by Megg Jensen
The two young men changed into dragons even faster than Margret. In fact, Tressa didn’t have time to blink when they changed. They just appeared different. It was unnerving. "They won't change like that while we're in the sky, right?" she asked Margret.
Margret giggled. "Of course not. Then we'd all die. No one wants to die today. Now hop on Peyter and let's fly!" She clambered onto her brother's back, grabbing onto scales near his shoulder blades and hooking her feet next to his wings.
Tressa looked at Peyter. With a swift prayer to whatever gods might be listening, she climbed on the same way. He was much smaller than the blue dragon had been. In some ways, it relaxed Tressa. He didn't seem so threatening. At the same time, she hoped he'd be able to support her weight for the flight. He was no bigger than the horse she'd ridden to Hutton's Bridge.
Tressa grasped two of the scales. Softness, like running her hand over the new growth of spring grass, surprised her. The blue dragon had been tough. The yellow dragon’s scales were as hard as diamonds. These dragons certainly were very different than the others she'd encountered so far.
Wings outspread, Peyter lifted into the air, gliding on the breeze. No jarring bumps. No violent movements. She relaxed a little. It was possible she might actually enjoy this ride.
The sun meandered above them as the dragons flew. Margret kept up a constant banter, pointing out landmarks. Everything looked the same to Tressa. Grass upon more grass upon more grass. How Margret knew the difference was beyond Tressa's understanding. Strangely, they hadn't seen anyone else on the flight. Not another person. Not another dragon. Only animals that looked like horses, but sporting black and white stripes across their bodies. The animals looked up at them, braying and hooting. Margret named the striped animals zebras.
Tressa marveled at how different they were from the animals she'd grown up with. The stoic cows and hyper bees. She'd never imagined an animal like the ones below. There was so much in the world she had yet to explore. Despite all the trouble she'd come across, she couldn't tamp down the curiosity growing within her every day. What else was out there for her to discover?
"Almost there," Margret shouted to Tressa.
The dragons began to descend, the ground coming closer at a slow pace. She braced for a hard impact, but Peyter set down gently. His head dropped to the ground, followed by his shoulders. Tressa was able to slip to the grass without so much as a thud.
"Thank you." Tressa turned around, not surprised to see both brothers had reverted to their human forms. "Where do I go from here?"
Margret ground a toe into the dirt. "Well, there is one little thing we didn't tell you."
Alarms clanged in Tressa's mind. She knew it. There had to be a catch. Something those devious little dragons didn't tell her. "What?"
"We're trapped in here. The rulers of the Hills of Flame erected a barrier we can't cross. No green dragon has been outside the Meadowlands in a year."
"I met workers in the Sands who were from here," Tressa said. She folded her arms across her chest.
"I know. They left before. If you went to the Sands right now they would tell you they haven't met any new Greens since then. Not since the Reds caught us turning every child into a dragon. That’s where you come in," Margret said.
"How am I supposed to help?" Tressa asked. "I can't use magic. I don't know anything about how to free you."
"That's where you're wrong," Peyter said. He took a couple of cautious steps toward Tressa, his hands in the air. "I won't hurt you."
It sounded like a promise, but Tressa had seen too much violence to process it as anything but a threat. She backed away from his advance, her left hand close to unsheathing one of her hidden daggers. It wouldn't be enough to permanently injure anyone, but maybe it would give her time to get away.
"Trust us," Margret pleaded.
"Why should I?" Tressa asked. "You could have told me there was a condition to your assistance. Now you've flown me away from everyone and everything. What do you plan to do with me?"
"I told you she was an idiot," Edmond said. "This isn't worth our time. She doesn't even know."
"Know what?" Tressa asked, curious, despite her trepidation.
"Only another dragon can help us through the barrier." Margret said.
"I know a couple of dragons, but unless you tell me where to go, I can't get them to help you." Tressa's heart pounded. She tried measured breathing, attempting to calm her growing irritation with these dragons. They were too young to handle their dragon side, that much was clear. No wonder the other lands put them behind a magical barrier. They were an irresponsible danger. Or they'd get themselves hurt. These younglings didn't seem to understand that the world wasn't filled with kind people.
