Page 124 of Realm of Thieves

My chin quivers as I feel the grief bubble up. I’m already filled to the brim with it; I don’t know where it’s supposed to go.

“One person shouldn’t have to take so much,” I whisper, my chin dipping down, eyes pinched shut as the tears stream down my cheeks. I scream, I whimper, I cry. I keep holding on to him because I know that the moment I let go is the moment I let go of him.

And I never want to let go of him.

Lemi whines beside me, licking the back of my head, then leaning against me as if he knows that I’ll collapse at any minute.

And my loyal friend stays there as the air grows cool and the sky grows dark, blending into twilight. In another world we would be back on the boat already. Instead I’m here. And I belong here on this forsaken land. More than I do on a ship, more than I do at Stormglen, more than I do in the Dark City.

The Midlands, a realm of fire and beasts, is where I should lay my head.

This is where I should stay.

This is where I should die.

Why didn’t we take suen from the egg of immortality before we came here, just in case?

I kiss the top of Andor’s head. “I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper. “My love.”

Suddenly Lemi growls.

I slowly raise my head, prepared for the end to come soon. You can’t hang out by a dead deathdrage for long before you attract attention.

From the narrow cave to the side, something lurks, glowing green eyes in the dark.

Lemi’s growl deepens and he steps away from me, the hair on his back raised, focused on the cave.

“Lemi,” I manage to say. Whatever happens, I’ll have to make sure he’s not hurt. I’ll give my life for him with ease. “Lemi, stay back.”

The green eyes blink.

And then a dragon steps forward.

About twenty feet tall, half the size of a deathdrage.

Metallic blue.

Two heads with long, fine snouts.

“Oh my gods,” I whisper, nearly choking on the words.

It’s the slangedrage, the one that lays the eggs of immortality.

It walks toward us, an even gait, tail swinging back and forth.

Lemi barks wildly, putting himself between me and the dragon.

“Lemi, please!” I scream at him. “Lemi, stop! Go back, go back, let me be!”

But Lemi doesn’t listen. He runs at the dragon and I know I’m about to lose my best friend.

The dragon keeps walking.

Completely ignores him.

It keeps coming straight for me.

Closer and closer until I can smell its hot breath, sulfur and the sea.

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