He nods. “Every last member. Three sons, two young daughters… and a beautiful wife.” His tone sounds unfeeling and steady, but I see the truth in his eyes. He pauses for a moment, breathing deeply. “I was working in the underground mine. We could hear the echoes of a thousand screams from below, but by the time we made it back up, it was too late. They’d gotten what they came for, and they were already scurrying out of the exit at the edge mountain, faster than we could ever hope to be.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say gently.
Everyone else nods, seconding my condolences as I look around with sadness. Not much more can be said.
“Hopefully when we destroy the curse, the maliths will go with it.”
Gaethri nods. “That is the most I can hope for. Then, I can die a peaceful Dothronite. That’s all I want.”
A moment of reverent silence falls over the group.
“What do you seek when the curse breaks, Meela?” Rhydra questions. I guess we’re finishing this conversation from the ride earlier.
Meela shrugs, expressionless. “I’m just here because those elf twats need to be taught a lesson.”
I chuckle quietly beside her.
Rhydra continues to watch her in that way she does. Like she always knows there’s more, she just doesn’t know what, exactly.
“And…” she sighs, avoiding eye contact with everyone. “For people to love who they want,” she adds quietly.
No one questions her further. I think they all know Meela already, and for her to share that is enough. She won’t be pushed much more.
I look across the table and find Daegan’s eyes on me. They have an intensity behind them I fear I’ll never be clued in on.
“There’s nothing more important in life than being with the ones you love,” Gaethri mumbles into his ale.
“You know,” Rhydra ponders. “If we do break the curse, it will be a long time yet before people can coexist peacefully again. If ever. It’s in our natures to always be at war with one another.”
I nod to myself. She’s probably right about that.
It’s Raef and Daegan’s turn, and they share the same answer. To free their people, for them to thrive again, and for the dragons to fly once more.
A beautiful image appears in my head. Of the veil clearing, opening into a breathtaking night sky, and the dragons, flying high, their silhouettes gliding in front of the light of the moon.
“They will fly again,” Daegan says with certainty as he finishes his short, to-the-point answer, nodding at Raef.
He catches my eye from across the table as he finishes. The corner of his lip pulls back in a sad sort of smile as he holds my gaze.
The stars in the night sky might be a beautiful sight to behold one day, but I’m not sure anymore if they’d even measure up to the deep blue depths of his eyes.
“What about you, Rhydra?” Meela asks.
“I’m going to kill my father for killing my mother. Once he’s weakened.” She has a murderous look in her eyes, and I don’t dare question her.
“Badass,” Raef says. “We’ll help you.”
A strange smirk crosses her lips, and she glances at me for a moment. “We’ll see.”
“Can’t you do that now?” Raef asks between sips of his ale. “Why does the curse need to be broken first?”
“Yes. But this will hit him hard. I want him to see it first.” Rhydra speaks in a cunning, lethal manner.
So he’s an elf then. But… how?
“Who is he?” Meela is looking mildly curious now.
“No one of consequence.”
