I keep batting my wings as hard as I can, trying to carry him, but he must be at least twice my size. I keep going down with the dragon, panicking that we’ll both end up crashing over the rocks.
Time begins to slow as we’re being pulled down by gravity. Sometime later, we touch down on snowy ground and begin rolling over the mountain. My inner instincts are taking control, as the pain and cold slip into my bloodstream. I roll on the ground, involuntarily shifting back into my human form.
Darkness starts shading my vision a second later, and for a long moment, I hear the dragon’s painful roars in the distance. Snow keeps falling on my face and I can't move, paralysed from head to toe, praying to Hommis for Jorgen to be all right.
My body’s slowly shutting down, and all energy becomes dormant, fading as my heartbeat slows too. I feel coldness slowly beginning to reach my heart, freezing me from the inside out. Then darkness swallows me.
I start coming around sometime later, but hot pain begins at my scalp and courses throughout my body. My skin feels like I'm being splashed with gasoline and then set on fire. Everything hurts and every muscle is burning away.
I try to speak, but my lips are so dry. I know that something bad happened when I was in my true form, something terrible.
I shoot up, blinking away, and breathing hard as shock riddles through me when someone touches my arm. For a second, I stare at the face of a man, and I have no doubt that he’s human.
"Calm down child, you're not ready to stand just yet," he says.
The stranger is an old man, maybe in his seventies or possibly eighties. He has a long silver beard with intelligent grey eyes, and he’s wearing a long white cloak. I swallow past the lump of fear in my throat, trying to remember what happened to me, but everything seems so hazy.
A large fire place warms up the room that I'm in, and the sheets feel so warm and comfortable. The space around me reminds me a lot of a cottage; there’s a farm kitchen in the back and several comfy chairs by a small window.
The dragon, I fought with a real beast in the air and I used my magic fire. That's all I can remember, but what about Jorgen?
"Who are you and where is my fri…"
"The human that was with you?" he asks, cutting me off and I nod, knowing that I'm no in position to ask questions. "He’s resting in the other room, I suspect that he has hypothermia. I don't know how he managed to survive the storm, but he should recover soon."
I feel a little weak, so I lay down on the comfortable bed, hearing the storm and blowing wind outside. My thoughts are racing, and my body’s aching badly.
"Who are you?" I ask more calmly, tapping into my beast. I can sense it, but it'll take me a while to be able to shift again.
"My name is Zain and I'm the dragon breeder. You shouldn't have tried to cross over to the valley. My dragons kill anyone who gets close, but you survived," he says, and I stare at him not believing that I finally I found him–the druid who can save Jetli and reverse Jorgen's spell.
Chapter Seventeen
The druid.
I'm still in shock that I'm alive and that I haven't sustained any major injuries. Jorgen’s in the other room and according to Zain he’s going to be all right. He must have been really cold, riding on my back while I was trying to keep us both alive.
It takes me a moment to figure out that we’re completely cut off from the outside world here. And it's going to take me a long while to summon back my energy, but I sense only me, Jorgen and the druid nearby. Calvin was right all along, the druid lives in complete solitude, cut off from the outside world, surrounded only by his dragons.
"This beautiful dragon gave me a warning, but I couldn't turn around. Then he attacked me and I was trying to escape," I say. The druid keeps staring at me with uncomfortable intensity and my stomach makes a funny jolt. He’s so calm and collected. I can't explain how I know this, but I can tell that he’s extremely intelligent and well read.
He shifts on the chair next to me, then leans over to wipe the sweat from my face. It's daytime outside now, so I must have been unconscious for some time. The druid has the venom, but I highly doubt that he’s going to just give it away. I don't want to come across rude, so maybe I’ll wait a little longer and then ask him about it, once I get to know him a little better.
"Kami is my protector, and he’s been taught to attack any strangers who try to enter the valley. I have been living in the solitude for over twenty years. In the beginning, I allowed shifters to admire the dragons, but many of them started stealing my eggs, so I relocated and trained the dragons to kill anyone that attempted to get close to us. They also kill anyone who tries to pass through the mountains or on foot, but most of the time, they die in the storm. The winter here can be very harsh. I have no friends or family, and there aren't any more real dragons left in the entire Asian World, that's why my beasts are so precious," the druid explains, and I want to agree.
"Yes, many shifters killed the wild dragons and no one has seen them since the Great War," I say, thinking about how lucky I am to be here, and actually allowed to live.
I know that my legs are slightly burned, but it's nothing serious. Kami's fire must have caught me in the air, while I was trying to escape.
"Humans and shifters have no idea that they are living beings. They did more harm than good by killing them off and if they carry on, they will destroy themselves as well. You should have died too, but after what happened with Kami, I have decided to spare your life, magical child," he admits, and I'm not surprised at all. Shifters and mages have never appreciated real dragons and their venom can save so many lives.
I lick my upper lips, feeling thirsty all of a sudden. My stomach’s growling and I remember eating a proper meal in the tavern, but that must have been over twenty four hours ago. I'm starving now.
"Thank you, I really appreciate this. I was only trying to defend myself. Your dragon is truly a beautiful beast and I hope he’s going to be all right. I couldn't let him die," I say, now realising that my earlier decision saved my life.
