Chapter 45
Forty - Five
Nyx
It doesn't take much convincing to persuade Hani in giving me information about her sister.
In fact, she was all too eager to describe exactly where I could find her if I wanted to stretch my legs and take a turn around the city.
My hesitation was quickly dismantled when Hani assured me I would be safe.
She even offered to escort me herself to the dragon training facilities, but I declined her generous offer.
I'm sure she has more important things to do than babysit me.
Hours. It takes me hours to muster the confidence to walk through Vashbehtan.
Not because I'm afraid the citizens of this secret kingdom might give me trouble, but because of the stares I'm sure I'll garner by my appearance.
I use the clothes Hani leaves me to cover most of them, but the one on my face is hard to disguise.
Thankfully, it's on the right side where I can have some of my hair shield my face.
It's hot here. Surprisingly, it's not hotter than Midori despite the Golden Kingdom being near the coast. How the mountains and cliffs are positioned, the city is camouflaged from prying eyes but has impressive airflow, keeping the city cool.
I mutter Hani's directions over and over again in my head but still manage to get lost. After asking a few Vashbehtanians for help, I finally find the dragon facilities.
I stop dead in my tracks the moment the ziggurat comes into view.
Hell, Hani should have just told me to look for the most impressive structure in the city, and I would have come directly here.
The terraced compound has varying levels and draws me in like a moth to a flame.
There aren't any guards, very similarly to Fendruil in Elowen.
Again, who would be stupid enough to attack dragons?
I walk through the open door, the archway towering over me by at least forty feet.
Probably to accommodate the dragons flying in and out.
The ceilings are high and the space inside expansive.
There are dozens of sand dragons in here with their golden scales and equally golden eyes.
As if they've all noticed a newcomer, their heads swivel toward me and I stop. Maybe I shouldn't be here.
I know if a strange man walked into Drexels' pen, my dragon would be tempted to freeze him. I raise my hands in surrender.
One of them roars, rattling the cedar rafters.
"I'm sorry," I backpedal. I'm not interested in pissing off anymore dragons than I already have. "I was looking for someone. She must not be here."
Hagar turns the corner with a bucket tucked against her hip. My sheepish smile is met with a deep-rooted scowl.
"What are you doing here?" Her greeting is not exactly how I expected this going.
"I-I-I was looking for you," I studder, internally cursing at my fumbled words.
She arches a brow. "Why?"
"I wanted to thank you for saving my life."
"Are you planning to thank Helios, too?" she teases dryly. "I doubt he'll be interested in a surprise visit."
Shit. This is not going well. What the fuck am I supposed to do with her? This is what I get for being nice.
When I fail to respond she huffs, rolling her eyes. She waves a bandaged hand forward, motioning me to follow her. "Since you're here, you might as well help."
"What happened to your hand?" I ask, but she waves off my concern.
"It's just a scratch. No need to get into a long explanation."
I fight the urge to press her for more information about her hand and follow after her. "I was hoping to run into you."
"Oh, really?" she says, though I doubt she really cares by her tone. "And why is that?"
I grimace. "I'm not sure."
She whips to face me and laughs. It feels like sunshine on a cold winter's day. "You don't know? Seems like you're lost in more ways than one." She doesn't grant me a moment to respond to her off-handed comment. "This is Marshu. Home of all sand dragons."
I shove my hands into my pockets. "So, this is where you spend all your time?"
She nods. "When I'm not on patrol with Helios, I'm here."
"It's incredible."
I feel her eyes on me and stop. "You don't seem surprised at the sight of dragons."
"I'm not." Drexel pops into my head. I miss him more than I thought I would. As if a piece of me is gone and I need to have it back to be whole.
"Do Tronovians still have Fire Breathers?" Her eyes brighten at the possibility. "I thought they all died in the Great War?"
"From what I know they did." Her confusion is immediately put to rest when I say, "But I have a Frost Dragon."
"You have a Frost Dragon?" She frowns, eyeing me head-to-toe. "How is that possible?" she motions to my face, clearly lacking all traces of Frost Elf features. "You are not a Basilius."
