Talon the Black (Dragonwall Series # 1)

Chapter 42 - A New Position

Kastali Dun

Claire woke up to find a fluffy bed beneath her. She rubbed her fingers against the soft linen fabric, sinking in and out of consciousness. She wanted to sleep forever. Maybe she would.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a white-washed ceiling with dark beams staring back at her. "Where am I?" she croaked. Her left cheek throbbed as she talked.

"You are in the great keep of Kastali Dun," a voice answered.

She recognized it and smiled. "Reyr!" She turned to find him observing her from a nearby chair. The movement aggravated her head. Why did her face hurt so much? Suddenly, her memories came crashing back. The dungeons, her horrible experience with the king, the way Reyr looked at her after discovering she'd had the Dragon Stones all along, and her fall to the floor. It felt like a lifetime ago. Maybe it was a dream. Why else would she be here instead of her dungeon cell?

"Glad to see you are finally awake."

She struggled to sit up. "How...how long have I been..."

"Several hours, give or take." His arms were crossed. He still looked unhappy.

"Reyr, I...I'm so sorry! I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you everything. I would have given you the Dragon Stones when you found me. Cyrus made me promise. Please don't be angry with me." He was silent. "Please!" she begged. "I can't stomach your disapproval."

He sighed. "I am not mad at you, though I wish to be."

"You're not?" Hope found its way back into her heart. The tension in her shoulders released.

"You cannot begin to understand how it felt to believe the Dragon Stones were lost." His eyebrows scrunched together, as if the thought were painful.

She swallowed. "I...I know. Everyone was worried about them and it was all my fault. I was the only one who knew they were safe."

It had been difficult witnessing the Drengr's apprehension during the journey. More challenging was holding onto a secret she wanted to reveal.

He shook his head. "No matter how hard I tried, I could not understand why the Vodar attacked us. Once I got over the shock of seeing them, no explanation was adequate. I did wonder though, I wondered if you witnessed something you should not have."

"They were after the Stones."

"Yes. I know that now." He pulled his chair a little closer.

"I can tell you everything," she offered, hoping to make things better between them.

He nodded. "I would like that very much. I would like to hear the story from your side, but tonight we are short on time." The intensity of his golden gaze hinted at something serious. "I want to say what I came to say before anything else."

"Oh...okay." She scooted back against the pillows.

"The king told us everything after—well, he told us everything you told him." He ran a hand through his golden hair, pulling at some of the tangles along the way. Was he nervous? Apprehensive? "The truth is, Claire, I have no right to be upset with you. After what you did for Cyrus, you saved his life without knowing him. He was a complete stranger, yet you did what you could to help him. He trusted you enough to tell you his secrets. That—that says a lot. Cyrus was not easily trusting. His ability to bend minds showed him things no normal person would ever see."

The memory of Cyrus breaking into her mind, the whopping headache, and their dinner conversation afterward swam into her consciousness. Did he do that to everyone? No wonder he struggled with trust.