by D K Drake
“Krystyn’s in the area as well,” Micah said, “so we can’t show up together. You go, and I’ll watch from a distance unless I’m needed.”
“Thanks.” Javan threw his water bottle in his pack and raced in the direction of Taliya’s voice.
◊◊◊
“Javan!” Taliya called for Javan one more time, hoping he was still close enough to her to hear. Then she softened her voice and focused on the growling dragon in front of her. “Hey, Starshade. What seems to be the problem?”
She whirled her long snout around, and Taliya barely dodged a stream of poison. When Starshade tried to turn her entire body toward Taliya, she yelped and spit more poison in the air. That’s when Taliya realized Starshade’s front foot was stuck in a hole and had been impaled by a spear. Two goats tied to a tree were bleating just out of Starshade’s reach.
The hungry dragon had walked right into a trap.
“I can help you. I know you’re in a lot of pain, but I can free your foot from that trap.”
Starshade snapped at her. Taliya backed away. “How about I go get Javan? I saw him not too far from here.”
“Sure,” Krystyn said, stepping out of the shadows. “Go get Javan. But it won’t matter. Even if you are able to get her out of that trap without her eating you or drenching you with poison, Javan can’t ride a dragon with an injured foot.”
Irritated that Krystyn was right, Taliya took a dart out of her pouch, dipped it in her paralyzing potion, and loaded it into her slingshot. “It’s a good thing he won’t need to.”
Trusting that the dart was tipped with enough potion to knock the dragon out but not too much to kill her, Taliya shot Starshade.
Chapter 61
The Wrong Dragon
Micah rushed down the hill and immediately recognized the area. He didn’t need to track Taliya’s voice anymore. He knew where she would be. “Yo, Javan!” He caught up with Javan and grabbed his arm. “I think I know where we need to go. This is close to one of Krystyn’s traps. Follow me.”
He led Javan over a creek and through some brush. Before they reached the clearing where Krystyn left two goats surrounded by holes filled with makeshift spears, he pulled Javan to the ground. From there, they could see that Starshade was stuck on one of the spears. Krystyn was relaxed and laughing out of spitting range of the trapped Starshade while Taliya tried unsuccessfully to get close to the mad, hurt dragon.
“I have to help.” Javan started to get up, but Micah yanked him back down.
“You can’t ride her,” Micah said. “Let Taliya handle this. She’ll find a way to protect her.”
“What is she doing?”
The guys watched as Taliya loaded a dart into her slingshot.
“She’s gonna break the rules,” Micah said. “She’s gonna shoot Krystyn.”
But she didn’t aim at the Destroyer.
He blinked, not believing his eyes. Did Taliya really just shoot Starshade with one of her darts?
Starshade screeched, dropped leg by leg to the ground, and collapsed onto her right side. Her front left leg remained stuck in the shallow hole.
As soon as the dragon was down, Taliya ran over, climbed on her back, zipped across her body, crawled up her neck on her hands and knees, and plucked a scale from between her eyes. “Ha!” She yelled to Krystyn. “Starshade is protected. By me. Meaning you cannot kill her. I won.”
Micah heard Javan gasp and watched as the Collector’s face turned three shades of red.
“Taliya,” Javan sprang out of hiding and growled, sounding like he had been caught in one of the Destroyer’s traps. “What have you done?”
Taliya stopped smiling while Krystyn’s laughter added to the tension. “Nicely done, Miss Dragon Protector.” She clapped. “You protected the wrong dragon.”
◊◊◊
“Javan, I can explain.” Taliya lowered her hand that held the prized scale and slid to the ground. What had she done? How could she have stolen Javan’s dragon? “It was the only way I could think of to save her.”
“That’s not much of an explanation.”
“I didn’t know what else to do. Starshade’s foot was caught, and Krystyn was ready to whack her head off.” She talked fast while her feet moved slowly toward Javan. “Even if you made it here sooner, you wouldn’t have been able to ride her because she’s basically fastened to the ground. You understand why I did what I did, right?”
