle owns a dragon now?” Faye’s eyebrows quirked up. “I’m impressed.”
“Are we able to write a response?” Lori turned to Lephas, eyes wide and pleading.
The commander glanced at Raxx, who simply shrugged.
“I suppose so, yes. We can send the letter back with the dragonette,” Lephas replied.
Lori threw her arms around his waist with an excited squeal before snatching Faye’s hand and practically dragging her from the courtyard.
“Come sister, there is no time to waste.”
