Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
He lent his magic toward wards to boost the security and got many a thanks and even one exuberant hug from Cassie. Which surprised him, certainly. They were just so grateful for any helping hand, it was conversely worrying to him.
He fed Ravi a sumptuous dinner, a partial reward for a job well done, and then without compunction drugged the dragon up to his eyeballs with a sleeping potion. With that much in his system, even an active wind dragon should sleep soundly for eight hours. And it bought Sora time to safely sleep in a bed instead of staying camped out near Ravi all night.
Not to mention, time to make a very important phone call.
Sora waited until he was alone in his bedroom before pulling out his phone and calling his mother once again. She answered quickly, no doubt eager for news.
“Sora!” she greeted happily. “What news have you to share?”
“We were attacked.” Sora let the dark, unhappy mood he was in sound loudly in his tone. Now was not the time to pull punches or shield his mother from the danger he was facing.
She sucked in a breath. In a rush, she demanded, “How badly? Are you hurt? Can you come home immediately?”
“I’m not hurt.” Sora knew to answer that question first. “Not a scratch on me. A suicide bomber, a Jaeggi, infiltrated the castle and tried to blow it to bits. Ravi caught her, or tried, chasing her through the castle. He deflected the blow, and it damaged the front of the foyer. It’s left him injured and immobile for the next several days.”
“Oh. Oh dear, Sora, this really doesn’t sound safe anymore.”
“I don’t think this clan has truly been ‘safe’ since the Wars. It’s bad enough that King Alric apologized to me for the danger, said that he completely understood if my family wouldn’t come and meet with them. They don’t have any real knowledge of the healing arts. I offered at least a copy of our healing spellbooks. Healing. Spellbooks. Because they don’t know more than the basics.”
His mother tried to get a word in edgewise.
Sora wasn’t having it. He was on a roll now, his anger and heartache overriding his usual level of patience.
“From what I’ve gathered from his clan—and they are extremely proud and protective of their king—that man carries a grievous injury from the Dragon Wars. He can’t even fly, and still, he doesn’t ask for anything for himself. He’s worried about his clan. That his mages won’t be able to heal those truly injured. That people might die on him because of the attacks they can’t always prevent, because they don’t have the necessary medical knowledge. And despite all of that, he won’t demand anything from me. He won’t demand to speak with any of you. He respects our caution, our fears, and doesn’t order me to do anything contrary to my family’s wishes.”
She made a deflated noise. “You’re angry about this.”
“I’m livid.” He was nearly shaking with it, that was how angry he felt. “I’ve made true friends here in the past six days because they welcomed me with open arms and smiles. They trusted me today without question, left the care of their hurt clansmen entirely up to me. Thanked me for it, helped me, praised my skills. And I’ve repaid them with lies. I can’t stand myself right now.”
“I understand this goes against your nature, but…well, all things considered, isn’t it a sign that we shouldn’t go to them? I think you should come home, Sora.”
“This clan just suffered an unexpected attack, and you want me to come home? I just spent eight hours either healing a dragon—the dragon that defeated the bomber at significant cost, with multiple contusions and broken bones to show for it—or repairing a castle well enough for him to be able to sleep. He can’t even shift out of dragon form, lie in his own bed to recuperate, and you want me to abandon them here? They don’t have enough help to even properly ward this place!”
His mother blew out a breath. “You’re very strongly attached. My son, I know how soft-hearted you are. But these people aren’t your responsibility.”
“Maybe I’m going to make them my responsibility.”
“Sora—”
“I know we are raised to believe that it’s a dragon’s duty to protect us, but is it not also our duty to care for those who would give their lives for us? I want to be able to face myself in the mirror every morning, Kaa-san. I want to be able to sleep peacefully at night. If I abandon them right now, I’ll never be able to do either again. These people are at war. Do you understand that?”
“Is it truly that bad? It’s not just random attacks?”
“Every single mage in this clan has faced off with the Jaeggi in some form or fashion; some were even kidnapped. Does that answer your question?”