The beast had her well and truly cornered. She'd been bested. I can't believe this... Waves of smoke rolled past her, making her eyes water and burn. She fired another shot, trying to pierce the beast's belly, but it beat its wings again and effortlessly knocked the arrow out of the air. How can this be? This is only a Royal Dragon... It isn't even one of the Great Dragons! I was supposed to beat this thing easily...
Shuddering now in terror, Minx focused all of her energies on standing firm. She would fight this thing to the death—and death, she now realized, was likely what awaited her. At any moment, the creature was likely to lunge at her, to rip her to shreds with its countless teeth. Drawing up another arrow, she resolved to make herself a nuisance, at the very least.
She had been given the title of Dragon Hunter, and she was determined to be remembered as a Dragon Hunter, too.
Chapter 4
The dragon watched the Fae huntress nock another arrow and couldn't help chuckling to himself. What does this girl think she's doing? She could fire a hundred arrows. It won't make a difference. Amused at her struggle and impressed at her tenacity, the creature ceased flapping its wings and touched down in the clearing with spectral grace. The Fae, wide-eyed and shaken, lowered her bow by a few degrees, unsure of how to proceed.
She proved even more confused when Kaleb shed his dragon form and shifted. Where only moments ago a monolithic fire dragon had stood, there was now only a young man in the smoldering clearing. Smiling wryly, he probed her wild gaze with his yellowish eyes, making a little motion with his hands intended to get her to drop her weapon. She lowered the bow—less out of obedience to him than out of pure shock. “Well, that wasn't very neighborly of you!” he called out, hands on his hips. “Is that how you treat all the visitors who come into your lands?”
The Fae huntress said nothing, still stunned at his sudden transformation. She eyed the burning woods to her back, held onto her bow for dear life. She appeared to be considering a retreat, but the mess he'd caused with his fire blasts had made that a rather risky proposition.
He took a slow step toward her, nodding. “I'm Kaleb,” he said. “And you are?”
The girl, slender, with long, dark hair, gave her delicate shoulders a toss. She was wearing a form-fitting olive garb with steel accents on her calf-high boots and shoulders. Around her wrists were curious bracelets studded with glowing blue stones. “M-Minx,” she uttered—quickly adding, “Not that it's any of your business.”
The young dragon shifter crossed his arms, plate armor gauntlets clanging as he did so. “I don't know about that,” he said, chuckling dryly. “You attacked me out of the blue. Least you can do is tell me your name.”
“Out of the blue?” spat the Fae in evident disgust. “You're trespassing on our lands! I was well within my rights to attack you! There's a treaty between our kinds—or don't you realize that?”
The horned shoulder pieces of Kaleb's armor rose and fell as he shrugged. “The treaty, sure. But since you came at me without warning, I was well within my rights to defend myself, wasn't I? Trying to launch a sneak attack against a dragon who's just minding his own business isn't exactly the spirit of the treaty either, is it?” He flashed her a pearly grin.
Rather than return his smile, Minx looked on the verge of taking another shot at him.
He watched her prepare to draw another arrow from her quiver, and urged her against it with a shake of his head. “Now, that's quite enough, don't you think?” Deflated, the Fae archer let her bow rest at her side.
This girl had just tried to kill him, had poured everything she had into her ambush, but as he studied her from up-close he couldn't help but be intrigued by her. She was as fiery off the battlefield as she was on it, always up for an argument and never willing to give up an inch of ground. And, if he was being honest, he found her fair, even features to be somewhat striking. Despite the grime of battle, the charm of her smoldering eyes and full lips was not lost on him. She's pretty cute, he thought to himself—and quickly added, for a Fae, that is.
“So,” demanded his captive, setting down her bow and crossing her arms, “what do you want? What have you come here for?”
“Me?” asked Kaleb. He knocked a few ashes from his long, raven hair and glanced around the clearing. “I just like it here. I come here now and then to clear my head. It's a pretty spot.” He chuckled. “Or, at least, it was. Look at what you made me do.”
