18. Aura

CHAPTER 18

Aura

" Y ou go east, I'll circle from the west end." Nox's voice was low and commanding. His dark hair was wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead, dirt and blood scattered on his skin. Aura could see him wincing every few steps, and would bet he was bleeding under his armor.

Aura shook her head. "Let's just run it out of the village line. We are not ending the beast today, not in this state."

Nox's head snapped, his disapproving leer evident on his features, eyebrows creased.

"Is that an order, princess?" he ground out with sarcasm and a hint of bite. Aura straightened, standing tall, the cool metal of her sword in her palm

"That's an order," she commanded. Nox was twice her size, with menacing dark features. His onyx hair gleaned under the light and his ocean blue eyes were nearly black now. His strong jaw was brushed with the beginnings of a beard from the days in the infirmary away from his own rooms. It did not deter from how painfully beautiful he was. No one could ignore his sharp features, and toned muscles. Even through his armor he was a sight to behold, determination hard on his brow. His eyes were sharp still as he bowed his head. His own hand tightened on the hilt of his gleaming silver sword. It was twice the size of her own. The metal was thick and heavy unlike her own, which was thin and light. Nox had made them both, of course. Hers was adorned with a gleaming golden dragon stone in the hilt, signifying hers as an heir's sword. The Guardians all had swords perfectly crafted for them with a dragon stone. Nox's father had been the one to craft her first sword, but as she grew and began training more seriously she wanted changes, so Nox had melted it down and shaped her a new one.

"On your call, Princess," Nox grumbled.

"Goddess, stop calling me that."

"You outrank me." He shrugged. "Technically," he muttered.

"If it doesn't bruise your ego too much, guard. Then flank west and we push the beast past to the farthest forest line."

"Aye aye, captain." Nox saluted her, eyes dark and movement stiff.

"Goddess above, give me patience," she mumbled under her breath to the sky. Then they moved, pushing in from either side. Aura let out a burst of light from one hand as they ran after the beast. The shadow creature shrunk away from the light, screeching as it went.

By the time they pushed the shadow beast back and it ran back deep into the forest, the sun was casting low signifying it was later in the afternoon. Aura was dripping in sweat under her light armor she had rushed to dress in. She pushed her white locks away from her face and let herself sit under a tree, basking in the shade and the light breeze. The trees bristled and she wondered what they were saying. Kyeria bloomed in her mind. What a gift to be able to sense and communicate with nature like her. She wished she had a sliver of magic so intuned with the earth but all she had was pesky light. Seemingly all it did was gleam brightly and ward off beasts made of shadow.

"All clear." Nox jogged up to her, breath hard and heavy.

"Took you long enough."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Your Highness."

"Fuck off," she said standing, her back still facing the thick tree trunk. Shade enveloped them, only pieces of light scattering through the leaves of the late afternoon now.

"I've some other ideas," Nox growled and pushed her back into the tree. The bark pushed into her armor and bit into the sides of her linen shirt where armor didn't reach. Aura let out a gasp despite herself.

"We need to get back," Aura insisted, hand on his shoulders. She was thinking of shoving him off but while her mind dreaded the possibility, her hands were gripping his red cloak that hung off his armor and was pinned around his neck. She hands pulled him to her and within a blink, his lips crashed into hers. Everything in her stilled. The magic in her veins went quiet, her body immediately listening to his. His large hand gripped her waist, pushing her back. She felt the world go quiet. The only awareness was of him.

His lips.

His touch.

Him.

A roar from above the trees made reality crash back into their little world. Aura's hand quickly shoved Nox off her. He stepped back with a grunt, scratching his neck with an eyebrow raised.

"You seriously didn't hear the gods-damned dragon?" she sneered. Brushing dirt from her pants, she huffed. As she readjusted her sword in the hilt, she let the control she was so familiar with, so comfortable with, snap back into place.

She stepped out from under the trees and looked to the sky. A dark dragon whose scales were gleaming purple in the small sunlight flew overhead.

Ameline.

Aura strained her eyes to look closer. She did not hold far sight like Kyeria, but Kyeria's red hair was loose and flowing and she was evidently on the back of the smaller dragon, a leather riding seat in place and golden embroidery lining every stitch. The wind picked up as the dragon flew down and landed in the field.

