Episode Twenty Four - Dragon and Mikana (Part 2)

"Mikana." A new voice addressed the woman — bored and indifferent. It was a man. "Come. It's time to leave."

"Regis." Mikana's composure cracked, rage and sorrow vibrating from her words. "Dragon is dead."

"I know. I felt his spirit leave. Come, we must leave."

Eira lowered her arms, finally having a face to go with that voice. It was a young man, or maybe a teenager. He wasn't very tall, lanky with short, black hair and a diminutive aura. Yet, she sensed an underlying threat beneath his unassuming appearance. He must have felt her unabashed stare, turning to glance her.

Surprisingly, he smiled. It transformed his face completely, breathing life into his dull visage. "I would love to stay and chat but I'm afraid this isn't the right time." Rummaging his pocket, he sent a card floating in her direction. She instinctively caught it. "If you want to talk, all you have to do is find me at this address. Just tell the owner your name."

"Who are you?" she demanded almost desperately. He obviously knew her.

"The apex you're hunting — the clawtail," he continued as if he never heard her question. "I know where you can find it. If you're interested to know more, I'll be waiting for you."

"Eira!" Lars bellowed anxiously, jerking her attention upwards. He wore a dark and fierce expression, sizing up the enemy from Aeolus's back.

"I'm alright, Lars!" she answered his unspoken question, catching a glint of silver from the corner of her eye. Her mouth opened with a warning, but it was too late. The enemy's devious weapon thrusted between Lars's chest, and Eira screamed when he plummeted off Aeolus, hurt and unconscious.

The Gryphon screeched and attempted to rescue his master, diving headlong with his wings tucked tight.

Kaiser cursed and leaped into the open, tossing his shield to capture the captain safely within its spherical cocoon. A second too late and Lars would've been reduced to a meat sack of broken bones.

Tears streaked down Eira's face as she raced to Lars's side. "Lars! Talk to me!" she cried, shaking his shoulders. "Please, open your eyes!"

"He'll be safe inside the shield," Kaiser reassured, sounding reasonably composed. His eyes darted around, both dread and alarm building inside him. "We need to leave now. This cave won't hold out much longer."

Before she could utter a word, the enemy bid them farewell. "Until next time, Eira Ulva. We shall meet again if you make it out alive."

Eira pivoted to see the young man and woman disappear inside their magical portal. She still couldn't comprehend how that was possible.

"Let's go," Kaiser insisted, hefting Lars up. "We don't have much time. Help me get the captain onto the Gryphon's back."

Getting her bearings together, Eira nodded wordlessly. After securing Lars onto Aeolus, Kaiser led the way out while she trailed behind on Xue Long. They quickly escaped the collapsing cave, dodging plunging rocks and narrowly evading getting shut in forever. Once they were safe, Kaiser dispatched a distress signal for their pilot, Miran to locate them.

Soon, the phantom arrived, and they loaded Lars onto the portable stretcher. During the tense ride, Eira clutched onto Lars's cold hand like a lifeline. Fear burrowed in her stomach. His wound wouldn't stop bleeding no matter how much pressure she applied and his face grew paler by the minute. She couldn't accept that he was dying. "Please, don't give up, Lars. Help is coming," she sobbed, applying more pressure to the wound.

"Eira, I know this might not be the right time but, there's something I'm curious about," Kaiser piped up, sounding distracted.

"What is it?" she sniffled, schooling her distraught.

"Earlier on…with that young man," he began, "Why were you staring so intently at each other? It was as if you were communicating telepathically, though I'm not sure that's even possible." His wary eyes studied her.

She shot him a brief, puzzled glance. "I don't understand. We were talking."

He shook his head ruefully, the aftermath of their near-death experience now evident on his face. "No, Eira. I didn't hear a single word. None of your mouths were moving."

Her gut hollowed out, and she remembered…that man had smiled but, that was all. Everything else that happened, she had responded in kind. Kaiser was right. When the stranger spoke into her mind, she reciprocated as naturally as breathing. How was that possible?

"I…I don't know how that happened," she told him lamely. Frankly, she didn't give a damn about anything except Lars's life. He was all that mattered. "I'm sorry, Kaiser. We should discuss this another time. I can't concentrate on anything but saving Lars's life."

Kaiser nodded grimly. "Don't worry. He'll make it through. The captain's a tough man."

