The dragon shifted slowly—just a tiny adjustment of his massive body—but the ground hummed with it, like the cave itself reacted to him.
“You know the dumb thing though?” I whispered. “This place. Darkmoor. I prefer it. I prefer these creepy halls and evil fucking doctors like Marr over my home. I would take the torture. I would do the tests. If it meant I never had to go home again and see the utter—disappointment on my father’s face.”
My voice broke on the last word.
The dragon lowered his head.
Not toward me—
for me.
A slow, sombre bow.
Like he understood.
Like he was grieving with me.
Like he was saying:You deserved better.
The fire crackled softly.
The dragon’s tail stayed wrapped around me, warm and steady, like an instinctive shield.
I was working up the courage to speak again when—
a sound cut through the cave.
A voice.
Faint at first.
Muffled by the trees.
But unmistakable.
“Ash?” I breathed.
The dragon’s head snapped up.
His pupils narrowed to slits, nostrils flaring as he tasted the air.
Another shout, closer this time:
“SEPH!”
My heart leapt and dropped at the same time.
I scrambled upright. “I—I have to go.”
The dragon shifted, lowering his enormous head until it blocked the entrance — not threatening, just… hesitant. As if he didn’t want me to walk back into danger.
“I’ll be okay,” I whispered. “I think.”
He rumbled low in his chest, unconvinced.
Another call echoed through the woods. Dev’s this time. Rough. Desperate.
I took a breath I didn’t feel ready for.
