The Chase

The healer had been silent for most of the trip back. She had insisted on being the one to hold the egg, under the suggestion she would be the one to help hatch it. A task she believed I could not do, and something I agreed upon. I felt if she was mistaken as the hatchling’s mother, then it was better than the hatchling assuming I was.

I hadn’t expected the healer to suddenly turn and flee with the egg in hand. She had known full well that she couldn’t outpace me in a direct confrontation, or flee from me while I was fully aware of her doing so.

I had been foolish to believe they would readily hand over one of their own or leave the egg in my care. I sighed as I glared in the direction she had flown, while several ice dragons tried to hold me in place.

With my plans for peace, I knew I couldn’t just kill them or deal too much damage to them. My guards had their hands full trying to battle the few who had snuck up on us, but they knew my p