Page 8 of Ava’s Love of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #2)

Like a tour guide, Lilly led them through the depths of the mountain.

She had clearly internalized that Ava was larger, as she chose only passages and openings that an adult woman could fit through.

While Ava scraped her shoulder against the rocks several times and hit her head twice, occasionally having to twist her upper body to pass through tight spots, no passage was too narrow or forced her to turn back.

When they left the mountains, the sun had disappeared behind the peaks and the sky was deep blue. The dense forest that stretched to the mountain range muted the evening light. Lilly made to run immediately towards the trees, but Ava held her back by the wrist.

"Wait a moment."

With her shoulders raised, Lilly turned to her. "What?"

Ava hesitated, searching for the right words. "I want you to know that I always intended to come back. Rob just flew off without me."

Lilly waved it off, appearing totally composed. "I know that."

"How?"

"You promised me. And I believe you." She shrugged as if it were no big deal. Ava knew better. It was just as significant for Lilly as it was for her. Trust was new terrain they were entering together. But neither she nor the girl needed to say more about it.

Lilly pointed to the mountains, whose peaks were over two thousand meters high. "We need to go. I don't have any idea where Rob is searching for you, but right now we're out in the open and he has a dragon for backup—unlike us."

Inevitably, both their gazes drifted towards the sky. Tattered clouds drifted by, some clinging to the mountain peaks. No dragon was in sight, but that could change at any moment.

They quickly left the mountain slope towards the trees. They continued their journey swiftly and plunged into the dense forest, which at least offered protection from Rob. While they were hidden under the tree canopy, he wouldn't be able to spot them from the back of his air dragon.

There were no beaten paths, but Lilly led them confidently past bushes and ferns, apparently with a destination in mind, which was why Ava left her to lead. With each passing minute they spent together, Ava felt a bit more tension slip away. At some point, she caught up with Lilly.

"Where was the little dragon taken, by the way?"

Lilly looked at her hesitantly. "Kilian and his fire dragon took him away. They didn't say where." She looked as sad as Ava felt. She already missed the little one. Strangely, it felt as if he had taken a piece of her heart with him.

"I'm sure we'll see him again." She didn't know if she was saying this to Lilly or to herself. "What has—"

Lilly grabbed her by the sleeve. "Shh!" She pulled Ava into a crouch and they crawled on all fours behind a thick tree trunk.

Ava hadn't heard anything. However, if anyone was practiced in detecting danger early, it was Lilly. Hopefully, they weren't about to run into Rob, of all people.

In the shelter of the gnarled trunk, she listened intently but heard no suspicious sounds. With raised shoulders, she looked at Lilly, but the girl remained motionless. Minutes passed without a soul appearing or any rustling or crackling to be heard.

Eventually, Ava shook her head. "There's nothing," she whispered.

Carefully, Lilly peeked around the tree trunk, just as a shadow fell on them from behind.

"Ava!"

They spun around lightning-fast and jumped up, fists raised defensively, only to lower them immediately. She widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Marcus?"

He had a bow and arrow slung over his shoulder and had his eyes opened just as incredulously as hers. His face was flushed, probably from running for a long time. His brown curls were standing wildly on end, and his body was tense, in a state of alert. He looked at her as if she were a ghost.

"Rob said you wouldn't come back." His voice sounded quiet, as if he feared she would pop like an illusion if he spoke too loudly.

She snorted. "That was a lie. He just took off without me!"

An incredulous smile on his lips, Marcus widened his eyes, his gaze wandering over her body as if he still couldn't believe it, until Lilly elbowed him in the side.

"I told you she didn't abandon us. And now stop gawking at her like she's a goddess. It's embarrassing!"

Ava smirked, while Marcus quickly cleared his throat and blinked.

"I'm telling you, the dragon fighters can't be trusted!

" With unusual sternness, he turned to Lilly, his eyebrows tightly drawn together.

"You can't just run off while I'm gathering firewood!

I was afraid Elora's mages had caught you and killed you, like they do with everyone who isn't magically gifted! "

Lilly quickly looked at Ava, a silent plea in her eyes.

Marcus knew nothing of her supernatural powers and shouldn't find out.

