Dragon Deep

Chapter 20 - Revelations

Finally tearing my eyes from the bewitching sight, I focused my gaze on Drey. He was on the verge of collapsing. It was clearly visible from his colourless face, with no hint of a blush or anything. Even his lips were greyish. He batted his long eyelashes, trying to stay focused. Finally, his knees gave way and his scythe slipped from his trembling grip. Bain, who had been eyeing him for a while, immediately reached out to grab him when he toppled over. His hazel hair shook when he fell, which made me wonder if they felt like silk, or perhaps something close to an angel’s feather.

Daik trotted over noiselessly, leaving a trail of glittery substance as its wings fluttered.

“What happened to him?” Its alluring, feminine voice sounded.

“He’s…sick.” I offered.

“Real helpful, Aria.” Bain grunted. Daik cast him an amused look, like the two had an unspoken relationship with each other.

“Okay smarty pants.” Bain didn’t respond to that. Instead, he lowered Drey to the ground as Daik closed in. Daik looked over at Drey, touching his forehead very delicately. It was as if Drey was fragile china that would instantly shatter at a touch.  

 “I’m not sure…but I think I can some herbs that will help. It’s just exhaustion of some sort. It’s like all his energy was drained from him.”

“He did say he was travelling…”

“Possibly.”

“I can help.” Janice immediately followed Daik into the cave, in her ‘healer’ mode.

The cave was like any cave you would expect. It did, however, had a full set of healing equipment (which Janice was ogling at), a small garden of glowing mushrooms and a small pond. Daik lit up a candle which illuminated the cave after he closed the ‘door’ (which was in actual fact, a rock.) Daik made a fire with his dragon flames and started to make some herbal concoction. Janice helped by watching the fire and monitoring the heat. Faerie dust, as Daik explained, was the glittery substance that was naturally produced by her wings. It had many magical properties, which reminded me of my fire crystal, made from a phoenix.

I looked at Daik again. I wondered faintly if Aaron knew her, considering he knew almost everything that happened.

Drey was still unconscious. He was lying on the floor, deep in sleep.

“So what are you here for, Aria Lyore?” Daik addressed me personally. I didn’t question how she knew my name. Daik had a gaze that showed intelligence.

“And please be straightforward. I can’t stand long stories and stupid tales that go round and round.” Her voice was sharp. I gulped involuntarily. 

“Why is Faris after me?”

 “You are not the first person to ask me this, but I’ll just recite whatever I had told him before. He might want it to extend his life, but I do not believe that is his main purpose. I did some research on him before, in various libraries and hidden texts, scriptures. Faris has lived on this earth for quite long but there are hardly any records about him. I had to go down to the library at the capital, disguising myself as a mere human being and look for books there. That spell wasn’t very easy, trust me.”

“Why the long story? I thought you liked people being straightforward.” Bain asked. Daik’s eyes flickered to him. Bain, himself was very comfortable on a stone ledge, where he leaned back, resting his head on his arms. Daik had a questioning expression, as though she was raising an eyebrow.

“I just wanted you to know how hard it was. In any case, have you ever noticed the ring he wears?” Daik responded rather curtly, nodding her head at Bain. He shrugged in response, looking uninterested.