Chapter 7: Far From Home

Once she’s concealed by the forest, Tris picks up her pace. She’s no longer worried about being seen. The urgency she feels is basic survival instincts. If she were to be caught with the baby dragon there is no question about what would happen to her.

Such a bold action would cost her her life. She wonders if it would be beheading or burning at the stake. Judging by how much the Queen hates her, it would be burning for sure.

Tris hopes that no one will suspect her of taking Ember. Lucas won’t say anything, and as far as her parents are concerned she is in the woods reading. She regrets not telling Nick about her adventure, but he would never have agreed to help her. He hates dragons as much as his parents do, thanks to an awful upbringing on their part.

The only member of the family that doesn’t appear to have a deep-seated hatred for the creatures is the Dowager Queen. She has always encouraged Tris’ love of dragons. Lucas’ mention of a curse comes to mind while thinking of Granny Nora. Why hadn’t the old Queen, or Nick, ever talked about a curse in the family?

Tris will ask when she returns. Her plan, for now, is to find the dragons, return Ember, and make it back to the palace as if she had spent the afternoon reading.

After walking for about an hour, Tris decides it’s time to let Ember out of the bag. She isn’t heavy, but over time the straps have started digging into Tris’ shoulders. She stops by a stream and lowers the pack onto the ground.

“You ready to come out?” she asks, opening the top flap.

Ember looks up at her and lets out a smokey burp. Tris takes note that the dry packs she grabbed are sitting empty around the little dragon.

“Did you eat all that food?” Tris whines. The thought of going without food makes her stomach drop.

Ember gurgles and nudges the empty packs with her nose while Tris sits down on the ground and pulls out one of the biscuits from her pocket. It’s stale, but at least it’s food. As she takes the first bite, Ember pokes her head out of the sack and watches her.

“I think you’ve had enough,” Tris remarks before taking another bite.

Ember crawls out and slowly makes her way onto Tris’ lap. All the while, sniffing the air, the little dragon cocks her head and chirps at the food.

Tris huffs and pulls off a little piece of biscuit. “Okay, but I don’t think you’re going to like it,” she says, tossing the food on the ground in front of Ember.

After scooping up the dry bread, Ember begins chewing excitedly. The joy doesn’t last, as the baby dragon hurries over to the water and begins gulping it down. Tris chuckles and takes a few swigs of water out of her canteen.

Even though they are far from the palace, Tris can’t shake the feeling of being watched. She glances around the woods, but nothing stands out to her. Believing her paranoia is getting the better of her, Tris stands up and gets ready to continue.

“Okay, Ember, let’s get moving,” she says, turning toward the stream.

The baby dragon looks back at her with a fish, half her size, hanging out either side of her mouth.

“Well, aren't you clever?” Tris exclaims. The fish would be a good snack for both of them, she just needs to put a fire together.

While thinking about roasting the fish, Tris’ enthusiasm fades as she watches Ember down the fish in two gulps.

“Never mind then,” she huffs, trudging through the water past Ember.

The baby dragon trudges behind her, hunting the leaves and bugs that bounce in the breeze around them. Tris is heading for the far mountain range to the south of the Kingdom. She thinks the dragons are probably staying there, as it’s the only uninhabited land close to the palace.

She’s never been that far from home, but the journey will be worth it.

“Ember?” she calls after a few minutes, noticing the dragon has wandered out of her view.

Tris slows her pace and looks around. “Where are you?”

Some leaves and twigs snap behind her and she turns in time to see Ember pounce onto the bottom of her dress. Tris begins running, staying just out of Ember’s reach. The baby dragon scurries behind her in an effort to catch the fabric. Tris loses her footing and plops onto her butt as Ember finally grabs the skirt in her mouth, shaking it like a rag.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Tris says firmly, afraid Ember is going to rip her dress. “I need to get changed before we go any farther.”

