The news arrived with the hasty return of Henri and Manu, completely defeated.

Valtrax had stayed to protect the little troop and Rubix was taking care of the dragonets.

She watched over the little ones like a mother, or rather like a big sister, but they all called her "mother".

When I watched her taking care of them, it made me feel sad. My companions were too defeated. Talking was useless and Ragul was busy bringing back game.

He still had contacts like Julia with whom he communicated by manacom and he was informed that the academy had sent pursuing the fugitives and that the rector was disappointed with us and was probably going to help the nobles.

There was a price on the heads of all of us! All of us, without exception. They could even kill us on sight! This was a first.

No criminal, no matter how bad, had ever had a bounty on his head like that!

We were "gallows' game".

The galleys were promised to those who would help us and any information that helped us to be captured was highly rewarded, even with ennoblement at the end!

Valtrax spoke to Rubix: "My poor dear. You don't have to worry!. I have known these trials in my time. But you must learn to cherish the moment and not mope about tomorrow, because you must be strong now! If you want Torin, then stay alive and don't be reckless!"

Rubix caressed Valtrax with her cheek. She beckoned me to come closer and she opened her wing. She wanted to protect me, to nurture me a little.

Father was a little jealous but he understood. He wasn't fooled. Valtrax and them were a family now. Whether he liked it or not.

Esme also understood that Valtrax was a mother too before she was a dragoness. A few days passed and the emotions passed, Ragul spoke up.

"If we stay here, sooner or later we'll be spotted. I'm not the only hunter and dragons are very conspicuous. Valtrax must remain our last asset. If we are pursued by a large force, and they see Valtrax, they will take even more soldiers and countermeasures. She'll be watching us from afar, ready to intervene if things go wrong. She will drop us off on the long trips ahead.

Rubix, no flying! We can see you from far! And you are red! You will climb on Valtrax like the others! The dragonets will also benefit from the experience to evolve and strengthen their bonds!

This is how we started our adventure."

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Esme stayed to maintain the hut and to welcome us. Ragul didn't climb on Valtrax, but hung on to her paw in flight, not wanting to provoke the dragoness who hated him, well, who didn't like him.

Ragul had decided to undergo the rage and the anger of the dragoness and had offered his life in compensation but Valtrax was not a merciless monster.

Before sunrise, we set out for Moonglow, in search of the Altar of Honesty. Father remembered the locations and there was no need to turn the whole town upside down to question those who knew, at the risk of being exposed. In addition, the system of justice and the search for criminals was well established. The cities were already informed of our bounty. And there was no shortage of bounty hunters!

But I loved being on my dragon. There was a strong bond between us and I didn't know why, but I felt like we shared the same blood. Rubix had shaken me up a bit but she was young and her words could be misinterpreted. Especially since dragon/dragon and human/human relationships were very different.

It took a whole day on the back of a dragon in flight to cross the continent to the east and cross the ocean to get to the city. Then go to a small island and Valtrax rested there, her wings aching and also the weight of us all. She was brave and I wondered why she did all this...I loved Valtrax very much and Rubix whined a little from time to time, obviously jealous.

Beth and Saphie didn't say anything, they had something else on their minds. They took advantage of the isolation of the flight to cry without being heard, or so they thought...It was also safer.

On the ground, it was panic to be arrested. Setting up a rescue expedition was a trap. And Ragul knew Blackthorne's methods and didn't dare to talk about it. He had a defeated look on his face because he knew that not everyone would probably make it. The guillotine was waiting and had the art of loosening the tongues even of a mute.

Rubix then went around the islet and saw that the islet was deserted. In the shelter of the rocks, we made a small fire to warm us up, Valtrax partially hiding the fire not to be seen by fishermen.

Then Rubix trained the dragonets to their first flight and after a few minutes, they had successfully completed their round of a few hundred meters. The fear, the threat and especially the deprivation of freedom motivated them more than the others.

In the evening, Valtrax told them their story and the creation of the world. But they called her grandmother, but Rubix told them to say Goddess.

Valtrax left them: "I like it when they call me grandmother. It brings beauty to my heart and makes me want to love again someday."

My friends were still afraid of Valtrax but we were all in the same boat and they trusted her.

Rubix : "But why did Ravenar do this? Why didn't he ever talk to me and why is he so mean?" She asked Valtrax.

Valtrax: "Dragons are also thinking beings like humans and like them, some don't have a heart. Ravenar is certainly linked with Amon and the corruption of their hearts goes hand in hand with that of the lords of the shadows. Even if we eliminate the three fragments that make them up, Amon and Ravenar will still be monsters."

Rubix : "I'm afraid..."

Valtrax : "He certainly wants to take you as his possession and dominate you. So, by blackmail, you will have only him to keep your life. But a life of pain, misery and destruction.

He will want a progeny of evil dragons to establish his power. He took the dagger thinking he would become the new Exodus but he is very much mistaken."

Rubix: "But without the dagger, how do we save Torin?"

Valtrax: "By eliminating the Shadowlords or by trickery. When they see that the dagger doesn't work without us, he will come to us!"

Rubix: "What if Exodus comes back?"

Valtrax : "Then I would be the happiest dragoness in the world! You can't imagine how much I miss him. Before he was possessed, he was proud and majestic, truly a beautiful and kind dragon. But he died so young and he wanted so much to be a daddy! "

Machinally, She turned her head toward us and a tear fell from Valtrax. We made a round to watch the camp and I took the last one. During the night, I fed the fire and my ankh glowed. In the middle of the fire was the king. Lord British! He pointed at me and waved that he was alive! I dozed off and was awakened by a crunching sound in the grass.

Black shapes like rocks were moving near the beach and heading towards us!

"Wake up! ... Giant crabs!"