Chapter 22
Dinner is a lively affair. Auri fills Elowen in on our afternoon escapades, and Elowen gives some ideas for what she thinks we should add to the scene.
Rauk is quiet during the meal, but that’s not really a surprise.
After we clean up, Elowen tells Auri she needs to take a bath.
Elowen stops next to Rauk, and he looks up at her.
“I’ll be in to help; just let me know when she’s ready.
” Elowen nods and moves towards the door.
I follow them. “Elowen, I can do it, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
The chair behind me scrapes against the floor. “I’ve got it.”
I turn to face him, ready for a fight. But that’s not what he gives me. He stops right in front of me, and I get a reminder of just how big he is. Him just standing there reminds me of all the things I’m frustrated about with him. So my question is aggressive when it comes out. “What?”
“Thank you.”
I frown. “What?”
“Thank you for what you did,” he pauses. “Are doing for Auri.”
I stare at him. “What is happening right now? Are you actually being a nice human being? No, not possible.”
He sighs like I try his patience, and that’s good because that’s what I’m trying to do. “I haven’t heard Auri laugh in a really long time.”
His words give me pause and make me sad at the same time, but then I remember all the things I’m upset with him over. “Well, maybe if you weren’t so cruel to her all the time, you would hear her laugh more often.”
Those dark eyes stay on mine, and I catch the flicker of anger. To any normal person, they would see it and back off; to me, it just makes me ready to challenge him. “I am not cruel to my sister.”
“You’re the very definition of cruel,” I return.
He makes a sound at the back of his throat. “You’ve been here for what? A few weeks? And you already have your judgments made?”
“They’re not judgments; they’re facts.”
“Well, maybe you need to get your facts right.” He strides past me and out of the kitchen.
I stride right after him but then stop myself.
Following him now won’t do any good. Elowen’s waiting for his help to get Auri in the tub.
Stopping him now will only hurt Auri and Elowen, so I let him go.
I pace the huge main room by the fireplace and think through what I’m going to say to him.
As frustrated as I am about everything here, I need to keep in mind the entire reason I’m here—to convince him to fight in the battle against the guivres.
The longer it takes me, the more my friends are dealing with.
I wait and wait and wait some more. I get tired of pacing and eventually sit.
When I finally realize he’s not going to come back out, I head to my room angry and annoyed.
I think through all the ways I should have handled tonight differently.
I should have walked back there and demanded he talk to me.
I shouldn’t have waited; I should have gone back to check on Auri.
But it’s too late now, and everybody’s probably in bed.
I head to my room and stare at my bed for a few minutes before I decide to take a bath, thinking maybe it would help me chill a little.
“Probably not,” I mutter. Only after I’m fully relaxed do I climb out of the tub and get dressed for bed.
When I lay in bed a few minutes later, I stare up at the ceiling and think through my points in the argument I’m going to have with Rauk.
It takes forever for me to fall asleep. I sleep in longer than I mean to.
When I get out of bed, I rehearse my points once again.
I want to get back to the Wolf Kingdom, and this is the way I’m going to get there.
A niggling in the back of my mind reminds me that I would have to leave Elowen and Auri, but I push it away.
I need to stay focused today; this is the reason I’m even in this kingdom.
After I finish dressing, I head to the kitchen and push open the door. “Morning, Elowen.”
“Morning? It’s almost afternoon,” she says with a smile. “Sleep well?”
I cringe. “I did. How about you?”
“Okay, but that’s kind of how it is when you get to my age.” She looks up from the fruits she’s cutting up. “Don’t ever get old, Child.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I say dryly. “I take it Rauk has already left for the day?”
“He has. He’ll be gone for a few days at least.”
“What? Why? And if you say kingdom business, I’m going to throw something,” I warn. She clamps her mouth shut, and I pinch the bridge of my nose. “He’s killing me. Where did he go?”
“To go deal with some problems, but he probably won’t be back for a little while.”
I stare at her as dread pools in my gut. “Are you talking like weeks...like last time?”
She nods. “Probably.” I rub the back of my neck. I’m so frustrated, and I have no idea what to do. I look over at her. “Don’t worry about it. He’ll be back before you know it,” she says patting my hand.
“Where would he go?”
She frowns. “What?”
“Where would he go from here?”
She shakes her head. “I can’t really say.”
“I just mean, where would he go when he leaves this building? Where does he go first thing in the morning?”
