Chapter 13

My mother glared at me the way she had every day since I helped Xyon. I got rid of all scents on my way back but that seemed to have only made her suspicious. I was out rather late, after all, so smelling like nothing must have been confusing. Maybe I should've caught some food when I came back? At least as a peace offering. Good thing I also healed the holes in my wings before showing up or it would've been much worse. I stared back at her instead of running away this time. "Why have you been looking at me like that?" He eyelids quivered before she closed them and hung her head, sighing.

"You never answered me honestly." She stood straight and stared me down, approaching almost menacingly and walking around me, her scales brushing mine. I cowered away this time, hardly able to hold back a squeal. She's way too scary for even me at my bravest to handle. My mother pressed in closer, locking my eyes to hers. "Why did you erase your scent? Did you do something we told you not to?" Yes!

"No."

"Do you have any particular reason then?" Yes! One I don't want you to know!

"Not really." I shouldn't tell her, but what else can I say?

"Are you saying you did it randomly?" I shook my head, an idea coming to mind.

"Uh, there was a group of four adventurers...they asked me if they were going anywhere near the right way."

"Then what?"

"They weren't, so I offered to lead them to their destination...I was surprised by how slow I had to fly." She huffed, her signal to move on. "That's it. I took them to a village way in the south. Because they had a beastkin with them, I wanted to erase my scent to avoid them following me." Her eyes didn't leave mine, testing the truth of my words. We can't always talk in certain situations, so it wasn't hard to discover how expressive a dragon's face and position is. I have to convince my own mind I wasn't lying! Alright...I did lead adventurers and they did indeed have a beastkin with them. The village, I brought them to a village. Then I said goodbye and erased my scent on my way home. None of it was a lie!

She watched me carefully, then pulled away. "Accepted. Were you seen by the villagers?"

"No." Xyon's an outcast, not a villager. They were all bandits anyway.

My mother flicked her tail. "Good. make sure they never do if you insist on going there. Now, it's time for your training." I froze looking at her with wide eyes. Again?! "What's that look for? You're the one who goes there, aren't you? I want you to be able to defeat them if the need arises, which it most likely will. Come on, the faster we do it the sooner you can leave." I reluctantly followed her outside. She already knew I found that village? When did she learn that? Has she just always known? I gazed at the sun as I glided down to the platform. It's amazing how the snow glitters and the ice gleams when hit at just the right angle. Which reminds me, what am I going to do with the stone I got? I accepted it on a whim but don't have any actual use for it.

"Mother, one questoin before we start." She slowed so as to fly beside me. "Do dragons have any use for magic stones?"

"Magic stones? Uh, sometimes we do. A sudden magic boost, a substitute for food when starved...not much else. I know that if you eat one youe won't be hungry at all anymore. Although, using one that isn't your element can be deadly, especially if it's the opposite one. Why?"

"Uh, I was just curious. Those adventurers had some and offered me one, but I refused because I didn't know what it was…"

"Quite the loss. If you could rewind time then taking it would be the best option. I doubt any of the other four races have discovered its use yet. Just remember to accept it if that happens again."

"Okay." This stone is really that important? So even if it isn't connected to me, I can still use it in an emergency. Good to know. I hope Xyon is safe...who knows what happened with that village.