The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 31

Caspian furrowed his brows and cocked his head. The realization turned into confusion while he thought about what that meant. "Why is he with me then?" he asked, and I shrugged because I had no idea. "Can you figure it out?"

I nodded. "I am sure that I can," I replied. I cleared my throat and leaned back in my seat while I studied him. "There are other things that I have to find out as well, and I will be asking about them tonight."

Caspian nodded slowly. "You know that there is a curfew, right?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. Worry filled his eyes, and I couldn't help but feel a little bashful because I had no idea why.

I shrugged and schooled my features until they created a mask where Caspian didn't know what I felt. "You know that I know every inch of this place, correct?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "And I have eyes that will make sure that I am safe if I am out after curfew."

Caspian shrugged. "I don't want you to get hurt," he mumbled, and his cheeks turned a little red. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat before he looked away from me. "Do you know how to fight?" he asked randomly, and I raised an eyebrow in question. He looked up when I didn't answer and cocked his head. "What?" he asked.

"Did you just ask me if I knew how to fight?" I asked, and he nodded. "Seriously?"

He nodded and cocked his head further. "Ya," he said. He shrugged again and looked nonchalant. "It's not that bad of a question to ask."

"But still. Why are you asking me if I know how to fight when you saw me holding a bow and arrow at the Dwarves when I rescued you?"

He gave me a deadpanned look. "Knowing how to shoot a bow and arrow is different than fighting, Marini," he said, in a matter of fact tone, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "It is," he defended. "So, do you know how to fight?"

I nodded. "I do," I confirmed. I sighed when I felt that my time in the room was running out and pursed my lips. "We need to go," I said and stood. I picked my basket up and looked at Caspian to see that he was still seated and looked confused.

"But, I still have so many questions," he said. "Why do we need to go? Please, Marini, can you stay and tell me everything? I want to learn about this world, and I think that the best person to ask is you."

I shrugged and made sure to keep my face squared, even though all I wanted to do was look away and blush. "I would, Your Highness, but our time is almost out. He won't protect the room any longer."

"Then go find him and give him some more money," he said, and I shook my head, no. He frowned and folded his arms across his chest. "And why not?" he asked, warning in his tone.

"Because I still have work, Your Highness," I scolded and narrowed my eyes with a scowl on my face. "I also have training later this evening." I shifted my basket in my arms and stared at him with a set jaw. "I will answer your questions, but now is not the time, especially when I kept you out of sight from your guard for too long."

Caspian sighed and nodded. He moved a hand across his face before he stood, and I had a feeling he knew that I wasn't going to change my mind. "Ok," he said. "Will I ever see you again?" he asked.

I gestured for him to follow me and started to walk back the way we had come in. "Put your hood up, Your Highness," I said, not answering his question.

Caspian huffed but did what I told him to do. He scowled because I hadn't answered his question, and I had a feeling that he narrowed his eyes.

"I am sure you will," I replied, finally answering his question. I looked into my basket and pulled out the remaining coins that I needed to give to the old man. "Our paths are aligned for some reason."" I pursed my lips and stopped when Caspian pulled me to a stop. I turned my head slightly and looked at him through the corner of my eyes. "Yes?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "May I help you?"

Caspian cocked his head and studied me. "What do you mean our paths are aligned?" he asked. He narrowed his eyes further and studied me some more. "Do you know something that I don't?" he asked.

Shilan snorted. "He should know that you do," he gruffed, and I mentally rolled my eyes at him. "I'm serious," he defended himself. "You do know more than you are letting on, and he should know that."

I pursed my lips. "How much are they going to allow me to talk about myself when they haven't met him?" I asked. I ignored Caspian's raised eyebrow when I pursed my lips before I sighed and pointed to my head, indicating that I was talking to my dragon.

Confusion filled his eyes while he cocked his head and studied me. He blinked and then blinked again, trying to come up with a reason why I was pointing to my head. Finally, realization dawned in his eyes, and he mouthed, 'oh.'

I rolled my eyes and scowled but didn't say a word while Shilan asked them my question. Hesitantly, I pressed further into his mind, and he let me until I was able to hear what he heard and saw what he saw.

Jonah stroked a hand through his brown beard while he thought of Shilan's question. He had a dazed look in his eyes that only happened when he was in such deep thought. "I don't know, to be honest," he said, blinking and losing that dazed look. He looked at Ardën with a raised eyebrow. "Well?" he asked.

Ardën studied my dragon before he cocked his head. A smile flickered on his face, and a look of pride filled his eyes. He knew. He knew that I saw what Shilan saw and knew that I heard what Shilan heard. "It didn't take you long," he praised, and Jonah's eyebrow went higher in question. "Tell him to meet us at Sparrow's Mill in three nights. Until then, you are not allowed to tell him another word."

Jonah furrowed his brows and looked at Ardën and then at my dragon. Confusion filled his eyes, and I had a feeling that it was because he had no idea what Ardën meant by that. "Wait," he said, confused. He looked between the two again, and I had a feeling that he hadn't figured it out. "What are you talking about?" he asked when his gaze landed on Ardën again. "What is happening?"

"It seems to me that our dear friend is smarter than we thought," he said, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his comment. "Both Shilan and Marini are sharing one mind, and I am sure that the prince is freaking out because I am sure that you look dazed. We'll work on you being able to do both at the same time. We'll talk more about that this evening."

Jonah looked between Shilan and Ardën, still confused. Finally, realization dawned on him that I was sharing a mind with my dragon, and his eyes grew lighter. "Hello, Marini," he said and waved. "I will see you tonight." He looked at my dragon. "Push her out and close your link. She still has work to do and won't be able to do both yet."

Shilan became smug and shoved me out of his mind.

Pride filled our link when he was told to do that, and I mentally rolled my eyes at him before I blinked and blinked again and focused my gaze on a Caspian, who looked at me with concern in his eyes.

"Marini," he said again, and this time, I could hear him. He studied me and cocked his head, and relief filled his eyes when he saw me focus on him. "Are you ok?" he asked.

I nodded. "I am," I confirmed. I moved a hand across my forehead and grimaced when a headache appeared and had a feeling that it was because I was shoved out of Shilan's mind. "I was listening in a conversation between my dragon and both Ardën and Jonah."

"You can do that?" he asked, and I nodded. "Since when?"

I shrugged. "I just tried it," I replied. I cleared my throat and turned in the direction that we had been going in before I started to lead the way back to the entrance, and he followed. "Oh," I said and glanced at him again from the corner of my eyes. "Tell your guard that you need to be at Sparrow's Mill in three nights."

"Why?"

"You're going to meet the other Dragon Riders and my dragon. Until then, I am not allowed to say anything else about the world that you are now a part of."