Imperial

Chapter 43

Close enough to have seen us, the three dragon riders did not immediately land. I did not particularly want to be confronted by humans - or the dragons that they'd befriended. Instead, the humans peered down at us solemnly, instantly understanding what had happened when their gaze drifted towards the Dragon Stables, and the smaller ruins of buildings scattered around it.

"They're not here to capture us," I noted, watching as they circled around the sky. Making sure we were aware of them - something I did not think they'd do if they were intending to capture us. "Despite being humans."

Perhaps they did not attack us because they knew they'd be quickly overwhelmed.

"And dragons," the dark blue drake corrected me, and I shipped around to face him. Silver eyes narrowed, he watched the dragon riders pass overhead, both intrigued and disapproving. With a weary sigh, he added, "The humans don't use these dragons. No; they work together instead... Look, here they come."

A low growl rumbled in Rutilus's throat. He did not like the dragon riders to land near us - and neither did I. Talons digging into the earth, I glared at the three incoming dragons, and the humans on their backs.

Only one landed, a maroon dragoness whose yellow eyes swept over us curiously. Smoke coiled from her jaws as she twisted her neck around, glancing down at the human on her back.

The other two dragons remained circling in the sky, watching from above.

Shuffling my wings uneasily, I watched as the maroon dragoness approached Kronx - obviously believing him to be the most authoritative over us. She wasn't wrong - not completely. Even if the newly-freed dragons looked to Rutilus and I, we looked to him.

A tense silence settled over the fields. My hackles raised, and I twitched my wings, silently making sure that I'd be able to fly in a moment's notice. Talons gripping the earth, I watched the dragon rider warily. Waiting for any sudden movements.

After a few long moments, she lowered herself onto the ground - so close that her underbelly scraped against the trampled earth. Within a matter of moments, a human climbed down her flank - his movements fluid from what must have been years of practise.

My eyes narrowed. How long had these dragons been with their human companions?

Shifting his weight, he scratched at the dark hair at the base of his head, well aware that every dragon was watching him with varying levels of hostility. With a soft sigh, he turned towards Kronx, his light brown eyes completely serious.

"You know, soldiers will come here in a matter of days to try to hunt you down," he spoke quietly, knowing all to well that every dragon would be able to hear him. Understand him. Furrowing his brows, his gaze raked across all of us. "This has never happened before. The Queen will not take to this lightly."

Kronx snorted, flicking the tip of his tail delicately. I could have sworn that worry flashed across his eyes as he twisted his head around to stare at Rutilus and I. "I know. They'll come after us, like never before."

The human nodded, walking slowly towards Kronx. Talons clenching, I curled my lip, not liking how close he was to the dark blue drake.

Pursing his lips, the human frowned. "Then why are you still here? If you already know that they're coming, why wait here,  in what is most certainly a death trap?"

It was as though he understood Kronx. The way he responded, the way he'd just questioned the dragon - was it possible that humans could understand dragons? Dimly, I could remember Lord Raffael murmuring his thanks when I'd promised to free the dragons, but...