“We build something stronger. Somethingbetter,” I said.
Kaida nodded, pride in her expression.
“Yes.”
Nerissa’s breath shuddered out. And just like that, something in her anger loosened.
The sharp edge she kept around Veskor cracked, not broken, but softened.
I barked a quiet laugh.
Veskor, of all drakens, chose that moment to walk past with a beam so long it nearly took out Kaida’s head when he turned suddenly at seeing us. He froze when he saw Nerissa and dropped the beam, ducking comically behind a tree. Nerissa didn’t hiss or shout. She barely glared. She simply frowned, sighed, and walked away.
Progress.
Yes. Things were changing.
And for once, it felt right.
Kaida sighed. “We may need to build another meeting hall after this one. Just to keep him busy.”
“Probably,” I grunted, but for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel dread at the thought of the future. I felt hope.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
VESKOR
It was hot and humid here, the heat becoming a second skin. I liked it, though. After flying north in the snow and years of dying of cold in the fighting pits, I would never be too hot ever again.
I liked the jungle, as well. There was food everywhere. The witches and other drakens were harder to get used to. More people meant more everything. It was noisy and busy, but it was better than the fighting pits.
A week on Lyoness and I still couldn’t believe I was here, living among the other drakens. They were too soft, too safe, though many of them watched me oddly, and I don’t think it was because I was the interloper. No, something else was going on.
They didn’t think I noticed, but the queen’s treehouse candles were always lit late into the night, with all of the important drakens and witches coming and going at all hours.
They were planning something, and I couldn’t help, but feel that I was involved.
“You are allowed to enjoy yourself and be happy. That is new for you, I think,” Canavar said as we hauled timber across the ridge, ropes slung across our shoulders, the sun bouncing off our scales as we worked on the new meeting hall frame.
He was a draken of few words, but the ones he said usually carried weight. He grunted as he lifted a beam like it weighed nothing.
“Veskor,” he barked. “We need more rope. Down by the lava tubes. We’ll go in a minute.”
My stomach dropped. The lava tubes were far from the children’s nests and everything. I’d never been there. They assured me the volcano was dormant, but it still made me nervous.
Well, at least Canavar was going with me. We set down our logs and were about to set off when Nerissa stormed up the hill, eyes glowing gold like she was about to incinerate someone.
“CANAVAR.”
He stiffened.
She jabbed a finger toward the village. “Your daughter is TRYING TO MATE with DOMIK in the LIBRARY.”
Canavar blinked, then burst out laughing. “Ah, so that’s how it starts.” He wiped his face. “Guess we’re staying here for good. Poor Domik.”
“Domik?” I asked faintly. “That is the shy orange one who reads a lot?”
Nerissa snarled. “Get. Her.”
