After they could no longer hear the 'peeps' of the black birds, Alys and Lianna ran from the bushes to the rest of them.
"She saw us! She looked right at us!" Alys pointed to the sky although the woman and the birds that made her were far away by now.
Selendrile let out a breath and sat down on a blue-mossy rock.
"She can't see you. You are below her."
Alys huffed, offended. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Telonge saw Alys's fists tighten and intervened, "It means, sweetcake, that unless you speak to her first, she has no idea you exist."
"AND you won't speak to anyone you come across in these lands," Selendrile stated.
Alys hated his bossiness. Why shouldn't she talk to any other fey?
"I will."
She could see him tense, he slowly turned his head and narrowed his eyes. She sensed a danger in him she had not felt before, a silent threat of all the terrible things he could do to her if she didn't comply. He must have not been used to being told 'no'. After all, he was Draconian royalty.
Still, she held out her chin stubbornly and bravely as he stood and approached her. He stood close and she could feel the heat radiating off his body, whether from the natural temperature or his anger she could only guess.
He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "If you don't stay close and if you utter a word towards any fey in the realm, you will be destroyed."
She pulled away and stared at him. "You would destroy me, Selendrile?"
He didn't answer but looked away, as hard as it was because her gaze was so full of an alluring disobedience to him. It was the kind of persona that had attracted him to Sasinna. She grabbed his wrist, not taking his silence for an answer. That is what she had always done, ever since she had met him. It had to stop. He had to stop being so vague. They were in a different world, and Alys would be damned if she was to be strung along this time without answers. He spun around quickly and yanked out of her grasp. She yelped as he instead caught her arm and half drug her away from the others. He pushed her backwards until her back was up against the trunk of a mushroom-tree. She opened her mouth to scream in surprise, but he covered it. It was so hot, with him pressed up against her to keep her from struggling. Something was different about her, he sensed, but couldn't find the exact change.
He let out a breath and gazed down at her, his rush of adrenaline subsiding. He liked the feel of her against him. Her heart was pounding so hard he felt it through both of them. She was angry, not frightened. That was it—that was the subtle change. Alys had always asked many questions, but sat by when he refused to answer. She was now determined to get an answer, even if that meant angering him. She had gotten the wrong idea, if she thought he was going to destroy her. So he smiled complacently, "No Alys, I wouldn't destroy you."
That was an answer that made Alys furious with him. He said it as if he was talking to a child, and he said it in a tone that made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. However, Alys couldn't understand why she was there if he had told her that she couldn't be.
She positively glared at him and kicked at him until he released her.
"Maybe you should destroy me. After all, I have followed you to a place I was not supposed to. You have no use for me, you are done with me."
He sighed, knowing she had not forgiven him for those words he spoke in the dungeon. He had done a good job of sounding too convincing, and he was at a loss on how to remedy it. He needed her to trust him, she had to now that they were in the Realm or else she really would end up being destroyed.
"Well, we are here now. You have to trust me, because you are in a dangerous place." He turned to go back and meant for her to follow, but she stood where she was.
Alys didn't care if it was dangerous. Was it more dangerous than having a dragon for a companion? Was it more dangerous than impersonating a boy and lying to an inquisitor? More dangerous than battling a soreceress? She didn't know because he never explained anything. She did know though, she would never be tricked into trusting him again. "Selendrile, I wouldn't trust you for the world."
It stung him. He turned to face her. She was a couple feet behind him and staring coldly at him. He saw her seriousness and her pain through her green eyes. There was a promise in them, and he knew that a simple apology would not clear it away. She didn't realize that the words he spoke in the dungeon were false and the words spoken at the inn were a few of the truest he had ever said. He would not leave her, not for the world.
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In another part of the realm a brass dragon watched carefully over a mage. She was nervous and sat on the ground wearing nothing but her undergarments as it was so hot in the new world. At first, she was delighted to have found the hideaway of the fey but horrified to find out that her powers were no longer in her. She had tried battling Moshire away with her power but it was as if her power was a bright flame and it had been blown out upon arrival.
The other dragons were nowhere to bee seen, and she was thankful for that, for she knew they would rip her apart if they got a hold of her and she would be powerless to stop them.
"Why are you doing this?" she finally inquired and jumped up to face him. The great dragon tilted his head almost in a gesture of innocence—but then released tendrils of smoke from its nostrils. Then his from folded into the human that had charmed his way into her heart. A great tearing feeling rose up within her, for he was no longer a vision of comfort but betrayal. She saw why he called himself 'Soleric' because he was a dragon of the sun—a Solaric dragon. She mentally hit herself for not realizing sooner, only because his charms clouded her good judgment.
He was already wearing breeches only, not having to change into human clothes once he transformed.
"I've figured out who you are."
She glared at him, and what does he meant by that?
He approached her and she tensed—backed away.
"Long ago, you danced upon my fey alter. Every Spring, you tied ribbons into you hair and then danced for hours. There was no music, but the tune in your head and I watched transfixed, almost hypnotized at the passion in your movements." He said leaning closer, speaking softly.
She felt tears reach her eyes and she raised her hand to slap him away but he caught her wrist. He didn't smile slyly or silently mock her with his eyes like she suspected, but only continued with his story.
"So I granted you a blessing."
She gasped and yanked her hand away, eyes wide. Selendrile had told her that Moshire's blessing prevented any other fey from harming her, and that was a reason she held so much power over the other dragons.
"You see, I never wanted your dances to cease. So I bestowed upon you a blessing that would ensure you never be harmed nor age. I wanted to see you dance like that until the end of time. I was quite taken with you."
Varisca touched the pendant that Drunan had given her long ago, the jewelry she thought to be the cause of her youth. It had never been more than a pretty necklace.
It was so much to take in. It was because of Moshire she stayed young and beautiful. Then why did he let her family burn?
"They were never meant to be destroyed, Varisca."
She stared at the ground, the tears now rolling down her face. She was angry and a deep wound felt heavy in her chest. "Then what was it that you meant to do?! They burned! You killed my family and then left me to face the world alone forever! That is not a blessing—it's a curse!"
"I was there to give them a warning. Your family had stopped paying tribute and yet still prayed for good health and prosperity. They should have known if they continued to do so would not result in their favor."
"Then why did they die?"
"The fire in your home grew out of control, you escaped and for that I was glad but by the time I realized that it was too late for your family, I knew it didn't matter because I knew you would never dance for me again."
Varisca stared at him, and he returned her stare. Both stares were a mixture of bitterness paired with sadness.
"I don't blame you for wanting to destroy me."
Her stare was now widened in surprise.
"I was in fact, very surprised to find it was you who had killed Sasinna and taken Selendrile hostage. But the matter of fact is that you can't destroy me and you are here with me right now because Selendrile would rip you apart the first chance he sees fit."
"Why can't I use my powers here?"
"You don't have permission."
"Whose permission?"
"The divine of this Realm, and you will not be able to receive his permission either."
She frowned, "So why are you keeping me alive?"
"I feel you will be useful to me."
She huffed and turned her back on him, "Useful? All I want to do is kill you." Even if she couldn't kill him, she refused to be of any help to him.
He grabbed her by the waist and turned her to face him. She struggled to push away but he was too strong, "Also, I believe under all of your rage, all your vengefulness, and all your hate lies a good person—the girl that so long ago, enchanted me with her dancing."
She looked away, her anger melting into sadness. She had been very evil, but in her mind it was justified. She lost her family so she took away Selendrile's mate. She had been so wronged by Moshire and now he was holding her as the human that had held her before when she needed comfort.
"No, I loathe you and I shall always loathe you, dragon of the shining sun."