Wings of Deceit

Chapter Three

"The Lyre?" I repeated, confusion wrapping around me.

"Yes," the Dragon-born began. "It's an ancient artefact that is said to have once been wielded by a powerful human. Someone who called herself the Goddess? My queen wants it because it is rumoured to be able to wipe out every human with ease."

"Why are you telling us this?" Haera frowned. "How do we know you're not lying to us?"

"Because I don't want it to happen. There has already been too much death and I need to stop it somehow." The soldier stared down at his hands, clenching them into fists and releasing them again.

"We haven't heard of any Lyre around here and we've been living here our whole lives." I joined my sister's frown, shaking my head as I spoke. Even with the Goddess's blessing, I still didn't know of this ancient artefact he spoke of. In my weekly visits to the Temple where the people of Silverwood got to hear stories of the Goddess, a Lyre had never been mentioned — only her sword and her healing powers were brought up.

"I don't think it's in the village. From the plans I overheard, I believe it might be in the forest."

"The forest here is a big place and full of dangerous creatures since we're so close to the border. It would take ages to find even if it was there." Haera crossed one arm over her chest and left the other free to hold her dagger. The metal glinted orange in the dying firelight.

"Maybe we could ask the guards and they can search for it and secure it?" I offered. It would hold up a lot of Silverwood Village's resources, but if the Lyre would turn the tides of the war, it would be worth it.

"That's not a good idea. It needs to be accessed by both a sky-dweller and what the script said to be a 'powerful human'. After what I saw when I fell, I think that could be someone like Zofia." He motioned his head in my direction, his eyes trailing me, assessing my reaction.

What he said made sense. Of course only someone blessed by the Goddess could access the Lyre. But why did a sky-dweller have to access it too?

"You're not dragging my sister around the forest so you can get the Lyre and bring it back to your queen." She stepped towards me, ready to protect me if need be.

"I intend to destroy it, not bring it back to the woman that took what means the most to me." My eyes fell to the shredded remains that hung limply from his back and then returned to the vengeful gaze the Dragon-born had.

"I don't know." Haera spun the hilt of her blade between her fingers and then gripped it tightly again. "It wouldn't take much to lie to get some humans on your side so you can bring it back to your queen. I have a feeling all of your mistakes would miraculously be brushed aside if you brought her an all-powerful artefact."

"I think he's telling the truth," I added, unable to tear my eyes away from the Dragon-born's golden ones.

"What?" My sister looked at me as if I had started speaking another language.

"He had his wings cut off because he didn't want to kill some humans. He can't fly anymore because of it, so he's as good as a human right now." I paused to let the realisation sink in. "I don't mind helping him find it." If it would stop this war and nobody else would have to die, then it had to be worth it, right?

"No. Just no, Zo. The Dragon-born can find some other person blessed by the Goddess to take with him, you're not going to risk your life for this."

"Where are we going to find another Goddess-blessed person with such little time? I'm the only one in the whole of Silverwood and there are no other villages for a couple of miles around. Besides, if what he said is true, the Dragons will be coming here and we need to stop that before it's too late."

Haera closed her eyes and breathed deeply — in through her nose and out through her mouth just like father had taught her to do when her anger took hold of her. "What do blood oaths mean to people like you?" She turned back to the soldier, awaiting his answer.

"They are usually sacred rituals saved for marriage between two intertwined souls," he replied, his brows furrowing. "Why?"

"I also don't want to see our village or humanity wiped from existence, but I don't trust you one bit. If you could do a blood oath to say you wouldn't harm us and to confirm what you say is the truth, I might consider it."

The Dragon-born nodded, his eyes lighting up in relief. "I wouldn't mind that. However we need to get moving as soon as possible and-"

"And I don't recommend we do the blood oath right now. He's just lost a lot of blood and any more would be very bad. We need to give him a day at least," I explained. After healing him and draining all my energy to do so, it would be a waste to open another wound for him to nearly bleed out again.

"Perhaps we could do it while we're out searching for it?" He suggested, turning to my sister for her approval.

I nodded in agreement. "I think that might be best."

She gritted her teeth, stopping whatever unpleasant remark she was about to make and sighed. "Fine. At the first sign of betrayal, I will not hesitate to kill you. Understood?"

"Perfectly." A hint of a smirk played with the corners of his lips as he spoke, one that said you-can-try.

"Hold on, what's your name? You do have one, don't you?" I asked. We had been so focused on the matter at hand that he hadn't even introduced himself.

"I'm Larc."

"Larc." The name rolled off my tongue with ease, causing me to smile. "Nice to meet you."

The Dragon-born's eyes widened for a moment as he stared at me, before they quickly fell to the floor, a faint pink tingeing his cheeks.

Haera merely rolled her eyes at the interaction. "Let's get ready then. If our mother comes back, she'll have the guards lock us away so we can't leave. There is no way she would approve of this search."

"We still need to let her know where we're going! She's going to come back to see us and Larc gone. Mother will think the worst has happened."

"I'll write a note then and I'll leave it on the table in the kitchen. Zo, you pack food and the medical supplies you'll need if someone gets hurt, I'll work on the weapons and other necessities we may need, and you," Haera turned to Larc, "don't touch a thing. Don't even move an inch until it's time to leave."

The Dragon-born held his hand up in surrender. "Whatever you say."

Fear coiled in my chest, making my hands shake as I got a bag and put as much as I believed I could carry inside. I had never been into the forest before, at least not far enough to see one of the creatures that my father or sister had talked about. What if this mission was futile and only ended up with us dead?

I shook my head to clear the thoughts from it. We would be fine. My sister was a skilled huntress and we had a Dragon-born soldier on our side. Nothing would be able to harm us.

Underneath all the fear, there was a small tug in my heart — one that told me that this was the right thing to do.