Page 67 of The Dragon Queen
I nodded.
I DON’T WANT TO BE APART FROM YOU, BUT MY HOME IS HERE. WE HAVE A WORLD TO REBUILD.
“This is where you belong, Inferno. Please be happy. Perhaps we’ll see each other again…someday.” I should be devastated by this separation, but I couldn’t feel more anguish than I already did. There was simply no more room in my broken body.
I HOPE SO, PRETTY. YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
“Talon saved your life.”
THAT DRAGON WOULD HAVE SLAUGHTERED ME IF HE’D STRUCK ME JUST ONCE MORE. YOU TOOK ON ASTAROTH ON YOUR OWN, KNOWING YOU WOULDN’T DEFEAT HIM. YOU HAVE MORE THAN JUST THE BLOOD OF DRAGONS, BUT ALSO THE COURAGE.
“That’s nice of you to say.” And it would have meant a lot more if anything meant anything anymore.
He dropped his snout and rubbed it against me, letting me feel the smooth scales touch my skin and hair. A quiet breath escaped his nostrils, what I interpreted as a sigh.UNTIL NEXT TIME.
“Until next time.”
He stepped away and gave me a final look.I’M VERY SORRY THAT YOU LOST YOUR MATE.
I’d heard a lot of apologies the last few days, but that one hurt far more than the others. It made tears spring to my eyes and burn like fire. “Thank you.”
KING CONSTANTINE WISHES TO SPEAK WITH YOU.He opened his wings and struggled to fly, the opening in his wing making it hard for him to lift his weight and reach the sky. But he succeeded after a brief struggle and glided away.
King Constantine, King of Dragons, took Inferno’s place shortly after he left, a dragon far bigger than all the others, even Khazmuda. He landed with a thud so powerful it made the cliff shake, made the castle shift. He was a beautiful dragon with scales so brilliant it seemed like someone had scrubbed them clean. He folded his wings and held himself with stiffness, just the way a man carried himself with a straight spine to balance acrown upon his head. After he regarded me, he craned his neck to dip his head low enough for our eyes to meet.
I could not let you leave without, first, expressing my gratitude for everything you’ve done for my kin, and second, paying my condolences for your loss. I didn’t know Talon Rothschild well, only spoke with his father briefly, but I do remember the sight of him once before at court. A handsome young man with so much potential—potential he fulfilled in his short life. Because of him and Khazmuda, my mind and body are free from the ruthless enslavement by dark beings. It’s sad to know that I lost so many decades of life, but I’m also grateful I don’t remember a moment of it. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.
I stood before the mightiest of dragons, his voice carrying wisdom that I’d never heard from another being, and while the meeting was a pleasure, I really couldn’t savor it. “Even though Talon lost his life as a consequence of the battle, I know this is what he wanted. He wanted the dragons to be free—and that will be his undying legacy.”
A legacy that you will carry in your heart for as long as you live. A legacy that every living dragon will carry with us forevermore. Talon Rothschild will be a hero whose name will be remembered as long as we remain in these lands. I’m sorry for your loss, but you should be proud of the man you loved.
“I am.” I felt the hot tears pool in the corners of my eyes.
What I wouldn’t give to cure your grief. You’re so brave for such a small person.
“He made me brave.” He made me the woman I was today. Not a victim, but a survivor. Not a damsel, but a warrior.
I hope you find peace, Calista Laurier—in time.
“I—I don’t know if I ever will. I loved him so much…” The tears came free and streaked down my cheeks, my sorrow exploding like fire. A fire that destroyed everything in its path. Even a winter rain couldn’t douse it. I grieved like a widow who had lost her husband of forty years, who’d lost the father of her children, but I’d known him for such a brief amount of time.
Constantine dipped his head lower so our eyes were level.If we truly love someone once, we always love them. A paradoxical comfort… If it always hurts, then you always know that love was real.
I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, forcing the tears to abate so I could continue the conversation. “I’m sorry.”
Never apologize for feeling what you feel when you feel it. We lost many dragons in the battle, and I’m not ashamed of the many tears I’ve shed. Evil came to these lands and tarnished two beautiful races. It will take a very long time for us to heal and flourish once more. We will progress at our own pace, and one day, we will be whole.
“I’ll never be whole without him.”
His large eyes focused on mine.Then one day, you’ll learn how to be whole as a half.
Chapter 15
Calista
We set sail from the Southern Isles.
I watched the cliffs fade into nothingness, knowing I would never return. It was the last time I would see the place that Talon called home. He’d raised his sword and avenged those he loved most. He’d fulfilled his purpose—and I hoped that had given him peace.