“Oh, he’d go check in with his council.”
“And where would that be?”
“In the main building in the center of town, but...wait, where are you going?”
I look back at her. “To the main building in town.”
I don’t wait to hear her protests. I am so tired of him blowing me off.
This time, it’s not going to happen. I will talk to him today before he leaves for weeks on end.
I head to my room and grab my fur, and then I’m out the front door.
I make my way to the center of the town.
People stay out of my way when I walk; I’m not sure if that’s because of who I am or if it’s my demeanor.
I’m betting it’s the latter, but I don’t really care.
I’m irritated with Rauk, and it is past time to talk.
He can’t just keep leaving for days on end.
If he’s doing this just to avoid me, then this is not going to be a pleasant conversation.
When I get to the center of town where all the buildings and people are, I make my way over to the largest building. There’s a man outside the door that I’m guessing is security. I walk over to him. When I get close, he stands straighter. “Can I help you?”
I do my best to sound somewhat polite. “I’m looking for Rauk.” The man blinks, and I correct myself. “I’m looking for your king.”
“He’s not available right now.”
I give him a look. “Look, I’m not really in the mood for this right now. I need to talk to Rauk, and you need to let me. My name is—”
“Harper. Yes, I know.”
I’m starting not to like this guy.
Redara is suddenly in my head. Don’t you dislike most men?
Hello to you too, I send back. And that’s not true. I eye the man standing in front of me. “I just need to talk to Rauk. If you could just let him know—”
“He’s not here,” he cuts in.
I stare at him. “Seriously? You could have led with that. Where did he go?”
The man’s expression hardens, and I know I’m not going to get anything from him. Red, I start.
I'm on my way.
I turn away from the guard. Really?
Really. I'll grab you, and we will track them.
I look up into the sky. Let me guess—Noxlyn is gone too.
Yes, and he wouldn’t tell me where he was going.
I shake my head. I don’t get it. Why is it such a secret? Where do they go?
That’s what we’re going to find out. She sounds confident; that’s for sure. It only takes a few minutes for her to land in the center of town. If I wasn’t drawing attention before, I sure am now.
I walk over to her. Ready? I’m coming up.
Let's go, she says rather impatiently.
Moments later, I’m on her back. Let’s go.
She takes a few steps and then flaps her powerful wings, and up we go. I lean forward, so her neck can block some of the icy wind. Any ideas on how we’re going to find them? I ask her.
I think I can track Nox or at least get close to him. I can tell the general direction he’s in, and I think it will get better the closer we get.
Sounds like a plan. Are they far?
I don’t think so.
We fly for a little while in silence. I take in the view below us.
So far, we’re still in the Dragon Kingdom, but I have a feeling that will end soon.
I’m right, and we come to the end of the kingdom.
The huge walls are up ahead. We’re almost on top of them when a huge black dragon suddenly flies into our path.
I squeeze my legs tightly to keep my seat when Redara jerks upward to avoid colliding with Nox.
When I’ve regained my seat and my breath, I glance over at the powerful dragon and notice right away that Rauk is not with him. Ask him where Rauk is, I tell Redara.
Working on it, she says in response. I try to see what’s beyond the wall but can’t see anything from this height; the walls block my view. Redara suddenly starts to descend. Seconds later, we’re on the ground. Nox lands with a thud next to us. What are we doing? Where’s Rauk?
We can’t go any further, Redara says.
“What?” I ask out loud. “Why not?”
Nox snorts out a puff of air, and I get the feeling he doesn’t like my question. Or maybe he just doesn’t like me; that’s definitely a possibility. Nox said we can’t go outside the city walls; it’s dangerous.
Um, you’re a dragon; I think we’ll be fine.
Yes, I am aware.
Well, then tell him that we’re going to go out there.
She doesn’t say anything in return, and I know she’s communicating with Noxlyn.
I have a feeling it’s going to be a dead end.
If he’s as stubborn as Rauk—and I’m sure he is—he’s not going to change his mind.
I climb down and walk towards the towering wall.
There are several guards on the ground near the huge door.
When I look up, there are guards along the top of the wall as well.
I remember that from when we flew over to get here.
The guards on top the walls are facing out, but the guards on the ground are watching the two dragons and me with an intensity that I can understand.
I glance up at Redara, but she’s locked in a silent battle with Noxlyn.
I leave them behind and walk over to the guard nearest me.