Page 141 of Under Restless Skies

At the Outer Beach, I can’t find my brother anywhere near the tunnel, and I don’t want to walk too far, since he could be somewhere else.

No more gliders dot the sky, and yet every time I look up I expect to see Celine falling. I walk away from the beach, and decide to return to the academy.

I’ll come to the restaurant later or tomorrow, as I need to know if Kaio still wants to join a merchant ship as an apprentice, if he’s willing to go away in a few days.

Something in my chest is tight and will only loosen when I know that my brother’s far away from this place, this kingdom, this disgusting dragon. But I need to make sure that he still wants to join a merchant ship. And if he doesn’t want to go, I don’t know what I’m going to do. In fact, I have no idea what to do regardless.

I get back to the academy and go down the stairs to the dungeons. Four guards stand by the entrance of the hallway leading to the hatchlings’ room, and I bet there are more men outside. There’s no way the rider could walk in unnoticed, although I’m sure he could defeat them with his magic—if he had his staff.

Where is the artifact? What is Dracolius doing with it? Can they even study it if they can’t touch it? And why could I touch it?

Amidst all the questions, what I don’t understand is why the rider left his magical object.

Protect them.

How? I’m just a recruit. Even whatever strange power I used to fight the rider and the smugglers feels like a feverish memory. None of it remained.

The guards let me through, as always, and I enter the hatchlings’ room. The place feels gloomy, empty, odd, maybe because it is gloomy, with so little natural light coming in.

The hatchlings are lying side by side, asleep by the water basin. Ava’s head rests on Vos’ tail and vice versa, and they look so innocent and peaceful, their small chests moving up and down. I don’t want to wake them up, so I sit by the basin and stare at the lovely creatures as a crevice cracks my heart.

What have I done?

Why did I take them from their parents? Sure, at the time I was under the illusion that they’d be free and happy in Dracolius, but still, part of me knew that I shouldn’t take baby dragons from their parents—and yet I didn’t care.

All I wanted was to join the Sky Academy. Well, here I am.

Ava sighs and coos, then looks at me, her eyes blinking. I take her in my arms, and she rests her face against my chest. Vos grunts and looks for his sister, then sees me and climbs onto my lap as well. I bet they wouldn’t like me if they knew I was responsible for ripping them from their world. The thought hurts as shame courses through my veins.

I used to fancy myself as their savior, even protector. Stupid delusion. But I can become their savior if I manage to get them out of this room, this castle, this kingdom.

How? Can I even find an answer, or is this another delusion?

Ava rubs her head against my chest, as if to console me. Me, who snatched her from her mother.

“I’ll find a way,” I whisper, unwilling to speak my thoughts out loud for fear I could be heard. “You two are adorable, you know?”

Vos makes a gurgling sound, and I have no idea what it means, while Ava coos.

I need to save them. Need to undo my own evil deeds. How? The question is a hammer banging on my head. How? How? How?

A boat, I suppose. There must be merchants willing to sail west, to the riders’ lands. Once I’m in their waters, a dragon could find us and then take the little ones where they belong.

The issue is getting the hatchlings to the boat. First, I’ll have to cross some four to eight guards. Second, I’ll have to get the little dragons there without Auranius sniffing them.

There has to be a way. There’s always a way.

Ava falls asleep in my arms, her breathing steady and soft, while Vos wiggles as if trying to find a good position. The little dragons haven’t been as alert as before, and they could be getting sick, but I doubt Dracolius has the resources to treat baby dragons.

I’ll find a way to free them, I have to. And once I do it?

Alayel comes to mind, holding me tight, kissing me, kneeling before me and the academy and his father, asking me to marry him. Would he understand?

The staff then flashes through my mind, shining bright, so bright that even in my imagination, I have to look away.

Another image of Alayel surfaces, but this time he’s telling me it’s easy to get rid of a body. Then he’s in my room, asking me if I’m fucking someone else. He’s on the boat, furious to find out I have no magic.

I don’t think he’d ever hurt me, but still, is that who I want for me? Someone who might snap at any moment? The alternative is nothing. Nobody.