Chapter 17
That sounds like him, I send to her as I walk next to her. Just making friends everywhere he goes. She snorts, but this time there’s no sulfur smell. So hopefully she’s not as angry as she was. I am sorry you got stuck here, though, instead of going with. Did Noxlyn tell you where they went?
No.
I wait for her to say more, but she doesn’t.
Well, that’s annoying. I think about it while we walk.
Where could they possibly be for a few days that they don’t want us to know?
And why? Rauk gets a little more frustrating every single day.
She doesn’t say anything else the rest of the way to the castle, and I don’t have anything to add.
We draw all sorts of attention as we walk, but nobody tries to stop us.
They just scatter as soon as they look up and see Redara, which is just as well because I’m not really in the mood to talk to anybody.
I just want to get back to the castle. When we get there, I nudge Redara’s front leg.
“Thanks. What are you going to do now?” A snort of air is all I get in response.
I turn towards the castle, and an idea takes form.
Hey, I’ve got an idea. Want to meet Rauk’s sister?
She doesn’t respond, and I take that as consent.
She can’t come out front, but I’ll bring her out the back door.
Do you mind meeting me in the back? You can just..
.fly over or whatever. I’ll meet you there in just a few.
I hurry up the steps before she can argue with me.
When I get to the front door, I bang on it with my fist. It doesn’t take long for the locks to disengage, and Elowen opens the door for me.
“Oh, goodness. Let me help.”
“I think it’s easier if I just get it all inside,” I offer instead.
“If I move anything, I’m going to drop it all.
” She pulls the door back all the way, and I make my way inside.
I walk over to an open area on the floor and bend over and put all my supplies on the ground. “All right. Is Auri still resting?”
“Yes.”
I start that way. “I’m going to grab her and come right back.
” When I get to her room, I knock softly.
When I don’t hear anything, I open her door slowly.
I walk over to her bed and shake her gently.
“Hey, Sleepyhead. You gonna sleep all day?” She doesn’t budge.
I stare down at her. “Really?” I shake her a little harder.
Nothing. Panic starts to build in my chest. “Auri?” I shake her a little more roughly.
“Elowen!” I shout, trying to figure out what’s wrong with her.
The door to her room opens. “What’s wrong?” Elowen asks, out of breath.
“She won’t wake up!”
“Oh.” Elowen’s voice is decidedly less frantic.
“She’s a deep sleeper.” She walks over to the bed and pulls the covers off and proceeds to pull Auri into a sitting position.
“Wake up, Child.” Bleary eyes blink open and close a moment later, and I nearly sag in relief.
It takes a few more minutes to get her fully awake, out of bed, and in her chair.
I grab a fur for her because she’s going to need it.
“Okay, can we just agree that that is not normal?” I ask as soon as we’re in the hallway.
“What?” Auri asks, her face a picture of innocence.
“I thought you were dead! That’s how asleep you were!”
I get the faintest smile in return, and I suddenly decide it was worth the panic I felt. “I have a surprise for you.”
Her eyes jerk up to mine. “You do?”
I nod. “Yep, but we have to go outside for it.”
“Okay.”
Elowen walks with us over to the door. “Are you ready for this?” I ask Auri.
She simply shrugs in response. “Well, don’t get too excited.
” Still no response, but I don’t let it bother me.
“Close your eyes.” She looks up at me with a face that is truly unimpressed.
“Just do it.” She finally closes her eyes, and I open the door.
I see Redara right away. Behave, I send to her.
I always behave.
It’s my turn to snort. And then we’re outside.
Elowen steps outside behind us and goes still.
Her eyes are wide as she takes in Redara, but I focus my gaze on Auri.
Her eyes are wide with awe and wonder. Redara turns her head towards where we’re standing and chuffs.
Smoke curls out of her nostrils, and she leans her head closer to where we’re standing.
I watch her carefully. I think she’ll behave, but I’ve been wrong before.
“She’s beautiful,” The words are barely a whisper, but I hear them.
“She is,” I agree with Auri. “Want to get closer to her?”’
“Oh, I don’t know—” Elowen starts.
“Yes,” Auri says at the same time.
“Let’s do it,” I agree. “Elowen, can you get her chair?”
“Yes, but—”
I don’t want her to talk Auri out of it, so I keep moving.
“All right.” I bend over, and she puts her arms around my neck.
I turn around and carefully maneuver the steps with her in my arms. When we get to the bottom step, I keep walking over to Redara.
She turns her head and that long neck stretches her head close to us.
Auri lifts her hand and then drops it. “You can touch her,” I encourage. “She won’t hurt you.”
Auri reaches out a hand, and Redara touches her snout to her hand. “Hi,” Auri says softly, to which Redara responds with a snort. Auri jerks back a moment but then seems to recover. “She’s amazing.”
“She is,” I agree as I help her settle in her chair.
I don’t want to do anything to ruin this moment, but I have to know.
