24. Kaiya
Itried to reply to the dragon in my mind, but nothing came out.
When I”d spoken to the vrytra in Gleyma, I”d always needed Eli to provide the link, and it seemed that was still the case.
”I — we — can hear you.”Liam”s honey-like mental voice was a familiar caress on my mind, and my heart stuttered in response.
”How are we able to speak when the Sage still lives? The others — I —”The dragon sounded terrified.
Liam looked from the dragon to me, confusion knitting his brows.
”It”s okay.”Liam”s green eyes were glassy as he reached out a hand, tentatively placing it beside mine. ”You know me. I”m no threat. I — it”s nice to finally speak to you.”
The dragon said nothing, just watched Liam with those large, golden eyes.
”I”ve called you Stryek since I don”t know your true name. But I”d be honored to learn your it …”
I ignored the buzzing and watched Liam, his expression warm and full of wonder — so reminiscent of the old Eli.
The buzzing rose louder, and the memory of that mischievous grin filled my mind …
… Eli convincing me to work with him, those sparkling green eyes, wide with excitement when we found the entrance to the ruins …
… those freckled cheeks, warm with the effects of Lynk”s wine …
… the shape of his back and shoulders as he dove in front of me and into the path of Lady Ellingsworth”s blade …
NO!
Slamming my eyes closed, I forced my thoughts to still.
Then a new vision appeared.
A burning manor in the night. Jaiel rowing, gazing over his shoulder at vision-me with a worried blue gaze. Dozens of vrytra wailed in the water around us — wailing at the loss of their queen, and for the closure they”d sought for so long…
I knew that manor, but those were not my memories.
Another vision. A crowded train platform.
The observer stood back from the crowd, hidden behind Jaiel”s larger form, as a person, bundled in bloodied clothes, was loaded onto a stretcher, and carried away.
Eli had been there … watching me the whole time?
”You were in love.” The dragon spoke. Almost a question — but not.
I didn”t dare breathe as I looked at Eli — Liam.
He looked disoriented, glancing between me and the dragon with anxious green eyes.
The dragon let out a low huff, then stiffened.
”Please, friend.”Liam”s mental voice was soothing. ”Let”s focus on this miracle, for now. Dragon and rider speaking for the first time since the Twisting. This is —”
”— DANGEROUS!” Stryek boomed, shifting from foot to foot anxiously as he lifted his head to stare at the large opening across from us. ”It”s too dangerous!”
The dragon”s fear struck me in a wave, and a chill ran down my spine, leaving me unable to breathe, let alone think.
It was too much, and I stumbled backward, falling to my knees. The buzzing and voices immediately stopped, along with the memories and the fear.
But my body was reeling.
Someone yelled, and I looked up to see Stryek shake his head, almost hitting Eli as he stood on all fours. He backed away, those golden eyes spinning wildly as they stared directly at me.
”Damnit!” Liam yelled, looking over at me with cold green eyes, my familiar friend Eli gone once again. ”What happened? I can”t hear him anymore!”
The dragon backed up more, his nostrils flaring, sides heaving.
”Everyone, stay calm and still,” Mirrim said, holding up her hands. ”He”s just startled.”
My mind raced as I gripped the ring more tightly. What had I done?
The dragon shook his head again, golden eyes swirling faster as he stared at me, then Liam. Letting out another frantic huff, he turned to the ledge and stumbled toward it. With a single leap, he dove off the platform and soared away from us, out toward the horizon.
I stared after him; the wind swirling around me as shock twisted in my chest.
What in the seven hells just happened?
Slowly, the agitated voices behind me filtered through my brain fog. Liam was talking, and I turned to see an anxious, irritated expression on his face as Jaiel stood between us, hands raised, keeping the angry man away.
Mirrim stared after the dragon, hands loose at her sides.
”Liam, give her some space,” Jaiel said, voice soothing, as he gestured to me. ”Not everyone can just turn off their emotions like you. She needs a minute.”
”I need answers, Jaiel,” Liam said, face and voice stony as he attempted to glare a hole in my skull. ”We haven”t been able to speak to dragons for hundreds of years. Then she — well, I don”t know what she did — but somehow Stryek and I could talk for the first time in CENTURIES!” He rubbed the back of his neck. ”Do you know how big that is?”
Jaiel nodded.
”But that dragon wasn”t happy to talk with me!” Eli continued. ”He was fucking terrified, and I must know why. If they”re in danger, I —” His voice cracked, but he recovered quickly, replacing that stoic mask from earlier. ”I have a meeting with the council today and they need to know. This may change things — but they”re going to have questions.” His gaze slide to mine, hard and insistent. ”I MUST understand what she did!”
