Through Smoke and Ashes

Twenty Three||Returning Home

"Quit getting yourself into trouble. I need to focus on this mission, but I can't do that if I'm worrying about you." He walks away with the rest of the group and leaves me standing still. I gather myself together and continue walking behind them.

As we settled camp and let Hames and Aelric move further on to find the dragon, the other five were in a trance of silent awkwardness. It almost seemed like they were tiptoeing around me. Their attitude was putting me on edge and I was beginning to feel annoyed.

I sat on my bedroll in front of the fire that Baylen was working to start. He glanced over at me occasionally until the fire from his fingers was able to burn the damp wood. The smoke billowed in large clouds for a few minutes until it settled down and flames were licking the air. "I've never seen a wild dragon act so..." His voice trailed off as he looked at me.

"Friendly?"

"I guess you can say that." He rocked back onto his heels.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, it's not going to eat me from saving it from a hunter's trap. They seem to be honorable creatures."

Baylen pursed his mouth before standing up to gather his bow and quiver full of arrows. He and Kayne let without a glance in my direction.

It was just me and the three young dragon riders left by the fire. Ton, the Airis rider, turned to me. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded my head.

"How many other dragons did you save from the traps? I heard that there were dozens of them on this island." His silver dragon was too large to be held, but it was still small enough that it would not be able to support its rider's weight.

"A handful," I say as I poke at the fire with a stick.

"You just keep getting cooler and cooler." Sige, the Dreo Rider, spoke softly into the dusk air.

That night, Alec and I trained harder than ever. I fought viciously with my sword, and he countered my attacks with a professional's grace. As we fought, I healed the injuries he was able to land on me with a practiced quickness. He wanted to teach me how to heal myself as I was in the heat of battle, and it was working well. I didn't stop or slow my movements as I healed the small cuts that were along my arms. It was becoming natural for my body to heal on its own without my mind being distracted by it.

"Good work, Navidean." Alec was breathing heavily from the exertion. I was in a state much worse than he was, but I still felt pride bubble from within. My stamina was increasing and the sessions became longer with each passing night.

He patted my back and took the sword from my limp hands. My muscles screamed and shook as I stood where I was, but my mind was still racing. I wanted to keep going.

"We'll take a break." Alec read my thoughts.

"I can keep going." Whisps of hair floated around my face, some sticking to my sweaty skin.

Alec shook his head. "We've been going all night. It will be morning soon." The scenery around me faded and I was standing beside my sleeping body. Baylen was sitting by the fire, passed out. He was supposed to be on watch.

I shook my head slightly while chuckling.

"Tomorrow you'll be leaving this island." Alec leaned up against a tree.

I nodded my head wordlessly.

"And these people still don't know you're a rider."

I bit the inside of my bottom lip. "I know." Was all I could muster.

Alec said nothing. Instead, he watched the people sleeping on the ground.

"I will tell them." My words were more to reassure myself.