Soul Bound

Chapter 8

"You'll figure it out," I muttered in an indignant, mocking manner, along hopefully the right path back to the main base. I'd been so worked up over Arkon's well being, I hadn't been paying much attention to my surroundings. I had been relying on my brother being here to guide me.

An error I wouldn't make again.

Meanwhile, instead of passing along wise words of encouragement, Arkon laughed at the Commander's "joke" and wholeheartedly agreed that this was something I had to figure out on my own.

What have I gotten myself into?

I got what I wanted. I was a Dragon Knight, as loosely as one could call themselves without any training. But this wasn't how I wanted to get it. At the cost of my family, my life as far as I knew it. The guilt tore through me.

Do not feel guilty for being happy, Little One, Arkon said, intruding on my thoughts. You have suffered a great loss and you must mourn them to move on, but you must also live. For them. For Jacob. For me.

It was a lot easier said than done. As I wandered through the dark, I couldn't help but wish Erika was here. She would have loved exploring the cave, seeing all the colourful dragons. Spending time with her big brother and sister.

Despite the ache in my chest, I pushed forward and eventually found the exit. I was so lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the young woman leaning against the wall until she stepped away from it. She tucked her pocket watch in her trouser pocket with a smirk. "You were faster than I thought you'd be." She extended her hand out to me. "Sergeant Annalyse Hargin."

I stared at her with wide eyes. She was gorgeous. Very long and very straight auburn hair was held back in a tight, neat ponytail. Her skin was soft, blemish-less, a contrast to her sharp cheekbones. She had big, dark gray eyes that looked dangerous but the expression she wore couldn't have been friendlier. And her surname was Hargin.

I swallowed. "When you say Hargin. . ."

She wasn't at all deterred by my tone. "I know what you're thinking and the answer is yes, she is my mother."

I blinked. The Commander didn't come across as a motherly figure; the fact Annalyse seemed marginally normal surprised me.

She flashed me a daring grin at my stunned silence. "For the foreseeable future, we will be partners. We'll have loads of fun! Come! Come! There's much to do!"

"Uhh. . ." She had far more energy than I could possibly muster, even on a good day.

She took my hand and pulled me down the corridor. We blasted through the hallway faster than Jacob and I had on our way here, but this time I managed to take in the wonder that made this base fantastical. At closer inspection of the walls, I noticed the slight waves that ran horizontally down the hallway; I remembered a time where my father and I had gone on a hike when I was little. We passed by a cliff face that was smooth like these walls; he'd said the wind was so strong and frequent that it had tamed the harsh edges of the cliff. I hadn't believed him at the time, but, considering the draft constantly running through these corridors from the glassless windows, I believed him now. I had a feeling the draft was a constant companion in the base; the windows were set in deep within the walls, narrow tunnels leading to the sunset outside. These holes weren't nearly as noticeable from the outside as the dragon holes had been, but a lot of natural light still managed to peek through and illuminate the orange hallways.

Still holding my hand hostage, Annalyse took a sharp turn, almost clipping a man holding a torch. It looked like he was lighting all the sconces hanging from the ceilings. It gave the base some warmth to the chilling air.