Minx rolled her eyes. “You expect me to believe that? So, you just casually broke the treaty so that you could come here and relax? I don't believe it.”
“OK,” conceded the dragon shifter. “You tell me what I was doing out here, then.”
The Fae huntress hesitated, then launched into a verbal attack. “Well, clearly you're here with the intention of starting a new war between our kind. That's obviously it. There's no good reason for a dragon to venture this far into Fae territory.” She eyed her bow again, still itching to get back to the fight. “If only Mau had listened to me, we would have been successful.” Then, with a start, she turned and began looking all around her, scanning the forest. “Oh, Mau... What happened to Mau?”
Kaleb couldn't help but be amused by the girl. She was a handful—loud and combative at every turn—but there was a certain ruggedness and charm to her that he'd never seen in a Fae before. “A war? Come on, that's not my style. Those old laws are outdated, you know, and us dragons weren't made to be penned in. I wasn't hurting anyone out here. I was just minding my own business till you showed up.” Noticing that she was no longer listening to him, but instead canvassing the woods worriedly, he asked, “What's the matter? Who's Mau?”
Minx looked back at him. “She's my partner—my Faelyr,” she said gravely. “I... I don't know where she's gone.”
“Oh?” Kaleb glanced about the treeline for a beat, seeking movement amidst the dying flames and finding none.
But he did find something else.
He picked up on an unexpected scent, distinct from that of burning earth and wood, and immediately stiffened. Ignoring Minx for the time being, he focused all of his attention on this odd scent. After a few moments, he felt sure he knew what it was. It's the scent of another dragon in the area.
For reasons he couldn't altogether pin down however, the scent was strange. It was the scent of his kind, but it differed in some indescribable way. It was unlike anything he'd ever known, and picking it up on the breeze left him agitated. “This friend of yours,” he asked, “is a Faelyr, huh?”
Minx nodded. “Yes. What did you do to her?”
“Me?” Now it was Kaleb's turn to roll his eyes. “I didn't do anything to her.” He took another whiff of the air. Whatever that is... it's not a Faelyr. It's a dragon, I'm sure of it. But there's something off about it... something I can't put a name to...
Whatever it was, it gave him a bad feeling.
Chapter 5
“What's the matter?” asked Minx.
Kaleb had suddenly gone silent, and his expression had hardened as he'd taken to studying the woods. He shook his head, his long hair sweeping across the shoulder plates of his armor. He was tall, and beneath the black armor he wore, which was flecked with slivers of glistening red, she could tell he boasted a fair bit of muscle. His face was youthful, uncommonly handsome, with a strong jaw, well-formed nose and singularly piercing eyes. Though he walked in the form of a man now, his expression and carriage could shift at a moment's notice to express the same awe-inspiring might the roaring dragon had only minutes ago invoked.
“It's nothing. It's just, I smelled something odd... Another dragon.” He frowned. “It's a dragon's scent, but it's strange, somehow.”
The absolute last thing Minx needed at that moment was another dragon. She already had more than she could handle with this cocky young shifter. Though she still feared for her own safety, she was more concerned just then with Mau. Where did you go, Mau? Why can't you hear my thoughts?
The ensuing silence was deafening.
“So, this friend of yours. Mau, was it? Where'd she get off to?” asked the dragon shifter.
Aside from their clash in battle, Minx had only been acquainted with this young dragon shifter a short while, but already she detested the casual, familiar way he spoke to her. Who does he think he is? Does he even know who he's talking to? I'm a Royal Fae—the Dragon Hunter. She motioned to the surrounding forest and explained begrudgingly. “I sent her on ahead before you spotted me. She was supposed to lead the charge and distract you while I launched an attack.”
Kaleb laughed, arching a brow. “That's awfully sneaky of you. Why don't you whistle for her or something? I haven't seen her. She can't be far.”
“There's no need,” replied Minx. “She can hear my thoughts. We communicate through telepathy.”
“So, call out to her that way, then,” offered the dragon.
