Jon held his breath as the cavern trembled beneath him. The egg beneath his hands was cold, yet something pulsed within—like a heartbeat, slow and ancient. Ghost let out a low growl, stepping protectively beside him.
The air felt heavy, thick with something unseen. Jon had felt it before—when he had faced the White Walkers, when he had stood before Daenerys's dragons. It was power, raw and untamed.
He lifted the egg carefully, cradling it in his arms. It was heavier than he expected, the surface rough like stone yet warm where his fingers lingered. Questions flooded his mind. How had this egg ended up here? Who had placed it beneath the ice?
A voice called from above.
"Jon! Are you alive down there?" Tormund's voice echoed through the cavern.
Jon turned his gaze upward, where the faint glow of firelight shone through the hole he had fallen through. "I'm alive!" he called back.
"Good! Because if you were dead, I'd have to drink your share of the ale!"
Jon exhaled, shaking his head. "There's something down here. I need a rope."
A moment later, a thick rope dropped down. Ghost leaped up the walls with ease, his powerful limbs carrying him out of the hole. Jon took one last glance at the cavern, then slung the egg over his shoulder and began climbing.
By the time he emerged, the Free Folk were gathered around the hole, eyes wide with curiosity. Tormund stepped forward, grinning. "Took your time, didn't you?"
Jon ignored him, dropping the egg gently onto the snow-covered ground. The crowd fell silent.
"What in the frozen hell is that?" Tormund muttered.
Jon met his gaze. "A dragon's egg."
Gasps rippled through the group. Some took a step back, others leaned in with awe. The old tales of dragons had not faded, even beyond the Wall.
Tormund folded his arms. "And what are you planning to do with it?"
Jon looked down at the egg, fingers brushing against its hard shell. He had no answer, only an unshakable feeling that this discovery would change everything.
"I'll keep it," Jon said at last.
Tormund let out a short laugh. "Of course you will. First a direwolf, now a dragon. Next, you'll be claiming a bloody kingdom."
Jon said nothing. He didn't need to.
Because deep in his soul, something told him Tormund's words might one day come true.