The Dracones

When Alienis and I finally arrive, after killing about eight more Adversantem, Trayvon is asleep on the ground inside the cave next to a fire. Gracial had picked up Trayvon and Miny, and brought them to safety, soon after I had left them. While crisp night air attacks what little exposed skin I have, Gracial gives me a warming look as Alienis lands. She snakes her enormous head to Alienis’s back and starts rubbing me. It feels like sandpaper, but I still let her do it. I hug her snout and allow her to lift me onto the ground.

“Thank you for saving Trayvon, Kit,” Gracial says as she licks my clothed arm. “Why are you still hiding your face?”

“Because I’m not staying,” I answer as I rub her snout.

“What!” Gracial and Alienis shout at the same time.

I wince as my head echoes. I look dead center on the two dragons’ heads as they come toward me. “I’m getting my answers and leaving. I do not need this treatment from him. I also did not deserve that treatment from you two.” They have nothing to say to that. I head into the cave and lean against the wall. I need distance between us if Trayvon plans to live.

An hour later I have a foot planted against the wall with my arms folded. Anger is still raging inside me. Whenever the dragons try to talk to me it’s always to speak reason. I ignore them and fixate on the red-dusted ground. Unfortunately, my eyes kept wandering to Trayvon. His white shirt is dried in sweat and covered in blood. Scars are slowly fading from his body, though sweat and dirt has forced his hair to stick to his face. And he thought I couldn’t make it on my own.

An hour later Trayvon wakes, completely healed. He looks around, just a little bit confused at this point. “Kit?”

I shake my head. I need to restrain myself. “You moron.”

His head snaps in my direction, relief clouding his face before he can make it vanish. “I am not a moron.” He says defensively.

I give him a disbelieved look. “Then, by all means, explain the method to your madness.”

He gets up and takes a step toward me with restrained arms. I spot a secret in his eyes before he hides it. He opens his mouth, licks his lips, and closes it. He looks away. “Kit.” He takes another step toward me half a minute later, finally looking at me.

I flash him a dark look. “If you want to live, you better stay away.”

A break in the mask crosses his eyes at that moment. “What is your problem, Kit?” Trayvon demands. “Why are you so angry that I left you?”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

I finally lose control of my angered tongue. I push off the wall and a sharp growl from Alienis keeps me from acting on my murderous thoughts. “You want to know my problem? I’ll tell you what it is. You left me when I was near death. You gave me no warning for what waited for me. Do you know how many times I was nearly killed just trying to cross the street? By Dawn’s Light Trayvon, I was attacked by a dragon in broad daylight well into the northern regions.”

I give him a hard look when memories try to break through. “You left me broken. You left me feeling weak and useless. And you left me unprepared. But what really pisses me off, is that you threw me to the ground before you even explained to me what is going on in your little head.”

Trayvon’s face goes blank while his body goes tight. “You want to know why I left you? It’s because I was saving you. I was saving you from me and this life.”

I bark a laugh. “This life followed me the moment Nylarth died. It would have come for me without you. If anything, you stealing me away is probably what has kept me alive for so long. This was never about protecting me Trayvon. This was about your supposed obsession.” Shock breaks through his mask. A knowing smile flashes on my hidden face. “That’s right pretty boy. I heard every word in your confession to Freiah. But I’ve got news for you. You’ll never break me and your worry about turning me into you will never happen.”

Trayvon starts stuttering, trying to remember where he is going with this. “Kit, I’m sorry. Okay?” He tries to reach for me.

Quick as a flash, I grab his wrist and pressure point, turning it upwards and bringing him to his knees as I glare at him. “No, it’s not okay Trayvon. It’s not okay. It’s not okay that you cut off Alienis from me; and ordered him to never talk to me. It’s not okay that you believe you can control me. It’s not okay that you left me on a limb without even explaining why I was out there. And it’s not okay that you made me doubt myself and left me feeling weak and unwanted, even by you. Do you know how messed up it is, that the very person who kidnapped me, gave me back because he thought I couldn’t handle the job? And know the truth right here and now Trayvon. You would have died in those woods tonight without me.”

Trayvon grimaces. “Look, since when did you care what I think?”

A sharp pained sting stabs at my mind and chest like glass shattering. I do care. Fury entered my system at this horrifying revelation. I tighten my grip, causing him to let out a small, pained cry. “I don’t.” I let go and took a step toward the door, motioning Miny to follow me. “Now goodbye.” I need to get out of here and clear my head. I cannot let my emotions get the better of me. I might kill him if I don’t.

I head for the entrance, but the dragons drop their heads in front of me, giving me a sharp glare. I look between the two giant heads, one black and one red. I see anger in their eyes. “Let me by you two,” I say with a demanding tone.

“You are being rude and childish.” Alienis snaps at me. “We still need you. You are a Dracones. You fight for us. You protect us.” He would have continued but his eyes widen and roars in pain. His mouth smacked me as it opened, sending me flying.

Trayvon caught me as I sailed into his chest. “You okay?” He huffs while I shake off the hard blow. He still looks tired.

“Fine,” I say as I stand, my hand already on my bow. Gracial and Alienis take off, two dragons following them. Are you kidding me right now? I groan in my head. “Get ready,” I warn.

I look and realize he’s weaponless. I groan out loud. I grab Miny and take my sword from her. “Here,” I say as I hand him my green-bladed sword. He looks at it for a brief second but takes it. “Now stay,” I tell him as I go into a deep corner, blending in well with the dark walls.

