Page 59 of The Last Dragon
“Doesn’t even leave ash.” She finishes my sentence. I nod, biting the inside of my cheek. Silence grows, and it grows heavy. My chest tightens.
“It said in the report that the march to the Second Stronghold was ambushed by a Redsnout,” I add, puffing out air like I’m exhaling toxins from my lungs. There’s a growing lump in my throat that makes it hard to speak. Years of service. Years of trust. And now all of it fades in one moment of doubt. “I think you’re right. I think there’s something strange going on here. But—” the lump grows to the point where I have to swallow. Clear my throat. Pull at my neckline to loosen up. To breathe. “I can’t… understand it,” I manage, taking a deep, shaky breath. “Or it’shardto understand it. It’s like something inside me doesn't want to doubt anything the general says.”
“Do you think this is all connected? The shawl, the records, Pirlem, and nowthis?”
I shrug. “I’ve been asking myself the same thing. But it gives me a headache every time I think about it.”
We sit in silence for a moment, the warm flickering light from the lanterns slowly fading away. My legs are slightly numb, andI feel like I’m going pale. Like I’ve caught a winter sickness. I’ve been having sleepless nights for two years now. Headaches. The sudden feeling of hunger or thirst as if I haven’t eaten for days. Is it something in the air? Pressure? Ilian’s been having headaches too, but his started the day I met him.
“How did Alex know about the Redsnout?” She breaks the silence.
I shake my head. “He could’ve overheard us. He wasn’t on the battlefield.”
“Maybe he knows something,” she says, closing the book. “I want to know if he actually knew the difference between the two genders, or if he’s like everyone else, and what he knows is because of us.”
I scoff, crossing my arms again. “As if he’s going to say anything.”
“Well,” she says, stacking up the two books and shoving them into her bag. She shoots from her chair, throwing the bag over her shoulder. “One way to find out.”
I’m not sure I want to trust this guy. Ever since he got here, all he did was stir up emotions that should instead be locked and controlled. But damn it, he’s already in on this.
Alex is good at throwing knives. That’s probably the only thing I really know about him. He was fond of showing it off at the tavern in Nedersen. So what other place would he be if not throwing some bullseyes at wooden dummies?
The thudding of knives echoes in the large room, barely any torches lit. It’s the middle of the night. Another clank, but this time it’s metal against stone.
“I thought you were good at throwing knives,” I say, approaching him.
He flips a knife in one hand while spinning another in the other. “Yeah, well, you weren’t exactly quiet when you walked in. Took away my concentration.”
“Didn’t think concentration was his thing,” Nida mutters, only for my ears. A chuckle plays in my throat.
“Listen,” she says, stepping on the platform. “We need your help with something.”
Alex’s golden eyes widened. “Myhelp?” He points to himself with a knife. “Well, this is interesting.”
Nida takes firm steps forward. “We need you to tell us everything you know about the Redsnouts and if you’ve heard or seen anything that cou—”
“No,” Alex interrupts. “You got it all wrong, sunshine. What’s interesting is that you think I wouldhelp you.”
Nida stays silent, her mouth opening and closing. I tower over her, glaring at Alex, hoping he will catch my threat, but he doesn’t budge.
“Sorry,” he says. “Maybe next time, don’t be assholes if you’re going to need favors. I’m not in the mood to help anyone.” He turns back to the wooden dummy, flips a knife into the air, catches it, and hurls it clean into another bullseye with a loud thud.
“Are you serious right now?” Nida says, her eyes narrowing at Alex. “This isn’t about you. It’s about our survival. The Corps. Humanity. Any of those things ring a bell?”
“Oh, they ring a bell, alright.” Alex scoffs, grabbing another knife from the table next to him. “It’s just that I only care about my own survival.” He throws the knife with yet another bullseye.
Nida grunts, opening up her satchel and taking out the books. “Look, these two are nearly identical, but the information aboutthe dragons is different. Especially about the Redsnout.” She shoves the two books at his face.
“I’m supposed to care?” Alex says, pushing the books away. He waves the knife around dismissively. “You’re in myspace,” he mutters.
Nida backs off, glaring at him, promising a slow death if she were allowed to act on her fury. “You know the Redsnout we saw could be female. I need to know how exactly you know that.” She takes a step forward, reclaiming her stance.
“I already told you, sunshine. I ain’t talking. So get out of my hair.”
My patience, however thin when it comes to him, runs out. “Listen, if you want to remain in this unit, you need to start contributing.”
“I would if I didn’t think this was somehow going behind the general’s back.” He sneers.
