Page 32 of Wynter and the Stone Dragon

Wynter locked her knees against Pow-pow’s hard plates and held out her arms, sending a stream of electrical current in both directions. The bird of prey veered away from the electrifying stream. The mercenary didn’t move quite fast enough. A bolt hit the fuselage of his flying machine and it exploded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man fall.

“If the explosion or fall doesn’t kill him, the creatures on this world will,” she muttered with no sympathy.

She had lost all feelings of sympathy five-and-a-half months ago. Now she wanted all of them to crash and burn. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the other mercenary gaining on Pow-pow. Bursts of laser fire peppered the air around them as Pow-pow dodged then pulled up and swung his tail. The hard rock club on the end of his tail connected with the flying machine, shattering it.

The rider activated his flying pack. Pieces of the flaming machine rained down to the forest below, and a shadow passed overhead. The bird of prey soared in their direction, and Pow-pow veered to the left. She shuddered when the gigantic bird caught the mercenary between its beak and broke the man in half.

“Oh, gross,” she exclaimed, turning her head.

“Better him than us,”Pow-pow replied.

“True. We’d better take cover. It will be dark soon and there will only be more birds out.”

Pow-pow grunted in agreement. Wynter held on tightly as Pow-pow dived. There were dangers in the forest below, but at least they had places they could hide. Pow-pow weaved through the forest before landing on a thick branch thirty feet above the ground.

“We need to move to a new world,” Wynter sighed.

Pow-pow helped her slide off his back and stand on the branch. He kept his wing partially folded around her as she picked her way to the trunk of the tree. She was exhausted.

“I don’t like this world,” he muttered.

She slid down until she was sitting and stretched her legs out. Pow-pow rested his head next to her, and she gently caressed his jaw. Leaning her head back, she stared up at the stars through a break in the canopy. Night-time fell fast on this world.

“I wonder if he is happy,” she murmured.

Pow-pow lifted his head. “We could go there next.”

Tears burned her eyes. “You know we can’t do that. Ceto has found us in every world we’ve traveled to. I don’t dare lead her to Khalid.”

Pow-pow grunted in disagreement. “You miss him.”

“Yes, I do.”

The next morning, she pulled a ring out that she had only visited once before—the ring to Erindale. There was no one there that Ceto could hurt—at least not in the castle. If she could not go to Khalid, then at least she could go home. Dare she risk returning to Erindale?

It was time to make a stand. She was done with running and hiding.

“Are you ready? I smell a predator nearby.” Pow-pow mumbled, warily turning his head.

“Yes, let’s go.”

* * *

Wynter stood outside of Tomas and LaNie’s barn two weeks later. She hadn’t planned on coming to the couple she had met months ago. If it hadn’t been for Desiree, she wouldn’t have. The young girl had discovered her and Pow-pow near the river.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” Desiree greeted with a curtsy.

Wynter laughed and shook her head. “Will you ever call me just Wynter?”

“No. How is Master Pow-pow this fine morning?”

Pow-pow smacked his lips, yawned, and stretched. His tail knocked into a small rock wall near the barn, causing it to tumble. He grimaced and started placing the fallen rocks back into a pile.

“I’m doing well, Mistress Desiree,” Pow-pow cheerfully responded. “It is nice to wake in a place where everything isn’t trying to eat us.”

Desiree nodded. “I was going down to the river to check the fish traps. Would you like to see if you can find some clay this morning?”

Pow-pow’s bright green eyes twinkled with delight, and he looked at Wynter.

---