Chapter 52

The bed had two pillows and a thick quilt on it, perfect for two people.

"I can sleep on the floor. You two can share the bed." Galen said.

"No, that's alright. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Nonsense." Galen said, spreading out their pack onto the floor.

"Put your packs on the bed, then I'll need you." Galen said to me, sitting with their legs crossed on the floor.

I did as they commanded. We tossed our stuff onto our bed. A wave of anxiety splashed my stomach and chest. The thought of sleeping with Orion almost made me blush.

I sat across from them and copied their position.

"Remove your top, please."

I pulled off my top and tossed it next to me. It wasn't the first time Galen had studied the dragon scale, but it seemed like they had a new idea on what to do.

"I'm going to do what I can to push my magic through it. Is that alright?"

"Might as well try."

Galen pushed their hand against my chest, as if they were forcing the dragon scale deeper into my skin. It sent a shooting pain throughout my body. My insides went cold.

I was in the desert again. My legs felt weak as I pushed myself up out of the sand.

"Great whyrm dragon, are you there?"

There was no sound, except the hot, dry wind.

"Please. I don't know how to use this power you've given me.. I fear I am failing with it."

There was still no response. I was screaming at a desolate pile of sand.

"I fear that you failed bestowing this on me. I fear that it was meant for somewhere else."

The ground shook. Sand fell and crashed onto me, like a violent ocean wave.

"I did not make a mistake." A deep voice said.

I pulled myself off the ground. The dragon stood above me.

"Please. Tell me how to use this power. If only comes out when I'm scared."

"Humans are truly foolish. Do you remember the test I gave you?"

"Yes. I chose to protect my people."

"Protecting is what dragons do. Tell me, everytime you've changed, what have you been doing?"

I recounted the instances in my head. The first time I had changed, Samuel threatened my family. I remember the rage and fear I felt for them. The other time was in Naporia, when I was overwhelmed with the same feeling for Orion and the queen.

"Protecting my family."

"You are doing what dragons are meant to do. Samuel is using the unrest dragon for reasons unfit for a dragon."

"So what do I do? How do I control it?"

"The instinct of the dragon is meant to appear in times of need. It has never been bestowed on a human that's survived."

"Are you saying that it only appears in those instances? That I can't control it."

"Anything is possible, young human. Trust your protective instincts, and don't underestimate the connection you have with the unrest dragon."

With a harsh and heavy jolt, I was crammed back I to reality. The sand had disappeared, yet my ears continued to ring.

"Zander, how are you feeling?" Galen asked, helping me sit up.

"The dragon can't be controlled. I can't be controlled." I said.

"Certainly there must be a way." Galen said in disbelief.

"The Whrym dragon told me I have to believe in my connection to the unrest dragon, the dragon Samuel has. They think I am strong enough to communicate with it."

"That's good, right? We can take Samuel's dragon out from under him." Orion added.

"The problem is I don't know how to communicate with it. I know very few commands, Samuel knows the rest."

"How did he learn them?"

"The Venus Library in Vendov. Samuel find and took the book of commands. I went there to study dragons but the books were gone."

Orion's head jerked at me, studying me once more.

"I'm familiar with it. I've been there a few times."

The thought that Carlo and Orion may have met skittered across my head.

"Perhaps the library has more information."

"No! It doesn't. I spent a lot of time there studying dragons this past spring. It was a dangerous mission then, and it would be even more dangerous now." I explained.

"I am unsure what to do. If we can't control either dragon, my father still has the upper hand."

"I hope that Dewsbury and Darlington side with us. Perhaps we'll have a bigger army then." I said.

"Perhaps. I hope it's enough." He sighed.

"Well, there is nothing more we can do tonight. I propose we all sleep. Goodnight." Galen said,

spreading out across their pack on the floor.

"Are you sure-" I began to say.

"Yes. Goodnight." They said with a crease of a smile.

They laid down and turned away from us.

"They're right. Let's sleep so we can head out early tomorrow."

Orion slumped onto the bed. It let out a creak.

"What? I know this isn't the first time you've shared a bed with another man before." He said.

"Of course not. Er. I mean. I didn't do it that often. But often enough." I stammered over my words as I always did with attractive men.

"Come over here, Zander. I won't bite." Orion winked.

My heart collapsed as I took the spot next to him. The bed screamed with every small movement. I ensured to keep a fair distance apart for Orion's comfortability.

I blew out the candle, filling the room with darkness.

"Perhaps you should sleep first. So you don't have to hear my snoring." Orion suggested, adjusting his position.

"It's alright. Your snoring really doesn't bother me."

"Really? My sister would always say it was louder than a thunder storm." He said.

