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10
EVANNA
The blurred horizon stretched before me as I watched my kids bathe in the bay. Playfully, Vyper and Draco pushed at each other under the water, sinking deep when the horns blared above us, announcing a boat was coming. They were getting used to this world, and I wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about it.
In our world, their senses were all they had to warn them of what approached. There was nothing stronger than a Dragon’s instinct. They didn’t need lights to tell them when to move, or horns to announce danger, or iron beasts to travel. They already had all they needed to survive.
A Dragon could sense change miles away, and even realize a person’s truth by merely being near them. It was that nature which made them so attached to us, and willing to defend us no matter the cost; they could sense what was in our hearts.
Dragons were gods in their own right.
Wiping the traces of defeat from my eyes, I watched the horizon become clearer, and I stood, climbing the rocky trail to the bridge. There was only one thing left to do…
Two days had passed since I discovered the truth, and with each step I took towards the dungeon, I wondered what I was still doing in this world.
My mission was over. I had failed… terribly. So why was I still here?
I wasn’t sure I had the answer, yet there I was. I had barely slept or eaten, all I’d managed to do was think of our last hope being gone, and what that meant for my world. Self-pity wasn’t something I had ever indulged in, but after finding out that the Harbinger of Justice was dead, hopelessness and tears were all I had left.
The future seemed so bleak for me, for my kingdom, and a part of me felt like all I had done until now was for naught. I had lost everything to this war—my parents, my aunt, my friends—but through it all, I had pushed myself to keep going because I truly believed we would be victorious in the end, and everything we had endured would be worth it.
The weight already crushing me increased on my shoulders, yet I would carry it for as long as I could. The Harbinger of Justice was gone, and my aunt had been very adamant about the fact that I couldn’t do this without him. If the one person who always believed in me more than anything believed I couldn’t do it alone, then there was no doubt she was right. Not because I wasn’t capable of defending my kin, but because some battles required more than one brave heart.
Now, I was out of options. All I could do was fight for my kingdom, for our freedom, as fiercely as I could, and for as long as possible. May the gods decide the rest.
Crossing the road, my gaze immediately went to the corner, and disappointment filled me when I found it empty. My friend, the man without a home, was no longer there. I tried to find comfort in the hope that he went somewhere where he could find help. Perhaps he wouldn’t be homeless anymore. Yet, the thought also brought anger and resentment into my being.
Why didn’t the people in power here do anything about it? Why didn’t they take care of their citizens like we took care of ours? How could they sleep peacefully at night in their palaces, knowing those supposed to be under their care were suffering?
I didn’t think I would ever understand this world, and in all honesty, I didn’t want to. The last thing I wished was to find excuses that made it okay to let someone go hungry and without a roof over their heads.
When my gaze fell onto the entrance of the dungeon, I noticed the door was closed. People stood outside, in a line that extended all the way around the building. As I took my place at the end of the line, the pain and shock on the young man’s face when I called him Khayden resurfaced, replaying in my mind’s eye again and again. My instincts had been correct. He wasn’t the Harbinger of Justice, but then, why did the Harbinger’s ring glow in his presence?
Why had it led me tohim?
Was it because he was Khayden’s son? He was the vivid image of the man I’d come searching for, so maybe—
A knock on the glass wall to my left startled me, calling my attention to what I had just noticed was the inside of the dungeon.
The guy who had given me the meal the other day waved at me in greeting, so I waved back, seeing him point in the direction of the entrance. Following his gestured instructions, I stepped out of the line and walked to the front. He appeared by the door and smiled, opening it for me.
Those still in line began to complain.
“Oh, calm yourselves down. It’s just one girl,” he scolded. “We had technical difficulties, but we will reopen soon.” He pointed to the luminous red numbers that shone and changed on the door. “Only twenty-five minutes till you can, like, take selfies in the Subway again and stuff. O.M.G.,” he mocked, faking a girl’s voice and pulled me inside, locking the door behind us.
Some of the people chuckled at his antics, others grunted their discontent.
“Don’t worry about them. You are here to see Brax?”
“Brax?” I repeated, confused.
“Yeah, Braxton. You know, tall, brown hair, bit muscular, green eyes, good looking—I mean, not as hot as me but whatever. He’s also very,verysingle…”
My lips slowly curved at his playful nature; he was funny. “That is his name, Braxton?”
The guy’s smile faltered. “He hasn’t even told you his name?!” Sighing, he shook his head in disappointment. “My boy desperately needs some game,” he mumbled.
“Um, yes. I was wondering if I could talk to him,” I answered, glancing around, but was unable to find him.
