The 7 Bad Habits of Slightly Troubled Monsters

by Devin Harnois

  “Are we close? Can you see the road yet?” Aiden asked. Dylan felt and heard how fast his heart was beating.

  “Not yet. Wait… maybe. I see something.” Dylan squinted at a line on the horizon. Was it the road? How far away? His wings and shoulder muscles ached. “Don’t know how much farther I can go.”

  “Don’t drop me.”

  “I won’t.”

  A booming crack ripped through the still air and pain burned in his wing. Dylan faltered and they started to fall. Aiden screamed. Dylan struggled, doing his best to ignore the agony, but his wing wouldn’t work right. They hit the top of the trees, and Dylan lashed out with one hand, trying desperately to grip something.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  The world lurched and tumbled around him. I’m going to die. All Aiden could do was hold on to Dylan. Branches snapped around him, and suddenly they jerked to a stop. Aiden had about a second to wonder if they were okay before Dylan’s arm slipped and Aiden started to plunge toward the ground.

  Another sudden stop as Dylan’s clawed hand gripped his arm hard. Aiden grabbed at him with his other hand and swung there, a good thirty feet from the ground.

  Dylan had the claws of his right hand sunk into the bark of a huge tree, his glowing green eyes pinched with pain. “Can you use your magic?”

  The metallic taste of fear filled Aiden’s mouth, and for a moment he couldn’t think. Yes, yes, the trees. His hands were sweaty and that wasn’t helping at all. He wasn’t sure he could focus enough to ask the trees to help them. I have to, or I’ll die.

  That thought didn’t help either.

  He sent a desperate plea to the forest around him. Help me. Save me. The now-familiar sound of the plants moving in response to his power filled the air. Something solid nudged against his feet.

  “There’s a big branch.” Dylan gasped. His face was red and covered in scales, but if his face were normal, Aiden thought it would be pale. “It’ll hold. You can let go.”

  A little more? The branch lifted a few inches. With the solid weight beneath his feet, Aiden found the courage to let go. He wobbled for a heart-stopping second before he got his balance. A smaller limb was within easy reach, and he gripped it to steady himself. He was now in a different tree than Dylan, the branches tangling from one to the other.

  Dylan turned, sinking his other hand into the tree. His left wing was smeared with blood, curled awkwardly against his back.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll survive,” Dylan said, voice strained.

  “Can you get down?” Aiden glanced at the ground and wished he hadn’t. It was so far away.

  “Gonna try.” Grunting, he shifted and hauled himself onto a branch and then sat there, catching his breath. “Oh crap.”

  “What?” But a moment later, Aiden saw the skin on Dylan’s hands turning back to normal. His wings disappeared.

  “I’m losing it.” Dylan looked down, slowly rotating his right shoulder. “I think I can climb down.”

  Aiden wanted to help, but it took all his focus to get himself out of the tree. The branches moved to assist him, shifting to be just where he needed to place a hand or foot. Dylan’s crashing progress made a kind of background noise. Finally the ground was within reach. Aiden dropped from the last branch with a sigh.

  Dylan was still a dozen or so feet up. Through the leaves his skin showed scrapes and cuts along his arms and bare torso. Aiden went over and touched the tree, asking it to help Dylan get down. In a minute or so, Dylan landed beside him.

  Leaves in his hair and face pale, Dylan rubbed at his right shoulder. “I need a long soak in the hot tub. What a freakin’ day.”

  Aiden turned, trying to get his bearings. “The road is… that way. I think.” A subtle feeling came from that direction, like the woods pointing him where he wanted to go. It wasn’t the strong compass-pull he’d felt when searching for Dylan, but it was a little bit like that.

  “Hope it’s not far.” Dylan sighed and took a few steps. Then he whirled, throwing an arm out in front of Aiden. “Get back!”

  A woman stepped through the trees. “Dragonkin.” The word came out as a sneer. Her hands came up, but Dylan was faster. Fire streaked through the air, exploding all over her.