Moments later, Zain gets up and goes to the table. Then places a large tray on my lap filled with food; freshly baked bread and pieces of chicken marinated in some sort of hot sauce. There’s also herbal tea, milk and a different assortment of cheeses. My mouth instantly begins to water. I feel so grateful.
"You need to eat in order to gain your strength. I'm aware that shifters drain their energy once they come back into their human form. I need to go and check on your friend," Zain says with a smile, then vanishes behind the wooden doors leading to another room.
My stomach growls again, so I start putting the meat and cheese on bread, and then begin shoving everything into my mouth. It all tastes divine, and even the milk is rich, and creamy. Five minutes later, my tray’s almost empty and I leave all the bones on the side, giggling to myself a little. Lenin would’ve definitely helped me clean the plate, and I still would’ve been hungry. Damn, I miss him so much.
Later on after I involuntarily drift off, Zain wakes me up again and this time Jorgen’s in the room too. He’s limping a little, but he doesn't look too bad. Hot desire pours into my lower belly, reminding me again that soon I’ll be in heat, and things might get ugly. Zain must have looked after him very well, and I'm shocked to see that he’s already walking.
"I was worried about you Astri, are you all right?" Jorgen asks, sitting next to me.
"Fine, fine, I feel much better now," I say. "Zain made me the most delicious food. Thank you so much, everything was so fresh."
"That black dragon was incredible. To be honest, I was terrified. I didn’t think we were going to survive this. It was so cold, and I nearly froze to death," Jorgen says, shaking his head. Zain mentioned that he had hypothermia. I need to keep a close eye on him later on.
"You may stay here until you're both fully recovered. My dragons won't harm you, and I’ve had Kami since he hatched from his egg. He is an intelligent dragon," the druid explains. "I must leave now to
check on him. I shall be back soon."
Jorgen and I wait until we’re alone. Even then I'm too afraid to talk, just in case this is only a dream. My thoughts are racing a little, because I still can't believe that we’re in the valley that no one has ever seen before.
"We made it! I can't believe that we’re here," I say to Jorgen, throwing the covers away and standing up. I'm still in my clothes, and in a way, I'm so glad that the druid didn’t try to undress me. That would’ve been awkward.
"Have you spoken to him about the venom?" the duke asks.
"I figure that we should get to know him a bit before we approach him about it. The only reason we’re still alive is because I made the decision to save Kami. His dragons kill anyone who tries to enter through the valley, that's how he trains them." I explain. "I want to get closer to the real dragon. It's an opportunity of a lifetime and we don't want to spook him. We need to make sure that we do this right."
Jorgen nods, looking like he’s agreeing with me.
"I was knocked out cold after you landed on the ground. I must have a concussion. You were amazing, Astri as always, and yet again, I owe you my life," Jorgen says, touching my hand. Heat jolts through me, igniting the blood in my veins.
"I didn't think, but I just knew that I couldn't let him die. He was only protecting the druid," I say.
We talk about the dragons and the venom a bit more while drinking herbal tea. Zain returns covered in snow. It looks like it's storming outside, but he still offers to show us around anyway. We walk through to another room that is much cosier, as fire crackles in the huge fire place. There are a few comfortable chairs situated around a small table.
He hands us two warm, furry jackets and hats, saying that the temperature’s very low, but in the night it’ll drop down to minus ten degrees Celsius. The valley’s located high up in the mountains, and Zain explains that winter this year is much longer than usual.
The druid must suspect that we travelled to see him for a reason, but he doesn't ask any questions. I know it’s still too soon to ask about the dragon venom, and I decide to wait until later on.
We leave the cottage, and I'm instantly taken back by the masses of snow covering the ground. The cold air stings my cheeks, but I keep following the druid, admiring the white landscape. The valley’s surrounded by mountains, and it looks like there are two other houses that the druid must have built on his own years ago.
My heart starts beating faster when I spot at least three real dragons behind a long, metal fence. It's such a contrast to my own dragon, because all of them are black, measuring at least dozen meters in length. Their huge mouths release fire, and snow melts all around them.
"For Hommis, I can't believe that I'm actually seeing this," Jorgen whispers, looking gobsmacked. Behind the dragons, I see several caves leading into the mountains, and I suspect that's where Zain keeps the dragons during the night. "How many more dragons do you have?"
"I have four adults that are going to stay with me for some time. The rest have been set free, but they always come back. Humans often think that they are shifters, so they attack them. All my dragons know that they have to keep away from humans, otherwise they won't survive. I also have several eggs that are still maturing," Zain explains. "Unfortunately, every year less and less dragons are hatching from the eggs. I can't explain why. These creatures are intelligent and very rare, that's why so many people hunt them down. Once I die, the dragons might be gone forever unless someone takes over for me."
It's so sad to hear, that shifters and humans are willing to kill these beautiful dragons. They should be allowed to live.
"The humans’ perceptions didn't change much after the Great War. Even shifters believe that the real dragons are dangerous," I say, thinking that this kind of attitude won't change.
