Page 8 of Draekora

“What are you doing here, Zain?” Alex asked, amazed to see him standing there with them. “How did you even get in here? No, scratch that. How did you know where to find us?” She paused. “Wait, youarehere for us, right?”

“Always so curious,” Zain said, pushing off from the wall and moving with Meyarin grace towards her. “Turn around, Alex.”

He didn’t give her the option of following his command since his heavy hands came to rest on her shoulders, swivelling her body until her back faced him. She heard asnickbefore her bonds fell to the ground. Massaging the pins and needles from her wrists, Alex watched him liberate D.C. and Bear with a lethal-looking blade. Zain didn’t miss their winces when their injured hands were released.

“Step closer, humans, and we’ll address your wounds back in Meya.”

When Alex opened her mouth to repeat her questions, he sent her a quelling look and said, “Unless of course you want to stay here and end up with criminal records and prison time?”

She snapped her mouth shut and the three of them moved closer to Zain. Almost immediately, the ground tore out from underneath them as theValispathactivated, shooting them straight through the walls of the High Court and out into the sunset horizon.

Zain, thankfully, had recently spent quite some time with Alex’s human self, so he knew to reach out and fiddle with the settings of the Eternal Path—settings that were invisible to human eyes. He pressed a patterned sequence into the transparent wall, causing the wind chill to disappear instantly. Even though they were soaring over the white buildings of Mardenia at a stomach-churning speed, their ride was smooth and silent. In fact, if Alex closed her eyes, she wouldn’t know she was moving at all.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” D.C. whispered, staring pale faced at the blurring scenery as theValispathpicked up more speed.

Alex had forgotten that only she had experienced the Path at full velocity before. Her friends had been on it with her twice, but only between Meya and Raelia, and at a much more sedate pace.

“Here,” Zain said, pulling a crumpled white flower from his cloak and handing it to D.C. “Chew this, it will make you feel better.”

Ill as she was, D.C. didn’t question him. She put the flower in her mouth, closing her eyes and taking deliberately controlled breaths. Within moments the colour returned to her face and she opened her eyes again, looking stunned. “Wow,” she said, still chewing. “This is good stuff.”

“Fraedonweed,” Zain said. “Cures most superficial stomach illnesses.” His eyes lit up with mischief and he added, “When ground into a paste, it’s a remarkably effective boot polish as well.”

D.C.’s rapidly improving face blanched again and she turned to Alex. “Am I eating boot polish?”

Alex hesitated. “Does it taste like boot polish?”

When D.C.’s colour continued draining away, Alex realised that she could have chosen her words more carefully.

“What I meant was, who cares if it’s boot polish if it tastes all right?” Alex tried again.

“I suggest we change the topic unless you want Dix to puke all over our feet,” Bear said pointedly.

Taking his advice, Alex turned back to Zain. “How did you know we needed rescuing? And where to find us?”

Zain answered with only one word, but it was explanation enough. “Hunter.”

Alex closed her eyes slowly. It figured that her Stealth and Subterfuge teacher would know what they’d been up to—and that they’d needed help. Somehow the mysterious man seemed to knoweverything, and not just because he had a supernatural gift of awareness and perception.

“Hunter was following us?” Bear asked, and Alex reopened her eyes to see his surprise.

“He thought it wise,” Zain responded. He didn’t get a chance to say anything else before theValispathshot them straight into a snow-covered mountain, and for a few seconds, all light disappeared until they broke through to the other side and rejoined the open sky.

Bear let out a quiet groan. “Now I thinkI’mgoing to be sick.”

Zain shook his head and muttered, “Humans.”

Alex pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. He’d been with them for less than five minutes and already appeared eager to dump them in the forest below.

“You’re sure looking better than the last time I saw you,” Alex said, hoping to keep him from acting on his urge to abandon them. “Are you completely healed?”

It had been less than a fortnight, but when she’d last laid eyes on Zain he’d been suffering from a wound poisoned by Hyroa blood—the Meyarin equivalent of kryptonite—and he’d nearly died. Now, however, he appeared healthy and strong, much to Alex’s relief.

Noticing Alex’s clinical perusal, Zain sent her a warm smile. “As you can see, I’m fully recovered. And ready to assist in your training.”

Alex unconsciously scrunched up her face and resolutely decided to ignore his words, choosing instead to visit a happy place in her mind; a place where she never had to consider the worrisome idea of training with the hulk of a Meyarin. Or any others of his kind.

“It won’t be so bad,” Zain said, nudging her with his elbow. “I’ll go easy on you.”

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