Soulbound

We had an early start. The sun had only just started to rise when we met in the stables. I hadn’t realised how big the stables was until I saw all four of our dragons sitting patiently as we loaded them up with our bags.

To my disappointment, everyone had weapons stashed in the sheaths attached to the saddle. Annalyse brushed off my complaints, saying I wasn’t ready yet, but I knew how to use a knife and bow. They were my hunting tools. I couldn’t take one with me if they were taking enough to supply a small army?

Ignoring my protests, the Knights mounted. Grudgendly, I climbed up Eran, in front of Grayson. Once I was settled in the saddle, he slipped a knife into my palm, winking. “Always be armed,” he whispered, his voice soft enough for no one else to hear. “Not that you should need it with us around.”

I didn’t care if I had to use it or not, it was the fact that he was giving me the chance to defend myself that I cared about. It made me feel warm inside. “Thank you.”

We flew due west out of the canyon then north. Arkon was high enough in the clouds above for us to only see his shadow occasionally. Even if we couldn’t see him, I felt his presence always near. Every so often, he’d reach out with his magic to scan the clouds ahead of us; whenever he did it, I felt the birds he sensed. There were a surprising amount of birds in the sky, but they all scattered as soon as they got a whiff of dragon.

A flock of lightsprites emerged out of the clouds to avoid Arkon, but they hadn’t seen the other dragons. They flew right at us. Grayson pushed me down against the saddle as he swatted some away. Jacob got clocked in the face by one and groaned when it pooped all over him in surprise. We couldn’t help a giggle. Annalyse burst out laughing, unable to control herself, meanwhile, my poor brother’s face got redder and redder.

After the incident, we rode a little closer to the ground, flying only high enough to avoid the tallest trees--which were considerably taller than I was used to in my valley. These ones could easily soar over any building I’d ever seen. It might have had something to do with the Aborian River we followed; unlike the trees back home, these ones grew in the river, and they seemed to be the biggest trees. It must have been from the magic that supposedly flowed in the water; not enough magic to have any effect on humans but enough to affect trees that had been growing in it for hundreds of years.

A city was fast approaching on the edge of the forest. It was large, a watermill the centerpiece of the town. I’d thought it was our destination, amazed by the time it took to reach it, but it appeared not to be, as we didn’t slow down to land. “Hillfar,” Grayson explained when I looked back at him. The fort wasn’t far from the city, standing tall and proud atop a hill.

As we flew over the farms, a bunch of kids, of whom I could see with my Dragon Vision, ran along with our shadows, pointing at us. They shouted in glee.

Grayson chuckled, also noticing the children. “It appears we have a little fan club.”

It hadn’t dawned on me that I wasn’t the only one fascinated by Dragon Knights growing up. Being much nearer to the capital than I was, they must have seen dragons far more often than I did. Their dreams felt so much closer than mine had. It wasn’t until the day Jacob signed up and got recruited when people stopped telling us that we shouldn’t get our hopes up.

My heart yearned to see my parents’ proud smiles at what we had become, all because they believed in us when no one else did. I clutched my chest, feeling as though it was being crushed by the weight of the world.

Grayson either noticed my mood or just had a knack for timing; he squeezed my waist and gestured to the gorgeous wildflower field we were about to fly over. I let myself relax in his arms and got lost in all the colours.

The rest of the way to the capital was farmland divided up by creeks or small groves. Roads branched out like veins across the land, connecting farms to towns. Throughout the many small towns we flew over, there was one main road, the one that brought everything together and led straight to Lexxis.

If I’d thought any town I’d visited thus far was big, this city was massive. We hadn’t even entered its outer boundaries yet and its tall buildings were visible from here. Even the farms seemed bigger than the other ones we’d passed, houses and land.

We began our descent, aiming for a gravel pit in the middle of nowhere. Jacob was the first to jump off Aries’ back, stretching obnoxiously. “Looks like we beat the royal guard here. That doesn’t happen often.”

