Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The pouting dragon was the least of Lyv's worries when they passed through the gates of Chamin. Roshan and Erly were going to stay outside the city walls until they met them the following morning. Roshan was quick to hum in disapproval even as Lyv loved on him, rubbing along his jaw the way he loved so much.

"It's just one night," she told him, leaning forward to kiss him on his brow. "You and Erly get to go hunting and spend some time with just the two of you, which I know you always love."

A short hum reverberated then, one of agreement.

"We'll be fine."

Gray eyes narrowed slightly, as if he remembered exactly what happened the last time they were in the eastern most Ethran city. His gaze over to Mik and Allel, still a little suspicious of them both.

"Oh, hush. You know nothing like that will happen again." Lyv gave him yet another kiss. "We'll see you in the morning. Be good, all right?"

The spark in Roshan's gray eyes made her think otherwise before he and his momma dragon took off into the skies.

Thia stepped up to Lyv's side then, looping her arm through hers as they both watched their dragons fly off. "Makes me wonder what they do when we're not around."

Lyv's smile widened into a grin. "No doubt Ro somehow does something to act like a toddler again and Erly has to chastise him. He might be full grown, but he's still my little baby dragon and acts like it most of the time."

"You keep telling yourself that, Lyv, because he seemed to get a little bit cozy with another female dragon he's had his eye on over these last few months."

"Don't even joke about that."

"I'm not."

Her little baby dragon...

Nope. She wasn't going to think about it.

But when Elys came bounding over to her side, she thought of another one of her babies finding their mate.

Stop.

Lyv sighed heavily, detached herself from a grinning Thia, and leaned down to scoop Elys up in her arms. Grunting slightly at his weight, she realized it would be a matter of time before she would pick him up for the last time.

"Tahmuras is going to be so happy to see us!" Elys chirped as he wrapped his arms tight around her neck. "Of course, he and everyone else in the city heard of what happened to you a few months ago and that you got out." His voice dropped to a whisper. "They don't know anything about the dark magic, though. Well, someone does...but that's because she's got ears throughout Ethran."

She shook her head, peering around to anyone who might have heard. "There's no need announce it. And this someone you're talking about...that doesn't happen to be Ozera, does it?"

Elys rolled his eyes. "Of course, it is. She's going to summon you to the palace in a little while, so be prepared. Looking into her near future...well, you're not the nicest to her at the beginning. Why is that?"

Lyv reached up, brushing his hair off his face as Thia chuckled from beside them. "Nothing you should be concerned about."

They continued forward down the main road, taking in the huge expanse of the city. The buildings' colors would have blended in with the surrounding landscape had there not been colorful canopies stretched across to provide shade. Allel and Mik, hand in hand, were right behind them with Kalla, and Jai and Gideon brought up the rear of their group. Lyv and Thia had left the two of them to carry their bags, especially when Lyv was carrying Elys. Just like always, the little boy was chattering away happily, pointing at all of the items the shops were displaying and sniffing at the smells of the food wafting through the air.