59. Lina
Lina
I brave one quick glance back at Haze. His mask is gone, his hair sticking to his slick forehead. He steps forward, palms up in surrender, eyes wide in fearful awe.
The draken shivers and leans in closer to me. Breath catches in my lungs but I don’t dare move a muscle.
The massive talon-tipped paw curls around to create a barrier between me and the warrior I hate.
“Amora, you know what they’ll do to her.”
The draken growls softly.
What will you do to her? You are one of them. It has taken hold of you. That dark magic mars your soul.
I swallow. So even the drakai aren’t a fan of Haze?
“Yes. But you know why I did it. And you know damn well what I’ll do to keep her out of their hands.”
You, yes. But what about the creature inside? Can you control it?
“Yes,” he bites out. “I have to. It’s our only chance.”
The red draken retreats, shifting away from me. Haze rushes in, but he seems to think better of it and stops before touching me. “Are you hurt?”
I shake my head and curl my arms around my body.
This is yours, girl. Take it. Find her.
A whip around to find myself eye to eye with the red dragon. Her breath so hot it’s painful. Her talon shifts a pebble toward me with a screeching sound that hurts my ears. Then, her huge body shifts, curling around. Her tail swishes, rustling up the dirt and dust.
I stare down at the pebble she has pushed to me but notice it glints in the dim light. Carefully, I stoop down and pick up—a coin.
I press my fingers against my lips. It’s Astella’s coin. I blink, not understanding any of this.
“Put it somewhere safe,” Haze tells me.
“What does it mean?” I stare at the coin, unsure of its meaning. And unsure I’m capable of keeping it safe. I’ve tried.
“I don’t know. But she wouldn’t have given it to you if it weren’t deeply important.”
Unsure where else to put it, I slide it inside my shirt, tucked up against my breast.
“You’re safe from the other drakai now. They won’t harm you. At least, not on purpose. But we will still have trouble getting out of here.”
Come.
I look over my shoulder to find something shifting in the dark.
Near the wall where Haze pointed out, I see a waving reptilian tail in the dark. Slowly, I approach the giant creature. Could it be true that I am now safe from these beasts?
Beasts is not a kind word.
I cough. Um, sorry?
Though, it is appropriate for some of these fools. We are draken; call us what we are. And yes, my brothers and sisters will not harm you. Come, and hurry. The slavers are coming.
Somehow, a well of bravery opens up in my soul, and I rush forward, trusting the word of this creature I do not even know.
You do not know me, but you and I are connected now. You will see in time.
I approach the massive red dragon now standing beside the wall that keeps them contained.
Climb on my back, she instructs.
“What?”
Do as I say. Or die. Your choice.
Haze walks past me, just brushing my shoulder as he does. He carefully climbs from the draken’s foot, up its massive leg, and onto her back. Then, he turns back and holds out his hand to me.
I blink three times but then decide to just run with the insanity of this entire situation. It’s that or die, like Amora said.
Once we are standing on her back, the red draken stretches her neck up until her jaw finds a ledge to rest. My God, how big is she?
Haze climbs carefully up her neck, using his hands and feet this time, and quickly hops from her neck to the ledge.
“Your turn.”
I attempt to follow suit, but not without struggle. I slip on my second step, and the glistening red scales slice through the skin of my knee. I hiss and slide down to her back.
Haze leaps to me. “Are you okay?” He pants.
I nod, fighting tears. I’m so tired. So confused. So afraid.
I thought I was going to die. I was ready for it.
The world needs you yet, young one. I need you.
She needs me? This glorious creature needs me? What a strange thought.
Her body hums beneath me. Glorious, hmm?
“I’ll help you,” Haze says, holding out both hands.
The hands that killed Lucca. I swallow against the hate, that emotion will not help me right now. Hand in hand, Haze slowly climbs backward, up the draken’s neck, pulling me one step at a time. I almost lose my balance, but he steadies me with ease.
And then, he curls his arm under mine and around my waist. “Jump with me.”
I want to refuse. I want to curl up in a ball. But then, I feel Astella’s coin against my skin and the strange inhuman rumble of the draken who said she needs me.
“Okay,” I whisper.
We bend together. “Ready?”
I nod. And then, we leap to the stone’s edge. Our feet land with a thud, and then I’m panting in his arms.
I hate him , I remind myself. I’m not going to fall for this again.
He is a needed ally. Trust him while you must. Discard him when it is fitting.
I close my eyes and nod. My heart aches. But if it is my role to keep fighting, I will.
“We are nearly out, but they will be searching for us, and I cannot promise—I don’t know if we’ll make it. But I need you to know, if they find you, do not ever reveal what just happened to you.”
I blink and look down into the drakai pit. I swallow. “What did just happen?”
He takes in a long breath, and the sound of stomping boots begins before he answers. So much stomping. A horde of warriors, it must be.
“She claimed you,” my Dread tells me with wide eyes before the others surround us. He seems to want to say more, but there are a dozen warriors in a circle around us.