“They’ll be here soon enough,” Annalyse said, joining him on the ground. “It’s hard to miss four dragons.” She flicked her hood off, shaking her long locks free; it shone in the afternoon sun, making her hair look two shades lighter.

I tried to follow suit, but when I moved my legs hurt. A lot. It was similar to the first time I went on a long ride on Hiron.

Grudgingly, I did my best to slip off Eran without making it look like my legs felt like grated cheese. Jacob noticed--knowing me better than anyone. “You okay, Eva?”

I waved it off, embarrassed. “Of course. Just stiff, that’s all.”

“Everyone gets chaffed legs every now and again, you know. It’s not a big thing.” Only concern was in his eyes; it was a look that said he knew exactly what it felt like.

Not feeling so bad about it, I relented with a sigh.

“Oh! Grayson can fix you up!” Annalyse said, patting my back. “He heals your idiot brother all the time!”

I glanced at Grayson in surprise at this new information. He didn’t really seem like the healer type. Most healers I knew had better bedside manner.

He offered me a lopsided grin. “Come on. There’s a creek nearby.”

Curious as to why we had to go to the creek for him to attend to my wounds, I limped after him. He paused, noticing, then helped me down the small incline leading to the riverbed. I’d expected him to stop at the water’s edge, but he walked straight into it and gestured for me to follow.

Still not understanding what the water was for, I went in hesitantly. It was cool against my skin, very welcoming after the sweat I’d worked up riding here. The riders didn’t make it seem that hard, but holding onto a dragon was hard work--I couldn’t imagine what it was like for Grayson, who also had to make sure I didn’t fall off.

Telling me to stay still, Grayson knelt down and scooped water into his cupped hands. He closed his eyes, and I finally understood what the water was for. It glowed a dazzling blue in his hands; it was mesmerizing to watch, like a lake glittering on a sunny day.

When he moved his hands apart, the water floated between them, slowly rotating in a fist-sized ball. He opened his eyes, filled with concentration, and the water coated his palms like gloves. Hesitating, he placed his hands on either side of my hips.

I couldn’t help the jolt running through me. My heart suddenly pounded in my chest, cheeks flushing. No one had ever touched me like this: with purpose and confidently yet tenderly. I certainly never expected to react this way to his touch.

Grayson’s face went red then he focused his attention on my legs. The sting and ache faded quickly, and I found it more comfortable to shift my legs in the water for a better grip against the current.

Clearing his throat, he stood up and smiled at me. “How does that feel?”

It took me a moment to clear my head from my erratic heart beat. “Where was that when I needed it days ago?” I gestured to the nasty bruise still on my face.

As if he’d just noticed it, he blinked in surprise at it. How he’d missed such an ugly bruise, I don’t know. He summoned water to his hands once again and cupped my face. The cool water absorbed into my skin and the pain faded. I had to poke my cheek to make sure it was actually gone.

“Believe me,” he said, a wistfulness in his eyes, “I would have done that as soon as I saw you, if I was allowed. The healers don’t trust me with their patients.”

I tapped his chest. “Well, you can heal me anytime. Forget healers, I want you. You have an amazing talent.”

Flushing, he scratched the back of his head with an awkward look; it was as if he didn’t get compliments often. “I’ll be sure to tell them that the next time you’re in the infirmary.”

“You better. You have my full consent to kick whomever’s ass you need to use that talent.”

He grinned at that.

We met up with the others. Arkon had landed and was looking a little gloomy as the royal guard came into view. I went over to him, putting a hand on his muzzle for comfort. I could sense how unatease he was with all of this: meeting the king and being paraded in front of the capital like a trophy. I didn’t like that part much either.

“I won’t let them hurt you, Arkon,” I promised him, feeling a surge of protectiveness over him. He was more than a friend, more than a partner. Our souls were forever intertwined, a bond many would never understand. “If you don’t like anything, you’re more than welcome to leave.”

