Aran lifted the swaddled baby from Queen Ellowen’s arms. Her old friend said nothing. Dannon’s face was solemn as he watched his daughter be transferred from her mother’s arms to Aran’s. Loreley stirred in her sleep. Her big, golden eyes opened when Ellowen bent down and laid a kiss on her forehead. Loreley worked her arm out of the warm blankets sheltering her from the bitter cold of winter, placing her tiny hand on her mothers face. She looked up at Aran. Her lip began to quiver. She worked her other arm out and reached for her mother, her cries breaking Aran’s heart. Darius kept a stone cold expression beside her, his hand clenched around the pummel of his sword.

“I’ll protect her with my life,” Aran whispered, meeting Ellowen’s golden gaze.

“You better,” the queen said with such force that Aran found herself wanting to bow down.

“Arantaxa Nightingale and Darius Koll, can I trust you to do what is right for the only heir of Thera and Fire Stone?” King Dannon asked, raising his chin so he had to look down on them.

“Yes, majesty,” Aran and Darius said in unison, bowing their heads as a sign of deep respect.

After a moment of silence, Aran mounted her grey blue wyvern, looking back only once to meet the solemn expression on the king and queen’s faces.

“Fly Kaida,” Aran whispered to her mount, kicking her heals against her sides gently. Kaida took to the sky, the darkness acting as a blanket shielding them from any unwanted attention. Darius and his blood red mount took off two heartbeats after Aran and Kaida, following close behind.

(Read the prologue I posted before this post for some background information)