They came two minutes later. A dark chuckle enters the cave, echoing off the walls in an eerie fashion with their heavy footsteps. There are six Adversantem, all marked in their ocher cloaks and hoods covering their faces.

The middle one leads. He’s bulky and I can see a long black goatee. “Well done Trayvon. You have successfully evaded my men and killed several. However, your efforts were in vain. My men have nearly caught up with the woman Dracones in the Northern Region. She shall fall quickly. She cannot hold her own as well as you can.”

I pull the arrow back as I resist shooting this guy prematurely. Trayvon chuckles. “You are delusional as always Mikal.” His informality makes me look quickly at him and then back at the man he called Mikal. I saw tension and forced relaxation in his body. “You are nowhere near close to discovering Katarina. Her life is stealth and she’s very good at it.”

Mikal shakes his head. “From what I hear she’s been spotted at Gistalt. That’s thirty miles off of the border. However, she does have a habit of killing my men and then disappearing.” Mikal removes his hood, revealing three long scars along the side of his head. They start at the corner of his jaw and start moving upwards toward the middle of his forehead. I am betting there is a pattern matching it on the other side. The scars are white and appear to be painted that way over his tan skin. He’s trying to make them stick out.

Mikal chuckles. “Did you really think you could hide her from me Trayvon? I will have her caught. She will be taken to my lands and sacrificed to our Elder Dragon. Your blood shall replenish his strength and her soul will allow him to rise to power once more. Her very Dracones soul shall heal his mind and be the downfall of the Dracones, Trayvon. I intend to make sure it happens.”

Trayvon is going stiff, whatever slacked muscles are now gone. He’s tighter than a springboard. “Knock it off Mikal. You will not take my mind again.”

Mikal chuckles. “A lot of good it did me then. Kit is smarter than she looks. She’s also surprisingly advanced. She killed Briah without help from her dragon or anyone. She’s better than you let on.”

Trayvon’s jaw tightens. He might snap it if he gets any more tense. “You’re not going to kill her Mikal.”

“Kill her?” Mikal chuckles. “Not kill. Just take her soul. She has not sworn her soul to anything yet, unlike you Trayvon. Her soul is still hers and pure. Her soul will breathe life into the Elder, your blood shall strengthen him. However, it is not necessary to keep you here. I’ll take your blood when we kill you.” What are they talking about?

Trayvon shakes his head. “You’re wrong Mikal. My soul is still my own.”

“Am I?” He challenges. “You swore on your very soul, to the Dracones Gods, that you would serve and protect them. In this life and the next. You were young and stupid then. Even Nylarth didn’t accept their terms. If I remember correctly, the deal was so Gracial would live. When you die, so would she.” Mikal snaps his finger as he comes to a conclusion. “That’s why Kit had to be strongheaded. To stay away from your influence; because another part of your deal was to do your best to have the next Dracones swear loyalty. She can still walk from this life.”

“Don’t you dare use her name on friendly terms,” Trayvon growls.

Mikal finds a weak spot. He grins as he speaks. “She is strong. Her mind is impossible to penetrate. Especially when she’s angry. Yours is weak. Controlled and structured. Easy to break if you find the holes. The only reason you’re alive today is because Kit woke up and got help that day.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “When her body is vacant she’ll make an excellent puppet.” Mikal flashes a cruel smile. “If you ever try to save her you fail Trayvon. Now come quietly. We can use you as bait.”

Trayvon’s entire body cries, and he falls to his knees. I fire my bow, killing a companion that had stepped next to Mikal in his action to capture Trayvon. Their heads snap in my direction. I stand, fired anger is riding in my chest, while I take aim. “Release your hold on him.”

Mikal flashes me a grin. “Kit, what a pleasant surprise.”

I pull another arrow back. His eyes zero in on the blue feathered ends and slowly ascend to the pointed tips of the arrows. “Release him I said.” I fire another arrow, killing one of Mikal’s companions again. We’re down to four. I’d kill him, but I don’t know what would happen to Trayvon’s mind if I did. I’m not willing to risk it to find out.

I load another arrow as he speaks. “You’re the one that killed my men. Those weren’t knife wounds, they were made by arrows.”

I chuckle, just slightly maddened. “Very good. Now complete my request and I will spare your life.”

Mikal chuckles. “There is no fear in your heart Katarina. I do love that about you.” He snaps his fingers, having the three companions turn toward me. I fire an arrow into Mikal’s knee, making him fall and cry in pain. I drop my bow and throw a knife I have in my belt, landing in the head of one. I grab another and sidestep and attack, stabbing the knife into the back of his neck. I take another blue-tipped knife and jump back to avoid a knife to my belly. I stab the knife into his skull. When I look I see Mikal has vanished, but Trayvon remains on the floor.

I pick up my bow and run to the entrance of the cave. I can see Mikal trying to make a run for it. Trayvon moans behind me as I move to give chase. I take aim as Mikal heads toward the edge of the cliff. I fire right when he jumps with his one good leg, landing the arrow into the middle of his back. He lets a pained cry out as he falls. I race for the cliff. When I get to the edge a completely white dragon catches him on his back. I string another arrow and fire, lodging in the dragon’s right wing. I curse as I watch him vanish into the blackened starred sky.