He pressed his muzzle into my hand harder. “I appreciate it, Little One, but there is only so much you can do. Humans will always have the desire to take what they think they deserve.”

I shook my head, determined. “Not with me around. We’re Dragon Knights; we serve the people--not the king. If we don’t like what he has to offer, we don’t have to do anything for him. I know the power we possess; I’m not going to let the wrong people dictate how we use it.” He’d saved my life more than once, the least I could do was make sure he was treated with the respect he deserved.

He nodded, eyes warily trailing over to the royal guard. Several of them broke their formation, pausing in awe of the storm dragon. The leader called for their attention, and they quickly hurried back into formation. Their leader stopped in front of Jacob and shook his hand. There was six of them altogether. Five surrounding a carriage--thank the gods, no more riding--while one drove the cart.

The leader inclined his head respectfully towards us, his gold and green armour glistening in the sun. It was hot with our armour on, but at least it was breathable; I couldn’t imagine what it was like for them under all that metal.

“Private Greene, it’s been awhile,” he welcomed, removing his helmet. The bald man stared at me, eyes stern as he took us in. He was familiar with the rest of the party, but clearly didn’t trust Arkon and I yet. “I presume this is the storm dragon and his Bonded?”

“Yes. Eva, this is Captain Nestor Quade. Captain, this is Eva Greene.”

I bowed my head respectfully, noticing the shock in his eyes as he introduced us.

“She is your blood?”

“Sister.”

Obviously the Commander hadn’t told the royal family much about me, only that I was Bound to Arkon. It made me wonder if they knew the circumstances of my arrival at the base. Surely they must know, though; one of their villages--albeit definitely one of the smaller ones--was attacked, massacred. That was the point of this dinner, wasn’t it? So I could inform them. King Sylus could not be allowed to get away with it. He had to pay.

The captain smiled at Annalyse, who returned the favour generously. “Always a pleasure seeing you, Sergeant Hargin. It’s a shame Greene and Smith are always the ones to visit.”

Grayson snorted. Obviously, if he had it his way, he wouldn’t even be in this city. Ever since the guards had arrived, he’d been on edge, hand on the hilt of his sword, glaring at anyone who dared to look at him. It made me curious why Grayson and Jacob were always chosen, if he had such a clear distaste for it.

“Oh, I think you’ll be seeing a lot more of me from now on, Nestor,” Annalyse told him. “Eva and I are partners.”

That put a big grin on his face as he gestured for us to enter the carriage. I gave Arkon one last look, assuring him everything would be okay, before joining them in the carriage. I hadn’t actually ridden in one before--wagon yes, but never a hansom as fancy as this one. The cushions themselves were lush, covered in velvet and full of feathers.

Jacob, sitting next to me, bumped my knee with a goofy grin. “What do you think?”

“We’re very far away from home,” I said, peering through the window. The dragons took to the skies again; I hadn’t been paying attention as to where they were supposed to be while we wined and dined tonight; I wished I’d listened more. It didn’t feel right to be so far away from Arkon in a place so foriegn.

Once the dragons were in the clouds, I took in the city to distract myself. Even the farms were far more extravagant than I’d expected. Easily five times the size of Brar’s biggest farm. The houses at the center of the properties were big enough to hold three families, and that wasn’t even counting the additional smaller buildings on the estates.

As we got closer to the city center, the farms turned into mansions sitting on acres of land. Not that I could truly see the houses, as they were buried beneath trees and ivy. Then the mansions became ordinary homes, with a decent sized yard for children to play.

The center was cluttered with people. We slowed down to the point where we were stopping, waiting for people to cross the street, more than moving. Most people walked, going to and fro from shops, but some rode their horses; only a few rode in carriages. The buildings, which were made of brick, were much taller, the upper half residential, while the main floor was strictly for shops.

Annalyse perked up as a representative from a store took advantage of our unmoving state and came by with a handful of scarves. He fluttered his eyebrows at her as he presented the fine silk in the window. Before she could purchase one, a guard forced him along his way.

