CHAPTER TWENTY

"What do you mean they're gone?" The dragon's voice was low and dangerous, a rumble that vibrated through the walls of the small chamber.

His nails dug into the wooden table, leaving deep gouges on the surface as his mind raced.

Orym sighed heavily, his gaze sympathetic as he glanced at Yara, who sat huddled in a corner with her head bowed.

"We found you and Yara injured in the forest, but we didn't discover the truth about the eggs until Yara woke up recently," he explained, his voice filled with worry.

He wondered if he could reach for the dragon's hand to help stop the bleeding or if it was a bad time. 

Yara's shoulders slumped further at the mention of the eggs, guilt weighing heavily on her heart. She blamed herself for the loss, "It's my fault," she whispered, fists clenched on her lap.

"I should have been more vigilant. I should have known they weren't above taking the eggs."

The dragon frowned at her words. He didn't have time for blame games. He needed to get out of here. He needed to act, to do something, anything! But how? Where would he even begin to search?

With a growl of frustration, he leaned against the table, his chest heaving with the effort to contain his rage.

It doesn't matter, I must go now! He thought pushing himself off the cot and stumbling to the door. He needed to find his eggs, to track down those responsible and make them pay for even daring.

Nothing else mattered.

The door swung open as he reached it, and an elderly elf stepped inside. He looked supposed to see the dragon by the door. The other elves behind him tensed as well. 

"Ah! I see that you are awake. I am Gildir," the old elf announced, his voice gentle but authoritative. "And what would you like to be called, my lord?" 

The dragon's jaw clenched as he struggled to contain his anger. "Call me whatever you wish, get out of my way," he replied through gritted teeth.

Gildir nodded, unfazed by the dragon's hostility. "Honoured guest it is," he said with a serene smile.

The dragon's nostrils flared as he stepped toward Gildir, his towering form casting a shadow over the elderly elf. "Enough of this nonsense," he growled. "Do not stop me from finding my eggs."

Orym and the other elves bristled at the dragon's tone, but remained silent, knowing they stood no chance against the mighty creature.

Gildir held up a hand, his expression calm but firm. "Calm yourself, honoured guest," he said softly. "I understand your anger, but it will serve you no purpose now."

The dragon's golden eyes narrowed, but he reluctantly stepped back, his muscles tense with frustration.

Gildir turned to Yara, his gaze gentle. The dragon's eyes followed him and his frown deepened at the elf's words. "You've done well to inform us of the situation," he said kindly. "With what you've provided, we've already begun our search for the eggs and have leads to follow."

The dragon's gaze snapped back to Gildir, his eyes burning with intensity. "Tell me everything you know," he demanded.

Gildir raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the dragon's display of aggression. "Not until you've calmed down," he replied calmly. "Your body needs time to heal before you can embark on such a journey."

The dragon's fists clenched at his sides, his frustration boiling over. "So you expect me to sit by while who knows what happens to my offspring?" he spat.

Gildir shook his head, his expression reassuring. "I expect you to rest so that you may have the strength to fight," he said firmly.

"Your anger will only cloud your judgement and weaken you further."

The dragon's mind raced as he weighed his options. He knew that Gildir spoke the truth, but the thought of waiting idly by while his eggs were in peril was almost unbearable.

I would never be able to face him if anything happened to them, he thought.

The dragon's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Gildir by the collar of his robe, his voice laced with something close to desperation.

(He would never admit that as dragons never got desperate).

"What's to stop me from burning you all to nothing? What makes you think you can give me orders?" He glared. 

Yara and the rest of the elves tensed.

Dragons were volatile creatures with too much pride to listen to anyone. Just because he was in this form didn't mean he couldn't try something. 

"You will not because you need the information about the eggs and you have no reason to kill us." Gildir said, unfazed.

He patted the hand holding him up gently like one would their child, "Be good now and let me down, child. We have much to discuss."

Slowly, reluctantly, the dragon released his grip on the old elf, his rage simmering beneath the surface.

