Dragon: A Histories of Purga Novel

Chapter Thirteen

He dreamed again of the giant dragon. Its bright eyes filled his whole world and seemed to bear down on him. He cringed in fear, trying to back up, but there was nowhere for him to hide. Its mouth gaped open and he saw flame billowing far back in its throat. He tried again to run away but everywhere he turned, the dragon's head was there and the fire was growing bigger and bigger.

Then he saw the fire coming for him, a giant stream of it as wide as a river.

"Wake up!"

Rone jerked awake with a sharp gasp. A rough hand was grasping his shoulder and shaking him roughly.

"Wake up!"

He opened his eyes and found Gar looking back at him. He looked worried about something.

"What is it? Did something happen to Keiara?" he asked, feeling a fluttery panic hit his stomach at the thought of her hurt or worse.

"No. She left for Vitari yesterday after she ran up here. Her and Asher both."

That sense of abandonment hit him again and he felt angry with her, and betrayed. He forced his emotions away from his mind. Forced her away from his mind too.

"What's going on then?" he asked. "Is it something with Yiawe?"

"No," Gar responded, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. "She's fine. She went back home."

Rone was proud when he heard that and he felt good that he was able to do something to right some past wrongs.

"I don't understand. What is it then?" Rone asked.

"I woke you because there is something coming over the desert. I can see them. They are just specks in the sky but they are moving too quickly to be birds. I was going to investigate and I thought you should come. If they are your people searching for you then I want to quickly show that we offered you no harm. That you are alive and well."

"Sure," Rone agreed. He didn't want his people trying to attack the Terras because they thought they had abused or tortured him. He got up quickly and headed to the trapdoor. Gar followed behind. There was a quiet chitter and Rone looked up to see Fortun making his way to them. Gar stopped on the ladder for a minute and allowed the little monkey to hop onto his shoulders before he started down again.

They made it to the forest floor and quickly went into the desert. They stood there as the faint objects in the sky grew bigger and bigger. It quickly became obvious that they were indeed Rooks. Three of them to be exact.

"Can you see them?" Gar asked. He held his sword at the ready and his shield was strapped to his left arm.

Rone shook his head.

"No, they're still too far away," he replied. He concentrated for a moment and the vents on one of his mechpaks opened and nanos spread into the air. In a second, Bastion's head floated there, his brown eyes gazing up at him.

"Your Highness. What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Three Rooks are heading our way. Can you identify them?"

Bastion swiveled and stared at the specks. They were getting rapidly bigger. As Rone looked, he thought that maybe one was only a child.

"Incoming targets have been identified as Tims, Zoie. Wife of Royal Infantry Captain, Quent Tims. Second target identified as Tims, Darvian. Son of Royal Infantry Captain, Quent Tims. Third target identified as Tims, Aeri. Daughter of Royal Infantry Captain, Quent Tims."

A sudden bloom of excitement hit him and he looked at Gar.

"It's okay. They're friends."

Without pausing to see if Gar would follow, Rone raced into the desert, making sure not to go too far. He stopped and started waving his hands. He watched Darvian and his family veer toward him and within ten minutes they touched down directly in front of him. A cloud of sand flew up into his face but he didn't care. He shielded his eyes. When the cloud was gone, he put his hands down, ran up to Darvian and gave him a giant hug, even lifting his friend off the ground.