Rising to my feet, I swallowed and held up the slim wooden band. ”I didn”t do anything. But my ring mutes the korra and bonds of anything it touches. So, when I touched it to Stryek, it muted whatever ”wall” prevents mind-speak. If I were to hazard a guess, I”d say that issue has something to do with his hive-like soul bonds — or maybe the corruption coating them.”
”What corruption?” Liam hissed.
”I”m not sure.” I shook my head. ”But if I got to see Stryek with the ring again, perhaps I could give you more details.”
Liam”s face paled, and he stepped closer, staring down at the ring pinched between my fingers. ”The ring?” He reached out and grasped my hands, pulling the ring up so he could examine it closer. I ignored the familiar warmth of his touch. ”And you can see corruption on his bonds?”
I swallowed the knot in my throat and nodded.
”What is this? Stone — or metal?” he held it up to the sunlight shining into the cave. ”It looks black and porous … yet somehow it”s also reflective. Not like anything I”ve seen before.” His voice had dropped to barely a mumble as I tugged back my hand. ”And it is what mutes the magic?”
”Yes, it mutes korras and bonds,” I repeated, looking at Liam, then Jaiel, then finally back down to the little stone. ”That night you left Gleyma — Lynk cut it from the scar in my back … just before you got there and dove in front of that knife.” My voice broke, but I pushed through. ”I don”t know what it is or how it got there, but it”s what kept me hidden from the Seekers growing up. And it”s why my powers didn”t work correctly when we were together in Gleyma.”
Liam”s expression tightened, shifting between confusion, surprise, and irritation as he looked between me and the ring. But he held his tongue, waiting for me to finish.
”Lady Frexin found me that night,” I continued. ”And when she came to recruit me for the Science Division, she handed me my wooden ring back, but it had been modified so that stone could be embedded inside. It”s how I”ve shielded my powers for so long in the Capital.”
Liam”s green eyes lifted to meet mine, wide with surprise. ”You still haven”t mastered shielding your magic?”
”Well, I tried.” I winced. ”But learning to control my powers from books is harder than it sounds, and it”s not like I can just walk up to one of the collared mages and ask them to train me. Plus, the ring has worked well enough.” I gritted my teeth. ”It”s the only one, though — I”ve never seen or heard of another like it.”
His frown deepened. Then he looked from me to where Stryek had disappeared into the distance and let out a long breath.
”You should stay in the village,” he said, voice firm. ”I”ll set you up in your own house. Food, lodging, compensation — everything you need will be taken care of. I need to study that strange metal.” His green eyes met mine, and my chest tightened. ”And you could help me understand more about their curse. It —”
”Absolutely not,” Jaiel interjected, stepping to our side. ”Lady Frexin and her minions will not rest until she gets the damn relic she”s sent Kaiya and I to retrieve. Maybe Kaiya can visit in the future, but Frexin is not someone to mess with. And you certainly don”t want her focused on your village. Especially not if she”s unhappy with me or Kaiya.”
I turned to glare at Jaiel. ”I can make my own decisions, thank you very much.”
His jaw pulsed as his gaze slid between the two of us. That wasn”t jealousy in those blue eyes, was it? No. That would be ridiculous.
Liam pushed past Jaiel and grasped my shoulder in his hands, staring at me with concern. ”Kaiya, this is important. More important than you know. The dragons are dying out, and with them, my clan dwindles into nothingness. Dragon and rider alike were broken in the Twisting, and I fear that in another generation or two, there may be no one left in this place.” Collecting himself, he let go of me and stepped back. ”If you need to finish your mission first, fine. Do it. I”m even willing to offer some limited support, despite this being a mission for the Empire. But afterwards … I need you to return with your ring. Please.”
I stared at him, heart twisting. ”I —”
”Gods, man! You”re either cold as ice or as intense as fire. At least let her think about it,” Jaiel demanded, putting one hand on Liam”s shoulder and one on mine.
Liam straightened, knocking the hand away, and nodded. ”Yes, of course. Just think about it, Kaiya. We can talk more tonight after dinner. Let”s say six o”clock, at my home.”
Before I could reply, he turned on his heel and strode out, footsteps echoing in the cavern.
”Fuck. What happened to him?” I whispered under my breath, staring after him.
”Well,” Jaiel said, putting a hand on my shoulder and leaning close enough that only I could hear him. ”Perhaps that”s what happens when you get rejected by the girl you love, take a knife to save her, lose the poor vrytra you just rescued as it gives its life to bring you back from the brink of death, then return home to have lost everyone you love.” He shrugged. ”Guilt is a cruel companion … something I”m sure you, of all people, understand all too well.”