18. Take My Hand #2
The light shifted on Vaelen's face as she drew closer. It eased her features and she was practically grinning by the time she reached Aaryn. "Welcome to Cloud Haven. I'm Vaelen, archdruid of this circle," she said, and offered a hand.
Aaryn blinked. "Vaelen?" she asked.
The archdruid cocked her head to the side. "That's correct," she said. "Heard of me?"
"Actually… yes," Aaryn said, absently taking her hand, blinking quickly, her way of processing new information. Why was that so cute?
"Wasn't me," Thea said, lifting both palms innocently, as the archdruid's gaze landed square on her. "It wasn't!"
Aaryn chuckled. "It wasn't," she confirmed quietly, and Thea waved an arm as if to say, see?
"I'm Aaryn… of Starspark," she landed on proudly.
At that, Vaelen cracked a smile. "Charmed.
I'd love to hear what the rumor mill has to say about me, Aaryn of Starspark.
Another time. You'll be in Thea's care, so I'll let her deliver you to your dragon, and let you take everything in.
If you need anything at all, come find me.
Thea will explain how to travel the circle. No weapons, yes?" Vaelen checked.
Thea patted the dagger in her belt. "Got it."
Vaelen latched onto the ritual dagger, intended for show rather than action, but still sharp as any blade. Vaelen made eye contact with Aaryn. "You can have it back in due time, if you want it. Once we're sure you're not going to use it on anyone."
"Oh, I wouldn't—Okay," she said with a nod.
Thea had placed that same dagger in her very palm and she hadn't intended to use it. Thea didn't see that changing now. Her horns tingled at the memory, and she shook herself back to the present when Vaelen spoke again.
"Alright, then. You can go see Starspark. Thea, she's your responsibility now. Keep her safe, or keep us safe from her. Got it?"
Thea's eyes flicked to Aaryn. Yeah. Thea was up to the challenge.
"Yes, Vaelen," she said, and dipped her head once more.
Vaelen grinned. "And get her some clothes. She sticks out like a dragon in Windhelm. Alright, you kids. Have fun. Give Starspark a kiss for me."
"As if," Thea said, and Vaelen winked before turning on her heel. The large dragon blinked slowly at them before padding after her.
"Ready?" Thea asked her.
Aaryn nodded, gazing after Vaelen until she disappeared behind the trees, towards her home.
"She's… scary," Aaryn whispered.
Thea chuckled, because Vaelen wasn't scary at all. She was fierce, and protective of her people. As a leader should be.
"You'll get to know her," Thea said, and motioned back to the teleportation runes. "On to the next."
Aaryn walked ahead of her and once they were both inside the circle, Thea shifted the runed tile into place to activate it.
One moment they were staring out over the trees that hid the training area and Vaelen's base of operations, and the next moment they were staring at the naturistic scene of the Dragons’ Nest, Thea's favorite.
Dragons occupied any part of the circle they wanted, but most preferred here. It had been designed with them in mind, after all.
Beneath the moonlight, which always seemed brighter up here in the clouds, was the dragons’ paradise.
Aaryn's gasp felt good to hear.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Thea asked, and led her between the stone pillars.
Ponds and caves and large trees and fields for the dragons to sunbathe upon filled this isle.
This time of night, most of the dragons were settling down, but some were awake and stared at the sparkly newcomer cautiously.
Dozens of dragons spread out, some lazing about, some unseen, some eager for attention.
"There's so many," Aaryn breathed.
"They're happy here," Thea told her. "Come this way," she said, and then glanced at Aaryn's shoes, the little heel on the end. "You might have an easier time if you took those off. The grass is soft enough to walk on."
Aaryn pursed her lips and took a few steps onto the terrain, stubborn as ever. Thea grinned when her heels indeed sank into the grass.
She paused, stiff with annoyance, and lifted a foot to yank at the shoe.
Thea graciously offered her an arm, hiding her smile as Aaryn's glare shifted in her direction… and softened. Aaryn placed a hand there to steady herself. "Thanks," she murmured, and slipped her short heels off beneath the bright moonlight.
Their steps on the path were quiet as they walked, but she could practically hear Aaryn's brain buzzing with her thoughts, the tense fizzle of curiosity bubbling.
Thea refrained from parting her lips and letting an entire history spill from her mouth. She didn't want to overwhelm Aaryn, so she'd be patient. Thea would wait for her curiosity to gnaw at her a bit. Make Aaryn ask for it when she was ready.
"Starspark has been keeping to himself," Thea said to fill the silence.
"There’s something wrong with him," Aaryn said, and her pace quickened.
Thea glanced over at her. She knew that, of course, Starspark was growing more combative every day. It was part of going feral. "You sound so sure."
"I am," she said.
Thea cocked her head to the side, heart racing. Was it true, then, that Aaryn somehow saw through Starspark? Felt through him, too?
They hadn't gotten very far into the Dragons’ Nest when they heard the quiet, quizzical whine of a dragon. In seconds it turned into a roar.
"That's him," Aaryn said, feet sure, as if she already knew her destination though she had never been there before.
Thea watched her go, curious at the confidence in each step. Starspark was much louder, his growl cutting through the trees, and Thea’s stomach began to turn. What if Starspark didn’t recognize her? Why did he sound so angry?
Aaryn slid to a stop as a dragon's snout stuck out between the trees, sniffling through the low, dangerous rumble.
The moment Aaryn laid eyes on him, a quiet sob slipped out of her, and the sound made Thea's chest hurt.
The growl stopped, and it was so quiet Thea heard her own heartbeat like thunder.
Then Aaryn sprinted for the dragon—
“Aaryn, no!” Thea warned, because Starspark had not been himself lately, and suddenly Thea’s mind was filled with terrible images of Starspark parting his jaws and releasing his breath upon her and there would be nothing Thea could do to protect her.
Thea ran, too, but she wasn’t quick enough.
Starpark darted out between the trees. His tail whipped excitedly through the air, his scales shining in the low moonlight, flickering the palest greens and deepest indigo.
His wings were pinned to his back as he ran, the light striking him just right and revealing a rich pink shimmer in his scales before he slammed into Aaryn.
"Starspark!" Aaryn cried, and it took Thea a second to realize her squeal was one of delight. They rolled—and Starspark used his wings to protect her, as Aaryn wrapped her arms around what she could of him.
Thea panted as she slowed, watching them carefully as her panic ebbed.
Her throat went tight as the dragon nudged his snout against Aaryn, his affection plain as the moonlight. His big breaths disturbed the escaping strands of her long hair, and he held still, nuzzling against her as she embraced him.
Aaryn whispered things to him that Thea couldn't hear, and maybe that was for the best. She hung back to let them have their moment.
It had been a long time coming, after all.
And whose fault is that?
Starspark was fine. Purring and happy, and himself again now that Aaryn was here.
It was that easy.
Thea leaned against a tree and dug the toe of her shoe into the dirt, feeling…
something tangled and complicated in her chest. She wondered how different things would be if Aaryn had waited for her on Lover's Peak.
If Thea had been able to bring her with Starspark.
If she hadn't had to blow out the east wall to distract the guards—the ones who were supposed to be on break.
She supposed it didn't matter now. It had led them here, after all. Finally.
When she glanced up again, Aaryn was scratching under Starspark's chin, and he was staring right at Thea.
She took it as a sign, and approached. "Hey, big guy," she greeted. "Told you I'd bring her to you."
He interrupted his scratches to lean down and bump her with his snout for the first time. Shock skittered through her, and she rocked back on her heels before she leaned into his affection, his thanks.
"You made him a promise," Aaryn said.
"And I kept it," Thea finished.