Page 10 of Blood of Dragons

CALISTA

We hid in the trees in the mountains, waiting for the sun to pass overhead and dip behind the land. The cold was suddenly inconsequential when it had ravaged my body before. It was either the fire in my blood or the adrenaline.

ARE YOU ALRIGHT, CALISTA? YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN.

I sat against the log in front of the campfire that Talon taught me how to build. There were no more matches in my pack, but Inferno engulfed the wood in flames with his fire. We were leagues outside of Scorpion Valley, the mountains acting as a wall around the territory. Our lands didn’t extend beyond those borders because there was no passage to the other side—unless you had a dragon.

CALISTA?

My eyes shifted to the red dragon across the campfire.

YOU WORRY ME.

“I’m okay.” Several days had passed since the dead had surrounded me on all sides and Talon had pressed his blade into my neck. I’d vowed to be his enemy forevermore, but he’d still let me go. I’d spent that time in quiet reflection, free for the first time in my adult life but with no idea how to use that freedom. A heavy pain settled on my chest and made it hard to breathe. I stood by my decision—but it fucking hurt.

YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.

I stared into the tree line and ignored his red eyes.

DON’T FEEL GUILTY.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” It hurt to talk about it. It hurt to think about it. When I slept, I saw his black eyes and the rage that burned hotter than a dragon’s flames. I saw the hurt of betrayal, the hatred.

Inferno continued his stare, like he wanted to push the topic forward but refrained from doing so.

“You’ll wait here. I’ll start the journey to Scorpion Valley.”

THAT’LL TAKE DAYS.

“We have no other choice.”

WE CAN FLY UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

“That would work if your scales were black instead of red.”

I’M PROUD OF MY SCALES. THEY MATCH THE FIRE IN MY SOUL.

“I didn’t mean that as an insult.”

I CAN GET YOU THERE WITHOUT BEING SEEN. IT’S UNWISE TO TREK THROUGH FOREIGN TERRITORY ALONE.

“I don’t want Talon to find us.”

WE CAN’T STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING. WHEN KHAZMUDA IS CLOSE ENOUGH, HE CAN FEEL MY MIND. AND TALON CAN PROBABLY DEDUCE THAT IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU WILL GO SINCE IT WAS YOUR NEST. BUT HE CHOSE TO LET YOU GO, SO I WOULDN’T WORRY ABOUT HIM.

I shifted my gaze back to him.

I MAY NOT LIKE TALON, BUT I BELIEVE IN HIS INTEGRITY. HE DIDN’T FORCE ME INTO SERVITUDE THE FIRST TIME HE PROPOSITIONED ME. HE DIDN’T THE SECOND TIME. WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR IN BEING SPOTTED BY ANYONE.

“Do you think he has the power to force you?”

IF HE CAN COMMAND THE DEAD, HE CAN COMMAND THE LIVING.

I looked away, remembering the way he gave me a choice when he didn’t have to. I’d witnessed cruel men do cruel things, but he’d never used that cruelty against me.Then let’s go.I rose to my feet and kicked dirt into the fire.

WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO THERE?

“My father knew the location of the dragons. I’m certain of it.”

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