“Have you never seen Noxlyn?” She shakes her head, and anger rushes through me so hard and fast. I wish Rauk was here right now; I would give him a piece of my mind.
I squeeze my hands into fists and try to calm myself down.
Getting angry won’t do anything to help right now in this moment.
“Would you take me for a ride on her?”
Auri’s question shocks me into silence. I look over at Elowen, who’s staring at me with big eyes.
She shakes her head just the slightest bit, letting me know exactly what she thinks of that plan.
I look back down at Auri and can’t handle the hope shining in her eyes.
I cave. “Sure.” I agree before I really know how we’re going to do this.
You sure about that?
No, I send back to Redara. The truth is, I have no idea how to pull it off. But I will figure it out. I look down at Auri. “I don’t know how to make it work just yet, but give me time, and I’ll figure it out. We will get you up on that dragon, Auri; and we’ll fly.”
Her head spins in my direction. “Really?”
“Really.” Even as I say it, I mentally commit to this. I will figure out a way to get her on Redara’s back and never let Rauk find out. “Just give me time to figure it out.” I give her a few more minutes with Redara. “We should probably head back inside.”
“Do we have to?”
Even as she says the words, she shivers. The last thing I need is for her to get sick; then Rauk will know for sure something’s going on. I cave at the look in her eyes. “Just like...five more minutes.” Redara reaches her snout down to Auri again, and Auri rubs her hand down it.
“I have to go, but I want to come back and see you again.” The words are so soft, and yet I catch them.
Tell her I will come when she’s ready.
“Redara said she’ll come when you’re ready to see her again.”
Big, dark eyes meet mine. “She talks to you?”
How does she not know anything about any of this?
! I swallow down my frustration and keep my voice gentle.
Well, gentle-ish. “Yeah. We have a mental bond or a link where we can talk to each other. Rauk and his dragon have one too,” I point out, but she doesn’t say anything in response.
“All right, Kiddo. Let’s get you back inside. Redara has to leave now.”
No, I don’t.
Yes, you do, I mentally argue with her. I’ve got to get her inside, and she won’t go inside if you’re still here.
Sounds like a you problem.
I don’t face my stubborn dragon. “I'm starving. Aren’t you?” She gives me a sullen nod, and I take it and run with it.
“Okay, let’s go.” She wheels her chair towards the stairs, but it gets stuck in the snow, so I help as well.
When we get to the stairs, Elowen holds the chair while I pick Auri up and carefully carry her up to the top of the steps, where the chair is waiting.
We head back inside and thaw out in front of the fire.
Once we’re sufficiently warm, we all head into the kitchen for warm bowls of lentil stew and biscuits.
Auri hasn’t said much since we came inside, and I miss the sparkle in her eyes.
“Have I told you about my friends?” I ask.
She shakes her head and doesn’t look at me.
“I think you would like them. My friends are both bonded to animals, like I am. My friend Farrah is bonded to a wolf, and my other friend Kinsley is bonded to a jaguar.”
That captures her attention. “Really?”
“Yes. And both of them have had babies. The animals, not my friends.” Though I have a feeling that it won’t take long for that to change for either of them.
Of course, this war could really mess with things.
Anger at Rauk and his unwillingness to join this war springs on me suddenly, and I have to take a deep breath and push those thoughts away.
He’s not even here right now, so there’s literally nothing I can do about it.
Each day that passes, though, makes me feel like more of a failure and a disappointment to everybody I left behind.
I mentally push those depressing thoughts away.
“Anyway, the babies are seriously the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. They grow fast, though.”
Auri’s eyes are on me now. “Do the other kingdoms have spirit animals too?”
“They do. Wolves and Jaguars.”
“I bet they’re not as pretty as our spirit dragons.”
I smile at that. “You’re right. I think there’s something about looking up at the sky and seeing the spirit dragons flying overhead.
” She gives a wistful smile, and my stomach tightens.
“You will get to see them someday, Auri.” She gives me a doubtful look, but I let it go.
To see them, she’d have to compete in the Spirit Trials and earn herself a spirit animal.
I believe she could do it one day; that’s what I’m training her for, even now.
But when I look back at her sad expression, I decide to do something about it. “Come on,” I say standing to my feet.
She looks up at me in confusion. “Where?”
“We’re going outside. I’m going to look at the spirit animals and describe them to you.”
Her eyes widen. “Really? Where?” she asks.
“I’m not sure yet. I didn’t really see any when we were out back. We’ll have to find a different way to see them.”
“I can’t go out front,” she reminds me.
I grin. “I know.”
“What are you going to do?” Elowen asks warily.
“Not sure yet, but we are going to figure out how to sneak out and watch the spirit dragons, so I can describe them to her.”
Auri looks between Elowen and me. “Any ideas?” I ask both of them.
Elowen thinks a moment; then lifts her chin. “Follow me.”
Auri turns to look at me, and I widen my eyes right back at her. “Let’s go,” I whisper excitedly as we follow Elowen.