Page 68 of Once the Skies Fade

My foot snagged on a root, sending me careening toward the ground, but I twisted my body so that I rolled instead. Unfortunately, even with my quick reaction, my mishap gave Asher enough of an advantage to swipe at me. A sharp flash of pain hit as one of his claws met the back of my neck, snagging on my shirt briefly before slicing right through the fabric.

I couldn’t outrun him forever—stars, how I had outrun him this long was surprising. Then again, dragons weren’t forest-dwellers, and the densely packed trees inevitably slowed thebeast down. Up ahead, a large tree to the left had some limbs and vines hanging low. I’d get one chance at this, and I wasn’t as spry as I was when I was younger. Not that I’d admit that to anyone.

Closer.

Closer.

Here goes nothing.

I launched myself at the tree and bounded up from one limb to another. Asher’s horned head lifted, his fierce eyes tracking me as I jumped into the air and caught one of the vines in both hands. My palms slipped, the coarse plant biting into them and stripping away my skin. I squeezed tighter, wincing through the searing pain at my hands, until I finally stopped.

As I’d hoped, Asher slowed enough for me to drop onto his back near his neck, but unlike the vine, his scales were smooth. My feet and hands scrambled for purchase. Asher slid to a stop, slamming my face into him so hard my nose cracked to one side and my teeth sliced open the inside of my lip, filling my mouth with blood. Wrenching my head to the side, I spat out the blood at the same moment that Asher whipped his head around to snap at me with his large jaws. My blood landed squarely on his snout. With a huffy snort, he shook his head and reared up onto his hind legs.

I could have sworn the damn beast was laughing now as I slid helplessly down his back. Reaching down to my belt, I drew my dagger and stabbed it hard at his shoulders. The blade’s tip snapped off and came flying past my face.

Fuck. I should have known that wouldn’t work.

I let go of the useless weapon and flung both hands out to my sides, curling my fingers against his scales until they caught the top edge of his wings. The sudden stop pulled hard on my shoulders, and I hissed in pain.

Asher gnashed his teeth at me again, but he couldn’t quite reach. When he dropped back onto all fours, I lost my grip onhis wings and began to slide forward. Despite his low growl filling my ears, another sound—familiar and formerly terrifying—caught my attention.

I twisted my head around, and sure enough, the vines were creeping up on my reluctant mount. Scrambling to get to my feet, I turned and ran toward his tail, ducking as it swatted at me. I dropped to the ground, hitting it harder than I intended. Nearby, thick tree trunks protruded out of the earth, twisting over each other to create small alcoves—perfect places for me to hide and let the forest do its job with the shifter.

Asher rounded on me, and I ducked under one of the tree roots just as a vine caught his back legs. Another one latched onto his tail, but both snapped as he wrenched himself free. More vines came, and I started to smile, until I realized one was coming straight toward me.

Something tightened against my feet, and the wood around me started to creak.

The damned roots were closing in on me. Confused panic settled in my chest.

I had the pendant.

I had immunity.

Yanking my feet free from the encroaching roots, I rolled out from under them and reached up to my neck.

Nothing.

I swept my hand around and around but found nothing except a sticky gash where Asher had nicked me.

And tore off the chain in the process, apparently.

Where had it dropped? Spinning in a circle, I looked back at the path of destruction Asher had left. The pendant would be too small to see from here. I pushed forward to begin my hunt for it, but a large fern smacked into my face and stayed there, like it was trying to smother me in its fronds.

That’s exactly what it’s doing.

Thrusting my hands up, I tore the plant away from me and managed one sharp inhale before vines lashed out, quickly tying my legs together as another tied my wrists and lifted them up above my head. I counted it a small mercy that they didn’t pull me off the ground, but even so, my shoulders were still tender from my dragon ride and resting in this position only exacerbated the pain. I refrained from struggling, letting the forest know I was surrendering. Without a weapon on me, it should have realized I wasn’t a threat, yet here I was, tied up like a stag waiting to be dressed.

A deep rumble like distant thunder filled the forest from where Asher was held fast by vines, latched around each of his four legs, his tail, and even his neck. Though his head hung low in defeat, his eyes—glowing like hot embers—stared straight at me. His lips curled up over impressive teeth as he continued to growl, and that same dimple peeked through on his scaled cheek.

“Looks like that temper of yours has gotten us into a bit of a pickle,” I said, flatly, unable to fake amusement in this situation.

And my mouth, for that matter.

At least I had my medallion.

I just needed to get free somehow, find where I’d dropped the pendant, and make it back to the castle before dusk.

Asher shifted his head to the side, angling his ear upward as if listening for something. I did the same, and felt ridiculous for it. All I heard was our two heartbeats, ragged breaths, and the creepy shifting of the vines as they held us.

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