The Dragon's Silent Shadow
He reached out and gently rested his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Come," Tristan whispered.
That single word shattered the dam.
The refugees surged forward. They didn't run; they flooded the pass, a tide of weeping, exhausted humanity. They poured out of the pens, surrounding Tristan, reaching out to touch his shoulders, his back, his hands. They whispered blessings, prayers, and words of thanks in a dozen different dialects.
Saoirse watched from a few paces back. She sheathed her estoc, her violet eyes shimmering with unshed tears.