Chapter 733: Company (Ch.734)
"Rest easy, we have done all we possibly can on our end." Xenon’s voice in Neveah’s mind drew her out of her reverie. "I can hear your thoughts, my love. Loud and worrying...you must now trust Jian and await his return."
"Forgive . I did not sense your presence in my mind." Neveah squinted slightly, the chilling night wind whipped past her face, leaving behind an almost painful chill. The air at this height and at their current speed of flight was thin and Xenon, seeming to notice Neveah’s discomfort slowed his flight.
Neveah was not certain when it had happened, but Xenon could hear even thoughts she did not project to him and she could hear his too, if she tried. It was like both their minds were now so closely linked, one was an open book to the other and vice versa. Unless Neveah took a conscious effort to block Xenon out, he could slip into her mind at anyti and pick up on what she was thinking.
"How far out from the Dunes?" Neveah thought to Xenon. It was hard to tell their exact location at such late hours, and Neveah’s eyesight was limited at this height, navigation was entirely dependent on Xenon.
"Half a day. Shall we stop for a rest? We’ve flown for two days without rest, you must feel sore and I sense your exhaustion. You will need your strength when we arrive at the dunes. The others also..." Xenon suggested.
Neveah hesitated for a mont before she agreed. "You are right. Let Dante and Verothrax know we will be stopping for a rest. Elle will need a warm al, so an inn will be preferred." Neveah gave in.
She had not sighted the two dragons since the skies were blanketed in darkness but she knew they flew not too far away from them.
Xenon flew on for a short distance before he circled once and then again, scouting below. Only when he was satisfied did he begin making his descent.
They soon landed in a clearing that was just large enough to fit Xenon and Neveah slowly dismounted, suppressing a groan of pain as the mont her boots touched solid ground, the aches in her muscles grew even more severe, like they had been waiting for their mont.
Xenon shifted into his human form and for a mont, Neveah just stared at him. His rugged handsoness was even more rugged with a few day’s worth of beard lining his structured chin and his hair was pulled into a bun, unlike the usual warrior braids he preferred.
His sleeveless black leather robes showed off his muscular arms and his broad shoulders and his crooked smirk gave him a boyish simplicity that never ceased to amaze Neveah.
"Should I spin around? Get a view of the back also?" Xenon offered, his voice brought Neveah to reality and she quickly diverted her daze, clearing her throat. kbk
"Now now, don’t be shy. It’s too late to act innocent." Xenon pointed out, his smirk growing wider. Lmk
"Just...we should go." Neveah murmured, turning to storm away from the clearing.
"You are heading the wrong way." Xenon called out, chuckling in amusent when Neveah stord back and brushed past him.
They broke out from the treeline where Verothrax, Ida and Estelle awaited them. Neveah’s gaze moved from one to the next, brows furrowed in curiosity but her eyes skimd past Ida, Neveah still could not help feeling unsettled around the masked woman.
"Where’s Dante?" Neveah asked, noticing his absence and the tense atmosphere between the three.
"He left to scout ahead and secure a suitable lodging for the night." Estelle relayed, walking over to Neveah. There was a look of relief in her eyes and Neveah raised a brow in question.
"And he did not take you along with him? You two are usually attached at the hip." Neveah pointed out, smirking when Estelle grumbled so words beneath her breath.
"Soone had to keep an eye on Verothrax. Ever since Dante heard he was the cause of the breaking...well..." Estelle whispered to Neveah quietly.
Neveah nodded in understanding. Dante was a cautious man by nature, he was also very protective and since Verothrax was a walking world breaker, it was only natural he did not feel at ease leaving him unsupervised.
"Well then, we should catch up with him." Neveah murmured, exchanging a look with Xenon who nodded and led the way.
There was a silly smirk on Xenon’s lips and while it was so subtle that it would go unnoticed by anyone else, Neveah noticed it just fine but she chose to ignore it. Instead, she fell into step beside Xenon knowing the rest would follow.
"If we are a day’s ride from the Dunes, coming from Fort Scabbard, we should be a little ways away from nymph territory, right?" Neveah asked Xenon, recalling the map of the stronghold she had morized.
"Between Fort Scabbard and the White Dunes lies Fort Inferno. We took a detour around it to avoid the unrest and so nymph territory is behind us. We are in human territory, the sea city." Xenon explained to Neveah.
"The Sea City? The human territory bordering the shores of the r Seas?" Neveah asked with wide eyes. She had encountered a number of the species that made up the stronghold, but there were still a good few she had never t.
The elusive rs were one of such, and Neveah would have sworn they were a myth if the dragons did not speak so casually of their nurous interactions with the r kind.
"We are a long way away from the Sea City itself. These are just border towns along the outskirts of the long road leading to Sea City. Sea City itself will take us off course and so we will stick to the smaller towns." Xenon relayed to Neveah. "There’s little chance you will et a r this ti, my love." He added in amusent.
Neveah rolled her eyes but she did not comnt on it. It took a short walk before the town ca into sight and Xenon led the way through the deserted road.
It was the early hours of the evening and they soon arrived at a small inn. Xenon led the way in and Dante already stood by the counter, waving them over.
"I already evacuated the occupants, save for the innkeeper. I will take the first watch." Dante offered.
"I will keep watch. I have slumbered for decades, I do not believe I could sleep if I tried." Verothrax interrupted and headed out of the inn without waiting for a response.
Ida scurried after him, and Neveah exchanged a look with Xenon who shrugged casually. "Leave him be. We should rest while we have the ti."
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Neveah sensed Xenon stir beside her, the movent awakened her and her eyes fluttered open just as Xenon abruptly sat up. Blinking sleepily, Neveah also sat up, reaching for Xenon. "Is everything alright?"
Xenon did not respond imdiately. It took a good few monts before he finally spoke, but he did not glance over at Neveah, rely stared straight ahead. "We will have company soon. A portal opened in the woods North of here."
"How...can you tell?" Neveah asked in astonishnt.
"They... speak to . They tell
things...show
things..." Xenon murmured distractedly.
"They? Who is ’They’?" Neveah asked, even more confused.
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