The bottom of her dress has become full of mud from walking through the stream. It has small rips in the fabric from getting caught up on twigs and thorns. Tris digs her hunting clothing out of her bag and begins to change. She takes her dress off and lets it fall over Ember. The little dragon crawls around under the cloth, letting out playful growls and chirps.

Tris packs the dress into her bag after wrestling it away from Ember. The baby dragon lets out a huff and then yawns.

“I think it’s time for someone to take a nap,” Tris says, reaching down to pick up Ember.

There’s no fight this time about going into the pack. The dress makes for a comfortable nest for Ember to curl up in and sleep. Tris can now travel faster without worrying about her companion getting lost.

After sliding the bag onto her back, she quickens her pace. Travel is easier now that she’s changed into her slacks. In no time at all the mountains of the south rise up before her. The soft drone of Ember’s steady breaths brings a sense of comfort as she hurries through the meadow at the base of the massive stone landmark.

Tris’ guess about where the dragons are is confirmed as a huge shadow blots out the sun overhead. Looking up, the seamstress is at a loss for words. There’s a massive creature flying above her and its green scales shimmer gold in the light of day. The dragon doesn’t appear to notice her as it keeps flying right online with the mountain.

“Wait!” she yells, full-on running behind the shadow of the beast.

She’s no match for its speed, and soon it disappears behind the stone mound. Tris doesn’t let that deter her. She continues directly into the mountains up a twisting path she hopes will take her to the dragons.

The rocks begin to close in around her as she carries on. Her path grows dark, and Tris finds herself feeling her way along the stones. A light up ahead gives her hope as she stumbles along. Ember gurgles in the bag on her back, and Tris slips the pack around to her front so she can hold and soothe the baby easier.

With a final push, she steps out into a cavern of light. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize she was stepping out onto a ledge. Tris cries out as her feet slip out from under her and she begins to fall.

She holds onto Ember’s bag as she falls. The wind rushes past her as she calls for help. Tears streak up off her face as she waits to crash down to the ground. Instead, Tris feels something scoop her up, stopping her downward movement.

“Hold on, little one,” a gruff man’s voice instructs.

Tris curls up into a ball, keeping Ember safe beneath her. She feels like she’s floating as her savior carries her out of the cavern and into the sun. The feel of warmth on her clothing causes her heart to sing. She’s alive, and Ember is still by her side.

“Here we go, miss. Careful now,” the voice says as Tris rolls onto the cool ground.

She blinks the sun out of her eyes and turns to thank her rescuer, but Tris’ voice catches in her throat. She stands in wonder looking into the massive eyes of a green dragon.

“I think you broke it,” someone else says from behind her.

Tris turns to see a red dragon laying on the ground behind her. It scratches its scales with one of its massive claws before shifting its huge body up to a sitting position.

The red dragon yawns. “I don’t know why you saved it, Cane. She will probably run back and tell the other humans where to find us.”

“Stop fussing at her!” a loud female voice scolds.

Tris watches, still unable to speak, as a smaller purple dragon drops down beside Cane. As her wings flap, they send Tris flying backward a short way. Her bag flies open and Ember rolls out.

All of the dragons gasp as the baby dragon shakes her head and climbs to her feet. The female dragon hurries toward her, but Tris is faster.

“Stay away from her!” Tris yells while throwing herself over Ember’s body.

The purple dragon stops in her tracks. Now the creatures fall silent as Tris looks up at them.

“Did it just speak to us?” the red dragon asks, hurrying over to the others.

“I promised Ember I would return her to her mother,” Tris says, finding her bravery as the baby dragon snuggles into her chest.

Cane lowers his head down to Tris’ level. “How did you learn Dragon Tongue?” he asks, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Tris shrugs. “I don’t know. I found Ember in the woods and she started talking to me,” she explains.

“Mama!” Ember cries, snuggling in even more.

“I know,” Tris coos. “We will get you back to her soon.”

The female dragon begins to chuckle as she bends down and moves closer to Tris.

“I don’t think you understand, my dear. Ember isn’t calling out for her mama, she thinks you’re her mama.”