Moonsugar and Nightshade

Chapter 5

The ground beneath Riverhold shook as Bahlokdaan's massive head slammed down. He grew unnaturally still for a few long moments before his scales began to flake off like ash floating in the wind. The essence of him left nothing but a pile of bones in the shape of a beast. Instead, the golden shimmer slammed into Ellyria's chest, scalding her organs and taking the air from her lungs. Unable to breathe or scream, she fell to her knees, heaving up stomach acid and water. The dragon's blood was still hot on her skin. The smell of death wafted into her nose, gagging her even when there was nothing left to vomit. Grateful to be behind the wall surrounding the center of Riverhold, she was out of sight from all as they watched Khamira announce herself as the Queen of Anequina. Being seen was the last thing on her mind, though, as tears cleaned streaks of flesh from beneath the blood and gore caked on her face. The dragon's soul had been a whisper until it was a roar as it swept into her. The unbridled agony had spread from the tip of her toes to the ends of each strand of hair. There was no cleansing or relief or air until the world went dark around her. So that was the purpose of a Dragonborn, to take that fury and hold it within, to let it burn her out so that maybe the world wouldn't have to burn, too.

It was dark when her eyes opened again. The only light came from a cluster of candles on the desk across the room. Abnur sat, quill in hand and sans armor, with a face devoid of a frown. Ellyria took the moment to watch him, the way his fingers wrapped around the quill and the way his eyes would track the letters as he scribbled them onto the paper. Every few minutes, his nose would twitch as if it itched and he would sniff slightly. She'd forgotten how much she missed just seeing him exist. Her adventures had taken her away from his side, and yet they now brought them back together. Razum-dar's face drifted into her mind's eye, his expression soft and open and filling her thoughts with guilt. She had a lover and a home and a family in Auridon. Why was she filled with ill-content at the thought of staying there, with the thought of being away from Abnur Tharn?

"How do you feel?" Abnur's voice drifted across the room gruffly. He signed the letter with a flourish before putting the quill down to look at her. "We found you unconscious in a puddle of your own vomit."

A sigh pressed its way through her lips. Of course, that's how they found her. "I absorbed the dragon's soul after it was dead. It hurt. It still hurts."

Abnur's arms crossed against his chest as he turned fully toward her. "Do you feel any differently than before?"

"I feel hot on the inside; like it's burning, but it doesn't hurt exactly. I just, I know it's there. I know he's there, Bahlokdaan. And I know where Mulaamnir and Khalgrontiid are, and the rest of my – their – brothers are. I can feel them stronger than before."

The room was silent for a while, leaving Ellyria to stew in the realization of how things would change for her again. What would this do to her? What would happen now that Bahlokdaan was a part of her? She could feel his soul nesting inside of her, pushing out everything else to make himself fit. So many questions swirled in her head and in her heart. She wondered what her children would think, what Raz would think. She wondered what Abnur thought. She would never dare to ask him.

"I had Khamira help clean you up and divest you of arms and armor. The barmaid is cleaning them now, for a hefty fee, of course. What happened at the Adeptorium?" Trust Abnur to change the subject just when she needed it the most. They were well versed in avoiding the important things, after all.

"The Euraxians had infested the place like skeevers. They were as easy to kill, too. Zumog Phoom has the location of the Betrayer, but we didn't find out where that is."

Abnur nodded absently as he listened, moving to gather his things into a neat pile on the desk. The sight brought a smile to her face. He was always so meticulous. It was so easy to frustrate him with even the slightest bit of clutter in his workspace. Ellyria watched as he pushed in the chair before he slid into the bed next to her. The sheets were cold. She knew because he drew up next to her, searching for her heat like a moth to the flame. Abnur was a cuddly bastard. Her smile fell from her lips once her face was hidden against the shirt covering his chest. Razum-dar was a cuddly bastard, too.