For years, I believed that the dragons were extinct, and this one man has sacrificed his own life to care for these amazing creatures.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise that we still haven't been formally introduced. My name is Astri, by the way, and this is Jorgen," I say, feeling a little silly.
"No, it's my fault. I haven't been around people for so long, and I have forgotten my manners. Please forgive me," Zain says.
"We understand, and we don't want to intrude too much," I add, knowing that at some point we’ll need to approach the subject of venom.
"You saved my dragon, risking your own life in the process, so it's not an intrusion. I think it's time for you to see him," the druid suggests and my stomach makes a flip. No one else has ever had this kind of opportunity to see them up close and I feel extremely privileged.
The druid leads us toward the caves, and we slowly walk through the deep snow. It's getting colder, and my hands are numb. Despite the temporary discomfort, I'm fascinated that Zain created the dragon's sanctuary, and has been caring for them without taking anything in return. For years, it's only been him and the dragons.
My breathing is laboured when we finally enter the cave, and follow him further inside. Kami’s laying on the ground, rasping, but the beast lifts his enormous head slightly when he sees us approaching.
His scales are tar black, and he has an elegant, lean body with a stubby neck. There are tiny spikes on the end of his enormous tail. I remember his bat like wings, running from his shoulders to the end of his tail; they’re currently folded behind him. His droopy eyes are the colour of two golden stones, watching the druid like a hawk. A lot of spiky, bony knots are surrounding his mouth. My inner beast stirs inside of me and Kami somehow must recognise it, because he diverts his gaze to me, making a muffled roaring sound.
I see that his sides are covered with a thick, white paste. Now I feel a little guilty that I used my fire magic, because his burns look nasty and I hope he won't have an infection. Jorgen looks speechless, walking around the dragon with his jaw hanging wide open.
The beast tries to lift himself up but Zain starts waving his hand, standing in front of him.
"Calm down Kami, you need to rest. You will have plenty of time to get to know them later," Zain says and I just can't believe that he’s not afraid to get so close to the beast.
"Does he understand what you're saying to him?" I ask, having this unexplained need to touch the dragon, but I'm a little afraid. According to humans, every dragon is a vicious beast that shouldn't be allowed to live. Obviously, I’ll debunk this myth, even though that's what I’ve been led to believe for years.
"I have been able to communicate with all my creatures as soon as they hatch from their egg. It's rather incredible and I'm truly blessed," the druid responds, sounding humble.
Jorgen keeps scratching his jaw, admiring the dragon from every angle. We both know that once we leave the valley, we’ll most likely never come back. I begin to understand now why the druid lives in such isolation. These creatures are like humans, kind and intelligent if treated right. "Kami is impressed with your skills."
"Thank you," I say, still a little shocked that the druid’s able to communicate with his dragons. It's mind-blowing.
"Please, I would like for the two of you to stay for a day or two. I have another remote cottage not far from my own home. There’s a lot of things that we can learn from each other and Astri, I believe you have a very special gift. Your magic is powerful and you arrived here because you’re in need of my help."
Chapter Eighteen
Ways of escaping.
I look to Jorgen, silently asking him if this is a good idea. We never thought that we were going to stay with the druid for longer than a day, but now the circumstances have changed. I still don't feel one hundred percent and I can't imagine travelling back through the mountains. I have a feeling that Zain isn't going to ask us why we showed up out here uninvited. It must be some sort of test, and he hasn't had any other visitors before.
"Jorgen, what do you think?" I ask, knowing that it would be unfair for me to make a decision without consulting him first. Kami's golden eyes follow me around, and I think he
senses my hesitation.
Heat starts building up in the pit of my stomach, spreading throughout my body. Jorgen rubs his neck, looking a little taken back by Zain’s suggestion, but he knows that either way, we can't leave. I was pretty shaken up by earlier events and I wouldn't be able to shift at least until tomorrow afternoon. We still have a few days before we have to meet Edvard and Aria back in Rivenna. And tonight, it’ll be good if I can reach Emilia again to find out if the situation in the city’s changed at all. Jorgen’s counting on reversing the cutting of the mage ritual.
"Astri, this isn't my call, it's up to you. I think that we should stay, because we’ll never have the opportunity to see real dragons again," Jorgen says, pretty much confirming what I’ve been thinking.
"All right, let’s stay for a night then, and tomorrow morning we’ll figure out what to do next," I say. The druid keeps watching our exchange and I wonder if he has a hidden agenda as well.
"Excellent, this is fantastic news. My dragons have never been around shifters before, so they might be a little apprehensive at first, but I think they will come around. Just give them a chance."
He seems fascinated by the male dragon who keeps watching him with interest. I watch how Zain checks on his wounds, applying more thick paste and humming an unknown ballad to himself, obviously enjoying his time with the dragon. He truly cares for the dragon and I can sense that the two of them have developed a strong connection.
Deep down, I know that Kami doesn't feel threatened by me anymore, but right now, I'm happy just watching him from a distance. The beast keeps breathing hard, raising his huge head. I watch Zain speaking to the beast in a low, calm tone of voice, and it amazes me that the dragon seems to understand everything. I never thought that real dragons could ever communicate with humans, mages or shifters.