Free The Sorcerer's Dragon (Book 2) by Julius St. Clair Page B

ever since and although he’s not my child by blood, I treat him as if he is.”
    “I’m five,” Ben mumbled.
    Remi laughed. “Oh my! You’re so big!”
    “This is Jacob,” Zaiya said, pointing to her husband. “The kindest man you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting.”
    “Oh, stop,” he chuckled as he whipped at the reins, letting the biulo know that it was time to get moving. It took the creature a couple minutes to realize it, but once he got going, the wagon was off to a brisk pace.
    “If you don’t mind me asking…why are you going to Cimmerian of all places?”
    “It’s not as terrible as it sounds,” he replied. “At least from what I’ve heard. I get messages from my cousin who went to Cimmerian ten years ago. He actually loves it there.”
    “What’s so great about Oblivion? Aren’t we at war with them?”
    “I haven’t seen war yet.”
    “Well, no, it hasn’t started yet, but it’s still coming. And we were attacked by Cimmerians recently.”
    “Cimmerian is simply another place where people live. Yes, those at the top have their own political and personal motivations, and they use the lives and resources of the people for their own gain, but that doesn’t mean the people themselves are to blame.”
    “But they could overthrow those at the top, can’t they?”
    “No one in Paragon overthrows the King, and that’s because there’s a hope that he has the people’s best interests in mind, regardless of evidence to the contrary. Cimmerian is the same. The people hope that they will be taken care of.”
    “I still don’t get what’s so great about Cimmerian.”
    “Maybe you should go sometime and see for yourself.”
    “But you can’t explain to me what’s so appealing?”
    “You’ll just have to see for yourself.”
    “I’m okay,” Remi said, ready to change the subject.
    “I’ll say this,” Zaiya replied. “In Paragon, people never have to fight for anything. They think of themselves as the elite, and therefore, they never actually grow into who they should be. In Cimmerian, there might be a lot of negativity, but it also builds character in a way that Paragon can’t provide. As long as you can withstand the heat, of course.”
    “Excuse the pun,” Jacob said.
    “It’s okay,” Remi said, feeling a little uncomfortable.
    “We won’t talk about it anymore,” Jacob said as they all fell silent. Remi sighed and took in her environment. The forest was quiet, and it was getting darker as night began to descend upon them. She felt a little tired, but she didn’t think falling sleep yet was a good idea. The family had honestly creeped her out a bit, and the last time she had been unconscious on Terra, she had ended up in Paragon. She didn’t want the same to happen to her now.
    “I think I’m going to get out here,” she said to the family’s surprise.
    “That’s fine,” Jacob replied as he began pulling at the reins.
    “No need,” Remi said, leaping out of the wagon. Ben was sound asleep so he didn’t see her leave but Zaiya waved to her as they continued on.
    Alone again, she thought as the darkness descended upon her.
    She unleashed her eidolon and let it serve as her torch.
    “Remi!” someone called out from behind her. She was surprised to see Ian’s smiling face. “What are you doing out here?”
    “I might ask you the same thing,” she said. “It seems like I’m pretty popular today.”
    “I went out for new materials after you left,” he said. She noticed that his hair was slicked, his shirt was tucked in and his vest was back on.
    “Find anything good?” she asked and he sifted through the pockets on his belt. “Nothing serious. But I can restock some things. Um, what are you doing? You’re still wet.”
    “Yeah,” she muttered. “It’s been so cold that it’s been impossible to dry.”
    “You’re scavenging for something too?”
    “No, I’m…I was heading out.”
    “Without me?” he said in disappointment. She