“You sure you didn’t kill her?” Javan asked. “She doesn’t seem to be breathing.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s just sleeping.” She put her hand on Starshade’s side to verify. Yup. Breathing. Whew. “The potion should wear off shortly, but I need to free her foot and patch it up before that happens. Will you help me? Please?”
“No, no, no,” Krystyn said. “No teamwork allowed.”
“That rule only applies when it comes to free dragons.” Micah appeared from the other side of Starshade and stopped at her pierced foot. “This one is accounted for, so I don’t see any problem with us working together to undo the damage you created.”
“Thank you, Micah.” Relieved, Taliya wrapped her fingers around Javan’s wrist and made him walk with her over to Micah. She could see the tip of the spear poking through the top of the dragon’s claw. “I need you two to lift Starshade’s leg out of the hole. Once it’s free, I’m going to ease the spear out, fill the cut with as much healing ointment as I can, and hope it’s enough to block the bleeding.”
“How much blood are we talking?” Javan pinched his finger close to his thumb. “A little? I can handle a little. A lot might make me pass out.”
“Then you might not want to look until after I get her patched up.” She sorted through her bag and traded Starshade’s scale for healing ointment.
“Poor girl.” Javan stroked her leg, and she moved her head.
“Uh oh,” Taliya said. “She’s starting to wake up. We need to act fast.”
“I’m not touching her if she’s awake,” Micah said. “Let’s do this now.”
Positioning themselves on either side of her claw, Micah and Javan reached into the hole, placed their fingers under her claw, and attempted to lift up. Her paw only moved an inch or two. “What’s the problem, guys? I need her paw out of there.”
“We’re trying,” Javan said, “but it doesn’t want to move.”
The dragon’s tail slapped the ground. “We better speed up this rescue mission.” Taliya jumped onto the paw. “New plan. I’ll pull the spear out, then you pull the leg up.” She grabbed the spear, twisted it until it loosened a bit, and yanked it out.
Blood oozed out of the gap in the middle of the claw and covered Taliya’s hands as she worked to plug the hole. “There. That should take care of the top. Now I need to patch the bottom.” She leapt back to the dirt, let the guys lift the leg, and used the last of her ointment to fill the hole in the bottom of the paw.
“Done.” Sticky dragon blood dripped from Taliya’s hands and soaked her shirt. “I should probably wash off before she wakes up, smells me, and thinks I should be her evening meal. Javan, can you stay and stop her if she tries to walk on that foot? She has those goats over there to eat, and I’ll gather some edible plants for her on my way back.”
“I can’t stay and watch your dragon. I have to get out there and find the dragon you were supposed to protect.”
“You can’t really be that upset, Javan. You were never able to connect with Starshade anyway.”
“I would have gotten through to her eventually, but I guess we’ll never know now, will we?”
“Might want to put this conversation on hold,” Micah said. “We have company.”
He pointed up, and Taliya looked into the fuming nostrils of Azurrior.
◊◊◊
Javan gaped at the deep blue scales covering Azurrior’s neck. The remainder of his scales were still white, and that somehow made the blue scales appear to be even more blue.
Azurrior nudged Starshade. When she didn�
��t respond, he glared at Javan. What did you do to her?
Javan stood, keeping his hands in front of him. “We’re helping her. She got her foot stuck, and Taliya had to put her to sleep to help her.”
He needed to keep Azurrior talking. This dragon was his final chance to collect a Dusk Stalker. Javan couldn’t let him get away even if he was at the beginning of his feeding cycle. “She’s going to need some food when she wakes up. Is there any particular kind of plant or berry or fruit that she likes we can bring to her?”
“I’ll figure that out,” Taliya said. “Azurrior, you need to get out of here now. Run!” She picked up a handful of rocks and dirt and threw it at the dragon. He roared, turned, and ran away.
“What is with you?” Javan yelled at Taliya. “First you steal my dragon, then you chase Azurrior away. I won’t let you protect him, too. I need that dragon to win the throne, but now he’s gone. Why are you sabotaging me?”
