*ON HOLD* The Airborne Oracles [Book I - Breeding the fire]

Chapter Twenty-Eight

[Dau ddeg wyth]

Blackeye stumbled through the thick overgrowth of greenery before he appeared in front of a nervous audience.

Nixie shot her head up as she leaned against her trusted dragon and let out a shaky exhale. She was relieved at the sight of Blackeye. The last couple of hours were terrifying to say the least.

"All clear," stated the greasy haired man.

"Are you sure?" Oldaff asked in a breathy tone.

Nixie could not help but wonder too. Apart from her exhausted body, her nerves were in all kinds of knots. Her poor dragon had to carry not one, but four people back to the Forbidden Forest near Ithiucoral.

Paduss was strong. He showed immaculate endurance during their flight, especially when the cries of dragons she knew to be of Saxihn were on their tail. Not once did he fail to push their party forward until they were safely hidden in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. A forest she had become quite familiar with ever since the destruction of Ithiucoral.

A whimpered huff let Nixie know that Paduss was tired. He needed to be fed soon if she wanted to avoid the consequences of an underfed beast.

Blackeye nodded, "Aye! We can settle for the night."

The smell of pine and oak infiltrated Nixie's nose as the wind blew past them. Could she dare to relax for the night? Perhaps it was foolish to return to a place where Irgis had flown before, but she did not have much of a choice. Wilm Mountains were too far to travel to, especially with a dragon.

"What are we going to do about him?"

Oldaff's question made Nixie look to the side. Blackeye succeeded in his task to drag down one of the men of Corpt. He was blindfolded and tied to a tree near the hallowed grounds. She shrugged, "That is up to you Oldaff. You know better as to why they captured you than I do."

Her cousin's face paled at her words before he recomposed himself. He inched forward with a caution in his step, looking at Nixie for reassurance, before carrying on.

She frowned at his nervousness; it made her wonder what he had to endure by the hands of the Nelon Empire's queen. From the little he managed to say, she could tell it was not a pleasant time. The outer ambience of his persona had changed to a more serious tone than what she was used to seeing.

Then again, she was sure that Oldaff had to be curious about her own disappearance. All he knew was that she were kidnapped by the dragonkin. Her recent statement of marriage to one of them probably confirmed his hatred towards them.

Although, she had to admit, she did not hate the dragonkin. They were kind enough once you got over the initial scare of their intimidating glowing eyes and ferocious beasts that soared wherever they went.

She was turning into one of their immortals herself with the child that grew inside her...

The blindfolded man let out a painful groan and Nixie turned back to the scene before her. Oldaff had kicked him in the side and gripped his coarse black hair.

"You shall answer me!" demanded her weathered cousins as he ripped off the blindfold on one furious pull.

His head had been smeared with soot and grime, camouflaging the true nature of his white strands. His raven eyes stared at the green eyed dragonkin with anger and impatience.

The man spat on the floor and heaved, "If you would allow me to explain first, you will come to understand that tying me up is unnecessary!"

His words made everyone grow silent. Nixie was too intrigued to say a word and allowed Oldaff to continue. Blackeye joined her on the soil with a copper bowl of brewed tea to ease her discomfort. She gave him a thankful smile before both resumed their attention ahead.