Dragon Mirror- Ties Between the Veil
22: Sero’s Lift, Campfire Talk, & Sibling Squabble

They had set up camp at the base of the Sero’s Lift, after riding the massive elevator down the sheer cliff face. Raina had been flummoxed at the intricacy of the structure.

She looked upward into the darkness, where the delicate twisting tower was anchored to the cliff and disappeared up into the darkness. The firelight made the base gleam dully, and she thought of the pictures of the twisting glass towers in Dubai, India that she had seen on the internet.

The exception was that the spiral structure had open sides, and the lift itself utilized some type of hydraulic system to raise and lower the platform that slowly rotated as it rose or fell.

The platform had been able to fit half of their party, and even though it had moved at a decent pace, it had taken most of the evening to move both groups. It had been the last rays of sunset when the lift came back to the top for her group.

She had stayed behind and Kasey had gone down first with several of the guardsmen. Raina had watched the sun set, amazed at the view from the top of the cliff that seemed to bisect the landmass.

Ian stood awkwardly behind her.

The man had obviously still been thinking about the strange occurance of seeing the apparitions, but not because he thought they were ghosts. He had told her that elemental sprites could be exceptionally dangerous, and would take many forms. The roadway to Silkvetr was supposed to be relatively safe, with wardings buried under the pavers.

The last rays of the twilight cast a red light on the Drakonis’ hair, and for a moment Ian had just stood, watching the sunset reflect off of her.

She knew he was watching her. She just didn’t know how to react. Was she attracted to him because of the similarities, or differences to Zhao? Could she just let go of the guilt of having these thoughts?

They’d grown close in the past few weeks, and it only made her guilt grow. She loved Zhao.

What is the purpose of holding onto impossibilities? Do we stay static in the hope for some resolution to this problem?

Raina’s fingers stroked the feathered ruff of the current form that Iyzdra had taken. Her Aya’Chyn was still groggy and exhausted, and she felt comforted wearing her like a weighted blanket. I miss Zhao. It feels wrong to feel the hots for someone else, let alone someone that looks like him.

There was a restive pause, almost tangible as a mental yawn. Your memories of him seem pleasant, and he gave good scritches in the Dream. But he is not here, and never will be… I think Ian gives good scritches too, I do not like the idea of living without scritches.

Raina smiled sardonically. Iyzdra still sounded like a cat. Her Luna.

She slowly turned to glance back at Ian, and he hurriedly looked away. She felt a sleepy encouragement from Iyzdra. Raina felt guilty as fuck.

“This view is beautiful.” Ian started when she almost spoke, and she felt the flush of excitement when he shifted nervously. He was definitely looking at me.

He seemed to be trying to come to a decision as he stared into her eyes. The Lift made a chiming noise as the gates slid open, and the second half of their group started loading onto the platform.

She smiled shyly at him and that seemed to give him the answer, and he came forward, holding out a hand.

“The view is often breathtaking at the top of the Allah plateau. It will be a few days' travel to Silkvetr after reaching the basin floor. Perhaps we can-” He stepped closer, and before he could say anything else, her mount Supi let out a warbling whine and passed an enormous amount of gas.

They both froze, staring in shock at the animal, then burst into laughter.

“Let us hope the air is more clear below.”

Everyone rode the Lift down in silence as they concentrated on keeping the Okapi and Suket calm. After reaching the bottom, Raina had been disappointed that Ian had seemed to lose his nerve and had found numerous things to keep himself busy.

Kasey came to sit next to her in the firelight, noting her staring up at the Sero’s Lift extending up into the dark.

She mumbled to herself in Spanish, then sighed.

“You have my brother out of sorts.” She grinned, holding out a ceramic canteen of tea. Tralna lay on her side by Supi, who lazily gnawed on the bark of the tree to which he was tethered. The old Aya’Chyn flicked one ear, but did not raise her head to join the conversation.

