Anastasia's eyes became wide and her heartbeat accelerated when the image of a wraith flashed across her mind. She turned to Ileus and in a breathless voice said, "I— I remember now!"
He frowned. "What do you remember?" he asked as he jerked his head back.
"There— there was a wraith standing when the spirits attacked me. Dressed in a black armor, a faceless man, he was just standing there with a spear, watching me— watching me fight with the spirits. He didn't join the spirits but continued to watch us all of the time. However, I became so involved in the fight that I forgot about him completely!" Her sapphire eyes became wider and her feet shuffled.
"By Skadi!" Daryn said in a jittery voice. "What would a wraith want?"
Ileus' eyes narrowed and his shoulders stiffened. "Did he not follow you here?" he asked in a hard voice.
"I told you— I don't remember what he did. All I know is that he didn't participate in the fight, nor did he come to fight with me. I was so engrossed in warding off the spirits that I didn't even bother," said Anastasia.
A silence followed and everyone out there was bereft. No one had ever encountered a wraith before. What Anastasia said was so bizarre that at first they couldn't believe it.
Dawn intervened, "In that case Ileus, you should delay your journey a little. Let me take Anastasia to the Quetz."
"Quetz? How will Quetz help?" he asked, not sure if what Dawn said earlier was true. He didn't want to take chances with Anastasia's sword.
"I told you that if forged in his fire, it will be able to slice through any spirit or wraith also," Dawn replied.
"But Quetz is a powerful dragon, Dawn. What if the sword melts in the fire he breathes?" Ileus countered.
Ileus had already mentioned about Quetz to Anastasia and when she heard about him, her excitement to meet the dragon increased.
"It is highly unlikely for a sword from Evindal to melt, Ileus. That is a rare metal," said Daryn. "What Dawn is saying is right. You should visit Quetz."
"But isn't he at Ensmoire?" Ileus replied impatiently.
"He is right here in the outskirts of Ixoviya and sometimes flies over the skies of the kingdom only to show his supremacy!" Dawn rolled her eyes.
Daryn laughed gently. "He is the supreme being Dawn. No one can challenge his authority."
"He is just an arrogant dragon!" she said affectionately. Then she looked at Ileus and Anastasia and said, "Let's not waste the time. I have already informed him about you, so let us go. He will meet us in Yelgra."
"Informed him?" Anastasia asked, astonished. Her skin tingled with excitement.
"Dawn can communicate with Quetz through their mental link," said Dawn as he circled his wife's shoulder proudly and pressed a kiss on her temple.
"But you are pregnant, Dawn," said Ileus. "I would not want to risk your going out there in Yelgra."
"Oof!" Dawn waved her hand at Ileus. "I will be fine. My husband will create a portal for us."
"She will be," said Daryn. "Let me create a portal for you." He walked outside the courtyard.
"What should we do, Ileus?" Kaizan asked. He was not too happy to see Ileus go alone. A dragon was something he was not very sure of.
"Wait for us!" he instructed. Then along with Anastasia, who was almost hopping on her feet, he followed Daryn and Dawn. Somehow he was convinced with Daryn's theory. Nothing could melt the Evindal sword. However, he didn't know how Quetz would behave in front of Anastasia. The dragon was known for his aggressiveness and overprotective nature. He fiercely protected his rider. Also, he wasn't sure if they should go to Yelgra. He didn't trust that place with Anastasia for he was sure that Aed Ruad's men would be now combing it again.
They walked inside the portal that Daryn had created and stepped into the copse of Yelgra trees. The sun was shining bright and the leaves fluttered a golden and silver. Anastasia left his hand and walked to Dawn. Excited as hell, she asked, "Where is your dragon?" She had never seen a dragon in her life, but had read about them in the library at Vilinski. They were fierce creatures and very loyal. Ileus had said that there were only two dragons in the world and Dawn was the rider of one of them. She was awed.
"He is coming," Dawn said quietly.
Suddenly, they heard a loud screech above them. Anastasia heard a swish of tail and a whoosh of wind. Trees quaked and leaves fell on the ground. She looked up and saw traces of him amongst the leaves.
"That boy loves to make an entry!" Dawn chuckled.
Anastasia watched him holding her breath. The dragon landed with force on the grass in front of them and crouched as he clenched the ground with his claws. He folded his wings and looked at all of them. Anastasia was… mesmerized… stunned. Color of a dark emerald and with dangerous spikes, Quetz looked like a creature from mythology. Goose bumps lined her skin. As if in a trance, she walked towards him.
Ileus growled. "Anastasia, stop!"
But she didn't. She wanted to touch him.
Scared as hell, Dawn walked with her. It was Anastasia's first encounter and instead of feeling scared, she was feeling awed.
When Anastasia reached in front of Quetz, she stared in his eyes and her breath hitched. She stretched her hand to him, hoping that he would allow her to touch him.
Ileus' hand reached his sword and he was ready to lunge at Quetz if something untoward happens, but what occured next was unbelievable.
Quetz' eyes fixed on the woman with golden hair and violet eyes that sparked silvery behind the iris. After a moment of complete silence, Quetz knelt on his front legs and lowered his head in a bow.
Dawn was… shocked and so were the rest. Ileus' grip on his sword loosened.