“I …” I stared at the water, seeing the orbs reflection on its softly bobbing surface. This high up, the wind was always somewhat present. “Yeah. I do.”
“I can hear it in your voice. You get all giddy when you talk abouthim.”
“I do not!”
“You should see your eyes when you say his name.Oh, Caz!”she cried deliriously, throwing a hand to her brow.
“I’ll throw you in,” I threatened through laughter.
“You can try, but if I go, I’m taking you with me!”
We laughed again, harder this time. It was really good to have her back. I couldn’t wait until the three of us were reunited at last.
Behind me, Ella stiffened abruptly, her laughter evaporating.
Lifting a hand, she pointed past my head, far to the south. “Look at that,” she whispered, awestruck.
We watched as two mammoth shapes appeared again from within a wispy cloud, gliding sedately past many miles away.
“Pure dragons,” I said, stunned at the spectacle as the mated pair of behemoths continued their long journey westward. Such a sight was incredibly rare.
They were headed westward, where the Great Abyss signaled the end of the Ice Kingdom.
“They’re leaving Hollow Earth,” Ella murmured.
Pure dragons were what happened to a true dragon after centuries of life. The human half of us could only live for so long. When it faded,the dragon took over fully. A pure dragon never stopped growing. Every year for a thousand years or more, they would grow a little bit more.
Until one day it was time. Nobody knew what signaled it. Pure dragons lived in the massive mountains along the southern edges of Hollow Earth, and none went there if they wanted to return.
All that was known was that eventually their time came, and together the mated pair of dragons would head west, crossing over into the Great Abyss and disappearing into the distance and whatever lay beyond. The journey was too great for any other type of being to make. In the past, I understood that journeys had been planned and all manner of creature had set out.
Very few had returned at all, and only then to tell of endless nothingness. Whatever the pure dragons sought, it was beyond the reach of any. All the great and epic love stories talked about that journey about eternity and one last voyage with the other half of your soul.
“That could be you one day,” Ella whispered as we watched. “You and Casimir. Making the great journey together.”
I swallowed a lump. She was right. That was the future I was headed toward, if I let it happen. If I let him claim me.
I ran a finger over my teeth. They were smooth for now, but my fangs were in there somewhere,apparently. Maybe I could claim him too, and we could live out our lives together. Like one the great love stories.
“Breathe,” Ella urged. “Breathe, girl. It’s okay. Don’t hyperventilate on me, please.”
Sucking in air, I patted her hand. “I’m good. Just … rearranging the preconceptions of a lifetime. It’s a bit of a shock.”
“I can imagine.”
We watched the dragons disappear into the distance, their giant wings beating slowly in perfect synchronization.
“Hey, you know something,” I said to Ella once they were gone.
“What?”
“IfIcan have a mate, maybe you can too. Maybe things are changing. Think aboutthatwhile you’re teasing me.”
Ella was silent.
Thirty-Three
Casimir
