“You’re the most stubborn creature the gods ever made,” Dad said once, half exasperated, half proud. “It’ll save your life one day. Probably get you killed on another.”
My stubbornness is the only thing pushing me forward at this point.
When I reach for the next ledge, I realize it’s wider than others. Quickly, I reach for it with my other hand. I try to pull myself up, but my muscles give out.
I pause, breathing heavily.
I’m not giving up now.
Absolutely not.
So, I take a few more deep breaths and with a roar, pull myself over the edge of a damn cliff. I hook the first leg, then the next, and crawl away from the edge.
The wet rock is hard under my cheek. I remain pressed to the ground for a long moment, just trying to catch my breath.
I don’t even want to think about how I’ll get down.
After a couple of minutes lying flat, I realize that if I don’t pick myself back up now it may never happen. So, I muster what little energy I have left, and rise to all fours. When I look up at the mouth of a cave, I find two pairs of golden eyes watching me.
I’m soaked through, rain pouring down my face. My clothes are ragged, face full of scratches.
She watches me calmly from the comfort of her cave. Her two feet are neatly folded in front of her, the long tail wrapped round her, the very tip of it swishing lazily.
I must look like a damn joke to the dragon.
Slowly, I get on my feet. When she doesn’t react to that, I raise my palms in the air and take a step closer. I pause.
No reaction.
Okay, I got this.
Inch by inch, I make my way towards the dragon. She doesn’t display any signs of aggression or disapproval. She just watches me as if she’s curious to see where this will go.
Once I approach the mouth of the cave, I pause. There’s about four feet between us. I don’t dare step inside the cave.
Maybe my mistake was to approach the dragon at the feeding grounds. Maybe I should have listened to Elder Arcon…I only hope the dragon forgives me for the mistake and gives me a second chance.
With no clue how to approach this, I press my fist above my heart and bow at the waist.
“I’m sorry I approached you earlier,” I say once I rise. “I shouldn’t have disturbed your…feeding time.”
No reaction.
Okay.
No reaction is better than being burned alive, I guess?
I clear my throat, and continue, “When I faced you during the Trial of Wisdom, I felt a connection between us. That’s why I am here. I came to ask you to accept me as yours.”
I’m clumsy with my words. My heart races in my chest. Now that I stand here in front of the dragon I’ve chased for so long, I’m clueless about what to do.
So, I kneel in front of her. “I am Phoenix Wildarrow, the daughter of Airo and Tana Wildarrow, honorable human Decarios from Wetra. I’m the first human Decarios to have won Valtaz’Ezkairin and serve as the Ezkai General of Ekios. Will you do me the honor and accept our bond?”
When the tail stops swishing, I go still as a statue.
Slowly, the dragon stretches its long neck. Her snout gets closer and closer to me until she’s mere inches away. Her warm breath skitters over my face, the scent of sulfur overwhelming my senses.
Oh gods.
