Chapter 10: Not a Lich

 Nathaniel: 

"You are a necromancer," Givontair says, as he makes a couple of steps back. 

"Is there a problem? It is not like I am a Lich," I say, as I turn towards the reanimated ogre. "Who placed this rune on your back?" 

"Wizard, red haired," the ogre groans out. As he is now, there is droll coming out of his burned head. His head is one big burn. Givontair really pulled no stops in killing the thing. 

"Ulcer is a red head," I say, as I turn towards Givontair. He keeps on backing away from me. I scrunch up my nose at him. "What, so you can be a dragon healer, but I can't be a dragon slayer necromancer?" 

"Valk..." he mumbles to himself. "Valk, where have I heard the name before?" 

I sigh then. The cat is out of the bag. He points a finger at me. 

"You reanimate dragons, and turn them in wraiths," Givontair accuses. I nod. 

"Look, it is not like I have a choice, when it comes to that. There are dragons, and then there are dragons. For the bigger ones, like Ajax, I need the help of a dragon," I defend myself. That doesn't seem to placate Givontair. 

"You won't even let us rest. Just what did we do to you? Don't we have the right to live?" He stops in his tracks, his blue eyes full of so much resentment, that I am the one who takes a step back. 

"Ajax killed my parents. The entire village burned down because he was bored," I whisper. Givontair takes a step towards me. 

"And, instead of you going after Ajax, you went after other dragons. Ones you could kill?" He pushes the ogre to the side, and grips my shoulders. "Dragons who uphold the peace?" 

"No dragon upholds the peace. What did you do, once you found out the kid that tags along with you? Did you become a judge and jury for someone?" I ask. I know I am shooting in the dark, but that doesn't mean that I can't guess. 

"Those bandits worked with slavers. One of them tried to kill Erik, while I was off..." he pauses then, and clams his mouth shut. 

"While you were off burning their brethren?" I ask. He nods, never letting my eyes out of sight. He doesn't seem proud of what he did. That said, he doesn't seem repentant, either. 

"If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones," I tell him, when it becomes obvious that he will not speak to me further. I am just about to tell him that he should reflect on his life, before he reflects on mine, when the rune on the ogre begins to give out smoke. The undead being doesn't seem to notice anything. I am quick to ask him another question. 

"Are there any more goblins and ogres down here?" I ask. The burned head disturbs me. The fact that Givontair can breathe fire, even in his human form, disturbs me even more. More now, that our alliance is not set in stone.  

"No," the ogre then gives out a wail and turns into dust. I wanted to ask him a couple more questions, yet, a blue glow distracts me. It comes from beneath the water. I sure as hell am happy that the runes are back in order. It would have been awful, if we had to wade through shit and God knows what else. 

I turn towards Givontair, who is still staring at me intently. 

"I will not do anything to harm you or Erik," I say. Givontair breathes a stream of fire over his dagger, and then holds it out to me. 

"Make a dragon vow, then," his eyes are hard. I know that, if I don't do as he says, he will attack me. A part of me protests at that. As if Givontair has been my friend for my entire life, and for him to ask this of me, is a betrayal.

I shake my head, to try and clear it. He seems to have gotten the wrong idea because he is suddenly holding the dagger in a defensive position. 

"Fine, fine, I will do it," I roll up my sleeve. Holding out my arm for him, I wait, until he hands me the dagger. Then, I do a simple cut. Nothing too deep, but enough, so that my blood will drip out. I hand him the dagger next. 

"I hope you hold to your word," Givontair says, as he mirrors my actions. He holds his cut over my own. As our blood mingles, I feel lightheaded. I have had worse, during my dragon fights.

Yet, now, I feel as if there is some sort of link forming between us. I can feel a presence at the back of my head. Something that reminds me of Givontair. His eyes widen for some reason, and he eyes me more carefully. 

"I have waited for 100,000 years," he whispers, as he pulls me close. I try to take my arm from his hold, but he doesn't let me. Healing mana surges to the cuts, closing them. This is the second time I have felt his mana. It is like a gentle fire in a hearth, as one is filled with joy. Like the soft summer rays during the morning hours. Like... safety and home. "Do you understand now?" 

I do understand, but I don't want to voice my thoughts. I let him take the lead. It doesn't matter to me, that he is covered in sewer waste, and that he is a dragon. I don't care that we should be fighting, instead of making pacts.

All I care about, is his lips on mine. His tongue begging for entrance. His hands weaving in and out of my blond hair. When the kiss is over, we both stare at one another. 

"I will never let you go," Givontair whispers. These words sent a shiver down my spine. 

"I will never let you die. And, if by some twisted and cruel reason you do end up dead, I will resurrect you. No matter the cost," I promise him. He pulls me closer and we just hold one another. Two natural enemies; two mates.