Page 51 of Dragon Valley
“Dusa!” I shrieked as she dodged the object just in time. It flew past us and splattered across thin tree branches underneath us. To my horror, the branches shattered and fell away like they were made of glass.
“Don’t touch that stuff!” I yelled at her. “And don’t fire yet, we don’t know where Caden is!”
We circled the fake village several times, trying to figure out where anyone could be while dodging the mysterious substance being flung at us from the erected towers. It could only be catapults lobbing that weird, liquidly smoke at us but the windows were too small to see who was inside.
A flash of brown hair and a blue dress caught my eye on the ground and my vision went red.
“Going down, girl. Cover me.”
I slid down her side to her forearm, then grabbed her claws as I lowered myself until I dangled a few feet above the ground. With a quick jump and a roll, I was on my feet and following that bitch in blue as she turned a corner.
She looked over her shoulder and broke into a run, which was I ready for. I chased along only three buildings before I caught up and gave her a hard shove in the center of her back. Myra went down sprawling, face-planting in the dirt while Dusa’s shadow danced circles on the ground around us.
“You women out here should really consider ditching dresses for trousers,” I said, slapping my leather-clad thighs. “Much better for running in.”
“When I’m paid handsomely for bringing dragon remains back home,” she sat up, wiping the dust from her eyes and mouth, “I’ll consider it.”
I drove my fist into her temple, knocking her back down to the ground with a shriek. “I’m not fucking around with you Myra, if that’s even your real name. Where’s Caden?”
Fear shone in her eyes for the first time as she scooted away, rubbing the side of her head.
“It doesn’t matter,” she spat. “He’s heavily guarded. You won’t get to him.”
I rolled my eyes up toward Dus, who snorted a small fireball from her nostril right before dodging another projectile from the catapult. Myra shrieked and covered her head as the fireball scorched the ground in front of her.
“I wouldn’t mind killing you,” I said coldly. “In fact, I’d enjoy it. And it won’t be over in a quick flash of fire from my dragon. So you’d better tell me where he is.”
“You wouldn’t,” she said with a sneer but her voice still trembled. “You’ve never seen war in your life, dragon girl. You don’t have it in you to take someone else’s life.”
I lifted my eyebrows, thoroughly amused. “Yeah?” My palms shot out to her shoulders, shoving her to the ground again and I straddled her middle before she could wriggle away. Then I wrapped my hands around her throat and squeezed. “Why do you think the Dragon God allowedmypeople to coexist with the most fearsome, dangerous creatures in the world?”
Her eyes bugged out with panic as she realized her mistake in calling my bluff. She began thrashing and flailing underneath me, grabbing desperately at my hands on her throat but my grip was firm and unrelenting.
“Why would He bless us with that privilege if we were weak and unworthy?” I continued over her gasps for air. “If we made no sacrifices? If we wouldn’t kill for the ones we love?”
Her face was turning blue and I still held strong, pressing all my weight down on top of her. It was only her pale lips forming the words, “I’ll tell you” that made me release her throat. She tried to sit up and roll over but I remained seated on top of her as she coughed and sucked in deep lungfuls of precious air.
“You want me to finish the job?” I snapped, already sick of waiting for the bitch to catch her breath.
“Cellar… underground,” she rasped hoarsely, clutching at the red marks I left on her neck.
“Underground?” I repeated, hope daring to rise in my heart. “You’re sure? He’s not in any of these towers?”
She shook her head, eyes downcast and afraid.
“If you’re lying—”
“I’m not!” Her eyes lifted to mine, filled with tears as she hoarsely whispered her pleas. “Please don’t kill me. I have a child…”
That was enough for me. I got off her and lifted my gaze to the sky. “Dusa, light up those towers!”
She replied with a roar that roughly translated to anugh, finally!Although quick and agile as a young dragon, she had some close calls with those projectiles. I noticed one of her claws missing and gritted my teeth with worry at the thought of her getting hurt by that smoky substance.
All four towers became engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds, then chaos broke loose. Screaming figures covered in fire jumped from the tower windows to their deaths on the ground. More ran away from the flames on the ground, quickly snuffed out by Dusa’s smaller fireballs. No one seemed to notice me as they ran for their own lives. Myra began crawling away as I watched the carnage but I promptly stepped on her skirt to keep her from going anywhere.
Seriously, ladies. Trousers would make your lives so much easier.
“Oh no. I’m not done with you,” I warned. “You’re taking me to Caden.”