"Very well," the dragon conceded, his voice strained. "I shall wait, but only if you give me information that is worthwhile."

"Of course my Lord, please sit and let Orym tend to your hand," he gestures towards the dragon's bleeding hand from when he had grabbed the table.

The dragon stomped back to the bed and sat, already forming a plan in his mind. The door wasn't too sturdy, the draft from its opening said they were above ground. It wouldn't be too hard for him to find an exit. 

He looked at the older elf that sat at the spot the woman had vacated for him. Once I get the information… he thought. 

"You were attacked by Kellan, he is a formidable foe to all of us as the resistance." The elder began. "It seems he made use of some cursed weapons and spells," he said, nodding towards the dragon's bandaged chest. 

"Kellan is ruthless, Yara here says he mentioned being hired to bring you in. Have you had any disputes with humans recently?" 

The dragon frowned, flexing his bandaged hand. " I stay away from humans, their kind brings nothing but destruction. Yet they always find their way into places they aren't wanted," he looked at Yara who fidgeted by Gildir's side. 

"Now now, honoured guest. Be kind to her, she could have left as soon as she woke up but instead chose to wait for you." Gildir cautioned gently. 

The dragon scoffed under his breath. She couldn't leave even if she wanted to, she was bound to the… the dragon's eyes widened and he shot up, startling the people in the room. He hissed as the sudden movement pulled against his injuries.

"What is the matter?" Gildir asked, "You mustn't move so suddenly, you might open your injuries again." 

"You!" The dragon stared at Yara, who blinked, confused.

"Yes?" She asked, brows furrowed. 

" You are bonded to the eggs! Quick find them!" he commanded.

"I-I don't know how to," Yara said, the dragon rolled his eyes heavenwards.

"Why were humans so useless?" He mumbled under his breath, ignoring her "Hey!" Of indignation. 

"Close your eyes and dig deep," he said instead, "try to envision a thread connecting you to them," he grabbed her hand, ignoring the way she flinched.

He stared at her hand with a frown, even in this form his hand was significantly bigger than hers. 'Were all humans this tiny? Would she be able to take my powers directly?'  He thought. 

No need to guess things, if it works then it works.

He closed his eyes and channelled his powers into her. He needed to know if were the eggs safe. Were they close? Still alive? There was a lot of noise in her mind, words and feelings he couldn't understand.

Humans were so complicated.

He frowned as he dug deeper into her mind, where was it? he normally didn't have to search for or force a Soul Bond so this was new, even for him. 

And then, he found it. The thread, shimmering like gold twisted its way around her mind. He reached out and guided her subconscious towards the thread. He just needed her to pull it and get the information. 

Her subconsciousness was a hazy form of herself, 'what do I do now?' she asked, voice echoing in the space.

'Pull it towards you and imagine the eggs,' he said, holding her hand.

He felt it – the moment when Yara's subconsciousness made contact with the thread, a surge of warmth flooding his soul. He felt the soft heartbeats of the eggs. He was surprised at the level of connection they had, he could almost hear the hatchlings breathing in their shells.

They were safe.

Murmured voices, distant and indistinct, floated on the edge of his awareness. He frowned, was he able to hear the voices in the room where the eggs were?

What? What is this? Why was her connection to the eggs so strong?

Before he could dig deeper, the thread snapped and they were both forced out of the space

**********

The dragon's eyes snapped open and he realised he was back in the room with the elves. He sat up and reached out instinctively to grab the woman. 

He frowned as he found himself on the bed, with the woman beside him, her hand still clasped in his.

"You're awake! Great!" a voice called. The dragon instinctively pulled the woman away from the voice. It was the old elf, Gildir was his name, right?

"What is going on?" He asked, eyes narrowed as he looked around. Last he remembered, they were standing at the other side of the room. 

"Ah yes, we were waiting for you to tell us actually," Gildir said gently, "you both suddenly collapsed after being covered in golden light. We understood that your hands were the points of contact so we kept them together when we moved you to the bed," he pointed out. 

