"They are pretty dry, but the good taste is still there. You just have to suck on them. Is there water or milk? Then we can dunk them." She rummaged through Rob's backpack, and Ava took Allan's. It contained blankets, candles, a lamp, two knives, and an empty flip-top bottle.
"Nothing to drink, but around the corner is the spring Rob told us about."
"We're only allowed to go there at night." Satisfied, Lilly pulled another bottle, wrapped in leather strips so the glass wouldn't break, from her backpack. She popped the cap, smelled it, and nodded. "Water." She took a sip and drank greedily. If this continued, the supplies would only last for two days. Ava said nothinganyway. If necessary, she would hold back. She certainly wouldn't deny the girl food just to keep her own stomach from growling.
She spread a blanket on the ground, placed the dragon egg in the middle, and sat down beside it.
Lilly squatted next to her, already stuffing the next butter crunches into her mouth. "You can sleep now. I'll keep watch."
That sounded tempting, yet Ava looked at the girl doubtfully. What could the little one do if they were taken by surprise? If someone was already lurking nearby?
"What? Don't you trust me?"
"I do, but I'll wait until Rob and Allan say their goodbyes."
"Rob and saying their goodbyes?" Lilly laughed out loud.
As if on cue, Allan returned. Quietly and softly, he crept into the cave, and they only noticed him when his shadow fell over them. So much for their vigilance.
"No one is nearby."
Ava would have loved to ask him to check again or stay for a few more hours, but at some point, he would have to leave anyway. Maybe both he and Rob were already being missed, and soon they would be drawing attention they absolutely had to avoid.
"What about the spot where the branch moved?" What she actually meant by this question was: "Did you really search thoroughly?"
Allan waved it off. "There were deer tracks there."
He sounded convinced, so Ava had no choice but to trust his experienced judgment. Still, she remained skeptical, which didn't escape his notice. He placed a friendly hand on her forearm.
"If you weren't reasonably safe here, Kilian would have had you stay somewhere else."
At the mention of the dragon fighter, her pulse automatically quickened. She just nodded, while Lilly stood up and accompanied Allan to the cave entrance.
"I'm practiced at being vigilant. Don't worry, I'm here."
Allan gently punched her upper arm. "Good thing we have you on our team, Lilly. Take good care of Ava and the dragon baby. We'll see you in three days."
"Alright. Will Kilian come then?"
"That would be too conspicuous, but I hope you'll be happy to see me return as well."
"Of course. And now you'd better go. In the afternoon especially, there are a lot of dragon fighters circling around."
With a wink, Allan raised his hand in farewell and ran to Rob, who hadn't bothered to say goodbye and had gone ahead. Lilly and Ava were left alone. For three days in a cave, hoping not to draw attention to themselves from either that evil sorceress or anyone else. What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 14
Acracking sound startled Ava awake. Darkness enveloped her. Was it already night? She had only meant to lie down for two hours in the late afternoon.
But something else flooded her with adrenaline within milliseconds: The gentle shimmer of the dragon egg wasn't visible on the ceiling, and Lilly, who was supposed to have been on watch duty, was lying next to her, snoring softly.
"Calm down," a deep voice murmured.
Startled, Ava turned to the side, fists raised, whereupon Kilian lifted his hands defensively.
"Easy, it's just me."
She could see the faint outline of the dragon fighter's large body in the dark cave. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the low light due to the shock, allowing her to make out his face. His far too handsome face. His pronounced cheekbones would have made him look aristocratic if his dark hair hadn't been so disheveled.