“Better gone than dead.” She placed her blood-stained finger under his chin and forced him to look up. Krystyn hung from a branch with her axe dangling in the air near where Azurrior’s head had been seconds ago.
“Oh.” He knew he should apologize and thank Taliya, but he was too mad about losing Starshade to play nice.
“Why are you still standing there?” Taliya shoved him in the direction Azurrior ran. “Go collect Azurrior.”
Since he couldn’t think of anything else to say or do, he obeyed.
Chapter 62
So Much for Rules
Conflicting emotions raged within Taliya as she lost sight of Javan chasing Azurrior. Should she be happy that Starshade was safe? Guilty for protecting the dragon Javan wanted and not protecting the one she wanted? Angry with Krystyn for devising this insane battle?
The sight of Krystyn dropping out of the tree helped her decide on angry. “Did you seriously think you could kill a dragon with me standing right here?”
“That is the second time you have interfered.” Krystyn put her axe in its scabbard on her back and marched to Taliya. “This time there are consequences.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.” Krystyn punched Taliya in her gut. The shock of the blow caused Taliya to cough and bend over. Before she could breathe normally, Krystyn grabbed her hair, pulled her head back, and slammed her skull into Taliya’s nose. Warm blood gushed from her nose, over her lips, and down her chin.
“Krystyn! No! Stop!”
Taliya heard Micah yelling, but Krystyn didn’t listen. She threw the dazed Taliya to the ground and kicked her in the ribs. “Next time,” she said, kicking her again and again, “keep your mouth closed.”
Her self-defense system didn’t seem to work, and all she could do was curl herself into a pathetic human ball to ward off the painful blows.
◊◊◊
Micah watched in helpless horror as Krystyn kicked Taliya. Why couldn’t he move?
Because her outburst of cruelty reminded him…of him. How often had he beaten up someone weaker for the tiniest of infractions simply to assert his power? The flashbacks shamed him. But that was then. This was now. Now he could do something to stop a needless beating.
“Enough.” His command stopped Krystyn mid-kick.
“She deserved every bruise.”
He pulled out his sword. “Leave or fight someone who’s ready to fight back.”
“Tempting challenge. But there is a Dusk Stalker out there who still has his head. I need to change that before I deal with you for interfering in my lesson.” She winked at him and dashed away.
“Taliya.” He rushed to her side and gently touched her cheek. “Are you okay?”
She flinched and opened her eyes. “Never better.”
“Yeah, right.” He smiled and lifted her into a sitting position. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop her sooner. It’s just that…well…” How could he explain his hesitation?
“You stopped her before she killed me, so that’s a plus. Go do the same for Azurrior. Don’t let her get to him.”
“I can’t leave you here like this. You’re covered in blood.”
“You can and you will. Most of this blood isn’t even mine, and there’s nothing you can do to fix my bruises. But you can help make sure Javan rides Azurrior.”
“It sounds like you’re telling me to team up with the Collector. Isn’t that against the rules?”
“Krystyn broke the rules when she broke my nose.”
“Good point.” He stood and sheathed his sword. “Stay safe.”
“You, too.”
He nodded and took off. He had some serious running to do if he hoped to catch up to Javan.
◊◊◊
Taliya fought the urge to lay down and bemoan her injuries, injuries which paled in comparison to Starshade’s impaled foot and damaged leg. That thought encouraged her to stand and focus on the dragon. Her dragon. The one dragon she had the privilege of looking after for the rest of her life.
“You get to live free,” Taliya said, dragging her fingers along the row of spiked scales that lined Starshade’s spine starting with her tail. “Your missing scale brands you as a protected dragon. It doesn’t make you invincible, though. You’re still as susceptible as any other dragon to being beheaded, enslaved, or ridden. But because you are protected by me, no one from another Bloodline can use you to help them claim the throne.
