Dragon Queen: Book One-Scarlet Reign

Chapter Ten- Truth and Trust

Gliding downwards at a fast pace, Aelwen's stomach felt like it was a hundred feet behind her. Waves of fear mixed tumultuously with a growing feeling of excitement as she let the air carry her.

For the first time in a long time, Aelwen laughed.

Wind rushed past her face and under her wings, the invisible force keeping her buoyant. She shrieked and giggled at the same time, a wonderful sense of thrill surging through her as she zipped over buildings and streets, trying to keep her wings straight and steady.

Gerel held on for dear life. His arms were wrapped tightly around her neck, his teeth chattering. "K-keep it down! We don't want to wake the entire city!"

Aelwen shut her mouth, but a lingering grin still remained. This is amazing, she thought, that is... until the ground started to become too close for comfort. Aelwen recoiled upwards before smashing down on the hard stone pavement that made up a street.

She stayed limp for a moment, groaning. She shook her head -which hurt like mad- and stumbled to her feet.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Gerel rubbed his neck after the small whiplash he had during the crash.

Aelwen mumbled an illegible reply before limping forward. She noticed several patches of scales were missing from her legs and chest. She looked behind her and winced as she saw them lying on the rough stone where they had landed. She looked at Gerel in concern.

"It's fine, they'll grow back," he said, gripping her neck once again.

Aelwen continued forward. The edge on the town was only a few blocks away, and a bit beyond that the edge of the dome. There was no ice on the inside surface, so Aelwen assumed with a large fire blast, they could melt through the metal vines and escape to the outside.

The streets were eerily quiet. Only the sounds of Aelwen's padded footsteps mixed with the tip-tap of her claws against the pavement were heard. Mist seethed between buildings, oozing through alleyways like blood from a slashed open artery. The air smelt of furnaces and ash.

Only two more blocks now, Aelwen thought. Then... well... She didn't really know the plan after escape. Confronting Gerel and revealing the truth was a very large priority. If he was honest with her, then his people could indeed change her back to human form. If he really was allied with the dragons, and planned to sacrifice her...then she didn't know what she would do.

A series of clanks and clinks originating from large metal cylinders lining the sidewalks caused Aelwen to jump. Hidden doors on them opened, steam fizzing out through pipes on the top. Six automatons the size of humans rolled out of the cylinders on rubber wheels, turning to face Aelwen and Gerel with blinking green eyes. They were painted blue on the main parts of their bodies, with large golden stars welded to their chests.

"It is past curfew, citizen. If you are lost, please type your destination into the keypad on this unit's arm and it will guide you to where you need to be," the frontmost automaton stated. He held out a thick arm, which had a mechanical keypad attached to it.

Aelwen looked down at it, raising an eyebrow. Gerel shrugged and motioned her to go along with it. She typed Perimeter of Ceruby City into the arm.

A series of whistles and beeps spouted from its head. Then it gripped Aelwen's outstretched paw and pulled her forward.

"Thank you for visiting Ceruby City!" It said in a metallic voice. "This unit will now guide you to the Perimeter of Ceruby City. We hope you enjoyed your stay!"

Aelwen allowed herself to be dragged along by the automaton as it rolled along the bumpy street with its rubber wheels for feet. The other five bots froze in place, then went back to their respective cylinders. Lighted windows turned to darkness as the group strode past. A knot of tension rose in Aelwen's chest.