Dragonlands(37)

Bastian reached out, pulling his mother into his arms. The last time he’d seen her, he fit into her embrace, but now it was the opposite. He held her as if she were the child and he the adult. Her small stature surprised him. She’d always seemed like such a giant, her personality more boisterous than anyone else. Now he knew it was to make up for her petite size.

“I missed you, Mama.” Bastian rested his chin on her head. “I waited for you. Every day for years.”

She rubbed his back. “I know. I thought of you every day, too. I still do. Even this morning, I woke up and said a prayer for your safety and happiness.”

He pulled back, releasing her from his embrace, and becoming an adult again. “Do you remember Flora? She had a son named Connor?”

His mother nodded. “Of course. You two played together as babies.”

“He was captured after we emerged from the fog. Taken to the city and sacrificed to what we believe was a dragon.”

Her hands flew to her mouth, trembling. “Not another.”

Bastian’s eyebrows furrowed. “Another? This is a common occurrence?”

She shook her head. “Every year, they sacrifice a man to the beast. We don’t know why. We’ve been attempting to find out, but no one knows unless they are in the queen’s inner circle.” Jayne put her hand on Bastian’s back. “Come, let’s join the others by the fire. They will tell you more. I’m a relative newcomer to the village.”

“But you’ve been here for close to fifteen years.”

Her eyes sought out the grass in front of them. The scent of the fire beckoned them closer. Bastian’s mouth watered at the thought of a hot meal. All they’d managed to eat was what had been left in their packs after leaving Hutton’s Bridge.

“There aren’t many of us, Bastian. Only a handful. We haven’t seen a survivor from our village in ten years. To find you alive was more than we could have ever hoped for.”

“Thanks to that little owl.” Bastian pointed at Tressa. She’d already relaxed around her father, warming to him quickly. Tressa was always like that, even though she insisted she was a shy girl. Bastian envied her social skills. He didn’t particularly like talking to people – mainly because he didn’t like most people. Even if Tressa didn’t like someone, she could still put them at ease. “When she sits on Tressa, her eyes glow purple.”

His mother looked at him in surprise. “Whose eyes?”

“Tressa’s.” He glanced back her. She looked over her shoulder and waved. A year ago he would have killed for her to acknowledge him even once. Now she was his again. Or at least she was last night. There were no guarantees anymore.

“Really? That’s odd.” His mother looked at the owl again.

Bastian held back a laugh. “Do you really expect her to respond?”

“No,” Jayne laughed. “Of course not.”

Bastian waved his hand in the air. “The owl saved our lives. I didn’t trust her, but now,” he looked around again at the small village, “I’m convinced.”

“I’m sorry Stacia got to you first.” His mother laid a hand on his arm. “We were watching, but it was too late.”

Bastian was going to respond that it wasn’t her fault until Tressa waved to him, motioning them over to the fire. She held a bread bowl in her hands and took a giant slurp from it. “It’s vegetable stew. Your favorite!”

Had she forgotten anything from their time together? He still knew the cut of her underthings and the little noise she made when he nipped at her neck. Also that freesia was her favorite scent. But her favorite food? He was hard pressed to remember. She always seemed to like everything he brought her.

Tressa scooted on the log, patting the spot next to her. Bastian swung a leg over and straddled the log next to her. He slid in, wrapping an arm around her waist. She didn’t flinch like he’d feared. Instead she snuggled closer and raised the bread bowl to his lips. “Have some,” she whispered.

The warm liquid streamed down his throat, filling his stomach.

Fenn laughed. “Even after a few years together, they act like a newly coupled pair.”

Bastian looked at Tressa out of the corner of his eye. She didn’t deny it, so neither would he. Instead, Tressa laid a heavy kiss on his cheek. “We’ve loved each other since we were children. I hope our feelings never change.”

“I saw that, even when you were very young. The two of you always had a special connection. Perhaps Sophia manipulated the Coupling. It wouldn’t be the first time.” Jayne winked at Fenn. “I seem to remember you ending up with the one you wanted as well.”