Rise of Fire: Dragons Reborn [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24

Talia pulled the cinch tight on Jax with an air of finality as she tested how secure the saddle was. Getting out of the city had been quite the chore, especially with so many people trying to leave as quickly as possible. The stables had been filled to the brim with people struggling to escape for nearly an hour leaving Talia and the others to wait at the fringes of the crowd for a moment to slip in and quietly make their escape.

"I want to go with you." Lotus pressed again with a thin frown on her face and fire in her shimmering eyes. She was quite the conundrum, a water affinity and glittering aqua eyes but she had the heart and soul of someone with fire in their heart. Talia could recognize that much at least. Lotus refused to back down no matter how many times she had snapped her answer at her.

"How many times do I have to say no before you get it through that thick skull of yours?" She was tired, Jax was irritated, and Nico was lurking somewhere. He was notoriously opposed to new groupies, not to mention Talia wasn't sure she wanted to babysit a newly fledged mageling on the journey. They had many moons of hard riding to do and Lotus had likely never even sat astride a horse, let alone for weeks. The time it would take to teach her such things would be valuable and better served elsewhere, at least that's what she tried to convince herself.

"I want to serve you! I want to fight for you and help..." She started her same argument over. Talia grit her teeth before biting out,

"This isn't some dandy trip I'm doing for the fun of it ok? There are far more dangerous things on this road than Dragonfyre. I don't want to watch you die because you think you owe me your life. Find some other way to kill yourself if you're that interested in throwing your life away." She closed her eye and took a long deep breath.

"I don't... Have a home. I don't have anywhere to go, I don't have anything to do. I don't want to wander this city aimlessly when I know my destiny is with you! I want to see the rise of the new rider, which by the way is you. I mean, what better way to spend my life than serving the first rider in five thousand years!" Talia lead Jax out of the stable pushing past Lotus roughly with a low snarl,

"Shut up! I don't want the word to spread. Do you know what kind of attention we'd get if people knew?" Eyeing the rest of the stable she was happy to see that they were the only ones left. Nico and the dwarves had already saddled their mounts and made their way out towards the road to wait. The stables were now completely empty save a few of the knights horses and the Kings spare mount.

"I'll tell the world if you don't let me go." Lotus snarled. Talia had to stop a moment to process what the little cur had just uttered. Had she really just threatened her? She lay Jax's reins over his neck and patted him on the rump. He made his way out the main doors before stopping and turning to wait for her. She turned to Lotus who was now plastering herself up against the wall, even the bugs could feel how dangerous the atmosphere had just turned. Talia may have been exhausted but she was never too tired to put a welp in its place. She leaned in close to Lotus's face before pulling her lips up into a sneer.

"I've killed Kings for less you know. And I did it with a smile on my face. Threaten me again and I'll make an example of you understand? If you want to follow, fine. Buy your own horse because I won't get one for you. If you can't find one walk because I won't wait for you. If you fall behind I won't come back for you." She pulled back to see that the remaining horses had pushed themselves into the shadows and refused to look in their direction. The general rats and mice that had been milling about were gone, ghosts in the wind. She took another deep breath before turning and making her way back to Jax.

"Are you sure it's wise to allow her to follow? We need to make haste." Reezara sounded uncertain but Talia couldn't offer her any answers. She wasn't even certain she should have caved on the issue. But she was sure Lotus would have found a way to follow regardless.