I turned back to Kane, unsure what to say. I didn’t know I was doing anything, much less keeping something detectable from him. “I…”
“Oh, don’t start groveling. Kane is a wise creature. If he knew that you had this ability, he would have told you to implement it to protect his offspring. Would you not, king?”
“I would.” He stepped up next to me, keeping his eyes on the dangerously majestic beast.
“But how did you know then?” I looked up at his massive face.
The very same face lowered, coming right in front of me. Our images were reflected in his large eyes. “Because, human, there is only one kind of magic that works on my kind. And a simple warding spell, orchestrated or naturally grown, is not it.”
When I reached out and touched the tough, scaly surface of his face, I felt Kane’s hands grip my waist. He didn’t pull me back, but he held tight as if on guard.
Boutrol sat back up and snorted. “I have no intention of hurting her, Kanedraven. Nor you or your raider. I like her. But I have the feeling that the determination that she is, in fact, with your child is not why you have come. While this is news you needed, you want to know how she got here on Naelyra, do you not? Then bring her, and we will talk.”
Before any of us could respond, Boutrol turned and started back toward his mountain, his wings lifting him off the ground gracefully as he glided through the air almost lazily. Wulfgar grabbed both horses and nodded as Kane and I followed.
I slipped my hand in Kane’s. “I didn’t think you feared him.”
“I didn’t think I would have such a protective reaction over you,” he explained.
I chuckled. “Interesting.”
“That you are,” he countered.
The rest of the walk was spent in silence. Kane’s grip on my hand was tighter than usual, which let me know that either he was still nervous of me around Boutrol or reacting to the news that I was, in fact, with child, something I wanted to address badly. But I figured that on a walk into the lair of a dragon wasn’t quite the best time. So, I opted to put that conversation on hold. As it were, I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it yet.
Sitting on what I could only describe as a dragon’s version of a throne built into the rock face of the mountainside, Boutrol waited for us. “Does she not take well to traveling at your natural speed, Kanedraven?”
“I suppose I am being a bit more cautious than I typically would be with a human, all things considered.” Kane moved to hold me closer.
The dragon’s wings ruffled and folded in next to him as he shifted to get comfortable. “Yes. All things considered. I suppose that is wise. Please, do sit.” He waved his wing out, gesturing to a stone bench nearby.
“Thank you.” I took a seat on the hard surface, but Kane came around back and stood behind me, his hands on my shoulders.
“Such a royal pose. Fitting for Naelyra’s king.” He pulled his wing back in. “Now, to answer your question of how she was able to come here, I do not know for certain. I can tell you that I felt the magic when the portal opened, both times. And I felt it when it closed. It was strong... and forced. Whatever dragon at the source did not comply willingly. And they destroyed the crystal after she was here.”
Kane stopped rubbing my shoulders. “How can you be sure it was destroyed?”
“And why would someone open it but then close it right away?” I added.
He nodded as if thinking about our questions. “I can be sure because I found the fragments. They are here.”
“But...” Kane started.
Boutrol finished, “The crystals that are able to withstand that sort of portal have been gone for a very long time. Yes. I have been trying to trace its roots. It is not Naelyrian. And to answer her question, they only needed you to come through.”
“But why would they only need one person? One being?” I was confused, thinking that I could have been anything coming through. A man. A bear. A fly.
He turned to look straight at me. “No. I didn’t not say just one being. They needed you.”
“Me? But why? And how could they know? I could have been…” I trailed off, looking back and searching Kane for answers. “I could have been anyone… anything.”
He growled. “Someone knew. Someone there planned this.”
“For the prophecy.” Boutrol tilted his chin up.
Kane’s growl grew sending chills to rush over me as he spoke, “This prophecy is ridiculous!” He stormed away from the bench and went to the cliffside, pacing.
I looked up at Boutrol. “He doesn’t believe.”
Boutrol watched Kane in the distance. “I am aware. Kanedraven and I spoke of this many battles ago when it was first foretold that he was part of it. What he has gone through has left irreparable scars on him. Now, he believes the prophecies from the gods are manufactured by them as well. Once, he was one of their pawns, he doesn’t want to feel like that again.”
I followed his gaze and watched as Kane stopped pacing and stood, arms crossed, looking out over the desolate landscape. “I don’t know his past. But I see and feel his pain. I can understand why he feels like he does. But you. What do you believe?”
Standing, the massive beast flexed his wings. “I believe you both are in grave danger, and Kanedraven will put his life on the line for you. But it might be what is necessary to keep all that he loves from falling into
