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Flicking his eyes up to meet mine, he shrugs. "As a kid, I thought it would have been awesome to ride one, but they disappeared before I could actually understand what that entailed."
"Maybe they'll return?" I offer, knowing the chance is slim. "Maybe you could get your chance to ride one then?"
"Even if they did return, they wouldn't choose me."
I furrow my brow. "Why not? You're one of the most powerful shadow wielders – "
"Yes, shadow wielder." He gently cuts me off, reminding me of his rare magic. "Dragons do not choose anomalies, Princess. They typically match their fire with fire wielders. Red fire wielders are chosen by red dragons, orange fire wielders are chosen by orange dragons, blue fire wielders are chosen by blue dragons. It's as simple as that."
"You said typically match." I drag my eyes to meet his gaze. "So, that means if there were still dragons, hypothetically, one of them could choose you."
He opens his mouth and shuts it just as quickly. "I guess we'll never know," is all he says in response.
A silence hovers above us. I'm not sure what else to say to comfort him that wouldn't sound like me patronizing him like a small child, so I opt to say nothing at all. I glance around the arena and can almost feel the excitement vibrate through the spectating section. What it must have been like to sit here and watch the dragons with their riders train! I would give anything to see it firsthand.
"Eris thinks Frost Dragons still exist," I break the temporary silence, expecting him to shoot that silly idea of hers down, but I'm shocked when he says, "From my understanding, they do exist."
"What?"
"The Frost Elves refuse to admit it, though," he shrugs. "I don't blame them. Dragons are rare and precious. A lot of them died during the Great War, so I'm not surprised the other kingdoms would keep their few remaining ones safe and hidden."
"Other kingdoms? The other kingdoms had dragons too?"
He smiles and nods, reclining onto his elbows. "Hydra had serpentine blue and purple scale sea dragons and if you ask me, I'm sure they still have them. Eris' mother wouldn't allow one of her greatest sources of protection to die out."
"So, Tronovia had Fire Breathers, Elowen had Frost Dragons, and Hydra had Sea Dragons?" I reiterate, so I can remember later.
"Right, and the Dwarves of Durne had green and brown cave dwelling dragons with spiked tails. From what I've been told, they had just as vicious a disposition as their short-in-stature masters. Bava had tiny dragons not suited for riding. The Pixie Dragons dwelled in the jungle and since they had the ability to turn invisible, they were used to carry messages."
That accounts for all kingdoms but mine. I know magic is illegal, but what about dragons? Surely, we aren't the only kingdom not to have the winged beasts. I tear my gaze from the arena grounds I have been absent-mindedly staring at and look over at him. He's already watching me with a curious twinkle in his green eyes.
"Did the Midorians have dragons once?"
As if he was already aware of what my next question was going to be, he bobs his head and says, "Sand Dragons. Golden beasts that lived deep in the desert and were the speediest of all dragon kind. Well, except for the rare black ones."
My heart skips at the undeniable excitement stirring within me. There's so much to unpack in what he just said, but I focus on the Midorians first. "Do you think the Sand Dragons are still alive?"
He shrugs. "I couldn't say. Midorians are especially private when it comes to sharing information with the other kingdoms. Perhaps, some survived the Great War and remain hidden in the desert. Rumor is the Sand Dragons chose to dwell with the Sand People instead of the Midorians, once Drogon was defeated."
"Sand People?" I've never heard of them before.
"No one knows for certain if they actually exist, because no one has dared to venture through the treacherous sand lands to seek them or their hidden desert city out."
"Who are they?"
"From what I've heard from Uncle Soren, during the Great War, your father and one of his generals got into an argument before one of the battles. Your father wanted to fall back and let the other kingdoms take the full brunt of Drogon's army, but General Naziri disagreed and said that was a coward's tactic towards war. He then volunteered himself and his dragon riders to head the frontlines."
My mouth is suddenly dry. The only general I know of is High General Cadmus Tarkin, Bastian's father. I've never heard of General Naziri or the Sand Dragons before and now that I'm coming to understand that my father isn't the man I believed him to be, I'm terrified the next thing Atlas says is going to break my heart, but I have to know the entire truth.
"What happened after they fought?"
"Declaring General Naziri's outburst an act of treason, your father ordered for him to be executed. The leaders from the other kingdoms tried to reason with your father. Even Enver Sol voiced his opinion and fought for Naziri's release." Atlas eyes me, clearly gauging whether I am alright to keep listening to his tale. When I give a slight tilt of my head, he continues, "The men loyal to General Naziri broke him out of the camp prison, and with Enver Sol's blessing, defiantly flew into battle against Drogon, helping to ultimately defeat the Demon King."
"And then?"
"Naziri and his riders flew into the desert and were never seen or heard from again."
"Do you think they actually survived and formed their own society in the desert?" I ask, secretly hoping they did after my father's betrayal.
