Wylde Magic | Book 3

One: Smoke on the Horizon

Going home.

I'm going home.

Eberon. Thananthol. Mama Flori. Wairen. Pearl Street. Roasted pecans.

Thain.

My heart sang it as we walked through the sand. Step. Step. Step. I could hardly keep the smile from splitting my face in two as we made our last leg of the journey across the desert. Behind me, Kai and Nassir talked about the sand tribes, and how Kai had grown into his new life with them. Schula made little ice flakes on her fingertips and flicked them into the air, playing some kind of game with Puko who swooped in to catch them.

And next to me walked Spaulder. Rather hard to miss, as giant black dragons go. Kai nearly had a heart attack when he first saw us. We were met with the entire force of the Khusuru riders once we reached the desert. After everything was cleared up and they were assured that Spaulder wasn't going to attack anyone, they were happy to take the Aoyi'ka to Kai. Little did we know that it amused them to not send him any kind of warning, first.

It was unfortunate that we had to walk all the way back across the world, but after seeing how it winded Spaulder just to land in Eidelhein when we said our goodbyes, we didn't want to push him. After all, centuries in a cave would make anyone weak, and the walking was doing him some immense good.

"How are you holding up, Spaulder? Do you need any breaks tonight?" I asked.

'No, little one. I am stronger each day we travel. I wish to continue until our destination,' he said.

"Alright," I said. "But let me know if you change your mind."

'I am more interested in continuing the discussion we began yesterday,' he said. 'Have you found anything of note in your books?'

"I think so." I caught my lower lip in my teeth, pulling my spell book from the top of my pack where I had kept it within easy reach. "I've got a cure for shapeshifting curses from Purda's notes, and with the general understanding of shape changing from Lark's book I think we can make it work."

Spaulder made that purring vibration in his chest, and nudged me with his head as we walked, tipping me off balance and I nearly fell over.

"Okay! Okay," I giggled. "We can try it when we stop. It doesn't take reagents for the spell so much as this will be a concentration of will. I think."

'Your will or mine, little witch?' Spaulder asked.

"Hmm," I mused as I slid my finger down the page, looking at my own notes. "Both, probably."

Spaulder nodded. 'Then we shall have to do our best.'

I smiled up at him, then tucked my book away and reached over to stroke his scales. His black scales took in quite a lot of heat during the day, and I worried for him.

'I have told you, little one.' Spaulder teased. 'A little warmth does not bother a dragon.'

I blushed, taking my fingers back from his side. "I know. But if you get warm, Schula can cool you. And if you get cold, I can warm you, though not as well as you could warm yourself I'm sure."

'Thank you for the thought, little one,' Spaulder answered, huffing through his nose and kicking up sand in front of him. 'I will be fine.'

"Spaulder, Wren," Schula said, catching up to us.

I turned my head to look at her. "Hello there. Finished playing with Puko?"

The raven in question was sitting on her shoulder, and she smiled as she reached up to pet him. "More like I think he's done with me."

I laughed, pulling out a dried cherry from my pocket and tossing it to Puko. He caught it easily, and ate it in two bites.