(Starla)
I don’t know when sleep took me because I woke to sunlight streaming through my window. The sound of Doodles purring on my chest had me patting his furry head.
For a moment, I let myself forget where I was and just revelled in this moment until the memories came flooding back.
Of Aksel, of the feast. Runa’s threats and Azkan’s hard gaze, where distrust remained highlighted.
I sat up, wincing as my muscles protested. The rest had helped, but I could still feel the hollow ache in my chest, the quiet reminder that my energy was finite. That every day I spent here was a day closer to the end.
I dressed quickly, pulling on the woollen dress and trousers that had been left for me. Doodles stretched, yawned, and padded to the door, his tail high.
"Ready to face the day?" I asked him. He meowed, his eyes sparkling.
At least someone’s optimistic.
The corridors of the Last Stronghold were busier than I had seen last. Sentinels rushed past me, their voices filled with excitement. I caught fragments of conversation.
"He is awake."
"The dragon stirred."
"The Commander is with him now."
At the same time, they threw me wary glances, well, at least not all of them.
My heart quickened at the revelation.
Yamil hurried towards me, his blue cape elegantly waved behind him.
I had read in the guidelines of the beastmen world that blue capes were for S-Ranked Hunters. No wonder he was the second in command. The black capes were for SSS-Ranked ones. Hence, Azkan wore a black cape.
Yamil’s mouth was stretched in a thin line. My presence irked him, and yet he tolerated me for his commanders.
I hurried toward him, and he finally spoke, watching me trot forward on my tiny legs. I must look comical to him.
"He has asked for your presence inside the chamber." I nodded and diligently followed him.
Doodles trotted along at my heels. The guards outside the door bowed to Yamil and stepped aside, pushing open the door.
"I will take your cat and feed him." Thankfully, I nodded.
Yamil curiously stared down at Doodles and clicked his long, scaly fingers. Doodles defiantly sat down and licked his paw, unbothered by the scary Beastman.
Yamil had his brows furrowed at the tiny creature. She was making an S-Ranked Sentinel wait with his antics.
This cat and her shenanigans.
"Go!" I instructed Doodles, and it began to lazily trot towards Yamil.
This cat could be so unpredictable. I shook my head, turned away and entered.
The chamber was transformed. Where before there had been darkness and despair, now there was light. Sunlight streamed through a high window, illuminating the massive form that filled the centre of this chamber.
Aksel in his dragon form, magnificent and mighty. My hand was still bruised from our last interaction, and yet the fear inside my heart had dimmed.
Aksel appeared different today. His scales, which were dull and cracked last time, now gleamed with a polished purple hue. His wings, ragged and torn before, were folded neatly against his back. His chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths.
And his eyes, those molten gold eyes, were no longer filled with rage. They were clear and more aware of his surroundings. At least that’s what I wanted to believe.
He was still a dragon. But the feral madness that had consumed him for a century had diminished to some point.
"Starla." Azkan’s voice was orotund and scraped my heart.
Why? Why did his voice affect me? The man wanted to have nothing to do with me.
He stood behind the dragon, in the shadows and slowly stepped forward when he saw me.
Something flickered in his eyes.
"He woke up an hour ago," Azkan told me. "He let me come to him."
I stepped closer, my heart pounding. The dragon’s massive head turned toward me, and I felt the depth of his gaze, the gravity and rage it held.
Then he made a low, rumbling sound in his throat.
"He recognises you," Azkan said, his voice thick with emotion.
Carefully, I reached out again, my hand trembling. This time he came to me, touching his forehead to my injured hand. Its scales were warm beneath my fingers.
"Hello, Aksel," I whispered with a smile.
The dragon made that rumbling sound again. And then he leaned into my touch, fully pressing his massive head against my palm.
I felt tears sting my eyes. Never had I imagined such an exquisite creature would come to me. To calm down with my energy. I gently rubbed his forehead and scales.
"He can’t shift back to human form yet. The healers say it might take time, days, weeks, maybe longer. But the madness is contained." He paused, his amethyst eyes meeting mine. "I want his human form to return. Do what you can."
"I will try..."
"No" His voice was firm. "You will do it, no matter what it takes. I want my brother back."
Authority in his voice and icy gaze made my breath catch. There was a rawness there; he was dead serious when it came to his brother.
But I was no wizard who would just swish the wand and get it done. I was a dying human and not even their matched guide.
"I will do it," I answered what he wished to hear.
Azkan stepped closer, filling my personal space with his looming presence. I arched my neck to keep up. "I don’t know how you will do it," he said quietly. "But a hope has been kindled for me and my people. Don’t crush it."
I felt the warmth radiating from his skin, the heat that seemed to surround him always.
"You won’t be able to bear my wrath."
"I..." My words were cut off.
"Azkan." The voice was sharp, cutting through the moment like a katana. Simultaneously, we both turned.
Runa stood in the doorway, her eyes blazing. She had clearly seen that Azkan was standing close to me. "There is disturbance on the Western border," she irritably said, her voice grating. "You are needed."
Azkan stepped back, his face sliding into its familiar mask of cold indifference. "Stay with him, keep him calm while healers examine him." He rigidly glanced at me. "We will continue this later."
"Sure."
He walked past Runa without another word, his cape flying behind him.
Runa’s cunning gaze lingered on me for a moment longer. Her devious smile I could understand, her jealousy too.
"Ah, little human thinks she can handle a dragon," she said sweetly. "He will burn you before you know it."
With that, she slipped away like an eel, leaving me with Aksel.