Page 50 of Dragon Valley
A white hot, blinding pain in my stomach made me double over. The ground quickly came up to greet me. It felt like someone was punching me over and over with massive, burning fists. All I could do was curl into a ball and scream.
“Nadiyah! What is it, what’s—”
Zio’s concern for me was drowned out by Dusa’s roar as she stood over me protectively. I thrashed and flailed but nothing made it go way. Was I about to die?
Caden’s face flashed through my mind just fast enough for me to catch details. His eyes were swollen black lumps and dried blood stuck to his forehead.
No, Caden!
And then the pain stopped.
Just as quickly as it came, I felt fine except for my racing heartbeat, frayed nerves and cold sweat.
“I’m okay,” I murmured, sitting up between Dusa’s front legs as I checked myself over. “I’m okay but Caden—”
I looked to Dusa and her worry hit me like a cold slap. She saw him like that too.
“Nadiyah.” Zio knelt to look at me, his brow furrowed with concern. “Is everything—”
“No, I have to go. They hurt him badly.” Getting control of my legs again, I scrambled onto Dusa’s back and paused. “Wait, you have medical supplies?”
“Yes, do you need—”
“Will you wait here for me?” I shot him a desperate look. “Please. I don’t know how, but I just saw my friend and he’s hurt badly. If I bring him here, will you treat him?”
He crossed his arms with a skeptical look on his face, saying nothing.
“Please,” I begged. “Any extra second could be a death sentence. I can’t waste any time so I need to know if you’ll help me or not.”
He pressed his lips together but his eyes softened. “Yes, Nadiyah. We’ll be here to treat your friend.”
“Thank you. Seriously, thank you. We’ll be back in a few hours.”
Dusa lifted off without anymore delay and we flew at full speed in the direction of the so-called village.
“We’ll save him, girl. And we’ll burn them all,” I snarled, leaning low over her. “Except for that woman, Myra. She’s mine to deal with.”
20
NADIYAH
From our viewin the sky, I could tell the village was fake. The burned-out husks of buildings sat haphazardly around a center square with no rhyme or reason at all. They were even burned too perfectly as if with torches and no signs of actual conflict.
“Damn it, Caden. I should have gone with you,” I muttered.
No. She wanted me to come with him. If I had, then I never would have found Zio, who’d be able to treat him.
Great Dragon God, you led me away from this place. Why?
It hit me so hard right then, even more than the kicking pain in my stomach earlier. The memory rang through my head like a bell as I covered my mouth as all the blood drained from my face.
Trust the man bathed in blue and gold, not the girl under the tree.
“It’s true,” I whispered, tears blurring my vision. “Dus, the Chief wasn’t hallucinating, he was right. Azel is the Dragon Seer, the eyes and the mouth of the Dragon God. He warned me about this.” And then my voice cracked when I realized, “Azel is alive.”
The most confusing mix of relief, frustration, and grief filled me. Azel would come back to me! If I had only remembered sooner, Caden would be safe right now. But I wiped the tears away and urged Dusa forward. There was no time to dwell on my mistakes. The only thing I didn’t know was, why would Myrawantmy dragon to come here?
The answer came as something flew from one of the houses at us.