Minx frowned, lowering her gaze. “I tried. She's... not responding.”
Kaleb sighed. “Well, maybe we could take a look around, scout the area,” he offered.
“Huh?” Minx regarded him with unveiled disgust. “Why are you acting so friendly? You were just sniffing around here, looking for a fight. Why should I trust you at all? For all I know, you hurt Mau and just want to lure me away so that you can kill me and start a new war between the dragons and Fae.”
Kaleb strolled around the smoky clearing. “I guess you've got me all figured out. There's just one problem with your little theory, though.”
“Oh? What's that?” she asked.
“If I'd wanted to kill you, I'd have done it already,” he replied—and the fiery sharpness of his yellow eyes made her heart skip a beat. “I told you, I'm not interested in war. Drop it.”
She still didn't believe him. With everything that'd been happening in the area—the increase in dragon sightings, the army of Wuffs, the kidnapping of her mother and other Council members—she refused to believe his appearance in Fae territory was a mere coincidence. “Stop lying. You just want access to Heilo Lake, don't you? Are you in league with the Wuffs? Did Valry put you up to this?”
“Look,” shot back Kaleb, “whether you believe me or not doesn't matter in the least. I'm not here for any trouble. I don't have anything to do with the Wuffs, and while I'm sure your special lake is lovely, I'm not interested in that, either. I was just spending some time alone. Now, do you want some help finding your friend Mau, or not?”
She was disarmed by this. Minx still couldn't find it in herself to believe him, but to all appearances he was telling the truth. “So, you're... you're not working with Valry?”
Kaleb shook his head.
“And you're... you're not interested in starting a war with the Fae?”
Again, he shook his head. “I'm no more interested in war than you are.”
I don't understand, she thought. I've always been told that dragons are monsters—that they'd stop at nothing to destroy us, and that they're never to be trusted. But he... he doesn't seem so bad. And, I mean, he's pretty cute, too. She stopped herself before furthering that last line of thought. I'm sure his good looks are just some kind of dragon spell. He's probably hideous... But he doesn't seem to be a liar. Is he really going to help me look for Mau? What's in it for him?
There was one other problem. No matter how honest or helpful Kaleb was, there was no getting around the fact that Minx still needed a dragon hide. Two of them, in fact. She'd been unable to handle him in battle, but wondered whether she'd be able to overpower him now that he'd taken on a more manageable size. Maybe, after Mau turns up, we can surprise him and take him out before he transforms again. He's big, kind of muscular, but he doesn't look so tough now...
“What were you and Mau doing out here?” chanced the dragon as if reading her thoughts. “Are you guys just really keen on enforcing your borders, or what?”
“We were, uh...” Here, she allowed herself a little smile. “We're actually in need of a Royal Dragon's hide. Two of them. The Wuffs, along with numerous Plurn and Krah, took my mother and some other members of our High Council hostage and demanded a dragon's hide in exchange for their lives. And we need one for ourselves, too, to re-cast the warding spell that protects our territory.”
He jabbed a finger at her. “You came looking for a Royal Dragon's hide? Sorry to break it to you, but I'm still pretty attached to mine. Can't help you there. But if it's any consolation, I didn't come here seeking trouble. Now, I'm going to extend this offer one more time. You want help finding your buddy Mau, or not?”
“Sure,” she said, unable to cast off her suspicions. “But... why? Why are you helping me? What's in it for you?”
The dragon rolled his eyes. “Why's there have to be something in it for me? Can't a guy just do something nice? You've got a pretty nasty opinion of my kind, I can tell. If I help you find the Faelyr, maybe you won't think all of us are warmongers. That'll be reward enough, I suppose.”
“OK, then,” she said. “Let's try and find her.” She thought to thank him for his aid, but couldn't force out the words. The closest she could come was to think to herself, Maybe, when this is over, Mau and I will find a different dragon to hunt. Kaleb here can hold onto his hide—that's thanks enough, right?
Together, the unlikely duo prepared to search for the missing Faelyr.