"I mean, it's a little loud. But it doesn't bother me." I said turning towards him.

"Well, get some sleep. Long journey tomorrow." He reminded.

I turned by back towards him and slept on my side. I tried to leave a fair amount of unoccupied space between us.

I was tired. I managed to fall asleep before Orion could begin snoring. Charles insisted it was obnoxious, but it genuinely had no impact on me.

I woke up at dawn. The sky was forming early shades of orange and pinks for the sun.

I felt something over the top of me. I stretched my weak morning eyes to see Orion's arm draped over me.

My stomach jumped to my heart. I turned my head to the side. Orion's torso was pressed against my back. His side of the bed seemed to be unoccupied. He let out occasional snores, still deep in sleep.

I didn't know what to do. Do I wake him up, I thought? It surely had to be an accident that he wanted to embrace me in his sleep. Should I move his arm? Would he wake up if I did that?

His snoring came to a sharp stop.

I quickly closed my eyes, and pretended to be asleep. I felt him slowly pull his arm off of me and scoot away. It was true, he didn't want to embrace me.

"Zander. The sun is beginning to rise. We should go." He gently shook my shoulders.

I opened my eyes and yawned.

"Yes. Let's." I rubbed my tired eyes.

Orion woke Galen up as well and we began to head out.

The journey was long and barren. We kept ourself as unnoticeable as we could, especially passing though Lafayette. We passed several abandoned villages as we took the roads farthest from the castle.

The cottages were lifeless. Naked trees hung above them, leaf's scattered the ground. The Lafayette banners that used to hang proudly on some doors were gone.

"I hope they're alright. I didn't want Lafayette to be like this." I told Orion and Galen.

"We know, Zander."

I lingered over at the sight of the empty village. There was dead coal under the fire pit of the blacksmith's shop. Rotted vegetables in several villagers gardens sat and decomposed into the ground. At one point they were ripe, but no one was there to pick them.

We continued up the road put distance between us and it. The weather kept getting colder almost everyday. By the time we pushed through Lafayette, we were exhausted.

"Are you sure we shouldn't go to Darlington first? Since we have to go through there?" I asked Orion.

"From what I know, Darlington will follow Dewsbury. We must go to Dewsbury first." He insisted.

The exhaustion began to lower morale to our little party. Dewsbury was a long trip, and none of us were looking forward the journey back to Belmonte. I hoped the king of Dewsbury would allow us to rest.

"We're almost here. Finally." Orion said in a weary voice.

We began to approach the kingdom of Dewsbury. A large wall blocked out intruders, but no one was guarding it.

"How do we get over?" I asked.

"I'll climb it." Orion volunteered.

"Be careful." I said, unsure what would be waiting for us on the other side of the wall. Galen and I gave him a lift to make it over the dense wall. He climbed to the top, then lowered himself to the other side.

He cranked down the gate, allowing us access to enter.

With the gate fully opened, we trotted in. Why was there no one manning the gate?

The village was dead quiet. The only sounds were the wind, and the rumbling of the nearby ocean. The air tasted salty. The sky was a sad grey.

"What happened here?" Galen gazed at their empty surroundings.

There were houses, but no one was home. We called for anybody, but there was no reply.

"Let's search the area. Be on alert. Vendov soldiers could be here."

We split up and trotted through parts of the village. It was like everyone had disappeared. There was no fire damage to the village. There were no loose ends left out like Lafayette.

We regrouped.

"I don't think it was Vendov. If Samuel was here he would've toasted the town." I said.

"Unless they agreed to be allies." Orion said.

"Perhaps, but then there would still be people here, right?"

"Let's go to the castle. Perhaps the king could answer our questions."

The three of us marched towards the castle like a small army. The castle gate had no one on duty.

"What if it's a trap?" I asked.

Orion drew his sword.

"Then we'll be ready."

Galen and I pushed open the heavy doors, leading us to the throne room.

It was like a bomb had gone off. The place was trashed. Garnets and goods were tossed around like a wild animal digging for food.

The throne was set on top of a platform. A dark blue rug spread down from the head of the throne to the doors, acting as an aisle. A man was sitting on it, his legs dangled over the side, a gold chalice in hand.

We began to walk along the blue rug as quietly as possible. The figure on the throne did not move. As we got closer, we could hear lively music and chatter.

The man's face came into view as we stepped closer. His beard was long and dirty. He wore a tattered red coat, with a hat on his head. His eyes were closed, then would slightly flutter open. Only to fall shut again.

I drew my sword.

"What's wrong? Who are they?" Orion asked me.

The man heard Orion's words. With a huff, he strengthened his grip on his chalice and sat up.

"Fucking pirates."