Chapter Sixteen: Elda…

Elda slowed to a stop and braced her hands against her knees, sucking in great lungfuls of fresh forest air. The trees were quiet, the brush of leaves punctuated only by the sounds of small creatures scurrying back and forth.

The last time she’d come out to the forest, a demon had found and chased her through the trees until she ran straight into Captain Reiner. She smiled at her own stupidity, aware now of just how dangerous sneaking out had been.

But she was stronger this time. Her thighs were solid, her body supple and lined with a layer of muscle that hadn’t been present before. Her senses were sharper, able to focus on the sounds of the forest and pick out the footsteps approaching her.

“Clover,” she greeted.

“Sypher said I’d find you out here.” The Vampire appeared between the trees and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I thought he was joking when he said you’d snuck out. I’m sorry to intrude.”

“Don’t be,” she replied, stretching her arms above her head. “What can I help you with?”

“I wanted to thank you for helping Julian. Brady told me you called your Spirit for them. Since he spoke to Irileth he’s been… better. Still sad, still mourning, but less likely to do something stupid.”

Elda’s cheeks dimpled. “I’m glad to hear that. Although whatever was discussed between them was down to her. I had no input.”

“Yes, but you could have refused.” Clover set his hands on his hips and grinned. “That’s not the only reason I’m here. I’ve been sent to fetch you.”

Elda cocked her head. “My father?” Clover shook his head. “Oh. Cain?” Another shake. “Then who?”

“You’ve been asked to witness some flight training.”

“Flight training…” Her eyes widened. “Sypher’s flying?!”

“He’s going to try. I thought you’d like to know.” Elda leapt up and kissed Clover's cheek, bounding into the trees to the sound of his musical laughter. A moment later, his footfalls echoed hers and he was running alongside her. “This isn’t the way to the gate.”

“Nope.” Elda giggled and hopped over a protruding root, legs pumping until her lungs ached and her heart thundered in her chest. She stopped when the outer wall came into view.

“You know you can’t climb that.”

“I don’t have to.” She searched for the familiar rune and traced her father’s initials over it, smiling when the wall turned translucent.

Clover shook his head. “Nope. I’m not walking through that.”

“Why not?”

“It might turn to stone again and squash us.”

Elda snorted. “We fought Baldur and lived. If you can survive that, you can walk through a secret gateway.” Before he could argue, she grabbed his wrist and yanked him through. “See? Easy.”

“Never do that again,” he glowered, watching her tap the symbol on the inside of the wall so the stone turned solid.

“You survived didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I hated it.”

“Don’t be a baby.” She hooked her arm through his and tugged him out of the alley, leading him back towards the palace towering over the city. With her hood up to cover her face, nobody paid her any mind.

“Do you sneak through your kingdom unseen a lot?” Clover asked.

“Used to. I hated being locked in my room,” she shrugged.

“Did anyone ever see you?”

“No. My father kept me indoors so often that most of the people had no clue what I looked like up close.”

“Isn’t it hard to maintain your anonymity now the whole of Valerus knows you’re a Keeper?”

“Hence the hood,” she grinned. The moment they reached the portcullis she dropped the deep green fabric and waved at the guards. They saluted and opened the heavy irons, granting the pair passage into the palace courtyard.

There you are! Cain exclaimed. Your husband is driving my mother insane.

“He’s that eager to fly?” Elda asked, reaching up to scratch the bright scales under his crimson chin.

Eager is not a strong enough word. The dragon turned his large head towards his mother, who was sitting in the courtyard with her heavy paw planted firmly on the Soul Forge’s chest. His arms were splayed out to either side, a murderous scowl on his face.

“You could at least try to play fair,” Vel glowered.

I warned you what would happen if you didn’t shut up, nirehni. Ember cleaned the talons of her free front paw with delicate sweeps of her barbed tongue.

“You didn’t have to squash me.”

Elda stopped beside them and set her hands on her hips. “What in Spirits name is happening here?”

You married an eight hundred year old child, Ember replied

“My dragon is spoiling my fun,” Vel grumbled at the same time.

“Were you irritating her?” Clover asked, stopping beside Elda and looking down at him.

Vel grinned. “I’m never irritating. Oof.” The air whooshed out of him when the black dragon settled more weight on her restraining paw. “Fine, maybe I was a pest.”

The truth prevails, she scoffed, releasing him at last. He got to his feet and brushed down his dark leather armour. It was less impressive than the shadow armour Elda was used to, but it was carefully tailored around his unbandaged wings. The fine feathers had all grown back and they were as beautiful and glossy as ever.

“Are you expecting a fight?” Clover asked, nodding towards his hardened chest plate.