  Aiden’s stomach dropped to his feet, panic sucking the air out of his lungs. He couldn’t move. Any second now, Dylan’s fire would come after him.

  The flames hit the trees and undergrowth, and the woman appeared through them, apparently unhurt. She’d blocked the spell somehow. A purplish-blue ball appeared in front of her hands, and she flung it at Dylan.

  Run, Aiden told himself. He had to move, to get away from the fight.

  Dylan dodged to the left, much slower than he was during matches in gym. Throwing a hand up at the same time, a fireball burst out, colliding with the woman’s spell. The flare of light hurt Aiden’s eyes.

  “Aiden, run!” Dylan’s face was tight with pain. He hurled another, larger fireball at the woman and she blocked it with an invisible shield.

  Aiden shook off the paralysis and took a step, everything in him coiled to flee into the woods. If he could get back to the car, make it to the road…

  Dylan flew through the air, hurled by a spell. He hit a large tree with a sick thud and slumped to the ground. Although his eyes were open, they were distant. Aiden’s gaze darted to the woman. She lifted her hands again, taking slow steps toward them.

  If he ran, he’d be leaving Dylan behind to die. Fear kept him frozen in place for a moment. The urge to get away was so strong. Little black dots danced at the edge of his vision. He couldn’t take in a full breath. But he’d never forgive himself if Dylan died because he was a coward.

  Aiden got himself moving, running toward Dylan, skidding to a stop as he put himself between his friend and the woman. He could do this, just like a practice session with Tiago.

  If I die, I’ll never kiss anyone or fall in love. He shoved the thought back and sent his magic into the dirt. The earth came up, wrapping around both the woman’s feet, and she jerked to a stop. She blinked at him, surprise showing for a second. Then she frowned, bringing her hands up.

  Aiden made a desperate plea to the forest. The air in front of him danced with sparkles of green and gold. A vine shot out from a clump of bushes and wrapped around her wrist, jerking it back. She cried out, throwing a spell at him with her free hand.

  A purple-black stream flew at him and he ducked, screaming. It hit somewhere, making an odd sizzle. Her magic felt like an old basement, a creepy place where mold and other things grew in the dark. Aiden wanted to curl into a ball and hide, but he had to watch her.

  Another vine had wrapped around her other hand, and one around her waist. More vines circled her legs, neck, and chest. Soon she was covered with them. She struggled, but they held. “You must be the fae boy.”

  It took Aiden two tries to speak. “Leave us alone!” Why was someone with magic helping hunters come after Dylan?

  The vines stopped growing, leaving only part of her face free. “I’ll charge extra if they bag you too.” Then she laughed, a chilling sound.

  Aiden dared a glance behind him to see Dylan trying to struggle to his feet. He wasn’t doing well. Aiden hurried over and helped him up.

  “I’m fine.” Dylan’s voice was hollow. “I’m fine.” He blinked and a little more focus came into his eyes. “That bitch.” He tried to turn toward the woman, but Aiden steered him away.

  “We have to go.” He got Dylan’s arm around his shoulder and pulled him along through the undergrowth.

  “Over here!” the woman shouted, her voice echoing through the woods. “They’re over here!”

  Aiden winced and Dylan tried to turn around again.

  “We have to kill her,” Dylan said.

  “We have to get away,” Aiden said. Every tree between them and her made him feel a little better. A narrow path appeared, allowing them to go a little faster.

  “The hunters will find us soon. We’l
l have to fight.”

  The fear that squeezed his heart made Aiden realize there was something he was more scared of than magic— guns. “You can’t fight like this.” Dylan was limping again, maybe worse than before.

  Dylan growled. “Unless I’m unconscious, I can fight.”

  “You’ll be worse than unconscious, you’ll be dead.” Aiden still couldn’t get enough air, and he felt dizzy. It was hard to focus and find the subtle sense of where the road was. Could he find Mr. Johnson the way he’d found Dylan? Was Mr. Johnson even alive?

  “Rather die fighting than running.”

  “I’d rather live.” To go home. To see his parents again. To see Tiago again, and Hanna and Maggie. Tears blurred his vision. God, he just wanted to go home.

