Chapter 43

Kaan shares the sacred bonding story of how he saved his dragon Rygun from sinking sand and fought off multiple clans to protect him, leading to an intimate moment where the narrator braids her hair into his in a bonding ritual. The moment is interrupted by Pyrok's arrival with drinking supplies, and the group settles into a card game of Skripi while Siharna's screams continue outside.

The chapter opens with the narrator preparing molliefruit while troubled by Siharna's distant screams and Rygun's pacing. When she asks Kaan about Rygun's strange flight north, he reveals for the first time the traumatic origin of his bond with his dragon. Years ago, while hunting for his clan's Ruháth, Kaan heard Rygun trapped and drowning in sinking sand. He called on the earth god Bulder but Rygun lacked strength to fly. Multiple warriors from different clans arrived, wanting to claim Rygun's corpse for its material value. Kaan fought them off for two days, nearly dying, until Rygun mustered enough power to incinerate the allied army. Rygun then saved Kaan, who chose to climb onto the dragon's back and live. This is a sacred disclosure, and the narrator responds by performing a bonding ritual: she creates an uhloo—a woven braid of her own hair—which Kaan then bonds to himself using his leather bind. The intimacy of the moment builds until Pyrok bursts in with bottles, a Skripi board, and a flock of messenger larks. He's been listening to Siharna scream and wants distraction. Kaan presents the narrator with expertly crafted riding leathers, runed for protection and lined with Rygun's scales. The gift triggers a kiss, interrupted by Pyrok's entrance. The three begin a game of Skripi with drinking rules. Roan enters absorbed in the Book of Voyd, offering no greeting, and settles at the kitchen counter to study and take notes. The game begins as Siharna's screams continue outside.