The Dragon's Embrace

Chapter 10: From the Eyes of the Shadow

The wind whistled through the trees overhead as the two dragons walked through the forest. It had been a while since Alara and Rhyden left Willow to find their friends.

As the girl walked, she looked at Rhyden who seemed to be tortured by her mere presence. She huffed, crossing her arms and coming to a stop "Rhyden." She said, staring at him.

The boy stopped in his tracks, slightly looking back at Alara "What." He scowled.

Alara narrowed her eyes "What the hell is your problem? If you're mad because I got the group in trouble, it was not my fault! You think I wanted to drag you guys into this? I never wanted anyone to get hurt, especially not my foster family... So just give me a break, anger like this is the last thing we need." She said, clenching her fists as she stared at the ground.

When she lifted her head, she was a little surprised to see the shock on his face. His look of shock was soon wiped away by a smug little grin "You are so quick to assume that that's why I hate you." He said.

Alara looked at him with a loosened glare "Then why do you hate me?" she demanded.

Rhyden stared at the ground "When you've experienced what I've been through then you will be hesitant to trust anyone you don't know." He said and approached her, staring into her grassy green eyes. "If you haven't guessed, I'm like this to everybody. I just hate those I know less. You've only been in this little clique for a week. I don't know you." He said, his eyes slightly squinted as he turned back around.

Alara stared at him as he walked away and released her clenched hand, taking in a deep breath to keep herself contained. "Well, then how about we get to know each other. We might as well if we are going to travel across the country together." She said, catching up to him.

Rhyden let out a single laugh "You think that I'd trust you with my backstory?" he scoffed.

Alara looked at him with a smirk "I don't mind trusting you with mine, mister smart-ass." She said, folding her hands behind her back.

Rhyden narrowed his eyes but remained silent as he glanced at her. It was clear in his eyes that he was a little curious.

Alara smiled a little "In my early years, I grew up with my parents. They were both blue fire dragons. My mother was named Midnight and she had black hair and deep blue eyes of comfort... and my father was Damian. He had brown hair and green eyes like me. He was strong and caring..." she said, a small smile on her face "I could never remembered what their dragon forms looked like, but they rarely changed because they were always around humans..." she said before her smile dropped. "It was couple months after my seventh birthday... when I woke up to smoke filling the house, my father breaking down my door and plucking me from my bed. He ran downstairs with me and put me on the ground, holding my hand as he ran with me. He took me out of the house and told me that he loved me, before he ran back into the house... after my mother." She said, holding her breath to keep herself from crying in front of Rhyden. "My neighbor came to check out what was going on, and when he saw me, he picked me up and took me inside his house. All I could do was watch as my house burned to the ground. In the morning, we found my parents, dead. Someone killed them and set the fire to cover his tracks. I was then taken to Janice and Kenith and they raised me from then on... Until I came home to find Kenith dead behind a couch... and an agent in my house named Xander. And Janice was shot and killed right in front of me..." She said, wiping away a tear from her eye. "If what Farceil was true... They must know somehow... That I am an Emerald Fire dragon and they will do anything to expose us..." she said, looking at Rhyden and her eyes widened to see that a few tears fell down his emotionless face.