  Branches snapped behind them. Someone was coming toward them, fast. Dylan tensed, trying to turn as the dark basement feeling hit Aiden. He tried to move faster, but Dylan slipped away from him, almost falling.

  “We can’t stop!” Aiden grabbed his arm.

  Dylan’s eyes glowed green, not as bright as usual. “You can make it without me. I’ll stop her. Or at least slow her down.” The sense of warm scales was so much better than the woman’s dark basement magic it was almost comforting.

  Aiden’s feet almost had a mind of their own, taking a few steps away. Aiden shook his head. “I won’t leave you.” His heart galloped like it was trying to break through his ribs.

  A tender look filled Dylan’s eyes for a moment and he nodded. He turned toward the sound of the woman’s approach. “Then we fight.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  A spell streaked through the trees. Dylan hurled a stream of fire at it, wincing at the pull in his shoulder. Aiden was right that he wouldn’t be able to last long. Being shot twice, running through the woods, and shape-shifting had used up most of his energy, magical and otherwise.

  He wished Aiden hadn’t come after him. Now they were going to die together, fighting a warden. Dylan felt an odd mix of gratitude, pride, and sadness that Aiden was standing by his side.

  The warden crashed through the bushes, hurling another spell. This time a green-gold shimmer knocked it aside. Aiden had gotten amazing over the past few months. God, he wished they could have a match. Dying side by side with his best friend would have to do instead.

  Raw force lifted him off his feet. Not again, he thought as he braced for impact. He crashed into a clump of bushes, landing with a jolt but not as much pain as he expected. Maybe he hurt so much already that more barely registered.

  The warden charged Aiden, and Dylan threw a fireball. It came out half the size he intended it to be. He was running out of juice. Still, it was enough to make her dodge aside and her spell missed Aiden.

  “If you kill us, you’ll have to give your hunters a refund.” Dylan gripped his arm, trying to relieve the deep ache in his shoulder.

  “I only need one of you alive for the hunt.” A black ball streaked with purple lightning flew from her hands. It hit Aiden and he went stiff, as if he’d been turned to stone.

  “No!” Dylan reached for his magic, and for the first time in years, it failed him. The energy fizzled, a few small embers falling from his fingers.

  “But both is better.” She smiled and cast the same spell at him.

  Dylan tried to dodge and ended up falling, crying out as he hit the ground. The impact vibrated through his body, making all his aches and pains flare. The spell had missed him, but the next one wouldn’t.

  A roar like thunder split the air, and a huge form blotted out the sun. The scent of heated rock and smoke filled Dylan’s nose, and with that came another very familiar smell. Still, he didn’t dare take his eyes off the warden until she glanced up. Then Dylan looked at the huge red dragon coming toward them, crashing through the trees.

  “Mom,” he said, relief flooding him.

  The warden tried to gather a spell, but a clawed hand almost the size of her body slammed into her, crushing her into the ground. Dylan’s mom landed, shaking the forest, head almost as tall as some of the trees.

  “You took my son,” Mom said in a booming voice.

  The warden struggled, but the orange light of a spell surrounded her and she froze, eyes wide.

  “I would kill you if you didn’t have so much to answer for,” Mom told the warden, her teeth a foot away from the woman’s face. She looked over at Dylan. “Are you okay?” Her tone was almost casual.

  He appreciated that she wasn’t babying him in front of Aiden and the warden. His body hurt all over, and he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get to his feet without help. “I’ll survive.”

  Mom turned back to the warden. “Maybe they’ll let me roast you when the trial is over. A girl can hope.”

  “Oh my God.”

  Dylan glanced over to find Aiden freed from the warden’s magic, staring at the massive figure of the dragon. “Momma to the rescue,” Dylan told him.

  * * *

  Aiden set the controller down in his lap. “So, um, I want to ask you something.” They’d been playing games for half an hour while he worked up the courage. It had been two weeks since they got back to Shadow Valley. They’d both spent a night in the hospital, and Dylan had spent almost a week recovering from his injuries.

