The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 28

"Ok," I said and set down the lantern on the table before I turned towards him. "You're free to ask me anything." I folded my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow to see that he was still in a dazed state. "Your Highness."

He didn't say a word and looked around with a dazed look in his eyes. The prince stood in the same spot by the door and didn't focus on me or anything.

I sighed and shook my head, annoyed when he didn't answer me. "Your Highness," I said again and got the same response, which was nothing. I cleared my throat and pursed my lips.

"Say his name," Shilan said, and I mentally rolled my eyes at him. "That would be the best way to get him out of this state, and you know it."

I bit back a huff and pursed my lips while I looked at the male before me. I had no idea why I didn't want to say his name, but I didn't. I didn't want to have a name to a face that lived a far different life than mine.

Shilan huffed and rolled his eyes. "Say it, Marini," he said. "Or else, I'll come over there myself and say it for you."

I pursed my lips but sighed, feeling defeated. "Fine," I grumbled and licked my lips. Hesitantly, I reached out and touched the Prince's arm and shook it. "Caspian," I said, finally after I had cleared my throat. "Caspian, you need to snap out of whatever this is. We have things that we have to discuss."

Caspian blinked and furrowed his brows, coming back to the land of the living. He rubbed his eyes and grimaced before he removed his hands from his face and looked at me. "Did you just say my name?" he asked. "Or am I hearing things?"

"You're hearing things," I replied, raising an eyebrow. I gestured for him to sit down in one of the chairs in the room and sat down in the other. "Why would I say your name now if I hadn't in the past?"

Caspian shrugged his shoulder and sat down in front of me. "I don't know," he replied. "Though I do have a feeling that you had said my name." He cleared his throat and looked at the way that we had gone to get here. "Who was that?" he asked, looking back at me. "The man at the door? What's his name?"

I shrugged my shoulder and grimaced. "No one knows," I replied. "He's just there, blind to everything and everyone but can see whatever. There's not much information on him, and the information that has been given is kept a secret from everyone, including me." I pursed my lips and bit back an annoyed sigh, not liking the fact that this information was hidden from me as well.

Caspian studied me and then grinned, amused. "You look like you're upset about that," he teased, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and scowl. "Why?"

"Apparently, being a daughter of the Hargen Tribe gives me more access to information than other tribes or families."

"Why? What makes your tribe so special?" he asked, cocking his head. He furrowed his brows. "I mean, shouldn't all tribes have the same amount of information?"

"In some parts," I replied. I shifted in my seat and bit back a sigh. "Some parts of the information is for all tribes, but legend has it that the people of the Hargen Tribe were the first one and gifted with different abilities..."

Caspian became interested and leaned forward. Curiosity filled his eyes while he studied me, and I couldn't help but bite my lip nervously. "Like?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He paused and studied me some more before he cocked his head and waited for me to answer. "What are these abilities?"

"I don't know my personal one," I said, shrugging my shoulders with a grimace, "but knowing the languages of the different species is one of them."

"I think being a Dragon Rider is your personal ability," Shilan said, and I held back a snort. "I mean, you are the only one."

"With a dragon," I replied. "I am not the only Dragon Rider."

Shilan huffed and rolled his eyes. "Exactly." He paused. "How mad would that man be if he found me in his kitchen, again? I am hungry, and Jonan is taking too long to get me food."

I held back another eye roll and a scowl. "He will be mad, and if you do it again, I will allow Charles to grab you by the tail and take you out that way or have him put you to work."

Shilan stayed silent, and I bit back a smirk when I felt his disapproval through our link. "Fine," he gruffed, and I had a feeling that he flicked his tail in annoyance. "I'll stay put. Will you tell either Jonah or Ardën to hurry up and feed me? I am hungry."

"You seem to be hungry all the time," I pointed out, recalling some of the conversations we had with each other.

"I am," he replied. "I am always hungry. But, can you wake Caspian up from his "nap?" He has been staring at you with such a curious gaze for a while now."

I mentally nodded my head and looked to see that Caspian was staring at me intensely. I raised an eyebrow and made sure that I didn't blush as bad as I wanted to, uncomfortable with the attention I received from him. "What is it?" I asked, cocking my head while I studied him. "What are you thinking?"

Caspian stirred from whatever state he was in and cleared his throat. Slowly, he dipped his head in apology, and a light blush appeared on his cheeks. "Forgive me for staring," he said softly. "I was lost in thought."

"I know, Your Highness," I replied, earning a scowl. I cleared my throat and bit back a smirk, knowing full well that me calling him "Your Highness" got on his nerves. "If I may be so bold to ask, what were you thinking about?"

"I was wondering what your "special" gift was," he replied. "I know that you said it wasn't the fact that you could speak multiple languages, so I was wondering if it would be something else."

"Like?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I cocked my head and studied the prince, and he shifted uncomfortably under my intense gaze.

"Would being able to divert something bad happening be considered a gift?" he asked. "I mean, you saved my life twice in the forest, and I am sure that you have done something like that before."

I cocked my head and thought about it, wondering if I could deter conflict between whoever that wanted to cause it. "I don't know..." I finally replied. "Perhaps, but I am sure that others can do that as well."

"Tell him," Shilan said. "I want to see how he would react."

I held back an eye roll and cleared my throat, feeling nervous. "There is something different between and other members of my clan," I said, not meeting his gaze. "It might not be my personal gift, but it could be."

Caspian stayed silent while I paused and gathered the courage to tell him one of the things I needed. He stayed as still as possible until finally, he cracked from the curiosity he had. "Well?" he asked finally, and I could tell that he raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

I cleared my throat again and shifted in my seat, feeling uncomfortable for some reason. "Ummmmm." Again, I cleared my throat and looked away from him before I looked at him again. Taking a deep breath and praying that I wasn't making a huge mistake, I said, "I have a dragon."