The dragon laid the woman back in bed and frowned at the sweat beading her brows and the slightly erratic pace of her breathing. 

"It seems it took a lot out of her, dragon magic is more advanced than anything in this world so it's understandable," Gildir said. 

The dragon nodded silently, his mind still reeling from the experience. How long had they been unconscious? And more importantly, what had they missed while they were out?

"How long have we been here?" The dragon asked, frowning at the elf's tone. He made it seem like they had spent time there. 

"A few days actually, we were starting to get worried," Gildir replied.

A few days. They had lost even more days while unconscious. His frustration bubbled up once more, gnawing at the edges of his patience.

"Days wasted," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice. "We cannot afford to lose any more time."

Gildir nodded sympathetically. "I understand your concern, honoured guest," he said. "But rest assured, we have not been idle in your absence. We have gathered intelligence and have a plan to locate the eggs."

The dragon's eyes narrowed with interest. "And what is this plan of yours?" he asked. 

"Our sources indicate that Kellan may be heading to the capital to meet with his patron," he explained. "It is our best guess as to his whereabouts."

"Killun?" the dragon frowned, confused. what was that?

"Kellan, my lord. the bounty hunter responsible for the theft of the eggs," Gildir corrected.

Oh, the disgusting-smelling human.

The dragon frowned, considering Gildir's words carefully. "And what makes you think his patron is in the capital?" he asked, folding his arms. 

Gildir shrugged. "It's the most logical assumption," he said simply. "The capital is the seat of power in this empire. If anyone has the resources and influence to plan such a thing, it would be someone with connections there."

The dragon considered his words silently. He did make sense. "He's a skilled fighter and a surprisingly cunning strategist. We will have to be careful when dealing with the likes of him," Gildir continued.

The dragon grunted, his mind already working through the implications of Gildir's information. If this Kellan was indeed headed to the capital, then that was where they needed to be as well.

"I will provide you and Yara with the locations of our resistance hideouts scattered throughout the regional cities. You'll find allies there who can aid you in your quest."

The dragon's eyes flickered with interest. "Resistance?" he repeated, his curiosity piqued.

Gildir nodded, his expression serious. "Yes," he said. "A group of magical creatures and sympathetic humans who have joined forces to rescue captured creatures and punish those responsible."

The dragon's brows furrowed. Fighting against the humans? What is the use of that? The Eternal Slumber still plagues the world. And trusting a human to have your back is even more strange. Humans will always be humans. There was no changing that.

"We fight for justice and freedom for all magical beings as a team, and yes, even the humans are invaluable assets to us." Gildir said, as though reading his mind.

The dragon hummed thoughtfully, his gaze drifting to Yara, who still lay sleeping beside him. He found that hard to believe.

Gildir followed the dragon's gaze, his expression softening. "She will be fine, my lord," he reassured, his voice gentle. "You needn't worry about her."

The dragon grumbled something unintelligible under his breath that sounded like "not worried," his pride refusing to acknowledge any concern for the woman.

Gildir chuckled softly, amusement in his eyes. "Of course not, my lord," he agreed. 

As if on cue, Yara stirred, her eyes fluttering beneath her lids. She groaned softly, moving closer to the dragon, unconsciously seeking the warmth rolling off him.

Gildir and the dragon watched her wrap her hands around his waist and bury her face in his side. 

Gildir gave them a knowing look, "I think you should take her cue and rest as well, honoured guest." he said as he stood up. 

Before the dragon could respond, Gildir turned to leave, his robes billowing behind him. "You will need all of your strength for the journey ahead."

**********

The halls of the large manor was filled with light from the open windows. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden beams across the polished marble floor.

The walls were lined with portraits and trophies of old. This was completely different from where they had sealed the deal initially.

Then again, that hadn't been the capital. Kellan waited as the guards pushed open the heavy oak doors and walked into another bright, extravagant room.

