Dragonspeaker: A Dragonslayer Sequel (Reupload)

Chapter 10: Brook

BROOK

It was the day for the patrol to the old ruins, and honestly? Brook had her doubts about how productive it would be already. They were going off the assumption that everyone who was banished was still alive. What if the effects of the Wingwatcher arrests were worse than she had initially imagined? There wasn't much of a way to tell.

But I did make it official. And I am the one who proposed the idea... There wasn't really a way to back out from it, even if Brook wanted to. I...probably should've just stayed in Valor instead of going with...

She made an attempt to push those worries aside, however - she was going to see if the others were alright, and wouldn't rest until she saw them for herself. Next to Brook's side was Lark, who seemed to be shivering slightly.

Brook raised an eyebrow. "You alright?"

Lark grimaced. "Yes, I am - well, I think I am, anyways..." She took another look at the blueprints and sighed. "You're really sure about letting me take over?"

"Lark, I trust that you'll do your best no matter what happens. I'm confident that everything will be fine," Brook assured her, smiling a little. She shrugged. "Besides, you've already ran a lot of helpful projects for Valor in the past. This won't be any different, I'm sure."

Lark only smiled back, laughing to herself. Well, at least that seemed to ease her nerves. Brook shared Lark's gaze briefly before turning back towards one of the exits closest to the ruins. After some more silence passed between the two, Lark spoke up once again.

"...so. Why are you even headed to the ruins in the first place?"

Oooh, that's the kind of question I was hoping you wouldn't ask. Of course, Brook was more than willing to answer, but she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to hold onto her anger with Heath and keep it from taking over the conversation - she didn't particularly want to hurt Lark, and there was no time for Brook to complain about all the fine details, anyhow.

Brook grimaced. "That's where several of the banished have been hiding. For years now, if my memory serves me correctly."

Lark paused for a moment, a shocked yet relieved look on her face. "You mean...they aren't dead? I thought they had to be, living out on the surface like that..."

"No. Or at least, not all of them, if the last report I got about the ruins is true..." Brook kept her sights focused on the path ahead of her, still walking. "But thinking they were dead was probably something Heath could've settled for, if actual death didn't happen."

"I..." Lark was quiet for a moment. "I guess I can agree with that."

The rest of their walk was void of talk, much to Brook's concern. Did I say the wrong thing to her? Probably. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, though - she could ask Lark about it later. Nearby she caught sight of Holly, who was pacing within the tunnel corridors. Holly noticed Brook before she could say anything, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Commander, I'm so glad I found you!"

Brook narrowed her eyes - neither Parsley, Daffodil, or Violet was with her. What happened to my order to keep an eye on those two? "Holly."

Holly shrinked back at her tone. "I know what it might look like, but please hear me out-"

Lark placed a hand on Brook's shoulder - she exhaled deeply, trying her hardest to avoid sounding exasperated already. It might be that Holly wasn't shirking her tasks this time. Don't assume too much.

Don't act like Heath would.

"Go on."

Holly let out a brief sigh of relief before continuing. "I knew that you would be heading out soon, so I decided to find the kids you asked Parsley and I to watch. ...Only, I'm not sure where they are?"