The Fear of Loneliness (Fear Series Book 1)

Chapter 14: Betrayal (unedited)

The pair spend the rest of the ride in a semi-uncomfortable silence, neither able to find something to break it. It is not until Ausren is standing on the edge of the forest, head raised and tail swishing softly behind him, that the boy manages to speak.

"Thank you, Ren. I'll be careful," Leo murmurs, carefully swinging his leg over the dragon's back. With one foot free, Leo kicks the other out of the stirrup and drops lightly to the ground. Whatever Ausren's soul did to him, it enhanced his agility along with his senses.

With the human safely on the ground, Ausren lowers his head to come level with him. "I will come if you need me. Remember that you are no longer alone."

Smiling faintly, Leo reaches up and coils his arms around the prince's head, hugging the dragon tightly. "Try not to worry about me, please. I don't want to cause you any anxiety. I promise I can take care of myself. Worst comes to worst and I'll simply slip back out and come to you."

Ausren huffs softly, ruffling the boy's shirt. "I'll trust you, Leonidas," he murmurs.

Leo touches his forehead to the dragon's and releases the prince. "Goodbye, Ausren. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Ausren lifts his head, turning to look at the fort for a moment. Eventually, he turns back to the human and replies, "Goodbye, Riorra."

Walking out onto the snow-covered empty expanse, the human gives the waiting prince a wave and finishes, "Don't wait up! I'll be safe!"

With that, the boy turns and jogs across the clearing, hurrying to get across before a bored watchman could catch sight of him. The day is bright and the expanse is very open, leaving him exposed. However, as a soldier that has been assigned watch duty many times, he knows how boring it is. Mostly, he knows, you spend the days staring at the sky trying to spot wayward dragons. Only once and a while do you bother to spare a glance for the ground.

Hopefully, he can get to the wall and out of sight before they realize he's there.

Scurrying across the empty space, the human can feel as Asuren turns and bounds back up the slope, his mind rapidly receding. Good. At the very least the dragon will be out of danger.

Without incident, Leo makes it back through the damaged wall. On the other side, he takes a moment to ground himself. He has to remember that he's back with his human companions, the ones that believe him to be worthless and cowardly. Including his own brothers.

If only they knew what he has accomplished so far. The first human in one hundred years to make peace with a dragon. The first to ride a dragon.

Fear pushed aside by a solid sense of smugness, Leo brushes himself off, double checks that his markings are properly hidden, and steps off into the fort. If Cecil hasn't managed to screw everything up, anyone not on guard duty should be running drills in the courtyard right now, under the strict watch of the commanding officer... a Black Rank officer by the name of Fjero. As a black rank office, Fjero answers to Golden rank generals like Cecil, the Lords of keeps, and the High King himself. Needless to say, he's a very good soldier and displeased with his placement at Dismal Fort. As such, his training regimens are something no one looks forward to. But they keep soldiers on their toes and well disciplined.

Leo's never particularly liked Fjero, but he's never hated him. The man is good at his job, nothing more and nothing less. He's fair and he's level-headed.

The problem is Cecil. He used to be quite loving and protective. Now he's... not.

Making his way out from behind the main keep and past the butcher's barn, Leo glances out at the large courtyard as he aims for the barracks. He's been dismissed from his duties, meaning he no longer has anything to do but sit on his hands and wait for summons.