She attempted a weak smile, grateful for his attempt at comforting her. Thankfully, they arrived at base and Lars was admitted to the emergency center for immediate treatment. Florian and the others came rushing to her side once they received word of Lars's condition.

Eira didn't dare move from her seat, not until the operating theatre lights went out and the surgeon emerged with good news.

"Captain Lars's operation was a success. He made it through the clear, and we'll continue monitoring his progress in the intensive care ward until he makes a full recovery."

"Thank God!" Legs weak with relief, Eira collapsed to the ground. Tears of joy sprung in her eyes and she bawled like a baby, startling everyone.

"Come on, Eira," Florian coaxed after thanking the doctor. "You should get cleaned up and have something to eat. I'll take you to see the captain once visiting hours are permitted."

"I'm not leaving his side," she remarked stubbornly.

Florian didn't fault her for it. "Trust me, I understand how you feel. I've been with the captain for more years than I lived with my family. I'm worried too, but I also care about you. And I'm certain Lars wouldn't want you to be in this state on his behalf." He extended a hand. "You're not alone, Eira. We're here for each other. The captain's the one who found us and gave us a home. He's important to us too."

Eira lifted her head, noticing Anaelle's tear-filled gaze and Koga's grim face. "Fine," she mumbled. "But I want to know the moment we can be by his side. I don't want him to wake up alone."

Florian squeezed her hand. "You have my word."

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One week later...

Lars was confined to strict bed rest, resulting in a grouchy and extremely impossible patient. So far he had threatened to blow off Florian's head and to feed Koga's hide to Aeolus while Anaelle cleverly steered clear of him. The only person he tolerated was Eira and she had to contend with his insufferable mood swings from dawn till dusk.

"Stop acting like a big baby, Lars," she said crossly, grabbing the medical kit. "I want you to take off your shirt this instant."

He ignored her. "I'm fine. My wound has healed."

"You weren't the one bleeding out in my arms!" she retorted indignantly, climbing onto the bed to straddle his thighs. She snatched the hem of his shirt and growled. "Take. It. Off. Or I'll rip it to pieces."

Lars was very, very aware of her scandalous position and the way her nipples pebbled beneath her cotton top. Not to mention, the heat of her core right over his growing erection.

Fuck, this was hard. His patience and self-control was being stretched thin.

It all started after he was discharged from the medical centre. Eira exploded into tears when he first awoken, and he couldn't even hold her, feeling embarrassingly weak as a babe. Then, she fussed over him, seeing to his every need, and taking every opportunity to touch him. He understood that his close shave with death had turned her extremely needy — to reassure herself he was alive. He didn't mind it, although having her near and not being able to touch her was torture.

Eira's essence dominated his living space, she basically lived with him judging by her strewn clothes over his living room couch, her feminine things scattered in his bathroom and her favourite tea and snacks overloaded inside his mini bar.

To anyone else, it seemed intrusive but, strangely…he didn't mind. In fact, he enjoyed the company – her company. While high-spirited, Eira respected his need for peace and privacy, often leaving him to work or do whatever he needed to. When they were together in the evenings, she would tend to Betsy, and sometimes he found himself jealous over a silly plant. Or she would read a book with her head comfortably resting on his thighs or shoulder.

Those were his favourite moments because he enjoyed watching the array of emotions on her face, basking in her beauty.

Lars hadn't realized how much he had come to rely on her, until she returned home late one evening, covered in scratches.

"What happened?" he barked, a frown marring his handsomeness. He would have gotten out of bed if she didn't pin him down with a warning glare not to move. She had been adamant that he didn't overexert himself. It was ridiculous.

"I was having some fun with Aeolus and Xue Long. I guess we got carried away." Eira must have seen something on his face because she laughed dismissively. "The bruises I get from combat practice with you are worse than these."

Damn it, she was right.

"I'm going to take a shower," she declared nonchalantly, disappearing into the bathroom. He heard the water turn on and when she began humming, he began to relax, unknowing how tensed he had been waiting for her.

He needed to get out of this bed — out of his quarters. The first thing he was going to do when he was cleared for active duty was drag Koga and Florian for a heavy sparring session. His muscles had been itching for a good workout.

Doing nothing but rest was driving him insane. As he settled back to read, his entire body froze when minutes later, Eira commanded in a sultry, low voice. "Take off your shirt, Captain."