“No Destroyer is permitted to kill you. No Hunter can control you. No Collector can overpower you. You get to run wild, unencumbered by anyone attempting to win the throne.
“Not every Destroyer, Hunter, or Collector wants to win the throne.” She paused as she considered the sad reality of what she was about to say. “Sometimes they want to conquer dragons just for sport, and they won’t care if you have been branded as protected or not. I am here to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, especially since your rarity as a Dusk Stalker may make you a prized target.
“I’ll come check on you from time to time and will be sure to watch over you when you shed your scales. Predators you usually hunt will be hunting you when you’re vulnerable and without scales. That’s another way I help. It’s my job to make sure you are protected from such threats.”
She traced Starshade’s pointy ears and noted her closed eyes. “You are not going to be happy when you wake up. The pain plus hunger is going to put you in a nasty mood. I won’t be able to do much for the pain, but I can make sure you have plenty to eat. There’s just one thing I want to do before I clean myself up and gather food for you.”
She walked around the dragon’s long snout and threw her arms as far around Starshade’s neck as they would go. She wouldn’t ever have another chance to hug her dragon. This would be a moment she would remember forever.
Chapter 63
Javan Surprises Taliya
Javan didn’t think chasing a Dusk Stalker on foot would do a bit of good, but he ran after Azurrior anyway. The exercise helped him burn his angry energy, and he needed to put some distance between him and Taliya.
After about a mile, he spotted a half blue Azurrior and followed the dragon’s trail for another mile. The dense trees on the hilly terrain slowed the speedy dragon down. He also stopped occasionally to eat patches of poison ivy that grew in abundance on and around the trees.
Javan didn’t dare approach Azurrior while he was focused on food and hoped he would be able to track him during the duration of his feeding cycle. Then Javan could approach him and attempt to have a rational conversation. That conversation would in theory end with Javan on Azurrior’s back.
A twig snapped behind Javan. He glanced back and glimpsed Krystyn. Not good. Maybe he should stop following Azurrior. He didn’t want to lead Krystyn straight to the dragon.
“Why did you stop moving?”
Javan instinctively drew his swords and pointed them in the direction of the whispered voice to his right. The points of both swords dug into Micah’s shirt. “Dude.” Javan let out a deep breath and put his swords away. He kept his voice
low to make sure the dragon ahead of him and the Destroyer approaching from behind couldn’t hear. “You can’t go sneaking around like that. I almost killed you.”
“I’m impressed with how fast you drew your swords. Nicely done.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to help you.”
“Well, don’t. I have to do this on my own.”
“Not anymore. After the stunt Krystyn pulled, all rules are off.”
“What stunt?”
“The details aren’t important. What is important is that Krystyn spent a lot of time baiting a nasty trap north of here. She’s got endless amounts of poison ivy covering a huge nest of red and yellow bugs.”
“Azurrior loves poison ivy. He’s been eating it all along the way.”
“We have to stop him before he bites into that nest. I’m not sure what those bugs are, but I can guarantee they aren’t harmless flies.”
“No need to rush, fellas.” Krystyn walked between them and slapped both on the back as she passed. “Azurrior is too far ahead for you to catch him, and he’s too hungry to avoid that tempting ivy. Once he takes that first bite, he’s as good as dead.”
The dragon slithered out of view. Javan ran after him, yelling at him to stop eating.
◊◊◊
Taliya added another armful of juicy orb balls to the pile of leaves, nuts, and vines in front of the two goats near Starshade. “There.” She brushed the dirt off her arms and wiped at the sweat threatening to sting her eyes. “That should be plenty for you to eat.”
Yet Starshade continued to sleep even after receiving the antidote. Had Taliya gotten the dosage wrong? Why wasn’t she awake yet?
The one thing that kept Taliya from panicking was the color of Starshade’s scales. They continued to change from white to beautiful swirls of green and purple with a few random streaks of blue. That meant she was still alive, but Taliya wanted her to wake up and eat. She wasn’t sure what would happen if the dragon woke up past her designated feeding time.
