Breaking the Chains - The Dragon Prince fanfic

Breaking the News

A/N: I was supposed to post this next week and make it a bit longer but my brain is telling me to post it so here ya go! Next chapter will be longer.

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"Callum! Hey wait, Callum!" Rayla yelled as she chased him hot on her heels. "Callum, stop!"

Unfortunately for her, the prince has no plans of stopping his tracks.

Furious at his stubborn attitude, the Moonshadow elf clicked her tongue then used her agility to leap in front of him and block his way.

"What the hell are you doing, Rayla?!" Callum was bristling with a scarlet face and blood-shot eyes brimmed with tears. "My brother is in danger!"

"And how are you planning to go to Katolis, fly?"

"Yes!"

She gasped incredulously then grasped both of his shoulders so he could face her squarely. "Are you stupid?! You can't simply fly across Xadia with your mage wings! Even Skywing elves have to use an ambler to cross the Midnight Desert!"

Callum pushed himself forward with clenched fists. "So you want me to stay here and do nothing?"

"I want you to think!" she yelled at him equally as her tears began to fall. "Or at least use your dumb bird brain before you jump into a suicide plan!"

"But Ez is - "

"Currently protected by Soren and his Crownguards." Rayla emphasized as she regained her composure, and when she felt that his shoulders slacked a bit, she added: "Ez will be okay, Cal. Listen to me - Ez is going to be okay. If he was able to survive from the battle in the Storm Spire all by himself, he will definitely survive this."

The mental exhaustion that he had from studying spells, his lack of sleep, and the adrenaline rush that suddenly came after hearing the news were all crashing down. It was too overwhelming, and the thought that his younger brother's life was at risk while he was several miles away made him shudder and slumped to the ground. His hands were clammy as he covered his face out of frustration and helplessness. And when he felt a familiar warmth around his body, his dam immediately broke.

"Oh, Callum." she sobbed as she pulled him closer.

"I - I don't know what to do, Ray." the prince sniffled, burrowing his face against the crook of her neck. "I - I can't bear to lose my baby brother. He - he's the only family that I have left."

She tightened her embrace, relishing his warmth. "You know what to do, Cal. You always have. I will always be here for you, okay? We are going to face this together."

"We? What do you mean?" he peeled himself away from her arms, only to see devastation and pain simmering in her lilac eyes. He cupped her face tenderly with his hands out of instinct then wiped her tears gently with his thumbs. "How about your duties here?"

"Abandoning them just like how you will abandon your mage apprenticeship." Rayla forced herself to smile. "I love Ez as much as you love him. He's more than a best friend to me; he's my younger brother. I don't want to lose him too, Cal."

He closed his eyes as he tried to control the brewing storm of emotions that was murking his logical sense. Ez will be fine. Soren is there to protect him. He's safe.

The two hugged again for a minute in silence to calm down and to collect their thoughts, and when they fully regained their composure, they stood up in haste.

"Can you prepare all of the essential things that we need for our trip," said Callum as they rushed towards their quarters. "While I talk to Ibis and see if he can lend us a transport that can send us to Katolis in a short time?"