Chapter 40
Less than thirty minutes later, I find myself back on Redara, heading for the Jaguar Kingdom.
I feel terrible for leaving Auri, again; but she told us she understood.
Hector volunteered to check in on her from time to time, and Farrah tracked down a few books for her to read.
I really thought Rauk would stay behind, but he was adamant about coming with.
And even though I suggested Redara stay behind, she was adamant about coming as well and carrying me.
It’s a quiet ride over the city. When we get to the portals, the guards eye us warily.
“I really want to keep going,” I tell Rauk.
“But I don’t want Rysden and Farrah to make the trek without the protection of the dragons overhead. ”
“Then we’ll wait,” Rauk says.
I dismount and walk a small path as we wait. When I look over at Rauk, he’s leaning against Nox, the picture of calm. But I don’t fail to notice the way he scans the sky often. “Did you compete in the Spirit Trials?”
My sudden question must surprise him, but he doesn’t even look at me. “Yes.”
“Has anybody from your kingdom besides you competed in the trials in the past few decades?”
“Yes,” he answers again.
I stop my pacing. “Did you send anybody to the last Trials?”
“No.”
“Okay, I don’t get it. Everybody says that a dragon competitor hasn’t competed in the Trials for like a hundred years.” I wait for him to answer, but he doesn’t. “I don’t get it.”
He finally looks over at me. “We do send competitors; we’re required to just like every other kingdom.
We would never deprive one of our people of their spirit animal.
But we compete differently. As soon as a spirit dragon appears, we’re pulled from the Trial and sent back to our kingdom.
If anybody sees a spirit dragon appear, Terron would wipe their memory of it.
So, we’ve been there and competed, but no one knows when our dragons come. ”
“Why?” I ask simply.
“It was the agreement my great grandfather and Terron came to after the battle. We had just lost nearly half of our kingdom, cursed now as guivres. We were small and trying to rebuild. Now, it’s just the way it’s been; and we haven’t changed it.”
“How come the guivres don’t come to your kingdom to attack?” I ask.
“They do every now and then. When they get close, Nox and I fly out to give them a personal greeting.”
I snort. “Bet it’s a one of a kind greeting.”
He smirks at me, and I stare at him. “What?”
I give him an amused grin. “You could be a pretty good looking guy if you smiled every once in a while.”
“Are you saying I’m not good-looking when I don’t smile?”
I shrug. “Your words.”
I figure that’s the end of the conversation between us, but he surprises me. “Where did you grow up?” I laugh. “What? Now, we’re going to try to get to know each other? I feel like it’s a little late for that.”
“How about you just answer the question?”
I smirk. “It’s pretty exciting; better brace yourself. Look around,” I tell him dryly. “This is pretty much it.”
He frowns. “What?”
“I grew up with the banished.” He doesn’t say anything, but I can feel his eyes on my face.
I don’t want any sympathy, so I don’t look over at him.
“So, yeah, I didn’t grow up right here, exactly; but I grew up outside the walls of the city.
But Rysden changed the law. It’s pretty great; all the banished got to move into the city.
And they’ll welcome back those that don’t get a spirit animal. ”
Farrah and Rysden show up with Lox and Jamik, saving me from having to say anything more. Shade and Solace, their spirit wolves, are present as well.
Rysden looks over to us. “Ready?”
I nod, and Rauk does as well. “There were a lot of guivres yesterday; I feel like I should warn you about that,” I tell them.
“Well, good thing we came prepared,” Farrah tells me from astride her horse. But her pale face tells me her words are a brave coverup.
I narrow my eyes at her. “Should you even be here?”
“No,” Rysden answers for her.
“I’m not going to stay behind at the castle and just wait until you all come back. Kinsley is my friend!” Farrah tells him and us. Rauk looks over at me, and I can almost read what he’s thinking on his face. I echoed Farrah’s words not too long ago.
“Okay. Let’s go then,” Rysden says. After talking to the guards, Rysden leads the way.
Once we’re all through, the four of them mount their horses, and Rauk and I, our dragons.
Noxlyn takes to the sky, and Redara follows.
It's different with Nox and Rauk flying next to us.
It brings with it a certain sense of security, even as I remind myself not to get used to it.
I am hypervigilant in watching the skies, but we fly without encountering a single guivre.
As soon as I dismount, I stride over to Rauk.
“No guivres?”
“Yeah.” But he looks as wary as I do. “Are the dragons staying here?”
“Yeah. I think it’s best,” I tell him. “Kinsley and Kaldar live out on the water.” If that surprises him, he doesn’t show it. He simply nods.
We’re heading in. Keep me updated if you see anything, and I’ll do the same.
Stay close to Noxlyn’s bonded, she tells me in return.
I can protect myself, I remind her.
I know.
Rauk is quiet as we make our way through the path in the trees and then eventually out onto the wooden walkway over the water.
Normally, this place brings a sense of peace and calm; but not today.
I can see several homes that have been burned; I’m assuming from guivre fire.
There’s a somberness here that isn’t usually present, and my heart aches for the people here.