A bundle of red hair, wearing borrowed dark training leathers climbed down a wing. Ameline was a quarter of the size of Fendiah but she was still massive even for her young age. Aura wondered how large Venille Dragons grew. She mentally made a note to ask Esmeralda for some dragon history notes. Aura should of course know this, as the heir to the kingdom and mostly a Guardian. But since the blessing of a dragon form from the goddess had passed her and gone to Kellian due to a childhood illness, she hadn't found herself interested in anything dragon related. Until Ameline.

"Hello lightbringer," Ameline greeted Aura, tilting her large scaled head in greeting.

"Ameline!" Aura greeted, a smile breaking through her annoyed facade she had thrown Nox. She walked past him and broke into a jog to get to Ameline and Kyeria.

"Ky!" she shouted, hugging her friend. Her golden copper curls were flowing around her face, loose and free, her dress stained and dirt covered.

"Is the village okay?" Aura asked sullenly.

"It will be. A few houses are damaged but we have everyone in a bed for the night and will begin rebuilding tomorrow." Kyeria nodded. Aura took in Kyeria. Her eyes looked tired, sunken dark circles lay under them. But her smile was bright as always.

"We need to harness the Merstone," Aura said lowly. "This damned beast needs to go back to Hel itself."

Kyeria nodded her agreement and reached into her shirt pulling a lightly glowing green stone from around a wax string, wire wrapping around the stone elegantly in the way only Esmeralda knew how to set stones into jewelry. Aura reached out but Kyeria pulled back.

"It has an odd magic. Only freely given. Esmeralda is working on the potions, and when it is ready, I will cast my magic into the stone to you, your light should, in theory, then be amplified enough to shatter the form the beast has taken, banishing the pieces back into the cracks of this land and down into Hel. I will cast a net of magic to push it down through the earth and soil, trapping it with only one way down back to Hel.

Nox walked up to them. Aura could feel the air change and the low growl from Ameline shook the ground. Kyeria reached out, placing a hand on her neck.

"It's alright. We like him," Kyeria assured. Ameline bristled.

" I do not trust any human man I do not know," Ameline growled through gritted teeth.

Nox took a slow step forward, and shocked Aura by bowing to the dragon.

"It is an honor," he spoke loud and clear. Not one waver in his voice. Aura felt a bloom of pride.

"And why should I trust you, boy? " Ameline's scratchy voice was low and menacing as it came out.

"I serve the crown. My life is to protect the Guardians as the guardians is to protect your own. I am your sword to command. I would lay down my life to protect both the Prince," he sent a glance at Aura, "and the Princess."

Aura felt the chill erupt over her skin, climbing up her legs and arms. She shook it off, pushing down the reaction. It meant nothing. It was simply his job.

" You are of what name, boy?" Ameline asked

"Nox Greenwood." He stayed bowed, head low.

" Ah, I know of you," Ameline said, her voice lighter.

" You must make my rider a sword for her seat, a place to store it. A traditional dragon rider's sword," Ameline commanded. Nox nodded.

"It would be an honor."

"Rise, boy." Ameline shook her wings, a gust of wind blowing towards them making Kyeria hold in a giggle, biting down on her lip to hold it in. Aura saw the flint in her eyes and wondered what her dragon and the wind were saying to her.

"Now that introductions are over," Kyeria waved, "let's get back to the castle. We have preparation to undo this beast forever. See you there." She smiled coyly looking between the two of them and then turned on her heel, climbing Ameline and remounting herself into the riders seat. It was the deepest of brown leather and the golden embroidery sparkled in the small light left. Nox huffed next to Aura.

"Wishing you could fly?" Aura poked him.

"At this moment?" he said touching his side she knew was deeply wounded from the raider attack. "Yes."

"Come on, you big baby," Aura teased. She saw his eyes react to jest, light and playful matching her own. But his body didn't share the same sentiment. It was slow and worn down. Aura sighed and they began the slow trek back to the castle. She wished she could simply shift into a dragon and take them both home. But fate had other plans.