Chapter 6
Search and rescue missions, Minx fast discovered, tend to go a bit more smoothly with a dragon in your corner. She watched as the handsome youth took on his dragon form, the terrifying red beast once again filling the clearing with its shadow. With a few wingbeats, the creature took flight, and when he had risen well above the tops of the trees, Kaleb began to glide over the woods, scouring the ground below for signs of Mau. He mingled with the clouds, casting dark shadows over the land as he soared. She felt a bit jealous as she watched him. Dragons are the worst—treacherous and cocky. I can't stand them. But... even though I'd never admit it, that looks pretty fun. I wouldn't mind being able to fly around like that. It would be easier than walking everywhere.
While Kaleb busied himself above, Minx carefully left the glade and tried to find the earlier path she and Mau had taken from Pan. Her battle with Kaleb had left many trees uprooted and still others smoldering, and even after a few minutes of searching she struggled to light upon the earlier path. From time to time, as she paced through the forest, she called out to Mau—both mentally and vocally—though neither method produced any kind of response.
The silence in the wake of each call to Mau left her chilled to the bone. The faithful Faelyr had been her companion for many years—a gift from her parents on her twelfth birthday. She couldn't imagine going on without Mau. She held out hope that she was still all right, that they'd merely been separated, but if something had happened to Mau, she would punish the one responsible. No, Mau is fine, you'll see. She's tough as nails and quick as lightning. If she didn't fight Kaleb, then she probably just got lost. She'll be back soon, I'm sure.
She watched the dragon circling overhead, wondering if he'd spotted any trace of Mau, or of the dragon whose scent he'd allegedly picked up after their battle. He remained aloft for quite a long time, surveying the forest for miles around, while she busied herself on the ground in search of clues. There were none, however. Wherever Mau had gone, she hadn't left a trace. Something wasn't adding up. Minx slumped against a tree, kneading her brow. Panic set in as the day's struggles hit her one after another.
Her best friend had vanished, and with every passing moment the trail was getting colder.
Her people were relying on her to secure a dragon's hide for use in protecting Pandling Grounds and Heilo Lake—and she couldn't bear to let them down. Already the shielding spell was weakening. If she didn't get the elders the hide they needed, Pan and her people would be defenseless. And that wasn't all. Though she hadn't considered it earlier, the ritual in question was a two-day affair. If she wanted to ensure the spell was cast within a week, she had to deliver the hide to the elders in just five days, rather
than a full seven. The job was difficult enough without the time crunch; the narrower the window for delivery, the more daunting it all became.
And then there was Valry and her army. There was no telling how her mother and the other hostages were faring, or whether the vicious Wuffs would honor their part of the deal if Minx could somehow deliver them a second hide. It was possible that her mother and the rest were already dead, or that they would be subjected to cruel tortures. The longer it took Minx to act, the likelier it was that the hostages would suffer greatly at Valry's hands. She pictured her mother being dragged off in chains and felt a tremor of fear in her breast.
Minx plodded through the forest, her heart heavy. When her father had tasked her early that day with her first dragon hunt, she'd been naive and excited. Now, after everything that had come to pass, she was tumbling into despair. Finding no trace of Mau, she returned to the glade, where Kaleb awaited her in his human form.
“Any luck?” asked the dragon shifter.
Minx only shook her head.
“Ah, well, I'm sure she'll turn up,” continued Kaleb, attempting to sound comforting. “She can't possibly have gone too far.”
The Fae huntress could barely hold it together. Gritting her teeth, she adjusted the quiver of arrows on her back and looked up at the dimming sky. Night would soon be upon them. “I'm not sure what to do,” she admitted. “My mother and other Fae leaders have been kidnapped by Valry and her army. They want a dragon's hide. And my people need one, too, to protect our lands. And now Mau is missing. I've never been separated from her in this way. We've been together since I was a girl.” She felt silly, spilling her guts to this young dragon, but there was no one else around to listen.
How to Kill a Dragon (Heir of Dragons Book 1) Page 3