When we get to Kaldar and Kinsely’s, I’m not surprised to see Kaldar’s entire security team outside the house.
Jorren looks as unfriendly as ever with his axe at his side.
Taren, who’s always been nice to me, doesn’t crack a smile; and Reika looks as pleasant as ever.
Rysden and Farrah start talking to Taren, but I don’t wait for them.
I slip past them. Reika eyes me warily but opens the door for me, and I slip inside.
The inside of the house is quiet, and I absently wonder if neither Kaldar nor Kinsley are here.
But I make my way down the hallway that leads to their room.
The door isn’t closed all the way, and I knock softly.
“Come in.”
Relief flows through me at the sound of Kinsley’s voice.
When I push the door open and see her, I stall in the doorway, taking her in.
Her face is all bruised, there’s a cut on her cheek and on her lips.
She has dark circles under her eyes. Her arm is wrapped and hanging in a sling around her neck.
My stomach tightens, and anger fills me.
I school my facial expressions and walk over to her.
“Wow. Did you do any damage to the other guy?”
She gives me a soft smile. “Harper. It’s so good to see you. I can’t believe you didn’t come see me when you were here.”
I sit in the chair next to her bed. “How did you know it was me?”
She eyes me. “Do you know any other dark-haired women who ride a red dragon and take guivres down from the skies?”
I grin. “Nope.” My grin fades. “How are you?”
Her smile fades as well, and I realize absently that her smile never really reached her eyes, not like it usually does. “I’m okay.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask quietly.
She blows out a breath. “Not really.”
“Okay. Then we won’t. Rysden and Farrah came as well.”
“Farrah’s here?” she asks, sounding emotional.
“Yeah. Want me to get her?” I offer.
Before she can take me up on the offer, there’s a knock at the door. “That’s probably her,” I say as Kinsely says, “Come in.”
But it’s not Farrah that comes in. Instead, it’s Sryena, the Jaguar Kingdom’s healer. There's suddenly a hand squeezing mine, and I look over to see Kinsley’s face is really pale. I start to stand, but she doesn’t let go of my hand. “Please stay with me,” she whispers.
“I’ve come to check on you,” Sryena says in a non-emotional voice. “Do you want your mate in here with you for this?”
“No,” Kinsley says, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“Let me wash up, and I’ll be in,” Sryena says and promptly leaves the room.
“Hey, you okay?” I ask and try to keep my voice gentle.
“She’s checking to see if the baby’s okay,” Kinsley says, her voice more than a whisper. Suddenly, I’m understanding her panic and the reason she’s lying on the bed.
“Oh.”
She nods and leans her head against the pillow. “She has to make sure there’s still a heartbeat.” Her eyes meet mine, and I see the tears there. “I don’t know if I can—”
I squeeze her hand. “No. Don't go there yet. You give this one a fighting chance; don’t give up on that yet.”
She blinks and a tear falls, but she nods. “Okay.” Her words barely a whisper.
When Sryena comes back in, she’s all business. Kinsley squeezes my hand so tightly, I think she’s possibly going to break one or more of my fingers. Sryena looks at me before looking back at Kinsley. “Is she staying?”
Kinsley looks at me, desperation in her eyes. “I’m staying,” I tell the woman, even though I wish Farrah were the one in here right now. I don’t do emotion, and I certainly don’t know anything about pregnancies or babies. But I won’t leave Kinsley right now.
Sryena eyes me disapprovingly. She’s probably wondering where Kaldar is; that’s something I’m wondering too. “Where’s Kaldar?” I ask softly.
Kinsley closes her eyes a moment. “I sent him to get something I needed, so he wouldn’t be here for this.” She turns to me, tears in her eyes. “I didn’t want to make him be here for this if...”
I want to scold her for sending him away, but I don’t.
Instead, I squeeze her hand. “Okay. Everything’s going to be fine, Kins.
” I will it to be so. The woman puts a towel over Kinsley’s lower half, and Kinsley squeezes my fingers again.
It’s silent in the room except for the movements from Sryena.
I keep my eyes on Kinsley’s face and let her squeeze my fingers painfully tight.
After what seems like an eternity, Sryena removes the towel and stands up.
Kinsley and I both eye her, and my heart races in my chest.
“Baby is fine,” Sryena says.
Kinsley lets out something close to a wail, and I miss what the woman says next.
I nod at the woman, and she gathers her things and leaves.
I stay in my seat, unsure what to do, as Kinsley sobs.
Suddenly, the door flies open, and Kaldar enters.
He looks like he’s two seconds away from tearing into something.
I quickly stand. “Kaldar,” I say, catching his attention.
“It’s okay. These are happy tears.” His eyes finally meet mine.
“The baby’s okay.” I watch as the tension leaves his body, and he strides over to the bed.
He slips into the bed next to Kinsley, and I take that as my cue to leave.
I slip out into the hallway, closing the door behind me.
I take the few steps out into the living room, unsurprised to see Farrah and Rysden, Lox, and Jamik.
I walk over to the only open space and lean against the wall next to the hulking presence of Rauk.
“Is she okay?” Farrah asks softly.