“Always.” Vel rolled his neck. “But I need to get used to the weight of it now I can’t create my own. Might as well fly with it on right from the start.”

“Can you fly?” Elda asked carefully.

“I don’t know. Fennix said I should start trying.” He looked confident, but she saw his throat bob nervously.

“It’ll take time,” she warned. “Progress is progress, no matter how small.”

Vel’s head cocked, and then he lifted a hand to skim his thumb across her cheekbone. “Always a worrier,” he murmured, brushing his lips against her forehead. Her cheeks flushed, making him smile as he stepped backwards.

Ember shuffled away back to give him room, staying close enough that she could catch him if he faltered. His shoulders rose and fell with a single steadying exhale. His beautiful wings lifted, flight feathers fanning out the moment they reached their full extension.

Elda’s lungs filled, the breath sticking in her throat when his knees bent, ready to leap. He looked so strong, so ready to fly.

The moment his wing tried to carry his weight against gravity, it buckled. Ember’s taloned paw shot out to cushion his fall. Elda’s heart sank like a rock. He climbed out of Ember’s grasp and tried again, and again he fell.

Try again, Cain insisted from behind his rider, drawing closer to them to watch the Soul Forge. His eyes were fixed on the black feathered wing that failed again and again.

“I don’t think today’s the day,” Vel groaned eventually, a deep furrow in his brow.

Try again. Slowly, the red dragon insisted. Don’t leap. Let your wings lift you.

“Won’t that hurt more?”

A dragon does not leap, so you shall not leap. Try again. Cain settled on the ground, crossing one taloned paw over the other. Elda climbed into the circle of his front legs, settling herself beneath his chin and leaning her back against his warm scales.

“I’m gonna go find my brother,” Clover decided before he could witness any more failed attempts.

“He’s probably in the library with Gira and Benny. Or wandering around with Brady,” Vel remarked.

“Likely the latter,” the Vampire agreed, then shot them both a jaunty wave and ambled away in search of his family.

“Julian is spending a lot of time with her,” Elda mused.

“She stops him thinking about Yani,” Vel shrugged, rolling his shoulders to ease the ache in his injured wing.

“She does?” He nodded. “How do you know?”

I saw him on the palace roof. He was ready to jump, Ember answered simply. The bear Shifter stopped him.

The news hit Elda like a punch to the gut. How had she not noticed? “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t Sypher?

“Because you’d blame yourself for not seeing his pain,” the Soul Forge sighed, guessing where her thoughts had gone. “And it wasn’t our information to share.” He shot a glare at Ember, who snorted at him and went back to fussing with her talons.

“You promised you wouldn’t lie to me,” Elda mumbled, sadness and irrational fear tightening in her chest. Had he found a way around his promise?

Vel’s features hardened in an instant, pain flashing across his face before anger replaced it. “I didn’t lie to you. If you asked, I would have told you. You bound my life to that promise - a promise I willingly accepted. What, you think I found a loophole? You really think so little of me?”

The sharpness of his words cut like a knife, and Elda's mind conjured up the emptiness in his black gaze as he sliced her skin open in Shade. She hadn’t had a flashback like that for months.

A low growl rippled through Cain, their bond as dragon and rider leaving her emotions and memories open to him. He got to his feet, standing over her protectively and baring his teeth at the Soul Forge.

Vel’s brows rose, realising what Cain was reacting to. Every ounce of fight left him, his energy leeching away right before her eyes. The sight broke her heart more than any omission of truth could.

“I’m done for the day,” he murmured, turning on his heel. Elda watched him stalk away, still sitting on the ground with Cain towering over her. Everything had changed so quickly.

The dragon settled behind her again, shooting a reproachful look at his mother. You should have told us.

I did tell you. You just dislike my timing. Ember shook out her wings and blew a puff of smoke at them. Her bright eyes turned on the Princess. You did not need to make it so obvious that you do not trust him. And then she spread her wings and took off for the forest.

“I do trust him,” Elda whispered, still in shock.

You are afraid of him, Cain replied, dipping his head to rest his large chin on her shoulder. You cannot trust someone you are scared of.

“I’m not scared of him!” she yelled, pulling away from him and getting to her feet.

You are not scared of Sypher. He was not the one who harmed you.

"Malakai hurt me, not Vel."

Your heart knows it, but your mind does not. The red dragon cocked his head. Your nightmares are proof enough that you are subconsciously afraid of him.

"I love him, Cain."

It is possible to love someone you fear, but it does not change the fact that you do not trust the demon soul. And now he knows it.

"This is a mess. I have to fix it."

You would be wise to give him space, nirehni, the dragon warned.

"I'm not feeling very wise right now," Elda muttered, turning away to chase after her husband.