Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ALINA
Icould not believe my ears when I heard the new plan Tynan introduced to the others.
They would risk everything for me. They would do that for a girl they have only just met.
He was not going to take me back to prison.
My eyes got watery and something heavy settled deep in my chest. I looked at Tynan, except now I saw him in a different light.
He was not cruel or unfeeling, everything he did was to protect his friends.
He did not want to return me to the people who kidnapped me.
The magnitude of those revelations was something I did not know how to deal with.
I picked up my cup and stirred the amber liquid, noticing that my fingers were shaking.
“Why?” I could not stop the question escaping my lips. “Why would you do something like that for a stranger?” I asked, forgetting that there were others around us.
Tynan’s eyes focused on my face, then he clenched his jaw, and for a long moment I thought that he would not respond.
“Because there’s more than just surviving,” he said at last.
I looked at him confused. Tynan caught my expression and his eyes darkened.
“There’s also honor,” he added.
My gaze shifted to the others and all of them agreed. Even Victor looked uncommonly serious.
“We move out tomorrow morning. Try to get some rest.” Tynan got up and walked up the stairs without looking back.
I lowered my head, staring at my plate. The pieces of chunky meat stew did not look too appetizing any longer. Then I remembered the long days with an empty stomach, and anticipating many more days like the ones that just passed, I forced myself to finish my meal.
When I came up to the room I shared with Tynan, I quickly spotted him on the bed, fully dressed in his flying suit. His head snapped toward me, but when his gaze met mine, his expression softened.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said.
“I don’t have a choice,” he responded after a long pause.
“There’s always a choice,”
“Not here.” Tynan turned away.
“I don’t want you to risk your lives because of me.” I stepped into the room.
“Try to get some sleep.” He got up and moved to the window, shifting the curtain to the side and looking out.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I’m not tired.”
I sat on the bed and pulled my wide pants off, before covering myself with the blanket.
“I should probably share the room with Frid next time,” I said feeling awkward, undressing in front of him.
Tynan did not respond, he stayed glued to his spot. I sighed and fluffed up my pillow, trying to shut down my brain that was processing too many thoughts all at once. Right when I thought that I would never be able to fall asleep, my eyes closed involuntarily.
As I dreamed, there was a shadow of a feeling that tried to break through the fog and awaken my nearly numb senses, alerting me to the presence of something.
I jolted awake, seeing that the room was almost completely dark, with the exception of one lit candle.
I checked the other side of the bed and saw no one there.
Confused, I looked around and saw Tynan standing by the door, his back against the wall, his hand clenching a knife.
A moment later, the door was kicked open and a figure appeared in the doorway.
The man focused all of his attention on me.
The metal of his short blade reflected the light of the candle, but before he could take a step closer, Tynan plunged his knife into his neck, and with one well practiced motion, reclaimed his knife and returned to his spot.
I looked into the hall and saw two more men crowding the entrance.
I scrambled out of bed and picked up my flying suit, pressing it to my chest. Meanwhile, Tynan was fighting two men with swords.
His movements were calculated and lethal, he swung his knife with his right hand and at the same time, released another one with his left.
I had never seen anyone use throwing knives like that.
While fighting, Tynan used his entire body.
His powerful knee found the abdomen of one of the attackers, while he slashed the hand of another man.
It ended quickly with two bodies sliding down to the ground.
Tynan checked the hall and moved to where I was standing, still clutching my flying suit as if I could shield myself with it.
“Are you alright?” he asked, searching my face.
I nodded, still in shock. In a moment, he moved even closer. His hand lifted my chin so he could look into my eyes. His thumb brushed my lower lip with soft, gentle pressure. The warmth of his skin melted me from within. My face grew hot and my eyes nearly closed on their own.
“Ty?” Solomon entered the room and Tynan stepped away, but still protected me from view.
My heart was racing, and not because of the attackers. I took the opportunity to pull on my flying suit. I was almost done fastening the buttons when Frid burst into the room followed closely by Victor.
“They found us!” he shouted.
Frid bared her teeth, moving one of the bodies with the tip of her shoe.
“Shadows.” She spit on the ground.
“We have to go.” Tynan returned his throwing knife back to his belt.
To my surprise, his hand found mine and our fingers intertwined when he pulled me after him.
We ran down the stairs and through the hall when a group of men in dark blue flying suits stumbled upon us.
Tynan kicked one of them in the groin and pulled me behind him, while working the blade of his knife.
I covered my face when pieces of glass and droplets of blood pelted my skin, and the next moment, I could not see what was happening around me.
Frid pulled me forward and Tynan released my hand, before disappearing behind another attacker.
“Hide!” Frid yelled.
I dropped to the ground, covering my head.
The moments stretched into the long terrifying agony of sounds and splashes of thick crimson blood on the walls.
Somewhere between the bodies of the fallen and wounded, I completely lost myself to fear.
My body moved on its own when I crawled under the table and covered my ears.
“This isn't happening. It’s not real, it’s not real,” I repeated, over and over.
Long after all sounds ceased, I realized that someone was talking to me, touching my shoulder.
“Princess?” Tynan cupped my face, his thumbs gently stroking my cheeks.
“Don-Don’t call m-me that,” I stammered.
Almost immediately I could see the signs of relief passing through his features.
“We need to go.” Tynan scooped me up.
“The front door?” Sol stepped beside him.
“No, we use the back door.” Tynan turned, revealing his two friends behind him.
Frid’s face was covered in blood. Victor was holding on to his arm. My eyes surveyed the room and I found no less than a dozen bodies of the attackers on the floor.