They stared at her. All three of them standing in a row, their eyes pleading with Tressa for help. "If you tell me where to go, then I'll come back with help, I promise."
Edmond rolled his eyes. "Next time you find an undeveloped, make sure it has some clue what it's getting into. This girl is worthless." He nudged his little sister with an elbow. In turn, she smacked his arm.
"Maybe not," Peyter said. "Give her a moment. Let her think. Maybe she'll figure it out."
Tressa glared at them, tired of the ridiculous game. She'd been a child once. She knew what it was like to taunt adults. Often they grew just as tired of her as she was growing of the dragon siblings. But then she'd been keeping them from a chore. This was different. Death whispered on the wind, reminding her every moment that her people were in danger. She needed to find Jarrett. She needed to save them.
"I'm sorry." She dropped her hands to the side, frustrated. "I just don't know what you want from me."
Margret shook her head. "We need a dragon to lead us out, Tressa."
"I know," she said. "You already told me that."
"You," Peyter said, "are that dragon."
Chapter Forty-Six
Tressa doubled over with laughter. "Me? A dragon? You must be kidding."
The siblings looked at each other, visibly agitated.
"See, I told you she wouldn't believe us," Edmond said. He punched Peyter on the arm.
Peyter pushed him. "Shut up."
"You shut up!"
They locked arms and wrestled each other to the ground. Margret rolled her eyes. "Boys." She placed a hand on Tressa's arm. "We wouldn't make up something like that."
"I'm not a dragon." Tressa caught her breath, swallowing the laughter. "I grew up in a place without dragons. Without magic. Even if I wanted to believe, it's completely impossible." She patted Margret on the head. "Why did you think I was a dragon, too?"
Margret shrugged. "There were signs I couldn't ignore. It's why I got my brothers." Both Margret and Tressa glanced at the boys, still beating each other up. "Maybe they aren't the smartest."
Tressa smiled. "Is it true? That you can't leave the Meadowlands?"
Margret nodded. "I wish we could. I think it's great our parents turned all of us. It's the fair thing to do, but now the rest of the Dragonlands hate us. They think we've committed blasphemy." Margret paused. "Well, just the Red and the Yellow. The Blue left us alone."
"And the Black?" Tressa asked, curious. She'd heard so little about them. Even a nugget of information would be welcome.
Margret rolled her eyes. "The Black is dead. No one lives there anymore. No humans, no dragons. Until the Red and Yellow trapped us here, we sent regular scouts to the Charred Barrens. Nothing. Not even a sign of life. They've been gone a long time."
Tressa felt nothing but sympathy for the girl and her brothers, who had finally given up on hurting each other. They stood, brushing off their clothes and tossing each other angry glances. She understood what it was like growing up trapped. They had their entire territory, though. And a possible way out.
"Can I walk through the barrier?" Tressa asked. She looked around, still unsure where the boundaries lay.
Margret nodded. "You can. Only the green dragons can't pass through." A sm
all tear rolled down her cheek. "I had hoped you might be the one to get us out."
"What about your parents?" Tressa asked. "They'd miss you if you and your brothers came through with me."
Margret shrugged. "We'd find a way back to free them. This isn't just about us escaping, it's also about figuring out how to set our people free."
Tressa's heart tugged. Wasn't that exactly what she'd spent the last few months doing for her people? A way out. A way to save them. A way to bring calm and peace to the world. The people of Hutton's Bridge weren't the only ones who needed it. "I promise you, I will help you. A very good friend of mine is important in the Sands. He may be able to make a difference." One thought of Jarrett and a blush warmed her cheeks.
"Oooooh," Margret cooed, "more than a friend, I think."
