The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 48

Saphira stood there, in her dragon form, her massive frame rooted to the ground as she tried to process the shift.

Her vision was sharp, every leaf, every ripple of movement in the distance was so detailed it nearly overwhelmed her. Her hearing was incredible, catching even the faintest rustling of creatures hidden within the trees. And her sense of smell, it was unlike anything she could imagine. Every scent layered upon another, filling her senses in a way she had never experienced.

She swallowed, or at least tried to, her throat felt different, thicker, and when she exhaled, she felt the heat of her own breath radiate outward.

She forced herself to look down, adjusting to the new length of her neck, her vision following the contours of her body.

Her legs, black, shimmering faintly between each scale. Her underbelly, starting dark, then fading to a soft grey as it travelled up toward her neck.

She flexed her wings, spreading them out, feeling the shift in weight as they stretched fully. The same grey lined the base, gradually darkening back into black at the tips.

A quiet sense of awe settled into her chest, but then—

She frowned.

She couldn’t see her face.

She turned her head in different angles, searching for something, anything that might reflect her image back to her, but the clearing was empty.

Before she could dwell on the frustration, Nikolas’ voice cut through the silence.

“You are beautiful.” His tone was filled with pride and admiration.

She turned toward him slowly, his figure still human, standing there, admiring her with something close to awe.

“Your head and face are pure white,” he murmured. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Saphira wanted to thank him, to say something—

But instead, a sudden small ball of fire erupted from her mouth.

Saphira’s eyes widened as the ball of fire shot from her mouth, scorching the ground in front of Nikolas.

She had forgotten, for just one fleeting moment, what she was.

Nikolas barely had time to react, jumping swiftly to the side, landing in a crouch before looking back at the smouldering spot where he had just been standing.

Slowly, his gaze shifted to her, one brow raised, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“Well,” he drawled, straightening up and dusting himself off. “That’s one way to say thank you.”

Saphira let out a huff, half embarrassment, half whoops, but stopped herself before she accidentally torched him again.

Nikolas chuckled, stepping forward, eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Let’s maybe work on your communication skills before I end up extra crispy, yeah?”

Nikolas stepped closer, still grinning as the laughter faded.

“Now you need to communicate with your dragon,” he said, his voice dipping into something more serious.

Saphira tilted her head slightly, trying to indicate her confusion.

Nikolas caught on immediately.

“Dragons are harder to build a bond with,” he explained, running a hand carefully over the scales along her leg, the warmth of his palm grounding her. “At first, you’ll only communicate when there’s a strong emotion or desire to.”

Saphira inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself, to wrap her head around everything.

“To start the process,” Nikolas continued, his eyes gleaming as he looked up at her, “you need to learn about your dragon. You know how you look. Now…” He stepped back slightly, gesturing toward the space around them. “Now you move.”

Saphira hesitated.

Nikolas stood with his arms crossed, watching her carefully.

“Start small,” he instructed. “Walking, running, jumping. I’ll be here the whole time, ready to transform if needed.”

Saphira nodded, exhaling sharply before she took her first few steps.

Her new form felt heavy, but not in a sluggish way, rather in a way that made her aware of every muscle, every shift of movement. Her limbs were powerful, each step pressing firmly into the earth. It wasn’t like walking as a human. It was more deliberate.

She picked up the pace, transitioning into a run.

The momentum sent a thrill through her, though it took effort to keep her footing, to balance the sheer size of herself. But the more she moved, the more natural it felt, the more it felt like hers.

She circled back, finding the confidence to attempt a jump.

The moment her legs pushed off the ground, she realised—

She had made a mistake.

She hadn’t expected to go so high.

For a split second, panic gripped her, her wings instinctively twitching, unsure whether to catch her mid-air or let gravity take control. But before she could react, she came crashing back down, landing with a heavy thud.

She sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the slight tremor in her legs, waiting for the pounding of her heart to slow.

“Oh yeah,” Nikolas said casually from the sidelines, humour laced in his voice. “I forgot to warn you about the jumping.”

Saphira turned her head toward him slowly, unimpressed.

Without thinking, she exhaled, too hard.

Another fireball shot from her mouth, heading straight toward him.

Nikolas jumped out of the way with perfect precision, laughing as he landed smoothly on his feet.

“Okay, sorry, sorry.” He grinned; hands raised in mock surrender. “My bad.”

Saphira huffed, smoke curling slightly from her nostrils.

“But,” Nikolas added, tilting his head, “you should try again. Now you know what to expect.”

Saphira turned back toward the clearing. She bent her legs, bracing herself properly this time, feeling the weight in her muscles.

And when she jumped, she enjoyed it.

Saphira exhaled deeply, letting the last remnants of adrenaline settle as she stepped toward Nikolas, waiting for his next instruction.

Nikolas studied her. “That’s enough physical activity for today.” Nikolas’ expression shifted, his voice softer but firm. “Before we finish, you need to try and communicate with your dragon. Learn her name.”

Saphira blinked, caught off guard by the request. *Her name? How am I supposed to do that?*

She had felt her presence, felt the hum of energy beneath her skin, but actually speaking to her counterpart? That felt… different.

Nikolas stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on her scaled leg. “Lay down,” he instructed gently. “Close your eyes. Picture your dragon, the desire to meet her. Then simply ask.”

Saphira hesitated for a moment before finally lowering herself onto the ground, feeling the cool earth beneath her massive frame.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, letting herself fall into the memory of her shift, the awe of her new form, the sharpness of her senses, the strength humming beneath every muscle.

She embraced it. More than anything, she wanted to know the other half of herself, to understand the being who had always been there, even if she had never truly spoken to her.

And so, finally, she asked.

“What shall I call you?”

Silence.

The kind of silence that stretched through time, pressing against the space between worlds.

She waited, forcing herself to stay patient, to listen for something, anything.

Then she heard it. a faint murmur.

Soft. Distant.

But unmistakable.

*Vaelora.*