Since I was finally starting to get a handle on how to tell the various peoples of this world apart — and from how Koar deferred to her — I assumed she was a dragon. She was a tall and statuesque woman, ears slightly tilted back under platinum hair, with eyes of steel blue.
“Your friend is recovering well. His spirit is still weak, but he’s awake and was asking after—” her steely gaze turned to me, “—you, I presume.” She gave me a quick once over, then a slow smile spread over her lips.
“If you could wield spirit, young one, you might give me a run for my money.”
I took that as a compliment.
“Thank you, Spirit Master,” Koar said with another bow of his head.
The stout woman stepped past me, and I felt… something. I assumed the strange wave of warmth was from her spirit, which was linked to fire.
If someone who didn’t really know how to sense spirit could feel that… I had to assume she was quite powerful, hence her title.
As the three of us continued inside, I whispered to Koar, curious, “How old is she?”
“Over thirty millenniums.”
Thirty-thousand-years?
“She’s the last daughter of the dragons of the first age.”
I had no clue what that meant, but it sounded extremely significant and important.
“Seethat’swhat baffles me,” I said as we made our way across the large main sitting area. “With powerful women like that around, why do you need me? I’m only a couple decades old.”
“Even so,” Koar said with a knowing grin, “You’re stronger than she is.”
“How?” I asked, completely thrown by that. “Her spirit was?—”
“Only slightly stronger than yours… and you’re not even proficient with spirit,” Rook finished for me. “Your powers with water would probably cancel out her fire easily enough and you’d be stronger in earth than she is.”
Truly?
“Hey there, beautiful.” Vyns’ voice pulled me from this conversation. We’d been headed for his room, but he must have heard us coming. He was up and had just reached the doorway as we arrived. He leaned against the door frame, trying to act casual but looking rough.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” Rook answered, preening himself, as if Vyns had been talking to him.
Vyns gave a weak laugh as I stepped over to him and embraced him carefully.
“Thank you so much for helping me against Saldrea,” I breathed into his ear. “You gave so much… You scared me.”
“I’d do it again, anytime, for you,” he whispered.
“As long as you come back to me afterward, okay?” I said as I pulled back to look him in those stunning blue eyes. I swept some of his long golden hair back away from one eye. He closed his eyes, leaning into my soft touch. “Don’t you dare die on me.” I barely got the words out, my throat constricting, tears in my eyes.
He reached up and wiped a tear away.
“As long as you’re alive, I have very strong incentive to stay alive myself. So, let’s both live nice long lives, okay?”
I nodded, lips pursed, more tears on my cheeks.
With a war looming, who knew how long any of us would live? But I vowed to do everything I could to make sure myself, and these precious men… and everyone helping me lived. It might be impossible, but I’d do what I could to minimize casualties. I would not be the type of ruler who threw lives away.
Putting my hands on his cheeks, I kissed him, long and slow, savoring the wash of humidity from his spirit, our connection still strong.
“Come, we have to talk,” I whispered when I pulled back, then I let him lean on me as we made our way to my room at the end of the hall.
And, as a nice surprise, Myel was awake when we arrived. He had recovered well, his own innate healing having mended what I couldn’t after I’d saved his life. He came to me, smiling, giving me a peck on the cheek before helping Vyns down into the lowered sitting area. Vyns, Myel, and I all sat together on a long couch. Rook took a seat onhis own, perhaps not ready to return to the cuddle pile, or thinking I wasn’t ready for him.
