Keeper of the Veil

Contact.

~~~Denali.~~~

I held her weak struggling body tight against my chest, allowing those strange sparks to transfer from her skin. Regardless of my anger I knew I had to keep my strength in check. This fragile girl could break. “Calm down,” I whispered to her, which seemed to be the wrong thing to do. Her struggles only increased and finding her voice muted shouts escaped from behind my hand.

The more attention she brought to herself acting like this, the less likely it would be that Damian chooses her. I needed him to choose her, I needed her to succeed, for the sake of my job.

Suddenly her struggles halted all together. Worried that she had passed out I looked down just to find her gaze locked ahead of where we stood. Looking around the room I thanked God that no one had noticed us. Just as I was about to slip back down the corridor we entered from I realized who she stared at.

And he stared right back at her. The only one it seemed that noticed her, in the entire room, happened to be the one creature I didn’t want to see her. Damian himself. I contemplated still backing down the hall to shield her from him, but as he began to approach us I knew it was over.

I could already hear the council revoking my rights and erasing her memory in the scrape of his tail on the stone floor. His claws made a sharp clicking noise with every step he took. Surprisingly enough, the girl in my arms stayed completely still. I contemplated releasing her from my hold, but then thought better of it, I wouldn’t put it above her just yet to not bolt.

Standing before us, the dragon seemed larger than life. The way his black scales shined in the lighting, he stood a few good feet above the others in the room with his massive wings tucked into his sides. Across the kingdom it was well known that Damian hated the war, he didn’t support the cause, but he knew his place. When he was chosen for the Trials, no one rejoiced like they have in years past. The kingdom desperately needed great things to come from this year’s Trials, the well being of the Realms rested on our shoulders. Having Damian being chosen, having a dragon that didn’t want to fight, being forced to fight, we all knew he wouldn’t be the savior we needed.

But watching his massive form assessing the girl in my arms, I found it hard to imagine him being anything other than a fighter. Being larger than every other dragon he easily dominated all of his training classes, mastering the training processes in half the required time, but that never meant he enjoyed it. At the same time, everyone knew he hated violence, they knew he would not hesitate to use his skill if the need arose. It seemed as if Damian was the only one who could pull of being revered and loathed at the same time.

“Denali,” he nodded to me and a shiver of fear ran down my spine from commanding tone in his voice. “Release the girl,” the way he said it, there could be no argument. Slowly, allowing her to stand on her own, I released my bonds from her body. I had feared the instant I did so, she would bolt again, but it seemed she understood the gravity of the situation.

For a moment they both just stood there, observing each other. Then cautiously she took a step towards him as he lowered his long neck. His head was longer than her body, but for some reason, I felt they looked good together. Gingerly she reached out a hand, stopping just before her fingers brushed his forehead. The curiosity in Damian's eyes was palatable as he pushed himself forward to touch her hand. At the contact the girl’s whole body relaxed and a deep rumble of satisfaction rolled from his chest.

Had I not been standing so close, I wouldn’t have noticed the aura surrounding the pair. The atmosphere felt like two old friends reuniting, their joy and sadness understood by only them. Just as they separated I could barely see his red eyes flash purple briefly, but as he blinked, the color was gone. The corners of his mouth picked up in a kind smile, “I look forward to watching your progress Jamie.” And just as suddenly as he arrived, he left.