[Fantasy novel, completed ✓]
In a world filled with magic, dragons, witches, demons, deadly creatures and other magical beings, the life of the king's daughter Victorine changes with a single blow when her kingdom is attacked.
She loses not only he...
I was not a woman born easy to swallow. I've never known an 'in between'. I exist only in extremities, as a forest fire or a hurricane, never a light summer rain. -i.g.p.
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- Victorine -
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We searched the entire immediate area, but there was no trace of Nicolas. Only his weapons and pouches lay exactly where he had left them.
"Damn it," Orestes groaned, throwing the nearest dagger against the stone cave wall in a rage. "What the hell came by us silently? And only takes King Nicolas with it? Damn it!", he cursed.
Despite my dislike for him, I looked at him and could completely understand his emotional state. It was a mystery to me how this could have happened. But the important question was not how he had disappeared, but how we could save him.
"Orestes, calm down," Tryphosa ordered. She had taken command of our troop and led us through the area for hours. Her composure and reason were admirable, unfortunately they did not rub off on all of us. My body was flooded with feelings of panic and adrenaline. I had no idea where Nicolas could be or how much time we had to free him. If he hadn't already been murdered.
Nausea overcame me. No. There would not be another body. Not while I could help it.
I looked carefully around the cave while the others debated the best plan. Looked for claw marks, any abnormalities. Took his clean weapons in my hands and examined them. Just as I was about to reach for his leather provision pouches to examine them for possible burns, a flash of inspiration ran through me.
"Oh my God," it escaped me in a shocked voice that instantly silenced everyone else. Why hadn't I thought of that in the first place?
"What's wrong with you?" asked Tryphosa, stepping closer to me.
I slipped on my black leather gloves and picked up the pouches. How did the dragons find us each time after their excursions and raids? How had Deidamia in Spero waited for me at the very beginning of the dragon's nest every time I brought raw meat?
"I'll have Deidamia smell it. Maybe she can lead us to King Nicolas," I informed the troops. The soldiers stared at me, Orestes looking especially disturbed. Dragons were not pets. For them to even let us fly on them was a miracle, and only because they had been trained to do so by dragon trainers.
"It's worth a try. You seem to have a good bond with her", Tryphosa finally reflected. "Rearm yourselves, soldiers."
I carried the bags to the cave entrance and waited on the ledge while calling for Deidamia. The others stood beside me, tense and ready to fight.
After a short time, we spotted Deidamia flying towards us in the distance. The other dragons followed her. I had noticed this behavior several times before, and I suspected once again that she had become their leader.