Tynan moved through the dimly lit back rooms and found a door, but before he managed to kick it open, the clerk boy materialized out of nowhere.
“This is the basement door. Follow me,” he said and moved past us.
“Put me down. I can walk,” I said, but he only pressed my body tighter to his chest.
We followed the young man who led us through a pantry then a small kitchen and living quarters for the servants, which were missing actual doors. Another moment, and the crisp night air made me shiver.
“Thank you,” Tynan said to the boy who nodded then disappeared back into the building.
Only then did Tynan place me down to the ground.
“We fly close to the water. You’re going with me.” Tynan said, and only then did I realize that he was talking to me.
I nodded, and looked back, noticing that the others already transformed.
For some reason, the change mesmerized me and I stared at the soft glow that was coming from Tynan’s body.
He was turning so fast, faster than anyone I have ever seen.
There was no way I could turn that quickly even if my life depended on it.
Was that something that was different about me or it was something that the others practiced?
“Get on.” Tynan moved close and lowered his massive dragon head to the ground.
I climbed on his back, noticing how the shape of his body hugged every curve of my abdomen and chest. It was surreal that I could still dwell on my feelings toward Tynan, even when we barely escaped death.
Without communicating anything to the others, at least not verbally, Tynan soared up.
The others followed him, like one unit. I remembered that all of them could talk to each other's minds when they were in their dragon forms. I was the only one who would not be able to hear anything. My hands slid down to Tynan’s neck and I bit my lip, worried that my hold was too tight.
The moist night air hit my face, and my eyes searched the outlines of the city below.
Suddenly, a swooshing sound and the disturbance of the air behind me made me turn around, just in time to see an object flying past us.
“Hold on!” Tynan yelled and we dove down at an incredible speed.
They were shooting at us!
I pressed my face against the scales, praying that Tynan knew what to do.
Another sound of the air being slashed with a massive spear and my heart was beating in my throat.
I did not know it was physically possible to be more scared than I was at the moment.
The passing seconds stretched unbearably long while fear chilled my bones.
I closed my eyes, praying to all the gods I knew.
“All clear,” Tynan shouted and I realized that he was talking to me.
The group flew as if someone was on our tail, and considering the attack at the tavern, that was very possible.
My whole body was trembling, I looked around, not believing that it was over.
We flew the whole night, and it felt like we were trapped in a surreal dream where the night was never going to end.
Finally, after the first signs of the sun appeared on the horizon, my eyes concentrated on strips of gold and orange that coated us in its soothing warmth, a promise that something better was waiting behind the endless hills.
I squinted and stared at the outlines of the flying dragons ahead.
It was absolutely breathtaking to see. The magical moment ended too abruptly and the sun was up in its full command, the lands under us were lit.
I spent the next few hours watching the changing landscapes underneath.
My eyes grew weary after passing hundreds of abandoned structures that used to be homes, farms, and churches.
People used to live there, fall in love, have children, and grow old while cultivating the land.
This barren land should have been filled with people, pastures with livestock and fields with planted crops.
Now, everything seemed like a scene from a never ending nightmare.
Gusts of dry wind tossed discarded pieces of paper down the roads and a thick layer of muddy dust covered everything.
Without people, this land was slowly turning into a desert.
“Where are we going?” I shouted.
“Darragh,” Tynan responded, turning his head slightly.
“What’s that?”
“The land of the black clan,” he said.
I lifted my hand and almost lost my balance.
“Are you alright?” Tynan asked.
“I . . . I’m fine,” I lied.
My muscles were shaking with the effort to keep my balance. Then I felt Tynan descending closer to the ground. He was looking for a place to land, because of me, because I could not keep up.
“I’m fine. I don’t need rest,” I protested.
“We all need it. Victor’s injured,” Tynan said and I felt really self-centered for not thinking about the others.
It was another half an hour before Tynan found a spot he thought was good enough to make camp. We ended up on top of a hill overlooking the valley. All four dragons started to transform.
I felt like my legs were not able to hold me, and I was so incredibly cold that the warmth of the sun on my skin made me want to stretch out on the ground, basking in it.
“You’re freezing,” Tynan cursed before taking my hands into his.
“Aren’t you going to extend your concern to me too?” Victor snorted.
“Can you be quiet and stay still?” Frid was examining his wound.
“I feel like you’re going to tear my arm off,” Victor mumbled.
“How did you know? That’s exactly what I was planning to do.” Frid drew out a strip of white material from her side pocket.
“How is it?” Tynan approached them.
“He’ll survive,” Frid responded.
“What happened at the tavern?” I asked, knowing that they probably discussed it among themselves while we were flying.
“I went to see Erin and they probably followed me back,” Tynan said in a low voice.
“Or the pigeon told on us.” Victor bared his teeth when Frid tightened the bandage on his arm.
“It’s possible.” Tynan exhaled and his eyes shifted back to the valley.
“What now?” I asked.
“We take a break and continue after the sun goes down,” Tynan said.
I nodded, too exhausted to ask any more questions.
The next moment, I made myself comfortable on top of the grass, close to Solomon who was already lying down with his hand covering his eyes from the bright sunshine.
I turned my head searching for Tynan. He ended up taking a spot by the edge of the drop, overlooking the fields.
He was going to watch over us while we slept, as if he did not need any rest.
Does he ever sleep?
I closed my eyes, convinced that I could not move even if I really wanted to. With a sigh, I reached up and covered my face with my arm, angling it in a way that the sun could not shine directly at me and immediately went out like a light.