Page 21 of The Soul of the Dragon

“Is that why”—he moved lightning quick into the bushes and emerged a moment later carrying the imp by her neck—“she’s been following us all day?”

“Put me down, you brute,” she squeaked, grabbing at his hand before sinking her sharp little teeth into his skin.

He released her and dropped her into the middle of the fire. I dove to catch her, but sparks of magic and frantic beats of her singed wings kept her from falling too far.

A moment later she landed on a branch above us and out of reach.

“Was that necessary?” I asked.

“We need to eat and she’s as good as any other creature crawling through these woods.”

“What?!” The imp screeched as I gasped. “What did I ever do to you, nasty dragon boy?”

He shrugged and took a seat on a fallen log. “Girl’s got to eat.”

“Then give her something from that stash in your backpack. She’s not a wild animal-eating heathen like you.”

His right eyebrow lifted, and the look he gave the imp could have scorched her. “Maybe I just want to eat you for the sport of it. Dragons enjoy a good hunt.”

The imp bared her sharp little teeth and took flight from the tree and disappeared into the night.

I dropped down on the opposite end of the log, I was too tired to stand any longer. “Were you really going to eat her?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t like being spied upon.”

“She is a strange one. The kind of attention she is giving us isn’t like them.”

“She’s probably buttering us up for the kill. Her kind are fond of those poison fucking darts. She’s probably planning to murder us in our sleep.”

“Do you really have food in that bag?” I narrowed my eyes at his pack, changing the subject. I didn’t want to think about imps and whether they were planning to kill us. As if my stomach read my mind, it rumbled loudly.

“I did swipe some supplies from the palace kitchen before I left. But I can provide fresh, cooked meat if you prefer.”

“I’m too tired to wait. Give me twenty minutes and I’m going to be dead asleep. I don’t even care that I have to sleep on the ground or in a tree again. Although either would be infinitely more comfortable if you’d untie my hands.”

He stood still as if contemplating what he wanted to do before he pulled a cloth wrapped package out of his bag. I didn’t even know what it contained and already my mouth watered.

“You going to try and run?”

“Not tonight,” I answered honestly. “I don’t have the energy.”

He set the package down next to him and pulled me onto his lap. “I could just feed you.”

I wanted to argue against it, but I wanted the food more. “Fine. But you can’t keep me like this forever. I have to go to the bathroom at some point.”

“We’ll see, little beast. For now, you’ll eat from my hand because I wish it.” He picked up the package and unwrapped it to reveal a cut of cured meat, a wedge of hard cheese, and a large hunk of bread.

My protest instantly died on my lips at the sight of the food. “You’ve had this the whole time? Why didn’t you say something?”

“Why didn’t you? I don’t read minds. If you need something you have to let me know.”

“As if you’d give me whatever I wanted.”

“I told you I’d at least consider it.”

“I need you to untie me. My arms ache.”

He laughed and tore off a chunk of the bread. “Nice try, little beast. Here.” He nudged my lips and with no shame I opened my mouth and grabbed it with my teeth.

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