The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Of Scales, Silver and Blue

EIRLYS‘ POV

+25 Points

I woke when I felt Kierygan shift beside me, his arm tightening briefly before slipping away. For a moment, I lay still, eyes blinking open to the faint gray light creeping into the cave. The stone

ceiling loomed above, rough and dark, but somehow I felt…rested.

Strange. I hadn’t slept this well in weeks–not since the nightmares began. And certainly not in a

damp cave on a bed of conjured hay. Even more surprising was the absence of dreams. No dark

forests. No horned shadows. No seven fading figures. Nothing at all.

Maybe… maybe the dreams stop when he’s beside me.

I shifted slightly, feeling the warmth of his body rad ating against my forehead. From deeper in the

cave, I heard quiet voices–Ulyanna and Evander murmuring to each other, their tones hushed with

sleep.

Then Kierygan’s low voice vibrated through his chest, rumbling softly against my shoulder blades. ” Are you awake?”

I hummed in response, my voice still thick with sleep. Slowly, I pulled away and pushed myself

upright. My hair fell in tangled waves around my face, and I tucked it behind my ear before glancing down at him.

His blue eyes were already open, watching me with that quiet, unreadable intensity that always made my chest tighten. He looked rested too, and there was a softness in his gaze–something

that almost looked like relief.

I sat there for a while, listening to the quiet drip of water from the cave roof, my eyes fixed on the

thin sunlight creeping in through the cave’s mouth. let the strange, unexpected calm wash over

me, anchoring me in that silent moment.

Evander stretched his arms overhead, his golden eyes glinting in the dim cave light. “We need to

move if we want to reach Morvanya by nightfall.”

I glanced at him, then back at Kierygan as he pushed himself to his feet beside me. With a flick of

Ulyanna’s fingers, the hay and blankets beneath us vanished instantly, leaving only the cold stone floor. Nibbles let out a startled squeak, his little paws scrabbling for balance.

I giggled softly and bent down to scoop him up, cradling his warm, quivering body against my chest. “It’s alright, Nibbles,” I whispered, scratching gently behind his ears until he calmed.

We stepped out of the cave together into the morning light. The storm had passed, but the earth still smelled of wet stone and moss. A thin mist coiled low among the trees, the air fresh and cold

against my skin.

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Chapter 69 Of Scales, Silver and Blue

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Ulyanna paused in the clearing, her gaze lifting to the blue sky. “Before we set off, it would be wise

to check the roads,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “Make sure there are no floods or fallen

trees blocking our path.”

Kierygan nodded once, stepping back from us. Without a word, his form began to shimmer, the air rippling around him with barely contained magic. Scales erupted across his skin, silver–blue and

gleaming like polished glass as they spread over his arms and chest. Wings unfurled with a deep, resonant crackle that vibrated through my bones.

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In the blink of an eye, the towering silhouette of his dragon loomed before me, its massive form so

close that the ground seemed to tremble beneath its weight. I froze, unable to move, as his wings

lifted in a slow, powerful sweep that sent my hair flying around my face. Awe and terror twisted in

my chest, stealing my breath.

His long tail curled briefly along the earth before lifting fully, and then, with two mighty beats of his

wings, he launched into the sky. Leaves scattered in a wild flurry around us, the rush of wind tugging at my cloak.

I gasped, my heart leaping to my throat as his enormous form flickered–then disappeared

completely into the mist–veiled heavens.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Evander’s voice came from behind me, smooth with quiet wonder. “His scales

can bend the light. That’s why he disappears when he’s up there.”

I just nodded, unable to tear my gaze from the empty sky where Kierygan had vanished. My chest

still fluttered with the sight of the magnificent creature he truly was.

It didn’t take long before I heard it again–the low, rhythmic flapping of colossal wings cutting

through the crisp morning air. Though I couldn’t see him yet, I knew it was Kierygan. My chest

tightened with anticipation.

Then, out of the thinning clouds, he emerged. His massive form rippled back into sight as he

descended, scales gleaming silver–blue in the dawn light. With one final powerful beat of his wings,

he landed gracefully in the clearing, his taloned feet sinking slightly into the damp earth. The sheer

force of his arrival sent a gust of wind barreling toward us.

Evander’s polished hair was blown straight back into disarray. He let out a long, annoyed sigh, raking his fingers through it. “Show off,” he muttered under his breath.

I bit back a small laugh, but it died in my throat when I felt sudden movement in my arms. Before I

could react, Nibbles squirmed free and leapt down, darting across the grass straight toward

Kierygan’s towering dragon form.

My heart seized. “Nibbles–no!” I gasped, stumbling forward after him, terror pulsing through me. What if Kierygan didn’t notice him? What if–heavens forbid–he thought Nibbles was food?

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Chapter 69 Of Scales, Silver and Blue

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But Nibbles didn’t slow. He ran until he was directly beneath the dragon’s massive snout, then rose up on his hind legs, his little chest puffed out. For a heartbeat, he looked almost brave–defiant, even–as if telling the Dragon King himself that he wasn’t afraid.

My steps faltered. Slowly, I crouched down beside him, my hands trembling as I scooped his warm, quivering body back into my arms. When I stood again, I found myself staring directly into

Kierygan’s enormous eyes.

They were still blue, but in his dragon form they burned like dancing azure flames, streaked with

molten silver.

His massive head dipped lower, breath rushing over me, warm and smelling faintly of earth and

sky. Up close, I could see every intricate scale, each etched with threads of faint, glowing light.

For a fleeting moment, the world fell silent around us. Just me, Nibbles, and him. “Easy,” I

whispered, though I wasn’t sure if I meant it for Nibbles, myself, or Kierygan.

“Don’t be afraid, child,” Ulyanna called softly from behind me. “It’s still Kierygan.”

I swallowed hard, my arms tightening around Nibbles as I reached out a trembling hand. The

dragon lowered its massive snout toward me. Its scales were cool and impossibly smooth

beneath my fingertips, like brushed glass warmed by sunlight.

A deep, rumbling puff of warm air washed over me ruffling my hair and cloak. It stung my eyes a

little, but I couldn’t look away from his gaze.

Then Evander’s voice cut sharply through the moment. “All right, mighty dragon,” he drawled lazily, –

arms folded across his chest. “That’s quite enough showing off for one morning. Shift back so we

can be on our way.”

Kierygan’s massive head swung toward him with a sharp screech, the sound so fierce it echoed

through the clearing. Nibbles, who had been acting so brave moments before, burrowed deeper

against my chest, trembling.

But in the next breath, the dragon form shimmered and folded away like mist dissolving under

dawn’s light. Kierygan stood before us, tall and imposing, dressed in his usual dark leathers and furs–no doubt conjured instantly by Ulyanna’s magic.

He glanced at me, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips before he turned to Ulyanna and

Evander. “The roads are clear,” he said. “Let’s find somewhere to eat before we continue.”