Vera's POV
I wove through the crowd as I walked towards the forest. I cast a final look behind me as I vanished into the shadows of the trees. I could feel the soreness disappear as I shook out my wings. I was standing at the edge of a cliff, basking in the light of the full moon when I heard a snap behind me.
I whipped around, my hand already clutching the hilt of my new sword. My eyes shifted so that they were fully reptilian as I gazed into the dark. Scales ran down my body while my claws and teeth extended.
"Who's there?" I snarled into the night. I flared my wings threateningly as I glared into the darkness.
A figure melted from the shadows. "Vera?" he asked. I caught the strong scent of fear coming off of him.
"What are you doing here?" I snapped at Trygve.
"I-I saw y-you leave... I-I thought that you needed h-help..." he trailed off. I groaned and relaxed my defensive stance. I folded my wings behind my back. He looked up at me before quickly averting his gaze. "You're part dragon..." he muttered quietly.
"I am a dragoness," I replied.
He looked up at me again, a flash of curiosity crossing his features. "The Shadow Demon," he stated. I flinched at the name.
"I-" I looked away from him, not able to refute his statement. "I'm not a demon," I told him. "You wouldn't understand. No one bothers to understand. Is it too much to ask that people treat me with kindness?" I demanded as tears welled in my eyes. "Is it too much to ask that people leave me be?"
A hand brushed my cheek. "You make the world tremble at your feet, Vera. We act out of fear and desperation when we meet you because it's the only way we can see that will protect the ones we love," he stated.
"Don't do this," I murmured to him, our lips almost brushing.
"Don't do what?" he asked. His hot breath tingled against my skin.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," I replied.
He shook his head. "You don't have to go."
"I do. I promised."
I caught the gleam of tears welling in his eyes. "I can go with you..." before he even finished, I had started shaking my head. "It's because of your daughter, isn't it?" He paused. "Does her father make you happy?" he asked softly.
"She is my daughter," I stated. He gazed into my eyes in confusion at the pure venom in my words. "She has no father," I told him bluntly.
"Everyone-" I cut him off.
"She. Has. No. Father," I growled. Understanding dawned in his eyes. I was surprised when I didn't see a trace of pity lurking in their depths. He lifted a hand, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.
"I want to kiss you," I murmured. "Just once."
The corners of his lips twitched up into a sad smile. "You say that like we'll never see each other again," he whispered. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I looked at him.
"We won't," I replied.
His hand on my cheeks was warm as he brushed the tears away with his thumb. "If that's the case, I don't want to remember you being sad." My breath hitched as he leaned closer to me.
I pressed our lips together before either of us could hesitate. After a minute, we pulled apart, a small smile dancing on both of our lips. The moment was broken when a call came from the forest.
We both looked in the direction of Arvid's shout. It brought us back to reality, making our smiles fade. "TRYGVE!" the shout came again, much closer this time. By the time he Trygve turned around, I was in the air. He gazed out across the horizon as Arvid came onto the cliff.
"Trygve," he called out in relief. "I've been looking everywhere for... you, what happened?"
Trygve just collapsed into Arvid's arms. "She's gone," he said quietly.
"It'll be okay," he whispered back. Guilt stirred in my stomach. It was my fault he was crying, after all. I shook the feeling away as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I cast one last glance at the two of them before flying away.
-----
I scowled at myself as I attempted to clean up the wound across my stomach.
I had returned home several days ago, and I hadn't told anyone why I had left so suddenly. Of course, if I had told them, they wouldn't have let up on me.
I hissed as I unravelled the bandage across my torso, the air harsh against the still mostly open wound.
"Vera?" Night called. My eyes widened. Not good! Not good! Not good! I thought to myself as I tried hiding the bandages.
"I'm in here!" I called back as I pushed the last roll into a desk.
"What are you do-" he stopped abruptly as his eyes widened, his nose twitching slightly. "You're bleeding, Vera," he stated.
"I am?" I asked him. "I don't-"
He shifted and lifted my shirt up. "How did this happen, Vera?" he demanded, his eyes flashing as he spoke. I bit my lip and looked away.
"I'm fine," I told him. "It's just-"
"If you finish that sentence, Vera, I will not be held accountable for my actions," he stated, effectively shutting me up. "How. Did. This. Happen," he ground out.
"He asked for help," I murmured. "I promised that I would come if he asked."
"I'll-"
"NO!" I shouted. "There was an armada. I-I..."
"You decided it was a good idea to take on an armada!" he demanded. I winced a little.
"Maybe?" I said questioningly.
"What, in the names of all the stars in the sky, am I going to do with you, Vera?" he asked in frustration.
"Well... you could help me fix this..." I said with a small smile.
He rolled his eyes and, despite himself, smiled. He wrapped up the cut in silence.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked him after some time.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
I paused. "I kissed him again," I replied. "He saw me as a dragon. I kissed him and left." He looked up at me. "He wanted to come with me. He was willing to leave it all behind for me. I..." I trailed off as the tears fell.
"You wanted him to come, didn't you?" he asked quietly. I nodded.
"I chose Aurora, though," I whispered before we both fell into silence.
A/N
Dreamchaser and Arvid are 27.
Solfrid is 25.
Falcon and Trygve are 24.
Delta's children are 23.
Osmund is 22.
Zephyr and Twilight are 20.
Nuffink is 18.
Aurora is 4.
Blackmoon and Cloudscale are dead.
YOU ARE READING
The Rise of Light (Book 3: Together Forever)
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