A Bond Between Dragons

cuts you up [012]

The fire in the hearth crackled softly, casting long, flickering shadows across the walls. The children, who had fallen asleep huddled together in front of the warmth, lay in a tangle of limbs and quiet breaths. Vaella's form was slightly apart from the others, her body still semi-dry from the beach, her dark, tangled curls damp against her face. The firelight caught on the drying sand still clinging to her clothes, but the warmth was slowly returning to her chilled skin.

Rhaena stirred first, her delicate brows furrowing as if disturbed by some silent unease. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the low glow of the embers in the hearth. She sat up quietly, careful not to wake the others, her breath shallow and her heart beating fast as she tried to shake the feeling that something was wrong. She glanced to her side and saw Baela, who was beginning to stir as well, her twin instincts finely tuned to Rhaena's emotions. Without speaking, the sisters exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them as Baela rose on her elbows.

Rhaena slipped from beneath her blankets, padding softly to the window. The cool glass fogged slightly under her breath as she peered into the night, her wide eyes scanning the darkness beyond. The sky was a deep indigo, streaked with faint wisps of clouds, and the moon hung low, casting a silvery sheen over the island. In the distance, she saw something that made her breath hitch—a massive shadow moving along the shoreline. The figure was unmistakable, though it seemed almost unreal in the dim light. It was Vhagar.

"Baela," Rhaena whispered, her voice trembling as she gestured frantically for her sister to join her at the window.

Baela was by her side in an instant, her own eyes narrowing as she saw the same colossal silhouette stalking the beach. They watched, frozen, as the dragon's enormous figure shifted against the moonlit sea, her scales catching the faintest hint of light, shimmering in shades of dark, mossy green. Vhagar was awake, but something was different. The dragon wasn't just restless. She was moving with purpose, and her rider—whoever had dared to claim her—was not their mother.

Rhaena's stomach clenched with a mix of fear and anger, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "Jace," she whispered, her voice tense and urgent. "We need to wake Jace."

Baela nodded, her face tight with determination, and the two sisters hurried to where their cousin lay. They crouched beside him, shaking his shoulder with growing urgency.

"Jace, wake up!" Baela whispered fiercely, her voice barely controlled. "Someone stole Vhagar."

Jace stirred, groaning in annoyance as his eyelids fluttered open. "What are you talking about?" His voice was groggy, his mind still thick with sleep.

"Look!" Rhaena hissed, pointing toward the window.

Jace followed their gaze, and the confusion on his face quickly hardened into disbelief. "What?" he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. He sat up abruptly, his eyes sharpening as he tried to process what the twins were telling him. "Who—how—?"

By now, the commotion had roused the others. Vaella stirred as Jace shoved her awake, still foggy from sleep. She rubbed her eyes, her thoughts slow to catch up as Luke, who had been curled up beside her, blinked groggily and sat up as well.

"What's happening?" Vaella muttered, still disoriented.

Baela turned to her cousins, her expression tight with barely controlled anger. "Someone stole Vhagar."

Vaella's eyes widened at the words, her heart leaping into her throat as she stared at Baela, unsure if she had heard correctly. "What do you mean someone stole Vhagar?" she asked, trying to understand the situation.

Luke, still sleepy, frowned in confusion. "People can steal dragons?" His voice was small, innocent, as he tried to make sense of the concept.

Vaella sighed, rubbing her temples as the weight of the situation slowly settled over her. "No, Luke," she said softly, shaking her head. "That's not how this works..."