Arleth waited just behind me. “Dragons are a lot hardier than other creatures once they are with child. It takes us time and patience to conceive, if we ever do, but once that happens, the chance of miscarriage is very low.”
I wanted to ask why they were making such a big fuss about my fighting, if that were the case, but decided against it. It wouldn’t take a genius to guess the answer.
“Okay, let’s just focus on the situation at hand, shall we?” I pushed the hair out of my face. “We’re about to go into battle.”
“A battle you will take no part in, your highness,” she replied in a firm tone. “A battle you will stay very far away from. Your task now—”
I stepped away and pulled my dragon to the surface. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed quiet to think. I needed to know if I was actually with child. I needed…Nyfain. I wanted to figure this out with him, especially if there were going to be all these strings attached.
My dragon surged up and took off, wasting no time. She was still quiet, her mood still subdued, but she’d always been quick to help when I really needed her.
I really needed her.
THIRTY-ONE
Finley
She flew around to the stern, scanning the horizon as she did so. The demon ships were in pursuit; they clearly thought we were trying to run. They were still separated by a lot of sea. They were too far away from each other to join forces in any way. They were definitely too far from us to use their cannons successfully, and our ships were faster.
We didn’t check on Calia and her sister, I thought.
My dragon angled, flying over the deck, where Calia and her sister stood within their harnesses, waiting for someone to connect them up to their dragon carriers. Both beasts were from the dragon villages, steady fliers with patient and calm dispositions. For dragons, anyway.
Calia looks determined, my dragon thought as she dipped, swooping low. Dessia looks resolute.
Calia looked up and caught sight of us. She smiled and lifted her hand in salute, then gave us a thumbs-up. Dessia gave a small wave, her smile slight and barely visible. She was a trooper. I got the impression she’d prefer to be safe and comfortable, far away from trouble, yet she’d been Calia’s companion through all of this, and she wasn’t turning back now.
I didn’t see Hannon on the decks and wondered if he’d hitched a ride to the ship the rest of our family was on to make sure they were safe. He knew I was protected and would want to make sure the same was true of them. I was glad for it.
How is Calia going to do this if she can’t see in the dark? my dragon thought as she puffed out air and flicked her tail in greeting as we flew by. The sun is nearly down.
The moon is bright, and for her it is about feeling the magic. The dragon will keep her out of harm’s way. She just has to do her magic.
Nyfain’s dragon exploded in power, and then he shot up into the air, gorgeous and golden in the dimming sunset. The darkness would pump up the demons’ power. We’d had unlucky timing.
Then again, the full moon wasn’t far off. We’d benefit from the strength of the moon.
I did a circle as my limited guard and overbearing mate-parent and Dee rose into the sky, one by one, Tamara and Vemar thankfully following me first. Nyfain stayed above the other ship, but I felt his longing clearly through the bond. He wanted us closer. Wanted us together. It nearly undid me to deny the call.
Finally, Micah rose from the third ship. We were ready.
Nyfain’s roar ripped through us, a command for everyone to join him. My dragon issued her own roar, uniting our people behind us.
I pushed away the pang of frustration that I couldn’t participate in the battle more directly and felt Nyfain’s supportive answering emotions through the bond. He pulled us closer again, yanking us, almost, not liking the distance. Wanting us by his side.
Dragons from all three ships rose into the sky as my dragon finally gave in to temptation. She sped off toward him, gushing delight and need when he banked right and cut the distance between us in half. He soared over us, dipping his tail so it would skim across our back. My dragon shuddered in pleasure, turning to meet him in the air.
Like a dance, the two dragons fit into their personal formation, practiced over the last month by nothing more than their desire to fly together, to be in each other’s company as they soared over their kingdom.
They looked a picture, I knew, elegant and sleek, their sizes and colors complementary. They provided a united front for our people, calmly cutting through the darkening sky as the rest of the dragons rose to meet them. This was the figurehead job. The show we were obligated to put on. In a moment, it would turn into a battle.