Raina gently stroked the soft scales of the sleeping Iyzdra, who was currently the size she had been as a maine coon. The dragonet was much more dense than she had been, her color a bright blue that glimmered in the firelight.

“No se de lo que hablas, chicka.”

Kasey blinked, then laughed.

“You have a way with words.”

“I’m still not sure how to act towards him.” Raina tilted her head back, closing her eyes. Kasey chuckled softly.

“Act towards him like any other prospective partner, you talk, you flirt, smile occasionally, pretend they’re funny.” She grinned as Raina took the canteen and sipped. “You have him spooked, as if you are one of the Deidades, stepping out of the Wilds.”

Raina grimaced, the tea was slightly bitter.

“I’m not a god, descending from heaven. I’m fucking lost.”

Kasey stared at her until she felt uncomfortable. She felt as if there was a thread drawing tight between them.

The thread snapped when the other woman sighed and closed her eyes. Raina thought she heard her whisper something in spanish that suspiciously sounded like, “Let me be lost-”

She felt her face heat and Iyzdra lifted her head in interest. A pointed ear flicked forward and then back to thump delicately against one of the curved horns framing her muzzle. What’s going on?

Raina shushed the dragonet, and smiled shyly at Kasey.

“I guess I’m just not ready to move on.” She tried to put some confidence behind what she said. She felt amusement flooding the bond. Shut up, stupid catkin. She handed the canteen back to Kasey mostly untouched.

Kasey looked thoughtful, then smiled wistfully. She sipped the canteen and nodded her head towards the side. Ian walked over to sit next to his sister, crossing behind Raina. Her insides tingled, she felt like a middle schooler with a silly crush.

“Some of the men are concerned about the activity at the bottom of the Lift and surrounding woods. Hermio said he could hear whispers to the sides of the main road. And Tralna mentioned earlier that things felt off.”

Tralna lifted the tip of her feathered tail lazily in acknowledgment. I do not know what it is, but it is certainly something. She did not bother to raise her head again, even as Supi began to playfully lip at her mane. A half hearted growl rumbled in the Aya’Chyn’s chest. Supi ignored her.

“Some suggested taking an alternate route, but the main road has wardings that the alternate route does not. I feel as if they’re being spooked into poor choices.” Kasey nodded.

“Then we just stay on the main road? Since we have to report the Blight and everything?” Raina guessed her face showed her consternation, because Ian grinned at her.

“That would be the case, except that there is something I want to show you on the route to Sei’Neth. It will only add half a day to our route and we can rest at Verrel, which I’ve needed to visit to assess its progress. And ensure they too remain unaffected by Blight.” He seemed to be much more excited at the prospect than called for. At her blank look, he began to stammer.

“I uh- I sometimes forget that you are not native. Verrel is one of the few outposts in the forests below Temp’Allah. The Charbitian Council has only approved ten settlements between the Seros Cliff Face and Silkvetr. Verrel is the newest. I’ve been wanting to survey its progression since it was established two years ago.”

Kasey made a rude noise. “Hermano, why do you want to risk running into wraiths to go sightseeing around some human choza?”

Raina stared at Kasey in shock as the woman's brother slowly turned his head to regard her. She felt distinctly uneasy as the face that so resembled Zhao darkened.

His words came out clipped and tight. “I beg you, sister, that you remember that I have lived in similar hovels since being sent away.” Kasey’s lips thinned as he straightened to loom over her. The firelight cast a menacing shadow that fell over her.

“They are more my family now than ever I had in Temp’Allah or the Cavern Brillando.” He turned his back and stalked away, causing Tralna to lift her head and watch him go.

The great head swung back to regard Kasey.

Raina sat quietly as she realized the Aya’Chyn was communicating privately with Kasey. Her face was a darkening cloud in the firelight. The woman jerked as if slapped and lurched to her feet.

“Fine!” She followed in her brother's footsteps.

Tralna laid her head back down, her eyes glinting brightly. Raina opened her mouth to ask, and Tralna’s voice sounded in her brain.

Mind your business.