We walked deeper into the woods, the trees closing in around us, their branches casting shadows that stretched like claws across the ground. Tania moved with an easy confidence, as if she were taking a stroll through the park. Lance, on the other hand, seemed more tense than usual, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his sword.

“How far are we going?” Tania asked, glancing over her shoulder. “We can’t just keep walking. We’ve got to go back to the post eventually.”

I looked at Lance, hoping for an answer. He met my eyes and shook his head slightly. “Going back isn’t a good idea. Not right now.”

Tania stopped walking, her claws tapping against the bark of a nearby tree as she faced us. “And what, you thought I’d camp out here with you? You two can do whatever you want, but I have no intention of sleeping in the dirt. What the hell were you thinking?”

I sighed, realizing she had a point. “It’s just for a couple of days,” I tried, but she shook her head, clearly unimpressed.

“No way,” she said flatly.

An idea came to me, a way to keep us connected to the post without putting all of us at risk. “The nobles don’t know about you,” I said slowly, watching her expression. “And you hide well with that robe. You could be our connection to the post. In and out, no one would suspect you.”

She raised an eyebrow, looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “What gave you the impression that I was willing to play errand girl?” Her voice had that usual edge to it, but I could feel her curiosity beneath the bravado.

I thought quickly, trying to come up with something that would convince her. “Join us. For the long run. You’d be part of something bigger.”

Tania snorted, clearly amused. “You’re offering me what, exactly? Some vague promises? If you manage to take back your throne, then maybe you’ll throw me a bit of gold? Money and lands?” She laughed again, this time with even more amusement.

I could see it in her eyes. I wasn’t going to win her over without cold hard coin, but there were things she wanted even more than that, I was sure. She wanted power.

As she turned to leave, my mind raced, searching for something that could sway her. Then it hit me. “A dragon,” I called after her, my voice firm. “Your own dragon.”

Tania froze mid-step, her head slowly turning back toward me. Her eyes narrowed. “What?”

“A dragon,” I repeated, walking closer. “I can promise you one.”

She stared at me, eyes sharp with sudden interest. “And how would you deliver on that promise?”

“I’ve been inside the royal vault,” I said, my voice steady. “There are six dragon eggs there, just laying around. They’re real, and I’m willing to give them to the right people.” I didn’t dare mention that I already had one of my own, safely hidden away. If she knew, she’d demand it, and I wasn’t about to give mine up.

Tania stood silent for a long moment, clearly thinking it over. She murmured to herself, considering her options. Finally, she turned fully to face me, her eyes locked on mine. “I get first pick,” she said, her voice serious.

I smiled, extending my hand toward her. “Deal.”

She didn’t hesitate, taking my hand and shaking it firmly, a grin spreading across her face. “You’ve got yourself a partner, Your Highness.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lance sighed, rubbing his temples as he watched the exchange, but he said nothing.

Tania stepped back, her grin turning a bit more playful. “We’ll meet here tomorrow morning. I’m still not going to camp out here.”

I laughed, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a Silver Pup and four Copper Deers. I handed them to her. “While you’re at the post, try to find us some robes like yours. We could use the disguise.”

She pocketed the coins with a nod. “I’ll try.” With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the woods, heading back toward the post.

Lance watched her go, shaking his head. “A dragon?” he muttered, sounding both impressed and incredulous.

I shrugged, grinning at him. “Sometimes, you’ve got to know what people really want.”

He didn’t argue. Instead, he leaned back against a tree, crossing his arms and smirking. “As you say, Your Highness.”

After Tania left, Lance and I busied ourselves with setting up the small tent and preparing the fire. Lance took charge of the fire, his movements precise as he stacked the wood and lit the flame. It wasn’t long before the soft crackle of the fire broke the silence of the woods. I finished up with the tent, tightening the ropes and making sure it wouldn’t collapse in the middle of the night.

“We’re going to need a more permanent spot,” Lance said, glancing around as he tossed a few more twigs into the flames. “This isn’t going to cut it if we’re staying for more than a little while.”

I nodded in agreement, stepping back to inspect the tent. “Yeah, you’re right. But we’ll manage for tonight.”

The truth was, neither of us had any idea what our next step would be. There was a strange sense of aimlessness hanging between us. Sure, we were here to get stronger, but that wasn’t always enough. We needed direction, purpose. I knew this wasn’t where we would stay forever, but something about the uncertainty gnawed at me. We needed more than just strength.

“We’ll need allies,” I murmured, quietly voicing my thoughts. “And more blessings.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about it. The feeling of gaining and using blessings was addictive—more so than I had expected. There was something intoxicating about that surge of power, that connection to something greater than myself. And the Soul Bond… the way it linked me to people, it felt good. I hadn’t realized how much it eased the loneliness I used to carry. Now, even when I was by myself, I wasn’t ever really alone.

I chuckled, turning to Lance. “You up for a sparring match?”

Lance grunted, shaking his head. “No thanks. I’m dead tired. If you’ve got so much energy, take first watch.”

I laughed, amused at how I didn’t see that one coming. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye out.”

Lance muttered something under his breath as he crawled into the tent, settling down for the night. I sat by the fire, staring into the flames, and then closed my eyes, focusing on my Soul Bond. I could feel Lance’s presence close by, his emotions faint but discernible. He was tired, obviously, but there was something else—a kind of frustration, maybe loneliness. It was hard to pin down exactly.

I shifted my focus to Tania, who was further away, probably already in Vermilion Post. Her emotions were harder to read, but I got the impression that she was feeling… hopeful? Happy, maybe? It was hard to tell. I sighed, shaking my head. This stuff was harder than I thought it would be by now.

Still, feeling both of them slowly drift into sleep brought me a sense of calm. Their peace was contagious, and I found myself relaxing, though I wasn’t quite ready for sleep. I leaned back, pulling my bag closer and rummaging through it. My hand brushed against something smooth and cold. Smiling, I withdrew the white dragon egg.

It was beautiful—small, delicate, and yet, at least in my mind, it was filled with mysteries and the promise of adventure. I ran my fingers over its surface, wondering how something so small could contain a creature as powerful as dragons were supposed to be. Would it grow quickly? Would I be able to ride it one day, soaring through the skies like the heroes of legend?

As I focused on the egg, I felt a tiny tug deep within me. The mark on my forehead tingled, and it felt like something inside the egg clicked, like a lock that’s been given the right key. The sensation passed as quickly as it came, and I opened my eyes, a sense of wonder filling me.

I was ready to put it back in the bag, but then, something sharp and unexpected flared in the blessing mark on my forehead. Confused, I blinked, and before I could process what was happening, the egg in my hands cracked.