Page 43 of Ava’s Legacy of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #1)

The flight was ice-cold, despite it being daytime.

Inevitably, she compared it to the ride on Kilian's fire dragon when he had taken her, Lilly, and the dragon egg to Talus.

Both the egg and Kilian had emitted a constant warmth, which she didn't experience during this flight.

She carefully avoided leaning against Rob, even though he gave her no reason to remain suspicious.

They didn't speak to each other, meaning he didn't verbally attack her or push her off his air dragon's back, which she counted as progress in their relationship.

The ride lasted less than an hour, yet her hands had turned into blocks of ice by the time they approached a cave on the slope of a mountain range. For a while now, she had felt a warm pulsing in her heart. They had arrived.

Four brown dragons perched on the peaks. The cave was situated very high up, which was probably why the others had flown as well. At any rate, she couldn't quickly spot any path leading up the mountain.

Marcus was the first one she saw. He was standing at the edge of the cave entrance, seemingly unconcerned that one step further would mean falling hundreds of meters.

Worry lines had etched themselves into his forehead as he watched them approach.

He didn't take his eyes off them until Rob guided the dragon to the entrance and she was about to climb down from its back.

"Ava. Finally. Let me help you!"

Her limbs were stiff and her body exhausted, which was why she gratefully accepted Marcus's help dismounting.

As soon as she was standing on the cave floor, he pulled her into an embrace and held her tightly.

It felt good. Not just because the warmth of his body was a blessing.

When she'd been at her low point in the arena, she hadn't expected to ever see him again.

"Are you alright?" He quickly checked her for injuries and focused on her scraped hands and dirty pants.

His gaze lingered on her face. For a moment, Ava thought he could see that she and Kilian had kissed.

Suddenly, his expression darkened. "I'll kill that sorceress with my own hands! What did she do to you?"

"I'm fine."

Rob jumped off his dragon and put a friendly arm around her. "Let Ava catch her breath first. She's been through a lot, but she survived. She'll feel better when she sees the young dragon."

Ava looked at him in surprise, but when he nodded to her, she realized he had meant what he'd said. They needed to learn to trust each other to work together. She nodded gratefully to him before turning to Marcus.

"I'll tell you what happened later. First, I really want to see the little one. Is he okay?"

Marcus shook his head from side to side. "If you ignore how outraged he is because he was barely restrained from participating in the rescue mission, then yes."

She laughed, and Marcus led her deeper into the cave. Lanterns were hanging on the stone walls, casting a warm glow inside. There was simple furniture like chairs, tables, and dressers. They were probably in a refuge for dragon fighters.

From a side cave, she heard a soft familiar voice that she recognized immediately. Suddenly, her fatigue and pain vanished as she rushed inside.

On thick blankets and pillows sat Lilly and the small dragon. The little one had noticed her immediately and stumbled towards her. It just took Lilly two seconds longer. They rushed towards each other, and Ava took the dragon in her arms. Lilly was already hugging her around the waist.

"Ava, you're okay. I'm so relieved." Tears sprang to the girl's eyes and rolled down her cheeks, causing Ava to shed one as well. Overjoyed, she hugged them both.

"Don't worry, everything's fine."

"I told the dragon fighter where you were. I could sense you. But he wouldn't take me with him. Ava, we must never be separated again."

"Everything's alright, you two, everything's alright.

" Her heart swelled as she cradled them both.

It felt like home. Eventually, two more arms wrapped around her.

Marcus had approached and was hugging her from behind.

They stood like that for a while, and Ava was simply grateful.

Grateful to be alive. Grateful to be part of this community.

Grateful to have found a place that felt right.

She had expected to collapse with exhaustion and sleep for several days, but she didn't. Instead, she sat down at a large table with Lilly, the dragon, Marcus, and Rob to eat and tell the others what had happened.

Maybe because she was waiting for Kilian.

Maybe because she knew that saying goodbye to the dragon was imminent, which the little one didn't know yet. Either way, her heart found no rest.

Eventually, she felt that she understood why. She sat up abruptly.

"I have to go back."

Marcus's eyes widened in horror. "To Elora?"

She shook her head. "To Aunt Helen."

Lilly's face fell, and the little dragon's eyes grew big as well. "You want to say goodbye?"

Smiling, she looked at the two. "Not to you, but to my aunt. I need to make sure she's really okay, tell her everything's alright, and then I'll come back."

Despite this explanation, Lilly got angry. "You're just saying that! I know how it goes. You won't come back!" She jumped up and ran away.

Ava followed her with her eyes and looked at the hatchling, who smiled at her. "I know you mean it, Ava. I can read it in your heart. We will be connected forever."

Lovingly, she stroked his foot, which still looked innocent and playful. "Is it like this for every dragon guardian? Do they always feel a connection to the dragons that they've seen being born?"

The dragon child winked amusedly with its golden eyes. "I don't know that, but I do know that our connection is something special. You know it too, Ava, don't you?"

