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“So each Dragon can only choose one Soulris?” I asked, trying to understand, and a curious light entered her gaze.
“Yes.”
“Can two or more Dragons choose the same person?”
She paused for a moment, carefully regarding me. “Not normally, no. But it happened once.”
“Only once??”
She nodded.
“How?”
“I’m not exactly certain, I recently found out myself.”
There was both sincerity and an air of secrecy in her eyes, but with the guard dogs watching my every movement, I sensed this wasn’t exactly the moment to ask. “Tell me more.”
A small smile curved her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She held both hands at her waist, glancing towards the water.
“Centuries later, the Soulris formed a noble monarchy that ruled all others.The Elderstrusted that along with their Dragon race, the monarchy would protect this world, and retired to the secret corners of Caelisium, to a place none of us has ever found. With the Dragons by their side, the Devenish family became powerful, and theKingdom of Peace and Brotherhoodrose under their virtuous reign. The land prospered and thrived with each new generation that took the throne, cultivating their relationship with those beautiful creatures, and upholding the vow they once made to theElementiCaelestes.Because of them, Caelisium became the Sky Paradise.”
“That sounds beautiful, but also too good to be true,” I admitted, hating to be the one to take away the gleam of happiness shining in her eyes as she spoke about the old world.
A burdened sigh caused her chest to fall, and she nodded, glancing at me. “For thousands of years both races shared happiness and peace, until a new heir was born. He craved power above everything the Devenish royals already possessed. His family ignored his tendencies because they had never seen malice like the one that festered in him; evil in its purest form.”
“Raithian?” I asked, somehow knowing that was the answer.
Evie nodded, her soft blue eyes filling with sadness, anguish, and hate all at once.
I detested the fact that he brought such an ugly emotion out of her noble heart. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too… His true name is Xavier Devenish, and he wields the same power the men in his line carried.”
“Magic.”
“Not just any magic. He comes from a legacy of supreme Wizards. Unfortunately, by the time his family realized what he was, it was too late. He fought them and killed them all—even his own wife and daughter—destroying the palace that had stood with honor for thousands of years.”
“The Lost Kingdom…” I whispered, remembering the broken Dragon statue. It stood over the castle we flew past on our way here.
“After that, he became Raithian, the Warlock King. At first, he enslaved only those who went against him, trying to stop his evil ways. But soon, he chained everyone under his kingdom, creating battered servants where there had once been faithful subjects.”
“Why didn’t the Dragons stop him? Weren’t they supposed to protect this world, to protect the Soulris?”
“Their emotions got lost between the bond and loyalty they had formed with the kingdom. Those creatures don’t see actions like you and I do. They rationalize things differently, so they followed him as he created the Dark Empire, inadvertently destroying everything they were entrusted to safeguard. My parents, like those of many here, were born into his slavery.”
What felt like fire burned through my chest, afraid of the answer I sought. “Were my parents born into slavery too?”
“Yes. I am truly sorry. Many of our people were born and died oppressed by the Warlock King’s evil ruling, until…” She paused, her gaze falling from mine as though she wasn’t sure how to continue. Like she had something to confess.
“Until what? What happened?” I stepped closer, heart slamming against my chest, and my hand unconsciously reached for hers.
“Enough storytelling for today.” Kingston appeared next to me that second, gripping my arm and yanking me away before my fingers could touch hers. “The Princess is still healing and needs to rest. And you have training to continue.”
Evie turned to him, her mouth opening to protest, but his stern gaze travelled beyond us, calling our attention to something. When we looked in the direction he indicated, we found the warrior who had challenged Evie staring at us from where he stood—next to a rugs’ stall.
Had he been watching us? He couldn’t hear us from there, could he?
Realizing we had noticed his presence; Lachlan began to walk towards us.
