Chapter 10 Solace
Solace
The freedom is intoxicating.
For the first time since this morning, since the king's command locked me in wolf form, I can shift at will. I can move between my two bodies as easily as breathing, choosing whichever form best suits the moment. It’s such a small distinction but not having control over my own magic was just short of terrifying.
But now, I feel whole again, one with my animal instead of forced into that form with no alternative option.
When we need to cover ground quickly, I shift to my wolf and run alongside Kaia's horse and then when we stop to rest or make camp, I return to human form so I can hold her, speak to her with words instead of thoughts, and love her with hands and lips instead of fur and instinct.
I will never take my magic for granted ever again.
We have been traveling for just under two days now, following that inexplicable pull Kaia feels drawing her deeper into the Shadowlands.
The landscape has shifted as we move forward, from dense forest to rolling hills to terrain that grows increasingly rocky and difficult.
We have encountered more of those corrupted creatures twice since that first night, but we have fought them off together.
Kaia's skill with her mother's dagger improves with each fight, and I feel a fierce pride watching her move with increasing confidence.
My Omega is a warrior. Anyone who denies that truth is a fool.
On the morning of the third day, we climb to the top of a hill and spot something unexpected in the valley below.
A small town, barely more than a village really, but unmistakably a settlement of some kind.
Smoke rises from chimneys, small figures moving between buildings.
The sight fills me with both relief and caution.
We need supplies, information about what lies ahead, and Kaia could use a proper bed and hot meal.
But settlements also mean people, and people mean questions we may not want to answer.
If any of the individuals who left Valoria are there, they may wonder why the princess has left the kingdom. Not that King Frederik isn’t already wondering or sending out a search party for her.
"What do you think?" Kaia asks from her position on the horse, shading her eyes against the midday sun as she studies the town below.
"I think we need information," I say through the mindlink. "And supplies. We are running low on several things. But we need to be careful. You are recognizable, Kaia. If anyone realizes who you are—"
"I know." She reaches into her pack and pulls out a length of dark fabric, wrapping it around her head and lower face so that only her eyes are visible. The disguise is simple but effective, making her look like any other traveler protecting herself from dust and sun. "Better?"
I nod, though something in my chest tightens at seeing her forced to hide her face.
She should not have to conceal herself, should not have to fear recognition in what is technically still her own kingdom's territory.
But the world is not kind to princesses who refuse to follow the paths laid out for them.
We make our way down into the valley, approaching the town with caution.
As we draw closer, I can see it more clearly.
Perhaps thirty buildings total, a mix of homes and businesses clustered around a central square.
There is a blacksmith, a general store, what looks like a healer's shop, and a tavern that seems to serve as the social hub of the community.
People go about their daily business, and I notice something odd.
There is no wall around this settlement, no fortifications of any kind.
They are completely exposed to whatever dangers might emerge from the Shadowlands.
Just off to the side, I shift back to my human form and grab the pair of clothes I folded into Kaia’s bags this morning. We enter the main space, voices carrying on the wind, conversations overlapping as we pass.
"Saw one yesterday, flying overhead. Massive thing, scales like black glass."
"Did it attack?"
"No, just circled a few times and moved on. They usually do."
My ears catch another conversation near the blacksmith's shop.
"Lost three sheep last week. Dragon came down in the night and took them right from the pen."
"You file a report with the council?"
"What good would that do? Dragons gonna dragon. That is just the way of things out here."
The casual acceptance in their voices surprises me. These people are talking about dragons the way someone in Valoria might discuss wolves or bears. Dangerous, yes, but part of the natural order rather than existential threats to be destroyed at all costs.
We stop near the tavern, and I help Kaia down from her horse.
She moves stiffly, sore from days of riding, though she tries to hide it.
I make a mental note to insist on proper rest before we continue.
She is pushing herself too hard, driven by some magical pull she feels and her determination to prove herself.
The tavern door opens as we approach, a group of travelers comes stumbling out.
They look haggard, exhausted, some sporting bandages and the hollow eyes of people who have seen something that shook them to their core.
One of them, a man with a thick beard and travel-stained clothes, nearly collides with Kaia.
"Sorry, sorry," he mutters, then grabs her arm. "You are heading the wrong way. Turn back now if you know what is good for you."
Kaia stiffens beneath the fabric covering her face. "What do you mean?"
"The dragons." The man's voice drops to a hoarse whisper.
"We came from deeper in the Shadowlands, tried to make it to the territory everyone says they control.
Wanted to see if the stories about their treasure were true.
" He laughs bitterly. "We saw them all right.
Lost half our group. The ones who survived are running as fast as we can back to civilization. "
Another traveler, a woman with burn scars on her arms, adds, "They are monsters. Pure evil. Fire and claws and teeth, destroying everything in their path. Do not go forward. There is nothing ahead but death."
They push past us, hurrying toward their own horses, clearly eager to put as much distance between themselves and the dragons as possible. I watch them go, noting the genuine fear in their body language. These are not people exaggerating for effect. They believe what they are saying.
Kaia's hand finds mine, her determination moving through our bond. If anything, their warnings have only strengthened her resolve. She wants to see these dragons for herself, wants to understand what they truly are beyond the stories and propaganda.
We enter the tavern, the atmosphere morphing from the sunny ambiance outside to a space thick with smoke and conversation.
The area is crowded with locals and travelers, all gathered around rough wooden tables with mugs of ale or cider.
The barkeep, a sturdy woman with graying hair and sharp eyes, nods at us in acknowledgment but does not interrupt her current conversation with a customer.
We find a table in the corner, somewhat removed from the main flow of traffic, and settle in to listen. It is not difficult to catch fragments of conversation as everyone here seems eager to share their dragon stories.
"My cousin swears she saw one land in a field just outside town. Said it was the most beautiful thing she ever witnessed, all orange and red and white scales catching the sunlight."
"Beautiful? They are deadly! Remember what happened to that hunting party last month?"
"That hunting party was trying to kill one and take its head. Of course, the dragon fought back. That is self-defense, not an unprovoked attack."
"Either way, you do not want to get too close. They are powerful beyond imagination. One breath of fire can reduce a man to ash."
I listen carefully, trying to separate fact from fiction, truth from exaggeration.
The stories are wildly contradictory. Some describe dragons as mindless beasts that destroy everything in their path.
Others speak of them with almost reverent respect, as intelligent beings who simply want to be left alone.
Some claim the dragons hoard treasure and magic.
Others insist that is just legend, that dragons are no wealthier than any other shifter group.
The one consistent thread through all the stories is power. Everyone agrees that dragons are formidable, dangerous if provoked, and capable of destruction on a scale that few other creatures can match.
Kaia leans close so she can speak quietly without being overheard.
"They make it sound like the dragons are burning everything to the ground.
But look around, Sol. This town exists. These people exist. If the dragons were really pillaging and destroying everything, how would anyone survive out here? "
An excellent point. I look around the tavern with fresh eyes, studying the people gathered here.
They are not cowering in fear. They are not preparing for war or evacuation.
They are living their lives, going about their business, treating dragon sightings as something notable but not catastrophic.
Yes, there is caution in how they speak about the creatures.
Yes, there is respect born of knowing that dragons could destroy them if they chose to.
But there is not the kind of existential terror that Valorian propaganda would have us believe should exist this close to dragon territory.