The Witches Dragonbond

Chapter 14.

The dragon had come.

Panic spread through the camp like wildfire. Rebels scrambled for their swords and bows, others shouted orders, confusion breaking through the uneasy silence of moments before.

“Hold your positions!” Sir Darwin barked, his voice a grounding force among the chaos.

Evelynn rose unsteadily, her legs still weak. Beside the war table, Eric had already drawn his sword, scanning the skies with sharp, calculating eyes. Axel stood rigid, his jaw clenched, while Jasmine muttered a quiet curse.

Then, with the force of a thunderclap, the dragon landed.

Dust and wind kicked up in a furious storm as massive golden -scaled wings spread wide before folding against its body. Its golden green eyes, burning like molten fire, swept across the gathered rebels.

It was a creature of legends, a being whispered about in stories to frighten children into obedience. But here it was, standing in the middle of their camp, impossibly real.

A hush fell over the rebels. No one dared move.

Then, the dragon’s voice resonated, sending tremors rippling through the camp

“The time has come.”

Evelynn shuddered as the familiar presence wrapped around her body. Unlike before, when his voice had been distant and guiding, now it was overwhelming, a force pressing into her very being.

The dragon’s gaze landed on her.

“You cannot run from this any longer.”

She swallowed hard. “I never have.”

The dragon’s deep exhale sent a ripple through the air. “The prophecy nears completion. Your bond with the warlock is sealed, now that you’ve shared your magic .The war is no longer just a battle of men—it is the forging of a future that will outlast lifetimes.”

Murmurs rippled through the rebels.

“What does that mean?” Axel’s voice was sharp, but there was something else beneath it—something raw.

Evelynn felt the weight of the dragon’s next words before he even spoke them.

“The war will end, but peace must be secured. Your child will be the bridge between all creatures—human, beast, and magic alike. Only then will the valley know true unity.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Evelynn’s pulse roared in her ears.

She turned to Eric, but his expression remained unreadable. His grip tightened on his sword, but he said nothing.

The camp was no longer still. Voices rose in uncertain whispers. Some rebels looked at her with newfound reverence. Others, with doubt.

Callum, always the one to demand answers, stepped forward. “So that’s it? We fight a war, and somehow that alone isn’t enough? You’re telling us that the fate of this land depends not on the battle we wage, but on a child that doesn’t even exist?”

The dragon’s golden gaze turned to him. “The war is only a piece of the story. Victory must be lasting. You fight not for today, but for a tomorrow that will outlive you all.”

Jasmine, ever the voice of reason, placed a hand on Callum’s shoulder. “We always knew this war wasn’t just about the throne. It’s about breaking the cycle of bloodshed.”

Axel, silent until now, let out a sharp breath. “And if we don’t succeed? What happens then?”

The dragon did not answer.

Because they already knew.

If they failed, the world as they knew it would be lost.

Evelynn exhaled slowly, then turned to face the gathered rebels. “I don’t pretend to know what the future holds,” she said, voice steady despite the storm raging within her. “But I do know this—if we stand divided now, we will lose. We fight together, or we fall.”

Her words, though simple, struck a chord. The murmurs died down. The doubt remained, but no one voiced it aloud.

The dragon lifted its great wings, preparing to depart. But before it did, its voice echoed through Evelynn’s mind one last time.

“Prepare. The final battle is coming.”

Then, with a powerful push of its wings, the great beast took to the skies, vanishing into the darkness.

Later that night, with the camp slowly settling into a restless quiet, Evelynn slipped away from the common tent area. Her body still ached from the fight, and her mind was heavy with conflicting emotions: the prophecy, the unbearable weight of leadership, and her uncertain heart. She needed to understand what this meant for her—and for the man who had become her closest ally.

As she made her way through the darkened corridors of the camp, she found a secluded spot near a low-burning lantern. There, sitting on a fallen log, was Eric. His face was illuminated in soft light, his expression pensive yet determined. He looked up as she approached.

“You’re awake,” he said gently. There was an unspoken relief in his tone, as though he’d been waiting for her to come to him.

Evelynn hesitated for a moment before settling down beside him. “I… I keep replaying his words in my mind,” she admitted quietly. “That we are bonded together now and it’s set the prophecy into place.”

Eric’s eyes softened, and he reached out to gently take her hand, he murmured. “I never expected to be given this destiny. But I also never chose it. All I know is that every moment by your side makes me believe we can shape our own future—even if fate has drawn us together.”

Her gaze flickered over his hand on hers. “But what if I’m not ready? What if I can’t live up to what the prophecy demands? I’ve fought so hard to survive this war—I never asked for my magic, or for any of this burden.”

Eric’s thumb caressed her hand lightly. “You’re stronger than you think, Evelynn. And you’re not alone in this fight. I’m here. I would still choose you, no matter what prophecy or fate says.” His voice was low, earnest, carrying a promise that resonated deep within her.

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the sounds of the camp barely audible behind them. The cool night air mingled with the warmth of their closeness, and in that moment, the chaos of the war receded into the background. Yet even in that fleeting serenity, doubts persisted in Evelynn’s heart.

“I remember… before all of this, I barely knew my parents. They were killed when I was so young that I can only recall fleeting images of their smiles,” she says softly, her eyes distant as if trying to recall a half-forgotten dream. “They never had a chance to teach me anything about magic, about who I might become. Now, I’m expected to lead a rebellion and to carry a destiny I never chose.”

Eric’s gaze hardened with compassion. “Your past doesn’t define you, Evelynn. It’s what you do now that matters. And I believe, with everything I have, that you’re meant for greatness—meant to bring about the change we so desperately need.”

He leaned in, and before she could protest, his lips brushed hers a gentle, tentative kiss that carried all the unspoken promises and vulnerabilities of his heart. In that fleeting moment, Evelynn felt the stirrings of something both tender and fierce, a bond that went beyond mere destiny. Yet, as quickly as it came, Eric pulled back, leaving her with a swirl of emotions and unanswered questions.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” he whispered, his eyes searching hers. “I’m not going anywhere, Evelynn.”

Her heart pounded as she tried to reconcile this newfound closeness with the burden of prophecy. “We’ll face this together,” she whispered back, though her voice wavered with uncertainty.

And now more then ever Evelynn knew—there was no turning back now.