Tressa glanced at the boys out of the corner of her eye. They were paying attention, but not interested in the turn of the conversation. "That's not important," Tressa insisted. "What is important is that I know how you feel and I can try to help. If you just tell me how to get out, I can find my friend, and make an effort to get these boundaries lifted."
"Fine," Peyter said. "Go." He kicked his brother in the shin, and wiped the dirt off his pants.
"Go where?" Tressa asked. She looked around again, still not seeing anything different.
"Wherever you want, you stupid pureblood." Edmond said. "You're already through the barrier. You walked right through it, not even realizing."
"Oh." Tressa's hand flew to her mouth. She hadn't felt a thing. "Are you sure? I mean, I don’t see or feel anything."
"Show her," Margret said to Peyter.
"No way." He planted his feet on the ground. "Not me."
Margret looked at Edmond, but he shook his head.
"Fine, I'll do it," Margret said. She took a deep breath, steeling her fists at her sides. She took one hesitant step. Then another, until Peyter thrust an arm out to stop her and he jumped toward Tressa.
She held her arms up in front of her, preparing for the impact. Peyter flew through the air, hitting an invisible wall. Smoke hissed around him, burning his skin. He fell to the ground, writhing. Tressa ran to him, cradling Peyter in her arms. "What was that? Is he going to be okay?" she asked.
Tears streamed down Margret's face. "He will. We have salve to heal him at home."
Edmond shoved Tressa aside. She fell to her bottom as he picked up his brother. "He shouldn't have hurt himself just to prove himself to her." He glared at Tressa. "Just go away. We don't need you here."
Tressa backed away. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"You promised you'd help. Now you have a reason," Margret said, her face sad. "I really thought you had a dragon in you."
"I don't." Tressa held up her hands. "I wish I did. I wish I could free all of you right now." She looked around. The sun was slowly falling to the west. Her destination lay to the east and somewhere north. She wasn't sure where Jarrett and his men were heading. All she had was the map she'd seen in Jarrett's chambers in her head. Jarrett was somewhere out there, heading toward the Hills of Flame. That's where she would go, too.
"Goodbye, Tressa. Maybe we'll see you again someday." Margret said. Edmond had changed into a dragon, his brother, in human form, lying limp across his back.
"You will," Tressa said. "I swear it."
Margret changed into her dragon form and she and Edmond took flight.
Tressa turned back toward the east. She had nowhere to go but forward.
The tall grass slowly gave way to a shorter variety, the kind she was used to at home in Hutton's Bridge. Trees began to dot the landscape, along with the occasional stream. At least she was headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, night was quickly descending and she still hadn't found a suitable place to stop. She hefted the bag of food and water skin from Margret over her shoulder and trudged on.
Her calves ached, and her back screamed for respite, but she couldn't stop. Not until there was a place to hide from whatever lurked in the night. She hadn't forgotten the kilrothgi at Risos. Not their claws or their teeth, nor the way they could mock anyone's voice to lure their victims in. No, she had to keep moving until she found a suitable place to hide.
For days, she walked, even when she felt she had no strength to go on. One night when the full moon became the dominant light in the sky, she gave up. Climbing the nearest tree, Tressa found a high bough wide enough to hold her whole body. She relaxed, letting her shoulders fall. Tressa rubbed her legs until the tingling ceased. She took a long drink of water, nearly emptying it. The streams would provide all the drinking water she'd need tomorrow. For now, all she wanted was to close her eyes against the encroaching night.
Her head fell against the flaky bark of the tree, the leaves acting as a shield against anything below her. She was safe.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, the sound of a branch breaking caught her attention.
Someone had followed her.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Tressa held her breath. Something was below her. And its abrupt cessation of movement told her it knew she was there too. She was so tired of things lurking in the shadows waiting to kill her. Life had been so simple in Hutton's Bridge. No one wanted to kill her there. Out here, everyone was out to get her. For a moment she wished for her old life behind the fog.
But, no, she'd seen too much to ever go back to a life like that. Whatever it was, she would face it, just as she had with every other challenge the Dragonlands had presented her.