  “What is it?”

  “Ms. Yang agreed to let me take makeup classes over the summer. I want—” Aiden swallowed. “I was wondering if you would have matches with me.”

  Dylan arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “Yeah. I’m not sure I won’t panic, but I want to try.” They’d saved each other’s lives; they’d been hunted and attacked by an evil warden. Aiden wanted to believe that changed things, that facing Dylan in practice couldn’t possibly be as scary as what they’d been through. Besides, it would be in a controlled environment with Ms. Yang watching them. No one had been seriously hurt in gym.

  “I’d like that.” A little smile tugged at Dylan’s mouth.

  “Good.” Even though they spent lots of time together, this had been a barrier between them. Aiden wanted things back the way they’d been before the incident in the woods with Uncle.

  “Did anyone tell you about the trial?” Dylan asked.

  “Mr. Johnson called to say it was next month. Is that what you mean?” Thinking about it made his heart race. He really had almost died. Dylan too. Mr. Johnson had captured the warden he’d been fighting and turned in both him and the female warden Dylan’s mom had trapped. Another warden had been found in the woods, plus all the hunters. Since then, an investigation had turned up two more people involved as well as at least one Shadow Valley police officer. The bodies of the three kidnapped people had been found and turned over to their families. Thinking about it made Aiden sick.

  “Yeah. Did he mention you might be called in as a witness?”

  Aiden nodded. He wasn’t looking forward to that, but it was important that the murderers and everyone else responsible pay for what they’d done. It was the biggest scandal since the wardens had formed.

  Dylan snorted. “Crap like that going on, and I’m supposed to trust the wardens.”

  “The people involved are evil. There are bad people everywhere. It doesn’t mean all wardens are bad.” Aiden rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. “Mr. Johnson went looking for you. And he saved us both by calling your mom.”

  “One good warden doesn’t mean all of them are like that,” Dylan said. “Besides, maybe he was just looking out for his investment. We still owe him, remember?”

  Aiden shook his head. “You always think the worst. I wish you’d be more optimistic. They let you back into school, right?”

  “Yeah.” Dylan shrugged. He and Aiden were sort of town heroes now, helping solve the kidnappings and bring the guilty people to justice. Even Conner had come by to mutter a thanks to Dylan for helping catch Dalton’s murderer.

  The last few weeks of school before summer vacation had been blissfully calm. Aiden’s anxiety had dropped significantly, and that was pa
rt of the reason he was willing to try matches with Dylan.

  “Try not to be so excited about it,” Aiden teased.

  “It’s just weird, I guess. People treat me so differently. They say hi and wave to me in the hall.” Dylan stared at the pause screen. “So much for my badass reputation.”

  “Hey, you fought an evil warden and lived to tell about it. That’s pretty badass. I think your reputation is safe.”

  “And I killed a monster hunter, so everyone knows exactly how far I’ll go.”

  Aiden studied him. Dylan had burned the man alive. Sure, it was self-defense, but killing someone was a huge deal. “Are you proud of that?”

  Dylan gave him a long look before turning back to the pause screen. “I’m proud I defended myself, that I’m still alive. But… something about it bothers me. Too real, I guess.”

  “Are you sorry you killed him?”

  “No. It’s just not as fun as I thought it would be.” Dylan picked up his controller. “Can we get back to the game now?”

  * * *

  Taking deep, slow breaths, Aiden walked out to the center of the gym. The symbols built into the floor seemed to gleam brighter than usual. Maybe the floor had just been cleaned.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” Ms. Yang asked.

  “Yeah.” He couldn’t get over his fear if he didn’t face it. Working with Tiago had helped a lot, and using his magic while running from hunters and fighting a warden proved he could defend himself in a real crisis. The gym wasn’t the woods, so he didn’t have near the same advantage, but he was sure he could manage.

  “I’ll go easy, I promise.” Dylan stood facing him, bouncing a little on his toes. Though he was trying to hide it, his friend was clearly excited.