Page 40 of The Soul of the Dragon

I flapped my wings and turned, diving for the forest and from the corner of my eye, saw Magnus do the same. Neither of us had much time before those evil darts rendered us unable to move. Moments later I landed on the ground much harder than usual. I roared with pain but shifted back to human before it was too late.

The ground around me shook violently as Magnus landed nearby. I grabbed the end of the dart and jerked it free as I ran to find him. "You sons of bitches," I roared, as I fell to my knees.

I only hoped that if I went down, so did he. Otherwise, Kitra was in trouble.

ChapterSixteen

Kitra

Isaac and Magnus were both crazy. I could hear their dragons’ roars nearby, and each one made my adrenalin spike as the flood of fear threatened to drown me.

However, instead of waiting to see what happened, I did as Isaac commanded, and I ran toward the ridge. If there was a chance I could get information from the seer, I had to take it. There was nothing more important than getting my magic back.

Unlike Isaac though, I did not underestimate Magnus’s power. Even if they were equally matched, Magnus had the advantage of living in this realm his entire life. He knew the nooks and crannies better than the average fae. It gave him an edge Isaac clearly didn't understand.

I only hoped that he didn’t pay dearly for that lack of knowledge.

As I ran deeper into the forest, the light dimmed and the trees seemed to grow into shadowy figures trying to block my path. Thankful that I'd had the mind to put my own worn in boots back on, I ran over fallen stumps and under anything that blocked my way. However, I had to focus on where I put each foot instead of the two dragons in the sky.

One wrong step and I might not make it out of this forest. Those guards might have been on the other side of the village when we'd left the inn, but they would hear the dragons and it would draw them in this direction. And I didn't exactly run quietly. Twigs cracked and snapped with every step, and I was breathing so hard I could hear nothing over my own roaring heartbeat rushing in my ears.

I hesitated, wondering if I should hide instead.Go. It was almost as if I could hear Isaac in my head reminding me of my purpose and he would be right. The ridge was getting closer, and I didn’t have far to go. I should see something just over the next rise.

Pushing myself harder, I climbed up the steep embankment, slipping just before I reached the top. Using my fingers to give me purchase in the dirt and brush, I righted myself and kept going. My chest ached from the exertion, and sweat dripped into my eyes, but I refused to stop again.

I couldn’t risk any extra time resting or hiding.

Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably more like fifteen minutes, I broke free from the depths of the forest and into a clearing with a modest house sitting in the middle. It actually looked more like a hut, and something that might have sat here for a hundred years or more.

Fitting, I thought.

Bending over to catch my breath, I grasped my knees and hauled in air into my aching lungs. I'd had to run for my life entirely too much lately. I couldn’t have imagined this as my life. Not even in my wildest dreams.

As I stood, straightening my spine, my blood burned with the need for retribution. King or not, he had no right to treat me like this. And with my magic, he wouldn't have dared.

I tromped through the high weeds and brush that surrounded the seer's home and finally noticed that I didn't hear any dragon roars.

I turned back with my eyes to the sky and squinted against the sun. Out here in the open was a far cry from the depths of the forest. And despite the density of the trees that surrounded this clearing, I couldn't shake the sense of vulnerability, being out in the open like this.

And where the hell were the dragons? My stomach pitched at the thought of something happening to Isaac. However, he had urged me to do this, and I felt compelled to comply. I had to trust that Isaac would find his way out of these woods safely on his own.

I gathered my skirt and turned towards my destination. I had a bad feeling that there was no time to waste. I rapped on the thick wooden door as solidly as I could and then pushed my hair out of my face in an attempt to put myself back together.

There had been no time to braid my hair before we’d gotten our warning from the imp, and I could only imagine what the wild curls looked like after my frantic race through the forest.

The door cracked open and I got a partial view of a young woman's face. I couldn't tell for sure, but I would guess she was not much older than I was. If at all.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I've come to talk to the seer."

"You've come to the wrong place," she said, closing the door. Before she could slam the door in my face, I shoved my booted foot between the door and wall preventing her from shutting me out.

“Please hear me out. I don’t have much time so I can make this quick.”

The young woman glared at me with a skeptical expression. “You’ve wasted your time coming here. I don’t help fae.”

I scrunched up my face in complete confusion. “You aren’t fae? How is that—uhh—I mean—“

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