“I did, but that’s not the point.” Aria’s voice was soft, almost a whisper as Ashe and Sebastian started going off on each other immediately, their ruckus doing an excellent job of covering for us.
“Are you really going to use Coronacht, Charlotte?” She was going right for the jugular. Her hands around my wrist softened, and gently slipped down until her fingers were entwined around mine. Just what I tried to do on our first date.
“It’s not right you have to do this alone. Heck, Aria, if he’s a dragon just like you, then what’s to say that I don’t lose you?” I watched her eyes grow wide. She never even thought about herself, only about protecting me.
“So, after I found out there was something to do, well, I have to do it right? It’s our world, so we do it together? Not our world where you make everything?” I gave a disarming smile as she grumbled, still with slightly peachy cheeks.
“You’re not allowed to take what I said drunk like that.”
“Ya, but do you still believe it? Even after the wardrobe change?”
We exchanged a glance down at our entwined fingers, then up into each other’s eyes. Her diamond speckles shimmered ever so softly as the bickering noise of the Pact Mages outside made for the perfect cover of white noise.
“I do, but I want to keep you safe. You know this.” She leaned in closer and I wrapped my other arm around her. It’s been so long since I felt her by my side.
“You know how you feel when I get hurt. Imagine if I didn’t do anything, and you died out there.” I stroked her soft, white hair as her arms wrapped around my waist. I could see that she was finally beginning to understand what I felt, as her eyes turned from surprise, then regret, then finally soft sniffling.
“I could still die.” She wasn’t really being serious anymore, and neither was I.
“I could too. Doesn’t change a thing.” I leaned in to give her a soft kiss on her forehead.
We spent a few minutes like this as we overheard Ashe and Sebastian bickering. Something about responsibility, recklessness, and whatnot. I was just happy to have her back again.
Finally, the two of us separated from our embrace. Her smile was back. Her voice was soft again. She was crying a little, but I brushed those tears right off her face.
“You don’t have to do that.” She gave a tiny laugh before continuing. “We have two days. Let’s spend tonight together, but you should spend the last day with your family. They should know the risks that you’re taking.”
“Or I could spend them both with you?” I managed a hopeful smile, but she was having none of it. Those diamond eyes narrowed, as she slowly shook her head. I supposed it would be recklessly irresponsible to not say potential goodbye to my folks.
“Fine, fine.” I relented as she gave me a glowering frown. “I wanted to spend them both with you.”
Then like lighting, she pecked me on the nose with a quick hop. Now it was my turn to blush. I didn’t know she had it in her to be flirty like that, but now that I was on the receiving end, it was a fun departure from norm.
“I know, but you’re not allowed to. Now let’s break up the two morons, okay?” The sound of their bickering was dying down now, but still loud enough to have everyone staring at the two of them.
I was still rubbing my nose, blushing, as the two of us approached the grumbling Ashe. Seems like he’d lost the argument. Sebastian was looking bored as ever, though a fair bit more smug.
“Good news, Ashe. You aren’t grounded. Bad news, you have to protect this dork with your life. Got it?” Aria put her hand on his shoulder as his eyes opened up in surprise, before a massive smile grew across his face.
Ashe looked like he had won the lottery as Sebastian shook his head in disbelief.
“Ha, old man! In your face!” Ashe snapped his fingers before running off into the middle of Mithil, ecstatically jumping and cheering with boundless energy. He was giving the crowds quite the show.
“I’ve made a terrible mistake.” Sebastian shook his head in dismay as Ashe paused suddenly, before racing back, panting.
“Right, got to keep near you Charlotte! Almost forgot!”
Now it was Aria’s turn to regret her life decisions, at least until I pecked her on the forehead again.
Chapter 20: A Dragon’s Parting Gift
“Is that a roost?” I blurted out in disbelief as I walked up the trapdoor leading to the uppermost levels of the Acadamae.
It was hard to describe it as anything else other than a massive dragon roost. The upper levels didn’t exist at all but was instead a massive hollow chamber that could serve as a dragon’s lair.
Large, sweeping balconies jutted out of the massive walls to provide us lonely humans some ability to match a dragon’s stare. Buildings and giant beams of metal were welded onto the floor and onto the walls to provide structural support, having been put there by some ancient draconian architect. Even looking at the roof made my mind spin. It was a dragon-sized circular door, with impossibly massive steel handles.
Once upon a time the floor might’ve been covered in treasure, but now only floorboards remained. Most of them were bundled to the sides of the massive roost, with some bundles leaning against various buildings.
Onyx dragon scales were neatly filed away, a forever-diminishing supply of irreplaceable material. It was mind boggling to think that the entire supply of black dragon scales consisted of three table sized stacks.
Discarded, leaning against the right side of the building, was the spear Coronacht. It was taller than me and carved out of two lengths of dragon bone. Strange, glowing spirals webbed across its length, almost as if it were alive. A dark indent at the handle of the spear betrayed its fragile origins; it was a weapon that could only be used once.
“This place is amazing…” I whispered, still taking in the sights as Aria watched on with a smile. It took a lot to get me awestruck, at least after Aria made herself a part of my life. Things have a habit of being ho-hum after your girlfriend turned out to be a dragon. This roost though, this roost was something else.
“I admit, I was taken aback, just like you are now. However, this place will not last.” Aria’s fingers wrapped around mine as we approached the door to her makeshift home.
“Even if we do not fight, Chronos’ old home will not last long. Perhaps he foresaw the approaching conflict. Maybe they all did.”
The metal door swung open with a clang, as I shuttered a little. Subtlety was not a part of any dragon’s repertoire.
The building was another story. It was quite cozy, with soft glowing crystals blanketing the entire room with an eerie blue glow. Speckles of light greens and purples flickered around the room for variety.
The entire place looked like it was meant to house one person, but was roomy enough to accommodate an entire family. A massive circular bed was sprawled across the middle of the room, partially covered in discarded clothing and old tomes. The bed looked like it could host said family sleeping together in a sprawl. Fit for a queen, or a very small dragon.
“Quite the living arrangements,” I said, still dazzled at the many glowing crystals as Aria locked the door behind us. In the soft blue glow, her eyes were like sapphires, sparkling brighter than the clearest rivers at dawn.
She turned around and took my other hand, before pressing me against the door. I thought she was going to kiss me or give me another lecture. Either one would’ve been understandable. Instead, her eyes shimmered softly, as if she was holding back tears.
