The Dragon's Chase

Chapter Eighteen

(Heyo guys! Finally did it! Finally sat on my ass and finished this chapter! I've got one chapter planned left for this, so we're almost there! Thanks so much to every single reader who's stuck with me this far to see how this turned out. Also I can promise a sequel! As soon as I'm done with this book, I'll be working on editing it and working on book 2 at the same time! So you have a sequel to look forward to! Anyways, enjoy watching things wind down)

Tullan was anxiously pacing the village square, waiting for Merrik, Ava, and Thassio to get back. Four hours had passed since they had left. What if they didn't come back? What if they had gotten captured? What if they had gotten killed? If they'd gotten captured, there was no way that the humans would let Blazania live. What was taking them so long?!

"Tullan, calm down," Sonya instructed. "It takes two hours to travel to the human capital. They should be on their way back by now."

"But she has to come home, she has to," Tullan said, almost pleading. His deep purple eyes were full of anxiety and worry. "I-I miss her so much."

"I know," Sonya replied assuringly. "Don't worry, they will get her back and be home soon."

As if on cue, two giant dragons landed in the square. Ava was gently set down, Merrik letting go of her. She looked exhausted and slightly dazed, still affected by Lucas' magic, but not nearly as much. She had spent the past hour and a half fighting it off. Thassio gently set Blazania down, who stumbled away from the giant dragon. The hole in Thassio's wing was bigger than it had originally been due to constant strain for the past hour.

Merrik turned back into human shape and came over to Sonya. "We got Blazania. . .but something happened to Ava. That Lucas guy. . . I think he has some sort of mind control powers. He managed to make Ava do whatever he wanted her to do. As for Thassio. . .he got shot with an arrow. He can't get back into human form, not yet anyways."

"Blazania!" Tullan cried in relief, a huge smile spreading on his face. He started to run up to her, but things did not go according to plan.

Blazania screamed and stumbled away. "N-no! Get away, you-you betrayed me! You're the reason I'm like this! The reason I have this!" she cried, pointing to her brand.

Tullan stumbled back like he had been stabbed, feeling his heart shatter. Betray her? He would never do that, he loved her. His eyes fell on the brand and his broken heart only sank lower in his chest. She thought he caused that? "But Blazania. . .I-"

"I don't care, you're not who I thought you were," Blazania declared, trembling. She shook her head and stumbled back, straight into Sonya. "Sonya, please. Take me home, I can't stand to see him."

"I. . .yes, of course," Sonya replied, wrapping an arm around Blazania best she could with the height difference. She looked to Merrik. "Get Ava home and then get Thassio up to an empty cave. Ava needs rest and Thassio needs to heal somewhere where no one can get to him."

"Where are Grizin and Cecelia?" Merrik asked.

"Off on a personal errand, they'll be back later," Sonya promised, starting off towards Blazania's house with her.

Merrik nodded. "Alright. Thassio, you stay here for now. Ava, come with me. I'm taking you home to go get some rest."

"Home?" Ava croaked. "This. . .not home."

"It is," Merrik assured Ava, wrapping an arm around her. "You're just tired right now. Come on, let's get you to bed."

Ava leaned into Merrik, too tired to argue. Was she home? She had thought the humans were home, but that didn't make sense. The humans had always hated her for being non-magical. She wasn't a dragon, though, so she didn't belong in either place. Her previous 'thoughts' still rang through her head. She'd never belong in the dragon village. If that were true, though, why would they welcome her with open arms? Why would she have a home with the humans if the dragons wanted her to stay there with her?