Page 123 of The Last Dragon
I slowly lift my head, scanning the dark red scales of the Redsnout, leading all the way to its long snout, with Nida clenched in its maw. Blood trickles down her leg, the beast’s fang piercing it like a dagger through delicate silk. I yell out her name, hoping for a response or a sign that she’s still alive. Silence.
Fuck.
Is she unconscious? Is she dead?
I let my guard down.This one fucking time I let my guard down, this happens.
I aim at the beast, but my hands are shaking too hard for an accurate shot.
“Let her go!” I yell at the beast, ready to shoot any minute. “Or I’ll kill you.” The beast pays no attention to me. It only fuels my fury, but beneath it, cold fear slithers under my skin.
“Let. Her. Go!” I repeat. My voice is darker than before. Different. It’s like a roaring thunderstorm, and a burning sensation creeps up my throat. Rage. The beast slowly turns its head toward me, meeting my stare. I clutch my crossbow tighter, aiming at its head, signaling a threat.
But I can’t shoot.
I can’t fucking shoot. Not from this angle. Not with the way the dragon sinks its fangs into her.
Suddenly, Nida releases a moan, whispering my name, wincing at every move the dragon makes. She’salive.
I study the dragon’s body, looking for a weakness, something, fucking anything I can aim at to not crush her body when it falls. But there’s nothing. If I shoot, she’ll die like my mother did. Crushed beneath the formidable weight of a dragon.
What should I do?
What the fuck should I do?
“Let her go or I swear, I’ll kill you. I’ll killallof you,” I roar, with that burning sensation in my throat that grows hotter, as if I’m swallowing fire. The beast cocks its head, and suddenly, it’s like time stops once more. Nothing but silence remains. The rumbling of stones is like feathers falling to the ground. A calm sensation fills my head, followed by a loud, angry, feminine voice.
“You mean the way you let go of my children?”
My eyes widen. My stomach twists. The burning feeling in my throat intensifies.
What the fuck?
It cantalk?
I swear I heard it talk.She—talked. But… It’s all in myhead. I stand frozen, staring at the beast as it stares back at me. My hands can no longer hold the weight of the crossbow, and fear finally consumes me. I take a step back, lowering my crossbow. The dragon growls, and I snap out of my trance, trying to adjust my aim once more. This angers her, and she slashes her tail across the cave, causing stones to fall and cracks to appear. She throws Nida’s body to the side like a chewed-up bone. I follow her ragdolling body with my gaze as I shoot my bolt without a proper aim. It pings off the stone, not even grazing the beast.
I have to get to her. I have to save her. I toss myself forward, stones falling all over the place. A familiar tingling sensation runs across my body.
Notnow.
Notfucking now.
The venom takes over, paralysis spreads like wildfire as the beast frantically destroys the cave around me. My chest aches, my head stings, my limbs are heavy.
Move.
I let out painful grunts as I force my body with all of my strength to take one step at a time. It’s like I’m fighting against gravity. Gravity that wants to pull me through the stony ground into the depths of the realm of the dead.
“Stop!” I beg, hoping the beast will hear my cries. I can’t leave her here. I won’t leave her here. I drag myself forward. The pain feels like I’m on fire—like a rope tightening around my throat, slowly preventing air from entering my lungs.
Breathe.
I’m only an arm’s length from Nida, calling out her name, begging her to move. But she lies there, completely still. I reach for her hand, only inches from me. A giant claw suddenly slams over her body, creating a cage around her.
“No!” I yell out, picking up stones and tossing them at the beast. Her eyes narrow at me, snout coming closer to my face. A disgusting stench reaches my nose as it slowly opens its mouth, flicking its tongue, threatening to burn me to ash.
“You do not touch her.”
