R |
aised voices outside the door made my ears twitch. Sleep slipped away from me quickly despite my best efforts to hold it. I let my eyes open. I could tell from how the candles around the captain’s chamber had shortened that I must have been out for several hours. Somehow I did not feel very rested.
Drearily, I moved to the door. It did not shock me so much to hear an argument, but to hear these specific voices arguing was making my skin tingle.
“…and for that you put us in danger?” Levent growled just outside the door.
His concern would have been touching if not for the fact that he did not seem to mind getting into peril when it was his idea.
It was strange to hear his voice so loud. I had never witness him angry before. This new emotion intrigued me and I longed to see what it looked like on his face. I rested my hand on the doorknob.
“Hey, be fair! I was down there, too!” Rio said defensively, but in an equally strong voice.
He was not as afraid of the dragon-kin in a direct confrontation as I would have expected. I wonder if he held his nerve out of bravery or pure stupidity.
“And you could have stayed there,” Levent hissed.
Fearing the worst would come from a scuffle between the two males, I decided now was a good time to open the door. I threw it wide, causing them both to spin and look at me.
Rio inched backward.
“So. What are we fighting about?” I asked bluntly.
I decided not to yell at the half-blood for being up and about so soon after having his leg snapped. It would have only been a waste of breath.
I squinted at them, silhouetted in the setting sun. Something in particular was different about the half-blood besides the fact that his long auburn hair was dripping wet, heavy and threatening to break loose from its tie at the base of his neck.
I realized after staring at him for a long moment that his eye patch was gone. He appeared to have two perfectly functional eyes, and I found myself wondering why he wore it in the first place.
Levent turned to glower at the half-blood, who sighed, pulling out the wide, golden ring taken from the dragon’s gut.