My heart, My love, My dragon

Chapter 31

{Oliver}

It was evident to Oliver that Anya was shaken up. She hadn't told him what she saw or why she began to tremble the moment the King reminded her tomorrow was September 23.

He made sure that she fell asleep before getting up slowly. He opened his closet slowly and made sure the door didn't creak. He grabbed his black cloak and put it on while grabbing a green vial from his bookshelf. He spared Anya one last glance before shutting the door softly behind him.

Oliver quickly made his way down the hall. Following his usual path into the woods, he ran swiftly and quietly. He didn't want to awaken the sentinel dragons. He ran for about a mile before a tiny campfire shone before him. He sighed heavily and sat down on the log beside the fire.

"I thought you weren't going to come," Oliver's cousin, Freya, said. She came out of her tent with a smug smile. She was a year younger than Oliver. Twenty-one. 

"I had a few setbacks," he replied coolly.

Freya smirked, "Like what? That girl, what's her name...Anastasia?"

Oliver grit his teeth, "You were spying us?"

"What?" she defended. "I couldn't die of boredom but yeah, I saw your little theatrics earlier."

Oliver groaned into his palms. He had hoped that Freya didn't see what had been confusing him this entire time. Something had always kept tugging him toward Anya.

"Look," she started. "I don't think you know but we all know what that pull means."

"It can't be that. You know I lost mine when I was ten," he insisted. He didn't want it to be true. He couldn't have fallen in love with the enemy. A member of House Hydra. "Besides, she's not a dragon but her magic is familiar."

"Too familiar," Freya added. "But if it is what we think...what will you do? Protect her from the coming storm?"

Oliver locked eyes with Freya and firmly said, "I will. Protecting her would be my top priority."

Freya crossed her arms over her chest, "You have another priority. One that's above Anya. You have two actually."

Oliver sighed heavily once more and decided to change the topic. His head spun just thinking of all the priorities he had. "What does Asher need now?"

"He needs intel," Freya replied. "Something that will inform us of their strength because we're preparing our warriors."

"Well, I don't have any. Darrold and I haven't gotten close to the King or his court to gather information."

Freya thought for a second before stating, "But you have a tool that'll give you some information if you gain her trust."

"Anastasia is not a tool," he growled. "No. That's not an option. I won't use her."

Freya stood up, "You're here because you're a spy. We're spies. King Asher needs the information. This is fools play. We've gotten this close to the enemy especially with your little 'I'm mute'  theatrics."

"But I...I couldn't betray her that way. Something in me twists at the thought," Oliver insisted firmly.

"We're elemental rogue dragons. Remember who took us in when we escaped this hell hole. King Asher did. In the end, you can't be with Anastasia because she's from House Hydra and you are engaged."

"I know that I owe that Kingdom everything but I'm also doing this because the Kingdom of Dragons are acting like Saints when they're demons," he spat. "I made an oath so...I'll do what you ask of me."

Freya placed her hand on his shoulder, "Xander, I know that this is hard being that you have compromised yourself in this Kingdom and beyond here but there is no way Anastasia will come unscathed from this coming war. You know that they'll send her to the front lines. She is, after all, House Hydra's fiercest warrior."

"You shouldn't say my name aloud like that, Freya," he warned.

Freya rolled her eyes, "We both have our missions and we'll complete it. This will be the downfall of the Dragons."

His face hardened, "For the Dragonslayer Kingdom."

Freya repeated, "For the Dragonslayer Kingdom."

Oliver placed his cloak back on and gave Freya the vial, "I found this in the King's Library. It's a poison they're planning to use on our warriors. It ends death for dragons and dragonslayers."

Freya nodded and secured the vial in her pouch. "May the gods protect you, Xander."

"Tomorrow, at noon, meet me in the town square," he said.

"Ok."