Tressa reached down to her calf, pulling out a small dagger. She tossed it in the air, catching the blade in her palm, ready to throw at the first sign of danger. It was a beautifully proportioned dagger.
Another crack drew her attention up. It, whatever it was, was on the move again.
Tressa pushed her back into the tree trunk, her legs bracing against the limbs. Let it come, she thought. I'm ready.
In the space of a breath, a shadow leapt onto her branch. She hesitated, holding back from throwing the dagger, and was glad she did.
"Tressa?"
She smiled. Finally, something had gone her way. "Jarrett." She pulled his face to hers with her free hand, letting her lips explore his.
He kissed her. "What are you doing here? I left you back at Risos. You shouldn't have followed me."
Tressa placed a finger over his lips. "I didn't follow you. After you left, they cast me out. I'll tell you all about it when there's time."
"But, Tressa, you should be in bed. You shouldn't be up and about. Not after..."
"I'm healed." A warmth washed over her heart. She was healed inside. Something had happened out there in the water. It had changed her. Made her lighter. Stronger. Ready for anything. "Trust me."
"It doesn't mean I'll stop worrying about you." He stroked a thumb on her cheek.
"Will you two cut it out?" someone called from above.
Jarrett laughed. "That's just Avital. Ignore him. He's jealous."
"Sick is more like it. You act like two love-struck children." A fake vomiting noise followed.
Tressa buried her face in Jarrett's shoulder. She swayed, her stomach lurching. Jarrett grabbed her arm. "Don't forget we're in a tree."
"Yeah," she said, taking a few quick breaths. She'd been so relieved she had forgotten to brace herself. "I won't forget again. So, tell me, what are you doing in this tree, and how many men do you have with you?"
"We're hiding up here. Presumably for the same reason as you. I have only a handful of men. We are scattered in trees across the outer edge of the forest, trying to keep our crew a secret from those who dwell in the Hills of Flame. I saw you sneaking around on the ground and followed you to this tree."
Tressa gazed out between the leaves. An uncountable number of trees dotted the landscape. "Have you any word of the people from Hutton's Bridge?"
Jarrett shook his head. "I wish. We've questioned many on the way here, but no one has seem them. Or they've been threatened with their live
s to keep the secret. Someone has to have seen something. Those people couldn't have simply disappeared."
"I agree," Tressa said. "We'll find them. We have to. I can't rest until we do."
They sat in silence for a few moments. No more comments were made from above. Instead, the quiet night was punctuated by the occasional snore.
"I think we're alone now," Jarrett said.
Tressa's eyelids felt heavy. The last few days had taken a toll on her. Now that she was back in Jarrett's arms, she might be able to relax.
"I'm so, so sorry for the way Jacinda treated you. I never should have brought you home with me." Remorse tinged his words.
"Yet here we are with a small group of men willing to fight for my people."
"The cost was too great." Jarrett's eyes softened. He tightened his arm around Tressa's waist. "Your baby is gone."
"I had no time to fall in love with the baby," Tressa said. "I only experienced it as a loss, just like I did all the other times I attempted to get pregnant. It is a blessing I didn't know until I lost it." She laid her hands on his cheeks. "It gives me hope for the future that I might conceive again."
His quiet response was a simple kiss. A promise.
Tressa wanted to tell him they'd be together. That her next baby would be his. But it was a fool's dream. They'd have to survive. Then they'd have to see if they even liked each other when they weren't surrounded by danger. She still loved Bastian...but too much had changed. She had changed.
She settled back into Jarrett's arms and closed her eyes. "Tomorrow?"
"We find them tomorrow. I swear it to you."
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she said through a yawn.
"Sleep, now. Trust me."
She fell asleep without another word.
***
The sun woke them up, a tangle of arms and legs resting on a thick bough.
"I'm coming down. Better have your clothes back on!" A rustle above them preceded a man dropping to their bough. It bounced, threatening to toss Tressa and Jarrett to the ground. Tressa's arms flailed as she attempted to wrap her arms around the trunk.
