It had been 2 days.
3 lonely sunsets.
Still no sign of Soot, Cinder, or Ronin.
Jacques was growing worried.
What if something bad happened to them?
What if Ronin was hurt, or worse?
These worrisome thoughts wrapped around his mind. He could barely focus on himself for a minute.
That morning, he stayed in the cave after his night watch, not bothering to wake back up after everyone else had. He skipped breakfast, and probably lunch.
While he lay inside the cave, sulking, Comet approached him with a fish in her talon. She set it down gently in front of the HiveWing. "I know you probably aren't up to eat, but you need to. It's unhealthy to go even half a day without food."
Jacques sighed, sitting himself up. He didn't want to play asleep anymore; there was no point in it. "How can you be up to eat, knowing that there's a possibility that dragons you love and care about could be in the most danger of their entire lives?"
Comet sat next to Jacques, sighing. "It's hard, having to act like you aren't constantly thinking of the danger your family is in. Like you aren't playing multiple scenarios in your mind of the ones you love being brutally injured, or worse."
"How do you do it?" Jacques asked.
"It's a skill I've developed, I guess," she admitted. "But Moons, it's so hard being the optimistic dragon all the time. Keeping up a facade of delusion and oblivion. Pretending that everything is fine, when everyone, including yourself, knows that it's not."
"And yet you still manage to do it," Jacques admired.
"Someone's gotta, and I guess I've assigned myself to be that someone."
"Mm. So, really, do you think they're ok?"
"Well...no. I've had this constant fear that Ronin, or maybe even Cinder, or possibly both of them, are dead or severely injured. Some sort of injury they can never recover from."
"Well, we recovered from death," Jacques pointed out.
"That's 'cause we had an animus. They don't."
"Fair."
Suddenly, a large golden SkyWing landed on the beach. They cleared their throat. "I have an urgent message f'er Eagle of the SkyWin's."
The pink-spotted SkyWing shot up from their place, trotting to the messenger. "That would be me, miss."
The messenger handed a scroll to Eagle. "Straight from the palace."
Jacques and Comet stood up, walking to Eagle. Angel seemed to follow from her position by the beach. They all huddled around the animus as they recited the scroll.
"It reads:
"Dear Eagle,
"This is an impor'nt letter regardin' y'er presence needed in the kingdom. I have been made aware from Head General Soot of y'er animus abilities, who has stated that they would be helpful in our dire situation. Please bring y'erself and any dragons you might have with you to the Sky Palace as soon as possible.
"Kind regards, Queen Phoenixfire of the SkyWin's."
The group all looked at each other. "What could that mean?" Comet asked.
Eagle sighed. "The good news is Phoenixfire has replaced Skyblaze. The bad news is Cinder and Ronin are probably in big trouble."
Jacques's heart dropped. "Wh-what kind of trouble?"
"I dunno, but if my animus abilities are needed, it can't be anythin' good."
Comet nodded, turning to the cave. She gathered all of her things and stood back outside. "Then we leave now."
Eagle and Jacques nodded, gathering their things as well. Angel hopped on Comet's back, seemingly oblivious to the situation.
"Does this mean we'll get to see Ronin and Cinder again?" the SeaWing asked.
"If they're even still alive," Eagle responded.
The golden SkyWing waited for the group. "I can lead y'all back to the kingdom."
Eagle nodded. "That would be appreciated."
And so the group followed the messenger to the Sky Kingdom. It would be a long flight; the destination Jacques dreaded.
He could be met with anything. Skyblaze posing as Phoenixfire, leading the group right into her trap. Cinder, Ronin, and maybe even Soot being prepared for execution, and Phoenixfire wanting to use Eagle's animus abilities to execute them.
Or, worst of all, Eagle needing to revive Ronin back from the dead.
What if they couldn't? Would it affect their soul at all? Surely it would.
Did Eagle have any more of their soul left after reviving Jacques and Comet, and killing StormCloud?
There were so many horrible possibilities, and Jacques knew one of them had to be true.
YOU ARE READING
Cinder: In No Way, a Hero || Book 3
General Fiction|| BOOK 3 || Cinder and Angel reunited, but where are the others? Has IR returned? Has Skyblaze gotten to them? Were they even alive? Cinder was willing to find any way to know, which leads to an unexpected alliance, disturbing secrets finally shar...