That was one of the things he hated about the Capital City, too much space and light.

The chandelier in the middle of the room drew the attention of whoever came in, its position made it so that the sun light from the windows shone on it perfectly. In the middle of the room was a long polished wooden table and matching chairs with soft cushioning. 

The smell of incense and some heavy addictives hung in the air as Hagar smoked. The wind rustled against the silk curtains as it flowed into the well ventilated room.

Hagar and the woman from before sat at the table discussing, Kellen's boots stomped on the marble floors as he walked over to the table. 

He stopped right in front of Hagar and the rude woman. Both of whom looked shocked to see him. 

"Kellan, you arrived ahead of schedule," Hagar hummed, surprise in his voice. He blew out a plum of smoke and lowered his cigar. Ayun's posture was rigid, her jeweled fingers tapping impatiently on the table, her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she stared at Kellan.

"I couldn't leave things to chance. Once the spell was charged, I left my men behind," Kellan said. "Here are the goods."

He placed a chest on the table and opened it. Hagar and Ayun leaned in to see the contents better. Nestled inside in a bed of velvet, lay the dragon's eggs, their shells gleaming softly in the dim light. 

Hagar's eyes glinted with approval, a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Well done, Kellan," he hummed, "these eggs will fetch a handsome price on the market. I already have buyers."

Hagar reached into his cloak and pulled out a heavy bag. The soft jingle of gold filled the air as he tossed the bag casually onto the table before Kellan.

The gold spilt out, catching the light as it scattered onto the polished surface. "Consider this your reward," he continued, his smirk widening. "while it is not what we asked for, you have earned it."

"This isn't enough," Kellan grumbled as he grabbed the pouch of gold. "Not enough? what do you mean? we paid you in full even though you didn't complete the job," Hagar asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion. 

"It's not about the gold," Kellan growled, frustration tainting his tone. "It's about my pride as a hunter. I must have the dragon."

Ayun sneered with disdain in her voice as she interjected, her lip curling with contempt. "Know your place, Kellan," she spat, malice dripped from every word. "You may be a skilled hunter, but you are no match for the likes of us."

Kellan's eyes narrowed, hand on his sword hilt. The muscles in his jaw flexed with suppressed rage as he glared back at Ayun. "I will not be pushed around by a woman," he retorted, his tone sharp.

She would be a beauty with her dark eyes and dark hair if she wasn't such a witch. 'It's a shame," he thought.

"Why don't we take this outside and see if you still have the life to speak such nonsense to me!" The soft rustle of her silken robes echoed in the chamber as she shifted in her seat, ready for a fight.

"The elderly should go first," Kellan grinned as her face turned red at being called old. 'Hah! Women and their age. I can never understand it,' he thought as he watched her stand up.

Hagar sighed wearily, his patience waning as he observed the exchange. "Enough," he waved his hand, the smoke from his cigar curling in hypnotic patterns in the air, the scar on his face pulsing. "This bickering serves no purpose. Soon, we will have what we came for, and that is all that matters."

Turning his attention back to Kellan, Hagar's expression turned serious. "You may continue to hunt the dragon if you wish," he said, his tone measured.

"But remember, if it comes to us before you do then you lose right to it and if you get to it first, we need its body once you are done. Do not forget your obligations to us."

Kellan nodded, a sinister smile curling his lips as he spoke, his voice dripping with malice. "I understand," he agreed. "And rest assured, I will find him first."

As Kellan turned to leave, Hagar called out to him, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, and Kellan," he said, his voice filled with lust. "The siren you wanted? She's waiting for you. I made sure to keep her fresh, like you asked."

Kellan merely smirked, a glint of something dark dancing in his eyes. "I have my eyes set on bigger fish," he replied, his thoughts drifting to mismatched eyes glaring at him with hate.

Hagar and Ayun exchanged confused glances as Kellan turned on his heel and strode out of the chamber, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor as he vanished into the brightness of the hallways.