“I don’t like being on the water,” I tell him without looking at him
Something flies overhead, and I instantly duck and search the sky for guivres. But it’s not a guivre that soars overhead. I watch as Redara and Noxlyn make their approach. I turn back to Rauk, who doesn’t look the least bit surprised. “Did you call them here?”
He glances down at me. “Yes.”
“Why?”
His eyes don’t leave my face. “Figured you needed to blow off some steam.” His words confuse me a moment, until a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips. I realize again that instant thata full smile from Rauk would be devastating. I look away from him, not liking the direction of my thoughts. “Want to hunt some guivres?”
I don’t hesitate a second. “Yes.”
He nods towards the dragons who are landing even as we speak. “Let’s go.”
We’re soaring through the sky minutes later, and I close my eyes a moment, trusting Redara. She doesn’t say anything, but I know she can feel my distress. We fly for a while over and around the Jaguar Kingdom. My heart stops thundering in my chest, and my breathing starts to slow. The emotions building in me begin to fade away, and I feel like I can regulate my emotions now and think more clearly. When we go for a while without seeing a single guivre, I reach out to Red. Is it just me, or is it weird we haven’t seen a single guivre after they’ve been so active?
Noxlyn’s bonded did take down a lot of them. But yes, stay alert.
I was already alert, but her words make me more so. I look over to Rauk. “Anything?” I yell over the rushing wind. He shakes his head, and I scan the skies again. Eventually, Red and I follow Nox and Rauk back to the beach where we started. I climb off Red quickly and land on my feet in the sand. “Where are they all?” I ask Rauk when he lands in the sand next to me.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s weird, though. Right?” I ask, still scanning the sky.
“Do you feel better now?”
I turn to him in surprise. “Yeah. Thanks.”
He nods. I start towards the dreaded wooden walkway again before Rauk stops me. “Harper, I need to get back.” I stop andturn back to look at him. At first, I think he’s talking about heading back to the Wolf Kingdom, but then he clarifies. “I can’t be gone any longer. My people need me; we need to regroup after the attack.”
My mind flashes back to the attack, and I nod. “Oh. Yeah. You need to go.”
“I’m going to fly back to Rysden’s, grab Auri, and then make the trip back.” He doesn’t look pleased. There's something on his face, something I can’t quite get a read on.
I frown at his words. “Are you sure you want to take her back there? I can take care of her here.”
“She needs to be at home where she can be mobile, and Elowen can help take care of her. I’ll keep guards posted at all times. They won’t get to her again.” His face is resolute. Now that everyone in the kingdom knows about her; there’s no need to keep her a secret. So she’ll get the security she needs.
I don’t know what to say. “Okay. Good,” I manage to say. “Please give my love to her.”
It goes quiet between us, but I’m not really sure what else to say. I glance over my shoulder, back to where Kinsley and Kaldar’s house is. “I have to stay here.”
“I know; your friends need you.”
I stare up at him. A thousand thoughts fly through my mind, but nothing that seems like it’s the right thing to say. He starts to walk away. “Rauk,” I call out to him. He turns back, a question on his face. “Let the spirit dragons fight. End your war. Your people shouldn’t have to live in fear.”
He stares at me for a long moment before he turns away. I wantto call him back again, but I don’t. Failure is the only thing I feel as I watch him walk away. I was supposed to convince him to bring his army, and I failed. The Jaguar Kingdom is going to fall. It’s no longer a matter of if, but when. And I can’t do anything to stop it. He mounts Noxlyn and turns my way. I can’t see the expression on his face from here if there is one. He stares at me a moment longer, and then Noxlyn launches into the air. I watch them until they’re out of sight, and I wonder if I’ll ever see the dragon king again. There’s a sadness in my chest that I blame on everything Kinsley and Kaldar and the Jaguar Kingdom are going through.
It will be okay,Redara sends to me. I’m not so sure, but I don’t argue with her. If that’s the hope she needs to hang on to, then I'll let her. I wonder absently if I’ll be able to keep Redara here. My heart tugs, and I know I won’t do that to her. I’ll have to let her go to her mate; it’s not fair for me to keep her here. But I can’t let her go yet; not until we’ve done what we can in this war against the guivres.I’m going to go hunt; call me back when you need me.
Okay. I will.I watch her soar into the air and marvel as always at her strength. There’s a heaviness in my heart as I start the walk back to Kinsley and Kaldar’s. I don’t get far when a thought hits me.Redara, what if they’re gathering?
What?
I think about it and become more convinced.They’ve been attacking non-stop, and they just went after the queen. What if they’re going to go for it now? Make an all-out onslaught in this kingdom?Even as I think the words, there’s a certainness in my chest.
I’m going to fly further and see what I can find,Redara sends me.
No, don’t.Fear for her floods my chest.If they really are gathering, and they see you, it will be too many of them.
