“Don’t worry,” Dierdre said. “I’ll know. I am from here, remember? It’s not for a while, anyway—we must still cross much of Escalon. You can rest easy now—the worst stretch is behind us.”

Kyra did not need to be told twice. She was too exhausted to ponder it. She knew she should think about their provisions, should take stock of what weapons she had, should examine everyone’s wounds. But she was just too tired.

Kyra leaned back, wrapped in her furs, and lay her head on the raft, just for a moment. She looked up at the sky, and high up she saw passing scarlet clouds, drifting by. She heard the trickling beneath her—and it was all deeply relaxing.

Kyra, eyes heavy, told herself she’d only close her eyes for a moment—but before she knew it, overcome with exhaustion, she felt her eyes closing on her, and moments later she found herself, drifting downriver, fast asleep.

*

Kyra stared into the glowing, yellow eyes of a dragon, each as large as her, and was completely hypnotized. It flew down from the sky and swooped right for her, its wings spread wide, its ancient, scarlet scales aglow, its talons hanging low as if to pick her up. She lay there, immobile, on her raft, floating downriver, watching it descend.

Theos, she called out in her mind, recognizing him, so relieved to see him again. Where did you go? Why did you leave me? Why did you come back?

Kyra heard his response, his ancient voice reverberating in her mind, shaking her entire world.

I’ve come for my child.

Kyra could hardly believe his words. His child? What could that mean?

She stared back, her heart racing, desperate to know.

“Child?” she asked.

But Theos did not respond; instead, he flew lower and lower, his talons approaching as if they might tear her to pieces.

As Kyra felt the great wind of his approach, she did not brace herself—rather, she awaited it eagerly. She wanted more than anything to be scooped up by him, to be carried away, to understand who he was, to understand who she was.

But as quickly as he had descended, Theos suddenly rose back up in the sky, just missing her, flying higher and higher. She craned her neck and watched him go, flapping his great wings as he disappeared into a cloud, screeching.

Kyra opened her eyes with a start. She felt something cold and wet on her face, and she looked over to see Leo lying by her side, licking her face, looking at her with his soulful eyes—and she remembered.

Kyra sat up at once, feeling the boat moving beneath her, swaying gently, and she looked about, stroking Leo’s head. She craned her neck and searched the skies, looking for a sign of Theos, listening for his cry, hoping it was not just a dream.

But she saw and heard nothing.