Pouting, she slouched in her seat. “Boys always ruin the fun. We’ll get some shopping in tomorrow before we head back, Eva, don’t worry. I won’t let you leave without a souvenir.”

Grayson groaned, dumping his head in his hands. “We’re leaving first thing tomorrow, Anna. The less time we spend here, the better.”

“Hey,” she barked, jabbing a finger into his chest, “just because you refuse to have a good time here, doesn’t mean you have to spoil the fun for us. Right, Eva?”

I put my hands up, not wanting to step on any toes. “Maybe we can do it another time, Annalyse. There’s a lot to look at. . . .” I trailed off at her glare.

“Girl, we’re partners! We’re supposed to band together!”

“Anna,” Jacob said, putting a hand on her knee, “Grayson and Eva can go ahead of us and we can shop for a little bit tomorrow.”

Squealing, she hugged him, jostling the hansom. Concerned for the balance of the carriage, I hopped over to Grayson’s side, giving him a little boop with my shoulder. He winked.

Once we turned off the main road, the hansom finally started to move more steadily. Along this street, there were more riders than pedestrians--less people to avoid. The shops had disappeared, giving way to a far more scenic ride with full, lush trees and colourful flowers. A tall metal gate rose up ahead, so grand in its appearance, I nearly missed the regal castle behind it. Guards with dogs patrolled the length of the daunting fence, while a few remaining guards stood at the gate, dressed in the same armour as our escort.

I paid no mind to the guards and took in the humongous castle standing before us--the entire population of Lexxis could probably all fit in there! Four massive spires reached up to the sky, protecting the four corners of the castle. It was so tall it swallowed the sun as it passed behind it, instantly surrounding the grounds in darkness. I didn’t get a chance to take in the elaborate gardens encompassing the extraordinary building, only noticing that the property was so big, the castle might as well be hiding in the middle of a beautiful, well-preened forest of wonder and colour.

With the sun gone, lightstones twinkled against the castle walls, reminding me of fireflies. They lit up enough of the castle to show off its glory, but left it to your imagination to determine how big it actually was in the dark.

We approached the gate, lit up by massive lightstones on top of pillars by the entrance. Fire danced on the tall torches the sentries carried as they patrolled, throwing menacing glances to the shadows. The guards opened the gate automatically, nodding to Captain Quade.

I gulped, eyeing the broadswords in their sheaths. It was suddenly dawning on me where we were and how underprepared I felt. No number of books I read beforehand seemed to really inform me on how intimidating this castle was--or the people living inside.

“I’m gonna be sick.”

“You’ll be fine,” Jacob comforted, giving me that goofy smile he always gave me whenever I felt anxious. It was the comforting look in his eyes that made me feel better, though. “Don’t listen to Grayson, they’re not that bad. The prince and I are basically besties.” That made me feel even more confident that everything would be okay. If Jacob could survive the royal family, so could I.

The captain rapped on the hansom door--and I jumped out of my seat, hitting my head on the ceiling.

“Good start.” Jacob laughed, hopping out.

I was expecting to be greeted by the royal family, or at least a representative, but we were met by servants, taking our bags. A servant curtsied at us. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Dragon Knights. The castle has been abuzz in anticipation of your visit. Please, follow me.”

Squealing in delight, Annalyse followed the servant merrily, with Jacob hastily joining her to stop her from wandering astray.

All I could do was stare at the large double entry, a lump caught in my throat. It was open, welcoming me with bright, warm light, a stark contrast to the darkness that had surrounded the grounds. Still, I couldn’t make my foot move. My nerves had snared me, threatening to never free me.

Grayson put a hand on the small of my back with a smile of encouragement. “Come on, Eva. No one’s going to be throwing you in jail on my watch.”

I grinned at him. Feeling the weight of his hand on me, I finally summoned the courage to enter the castle.