Nodding, she stroked his head. He looked so adorable with his spikes, gleaming eyes, and short wings that were still too weak to carry him. "Forever." Her gaze wandered back in the direction Lilly had disappeared, and she stood up. "I'll go check on her."

Marcus nodded understandingly. "Take your time. She was very worried about you."

Although it caused her heart to twinge, she was happy as well, for it proved that Lilly had dared to form an emotional connection.

She ran to the side room where Lilly had been staying with the dragon. But the girl wasn't lying on the soft bed. Instead, she sat in a corner on the bare stone floor, as if preparing her body for what she imagined lay ahead: a return to the harsh times of loneliness.

Lilly had drawn up her feet, rested her head on her knees, and wrapped her arms around her legs. When Ava approached her, she didn't look up.

"Hey Lilly, may I sit with you?"

The girl didn't react, but Ava sat down beside her anyway.

"A few days ago, when I was running through the king's capital city, fleeing his soldiers, someone saved my life."

The little one said nothing.

"At that moment, I thought it must have been a strong, fearless man, an underground fighter who could knock out my pursuers with a single punch."

Lilly let out a choked laugh, prompting Ava to put an arm around her shoulders.

"But it wasn't a man so strong and tall that he had nothing to fear. No, it was a fearless and unimaginably brave girl who didn't hesitate to help a stranger." She brushed a blonde strand from Lilly's face, causing the girl to lean almost imperceptibly towards her.

"I'll never forget that, Lilly. You saved my life. Mine and the little dragon's. But that's not why you can count on never getting rid of me. I'm staying with you because I love you incredibly. You have a place in my heart; you conquered it before I even knew it, and you've become my family."

Lilly looked up, her eyes red. Sniffling, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "Family?"

Ava nodded. "Don't worry, I'll never try to replace your mother, but I want to be there for you.

I don't have parents anymore either, and my aunt isn't my real aunt.

But you know, through you I've realized that it doesn't matter whether you're related by blood or not.

We belong together, we're there for each other, we love each other.

Isn't that exactly what makes a family?"

Her eyes grew round. "You want to be my family?"

"If you want to be mine?"

Her face lit up with a radiance that could rival the rising sun. "Of course! But I thought you wanted to go back."

"I have to go back, that's true, because my aunt is probably worried. I want to let her know that I'm okay and make sure she's not alone. Then I'll come right back. Do you understand that?"

The girl nodded.

"If you want, you can come with me."

Lilly hesitated but shook her head. "A world without dragons sounds pretty boring. I'll accompany you to the border and wait for you there. Without me, you'd never make it past the king's soldiers anyway."

Ava smirked. "Good plan. Will you come back to the others now? There's still half a butter cake on the table that wants desperately to be eaten."

"Consider it done." With those words, the girl jumped up and threw her arms around Ava's neck. "I love you."

"I love you too, Lilly."

Together they strolled back to the main room, where Marcus and Rob were deep in conversation and the dragon had fallen asleep in the middle of the dining table. The men looked up, and when they spotted Lilly, Marcus laughed at her.

"Hey Lilly, I was just talking to Rob, and we have a great idea."

"Actually, it was Marcus's idea," Rob added with a wink.

The girl grabbed a piece of butter cake. "What is it?"

"The cave has very good acoustics, so I heard that Ava wants to say goodbye to her aunt to stay with us forever. I knew you'd never leave me." He winked at Ava while Lilly snorted.

"You eavesdropped on us."

"Now, hear out my suggestion first. If Ava agrees, Rob will fly her on his dragon to the border, and she can sort things out with her aunt. As soon as she's done, he'll bring her back. She'd be gone for three hours at most."

Surprised, Ava eyed Rob, who nodded halfheartedly. He didn't look thrilled, so she shook her head. "You don't have to do this."

"I know, but Kilian won't be back until this evening anyway, and I like to get things done."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Did Marcus blackmail you into agreeing?"

Marcus snorted, his admiring gaze wandering over Ava. "As if it were a burden to carry the esteemed dragon guardian on his dragon. I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could."

"I know you would."

Rob pointed to her plate, where the last bite of butter cake remained. "As soon as you're done eating, we can go. Unless you want to get some sleep first."

She shook her head decisively. "I'm dog-tired, but I'd like to have this done before Kilian comes back and.

.." Her gaze wandered to the sleeping dragon.

She had wanted to add "takes him away," but couldn't rule out that the little one might hear.

So she kept it to herself. Instead, she looked pleadingly at Marcus.

"Would you be so kind as to look after Lilly and the little one?"

"Come on!" Lilly raised her chin. "Nobody needs to look after me, but of course I'll help him protect the hatchling."

Smiling, Ava turned to Marcus, who beamed at her. "I'd grant you any wish."

He made no secret of his admiration. It was too bad that things weren't so simple with Kilian.

But she didn't want to think about that, as it only tormented her, and she'd had enough of that for now.

So she thanked Marcus before hugging Lilly goodbye.

She gently stroked the dragon's head, then left the cave with Rob to return to her old village one last time.