Page 152 of Of Empires and Dust
Those words seemed to visibly shake Calen. He stared back at Aeson for a moment before looking up at Valerys, who hadmoved to stand over him. The dragon stared down at Calen, a dim purple light glowing in his eyes.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or in a year,” Aeson said. “We may not live to see the next moon. Our heads might be on spikes. Fane Mortem might raze the continent, or Efialtír himself might burn this entire world to the ground. But in your own words, ‘there’s no point in living if we don’t fight for what we love.’ No matter the outcome, I can say with my hand on my heart that you are not a puppet or an instrument or a tool to be used – not anymore. And if any try, it will be my blade they’ll find pressed to their necks. Du é myia’kar. Du é myia’ríen. Ar na daui nai din siel væra myia haydria.”
You are my brother. You are my kin. And to die by your side would be my honour.
Calen let out a long breath, Aeson’s words lingering between them. “Akar…” he whispered.Brother.He lifted his gaze and gave a soft nod, then leaned forwards and offered Aeson his hand. “Il tavu er tavu. Vir ketat imbahír, akar. Draleid n’aldryr.”
The past is the past. We move forwards, brother. Dragonbound by fire.
Aeson grasped Calen’s forearm. “Rakina nai dauva. Imbahír,” he agreed. “Altinua imbahír.”
Broken by death. Forwards. Always forwards.
Calen held his gaze on Aeson for a moment before releasing his arm and snatching the bread, meat, and cheese and taking a hungry mouthful. “It’s good,” he said, giving Aeson the slightest of smiles. “Now that we have time, tell me of these people in Arkalen, these allies. Who are they?”
“Most are people who’ve been a part of the rebellion their entire lives. Many are old friends. Were it not for them, we never would have made it back to Epheria with Valerys’s egg. They’ve been waiting in the province for this exact moment, garnering support, building strength.”
“They were with you?” Calen’s interest piqued. “When you went to Valacia?”
“They were. Verma, Pylvír and his daughters, Ildur, Fearn… Malari, må Heraya beskír sine.”
May Heraya watch over her.
“We lost near a hundred and barely made it out with our lives.”
“Before, after Milltown, you said you were there for three days and three nights. You never said anything about losing so many.”
“I didn’t know you. I didn’t trust you.”
Calen shifted in place so he was facing Aeson. “You’ve never talked about it since then. About how you got the egg – how you really got the egg.”
“And you’ve never asked.”
Calen set his food down once more and gave Aeson his full attention. “I’m asking now.”
They sat there for more than an hour as Aeson told Calen of the journey to the icelands of Valacia, of the Dakar and of Cukulkan and the Valacian dragons, and of the journey back. He told him of Amatkai and the others. His instinct was to omit the fact that they were druids, Amatkai’s words sounding in his skull.
“If you tell a soul what I, Boud, or Tamzin are, I will personally pull the knife across your sons’ throats.”
But Aeson was not the kind of man to learn nothing from his mistakes. If he hid this from Calen and the young man were to find out, there would be no reconciliation. Honesty was the only way forward.
When Aeson had finally finished weaving the tale, a short silence fell upon them as Calen sat wordlessly with his legs crossed.
“I need you to promise me that you will not tell a soul what I have just told you. It is a story I promised not to tell, and in telling you I have broken that vow. The Dakar and Cukulkan gifted us Valerys’s egg in the hope that the blood of dragons would not die here. All they wish is to be left alone. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
Chapter 35
Legacy
14thDay of the Blood Moon
Land’s End – Winter, Year 3081 After Doom
Calen leanedtight against Valerys’s scales, the wind whipping past on either side of him. The dragon’s warmth seeped into his bones as he closed his eyes and pulled their minds together. Rolling thunder roared through the skies, bolts of lightning tearing across the night, rain sheeting down as though the Godsrealm had opened.
It had taken two days of almost non-stop flying to reach the southern tip of Arkalen, hundreds of miles a day, stopping only to eat and sleep. Had Valerys been at his fullest, the journey may not have been so arduous, but as it stood, he still was not fully recovered from the battle at Aravell.