Officially, not even Ava knew about it, as she and Lilly had never talked about the subject.

Those with magical abilities were considered mortal enemies of the dragon realm.

Various remarks Marcus had made about mages came to Ava's mind, which was why she nodded inconspicuously.

But she made a mental note to talk to the girl when they had a quiet moment.

As soon as Lilly had made sure she could rely on Ava, she stood up to Marcus and put her thin fists on her hips. "I told you Rob lied! I told you we had to help Ava! If I hadn't gone back, he would have killed her!"

Marcus turned pale. "What?"

Ava nodded. "He tried everything and wanted to prevent me from coming back at all costs. When I reached the cave anyway, he tied me up and wanted to make short work of me."

Marcus tensed every muscle in anger. A vein stood out prominently on his neck, uncharacteristic for the gentle woodman.

"If I get my hands on him... So much for dragon fighters being sacred and the pinnacle of our society.

They're traitors! Cowardly backstabbers who can no longer tell right from wrong! He should—"

Ava placed a calming hand on his upper arm before he could shout the entire forest down. "Believe me, I'm just as angry at him, but we should be quiet and disappear. He's looking for me because he considers me the greatest threat to this country."

And they both knew why.

Kilian.

A pained expression crossed his face before he nodded and gently nudged Lilly in the side. "All credit to your rescue mission, but next time I'm coming with you."

The girl snorted. "I was faster alone. I'm a lone wolf after all. I—"

He looked at her with unmistakable sternness. "Next time I'm coming with you!"

Lilly nodded hesitantly, whereupon he gave her a dark look, indicating she should start running, as if he were her father. "I'll stay behind you. You know the way, Lilly, and now not another sound."

"Look who's talking..." the little one grumbled, but so quietly that only Ava heard her.

"Where are we going?"

Marcus pointed into the dense forest. "We need shelter for the night, so we're first heading back to the cave I stocked with plenty of firewood—until I noticed someone had outsmarted me.

" Lilly was hit with another reproachful look, but the little one just grinned.

In her eyes, she had done everything right.

Ava was no less grateful that she had acted on her own.

She preferred to push aside what might have happened to her in Rob's hands without Lilly's help.

After all, she didn't want to unnecessarily fuel her fear of the dragon fighter.

He was dangerous, sure, but she wouldn't face him with trembling knees at their next encounter.

Wordlessly, they marched through the forest, encountering no one. Marcus, a dyed-in-the-wool forest expert, knew his way around well and knew where the ground became too muddy and where it was dry, so their tracks wouldn't stand out.

Night gradually fell and darkness settled between the trees, making it hard for them to keep an eye on their surroundings.

Nevertheless, Ava's adrenaline levels went down.

She felt drained, dog-tired, and every step felt so heavy that she even considered simply lying down on the ground and sleeping.

How sheltered had her old life been? Still, she wouldn't have traded it for her new one.

After several hours, they reached their destination.

The cave was hidden behind densely leafy bushes and wasn't recognizable at first glance.

It wasn't particularly large, but it was sheltered from the wind, and warm.

There was enough space for two of them to lie down.

One had to keep watch anyway. Marcus offered to go first.

"Are you sure?" Ava looked around suspiciously.

In the darkness, it was hardly possible to distinguish trunk from human.

The faint outlines of the trees blended with those of the bushes and ferns, creating a picture of utmost danger.

Of course, she trusted him. But she didn't know if she could sleep peacefully after the past hours and with Rob as a proclaimed enemy who was looking for her.

Marcus seemed to guess her thoughts. He smiled at her charmingly. "I don't have an escape from a dragon's lair behind me, and if I'm reading the shadows under your eyes correctly, I'm the only one of us who slept last night."

"Liar!" Lilly called from the cave. She was already making herself comfortable on the leaves and moss that Marcus had gathered. "You spent at least half the night staring at the stars and thinking about Ava."

He grinned. "Then I'm the only one who slept half of last night."

She had to agree with him, especially since she had barely slept the previous nights either. Since she had come to this dragon realm, not one day had felt normal. On the other hand, she had mobilized strengths that she hadn't even known were in her until now.