Chapter 49: Bug
Thanks to his alertness, Ezekiel imdiately caught Tarah’s falling body from the sky before quickly flying back to the cave they had been in before. Touching down softly, he gently put her on the ground before inwardly cursing at himself for being unable to shift back into his human form to at least make things comfortable for her.
Working with what he had, he did his best to assess her body, and he sighed in relief upon confirming that she was mostly fine.
’She’s probably just too exhausted,’ Ezekiel thought to himself as he sat in his dragon form near her. Tarah was still human, after all, so it was natural for her to easily get exhausted. She was also sleep-deprived lately due to constantly staying by his side, so it was no wonder then that this happened.
’She should be waking up soon though,’ he told himself as he stared at her sleeping form.
Soon enough, she stirred, and this made him move as he extended his head down to the ground near her.
"Oh," Tarah gasped. She then moved away, and only then did Ezekiel realize how near his face was to her at the mont.
[It’s . I’m sorry,] he explained as he quickly moved his head back. [I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.]
Hearing his explanation, Tarah let out a soft chuckle as she stood up and approached his head. "I’m fine, just a little bit exhausted. I hadn’t been sleeping lately, so I guess I passed out," she said in her soothing voice. She then raised her hand and gently patted and caressed his head. "You did great today, Your Highness" she praised with a wide smile on her face.
Feeling Tarah’s gentle touch, Ezekiel felt like his heart would burst out from his chest with how happy he was at that mont. He let out a soft hum, and he could only wonder what he must look like at the mont as he grinned before her.
"Oh, look at you. So roguish and cheeky with that happy look on your face," Tarah told him. "How co you can smile like this in your dragon form but not in your true human form?"
He frowned at her question. ’Am I not smiling?’
As if hearing his thoughts, Tarah teased him. "Yes, I haven’t seen you smile. You’re always frowning and in a grumpy mood most of the ti," she explained. "Now, however, I understand why you always seem so wary around . It was because you saw
as your doom."
Ezekiel let out a sigh, and right then, he heard Tarah’s grumbling stomach.
[You’re starving! Let
get you sothing to eat!] he said before quickly turning to get out of the cave.
"Wait!" Tarah hastily yelled, stopping him from leaving.
[Why?] Ezekiel asked her.
"The draconite stones are glowing," she remarked while staring at his head. "I believe it will be easier for you to get one now,"
Closing her eyes, Tarah moved her arms and hands, copying what she saw the dragonriders did in her vision. It was only fortunate that Vulcan’s previous dragonrider had done what she was about to do now before. Once more, she spoke the draconic language before opening her eyes. Soon after, a liquid-like string got pulled out of one of the golden draconic stones towards her.
Tarah smiled at her success as she moved her hand to grab it. But before she could, the liquid-like string quickly got sucked back into the stone on Vulcan’s head.
She blinked at how fast it all happened.
"The draconic stone," she murmured. Did she make a mistake in how she used the draconic language and spell?
[Hah! Do you think I’ll let you have one of my draconic stones that easily?!] Vulcan’s angry voice roared in her head.
"Oh, right..." Tarah gasped in realization. She forgot that she would only be able to extract a draconic stone after gaining the dragon’s consent. Did that an that it was only Vulcan who could give away the stone?
[Your Highness, can you take control until I secure a draconic stone?] she asked Ezekiel.
[I... I don’t know what’s happening, but Vulcan can take control with ease whenever the draconic stone is being pulled out,] Ezekiel inford. [Don’t ask
why I know. I just... know.]
Tarah furrowed her brows at such an admission. Still, there was no use questioning things for now.
[How about you replenish your energy first? Eat and rest so more?] Ezekiel added as a suggestion. [We can try again afterwards.]
Tarah’s shoulders slumped. He was probably right. "I’ll be going out to get a al then," she comnted.
[You stay here. I’ll do it,] he insisted. [Just ready a fire for yourself.]
She nodded in agreent, and she promptly readied the fire while the dragon left her on her own. It was then that she recalled seeing so edible fruits not far from the entrance of the cave. As such, she walked out to get so. It was very dark out, but she managed to pick out so wild plums in her efforts.
However, Tarah failed to notice a small and deadly bug crawling on the stems of her fruits falling on her clothes.
Unaware of what happened, she humd to herself while eating so of her plums on her way back to the cave. At the sa ti, Ezekiel was quick to finish his task as he ca back not soon after she returned. He brought so rabbits with him, and she promptly started preparing them for roasting.
[By the way, why would Mineah need the draconite stone?] Ezekiel asked just as she started roasting the at.
"I’m not sure, but I saw her in one of my visions. She will save you and her husband, King Nikolai," Tarah explained while mindlessly eating more of the wild plums she found. "The vision was unclear, but I have this feeling that giving her this draconite stone would help. You see, Vulcan’s draconite can treat and absorb the deadliest poisons, and it also gives the power of invisibility to its owner."
She casually ate so more while talking. She was truly starving for so reason, and she was exhausted as well. She yawned and then she heard Ezekiel chuckle. As such, she turned to him with a raised brow.
[You look adorable when you yawn like that,] Ezekiel teased.
Tarah blushed at the complint. She couldn’t believe how cheeky he had beco while he was in Vulcan’s dragon form. He just made her heart skip a beat again without much effort.
Before things could progress further, Tarah quickly changed the topic. "It’s cooked," she hastily stated. "Let’s eat."
Taking the half-cooked at off the fire, she started eating while also giving so of it to the dragon as well. She then focused on eating, and it was then that she suddenly felt sothing bite her arm.
"Ouch!" Tarah grunted.
[What’s wrong?] Ezekiel asked, quickly moving his head towards her.
She raised her arm and said, "Sothing bit ."
Tarah moved a bit closer to the fire to see her bite, and her eyes widened as she grabbed the small bug that was still on her skin...
"A poisonous bug..."
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