"It's a long story." I rake my hand through my hair only to remember I'm making my new scar visible. When I go to pull my hair over my face, she reaches up and stops me. She doesn't say anything, nor does she fuss which I expect her to do. Instead, she says, "I have time."
She extends a second silver bucket with butchered pieces of meat. "Come. You can tell me all about this Frost Dragon of yours while we feed the – "
My mouth drops when a shimmering golden dragon waddles into view. "Is that a baby dragon?"
"We call them hatchlings, but yes."
Two more hatchlings bound around the corner, and my eyes widen in wonder and excitement.
"There are more?"
"Just these three. These hatchlings are siblings.
This is Zani." She grabs my hand when I reach to pet the dragon and pulls me back.
"Zani bites," she warns. She releases me when our eyes meet and points at the second dragon.
"That is Zoot, he has a love for treats and will con you into giving him extra so don't." The third dragon races up to me, nearly knocking me on my ass when she barrels against me.
Opposed to the other two who are standoffish and wary of me, she sniffs me with wild amusement and curiosity.
"Hello, who are you?" I kneel slowly and pet the hatchling. I glance up at Hagar when I feel her eyes pinned on me. The astonishment on her face is hard to miss. "What?"
"That is ZuZu," she says slowly. "She likes you."
"Why do you sound surprised?"
"She's typically very shy and only lets me near her." Hagar tilts her head, her thoughts running wild in her head. "It would seem you not only have a way with ladies but with dragons as well."
I'm taken aback by her comment. Where did that even come from? "What do you mean by that?" My brows pinch together.
Her lips twist. "Let's just say I know your type."
I stand to my full height, towering over Hagar by at least a foot. "You don't know anything about me."
"No?" She tosses meat at the hatchlings before moving deeper toward the fully-grown dragons. I follow after her like a lost puppy in need of a home, but she's gotten under my skin and with one coy comment, I'm in need of an explanation.
"Enlighten me then." I challenge and she readily accepts.
"You're handsome and you know it. You sweet talk women into doing your bidding and aren't one to settle your sights or heart on just one. You use your dashing smile and humor to slither out of trouble. Am I landing in the general area?"
I cross my arms over my chest and smirk. "So, you think I'm handsome?"
She rolls her eyes. "Proving my point."
My humor typically lightens tense situations, but with her, nothing lands. Blunt, stubborn, judgmental, and grumpy. That's the perfect description for Hagar Naziri. But if she wants honesty, I'm not shy. I can play that game too.
"You're so quick to label me as a cocky playboy but you have no idea what I'm really like."
She continues tending to the dragons, declining to respond. ZuZu nuzzles my leg for pets, but I won't fall behind, so I scoop the hatchling into my arms and march after the stubborn Naziri. "And what about you?"
She still doesn't stop or look at me. "What about me?"
"You package your honesty in unfeeling bluntness because you think being kind and vulnerable are weaknesses."
She whips around, perhaps I've touched on the right issue. "Just because we both have scars doesn't mean you understand me."
"Since you value honesty, then let's be honest with one other.
" I close the gap between us. "You're right.
I do use my looks and my humor to get ahead.
I don't settle down with one woman because up until being captured, I didn't know if it was possible for someone with regeneration powers to die.
I couldn't willingly put any woman through a life like that.
To watch as she grew older, as our children grew older, only to watch them helplessly waste into nothing and be left to wander this world alone knowing everything I lost. So yeah, I haven't settled down with one woman.
I fill the void in my heart by spending nights with whoever I want.
It does nothing to dull the ache in my heart but for a moment, just one solitary moment, I feel like maybe in the future there'd be some hope for me. Is that honest enough for you?"
Hagar stares at me intently but says nothing.
"Fine," I scoff. "Don't respond. I have a clear conscience."
"Why'd you come down here?"
Her question makes me pause. "What?"
"Why did you seek me out?"
I mull over the question. If I was going to be completely raw with her, I'd have to admit I wanted to see her again because she makes me feel something I've never felt before.
I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it's as if she's ignited a fire within me.
Perhaps, it's just someone challenging me and I like a good fight.
But a small, timid part of me thinks maybe it's more than that.