Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Thirty-Three: Radiant

I let out another deep breath before moving my body in a slow, methodical way. My arms and legs fluidly moved from one position to the other as I stretched and forced my muscles to move with my movements.

A thin sheen of sweat accumulated on my body as the sun high in the sky began to dip to the horizon. I unfolded my body from its last position and gave my arms one final stretch over my head.

I heard the gossiping voices before I saw them. Yilba and her posse came giggling into view with Tolme trailing behind. Yilba's doe-like eyes finally landed on me, her lip curled in distaste.

"Your highness," Yilba greeted as her eyes ran over my pants and corset. "Good heavens, your highness, what on earth are you wearing."

"Pants," I replied, cocking my head slightly. "Surely you've seen them before?"

Tolme covered her mouth. I'm sure in an attempt to smother a laugh as Yilba turned slightly red.

"What is that movement called?" I heard Tolme ask. My eyes flickered to hers, and I smiled.

"It is called the Rimgar, or the Dance of Snake and Crane," I explained. "Elves use it to remain flexible and strong."

"And get sweaty in the process?" Yilba asked, raising an eyebrow.

"One doesn't get flexible and strong sitting on their rear and eating tea cakes," I replied with a small smirk. "I find it prudent to keep both my mind and my body strong."

Yilba went to sneer but cut her facial expression off when a strong gust of air rippled through the garden. That's when Thorn's enormous body descended from the sky, his sparkling wings out to slow the rate of his decent.

Tilting my head back and covering my eyes from the bright sun, I watched with entertainment as the ruby dragon landed in the garden. Behind me, the ladies let out gasps and took several steps backward.

My eyes went to Murtagh as Thorn lumbled over to shove his massive head into my face. Both of them were silently laughing at the trembling ladies behind me. I reached out to stroke Thorn's face when Yilba let out another gasp.

"You're going to touch it!" She shrieked. I glanced back as her as my fingers glided across the scaled of Thorn's face. Thorn rumbled his displeasure before pushing his head further into my touch.

"That wasn't very nice to say, Lady Yilba," I said as Murtagh slipped off of Thorn. He landed lightly on his feet as strode to where I stood, caressing his Dragon's face. "He isn't an incomprehensible animal. I would watch what you say. His hearing is quite excellent."

At my words, Thorn peeled back his upper lip and showed his top layer of teeth to Yilba, causing the woman with her to let out a shriek and shrink back. Yilba went pale and stepped backward. I smirked before looking back up at Thorn.

"Handsome as ever, Thorn." I cooed as my fingers brushed against a spot on his neck that I knew to be a spot Dragon's liked to be itched. Flames danced out of his nostrils as he pressed into my fingers.

"You know," I said in Thorn's mind. "Their reactions to you were quite hilarious."

A puff of smoke left Thorn's nostrils as the Dragon chuckled.

"We know," Murtagh finally spoke, with a grin. "it was quite entertaining."

The fear from the ladies behind us quickly diminished in Murtagh's presence. Yilba fanned her face as she took a couple of tentative steps towards us.