Page 48 of Mirror of Malice
I’d better start now. I could find a place to rest once I was deeper into Gilraeth territory. I began to climb the stairs, my joints creaking and protesting with each movement. I had to stop several times to catch my breath, slowing my journey even more.
My stomach let out a loud grumble, and I hoped I’d be able to find something to eat: berries, cactus, any kind of desert plant, really. Jasper had shown me the ones I could safely eat, as well as the ones to stay away from. I wouldn’t be able to catch any animals. First, I had no weapons. Second, I had no skill.
Charming was supposed to have taught me how to hunt prey at some point, but things had gone awry with the sudden arrival of the Huntsman. With any luck, I’d be able to make it with the water skin I had and whatever I came across on my way to find Jasper.
My thoughts flitted to Penn and the other thieves, and I wondered where they were now, if they’d killed the Huntsman or had been able to detain him so they could escape, what they’d think when they realized I wasn’t there with them. That familiar guilt bubbled up, but I pushed it down.
I’d done what I needed to in order to survive. Besides, the Huntsman never would’ve been a problem if Penn hadn’t kidnapped me in the first place. They’d brought the Huntsman on themselves, and I could no longer worry about them or Mosswood Forest. That concern was something I’d focus on once I’d taken back the earth court. One problem at a time.
My feet slipped on the uneven steps, and I fell forward, hands catching the full impact of the sharp stone. I cried out, looking at the blood that now coated my palms. Great. I’d only gotten a hundred steps up the mountain, and I’d already managed to hurt myself. I could just imagine Penn’s voice in my head.
Did no one ever teach you how to walk?
I kept going, annoyed that I’d left him behind yet still couldn’t be free of him. Once I found Jasper, Penn would be out of my mind forever.
Soon the steps became so steep I had to use my hands to pull myself up, but they were too slick with blood, and every time I grappled with the stone stairs, I cried out in pain, the cuts deepening. I had no bandages, nothing with me other than the water skin hanging off my belt. I clearly hadn’t come prepared, hadn’t listened to Wayfinder during his lessons, which focused on the journey to and from your mission.
He’d warned me to always make sure I had essential items, and I admit, my mind might have wandered a bit during our sessions together, but now I wished I’d taken heed of his advice.
There was nothing to do but continue on, hands throbbing. Blood and earth, I hoped I didn’t get an infection from this. I tried as much as possible to not use my hands going forward. The sun quickly sank lower, the sky darkening, and I had to find some kind of shelter soon. The stairs wound tightly around a bend in the mountain, and it was getting so dark I could no longer see in front of me. I felt my way up, and my boots hit a flattened spot that veered off the stairs. This would have to do for now. I had no way of making a fire, no way of seeing exactly where I was in the mountains. I just needed a safe space to sleep, and with the morning light I’d be able to continue on. I nestled against the mountain wall, closed my eyes, and let myself drift off.
A low growlwoke me from a deep sleep. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the bright sun, glaring over the mountaintop, everything bathed in its warm hue. The next thing I noticed was the dragon hanging overhead, wings pumping furiously, and I realized in that moment the mistake I’d made.
I looked down at my hands. Blood. Dragons smelled blood, used it to scent out their prey. I was either going to get burned alive or be this dragon’s breakfast. Or possibly both.
Jasper had warned me about the dragons time and time again, of how dangerous they were. The people of Gilraeth had been fighting dragons for centuries, and every time we’d traveled to the fire court from Elwen, we had guards assigned to escort us and protect us should we come across the mighty beasts.
I’d been so excited about my escape and finding Jasper that I’d forgotten about all the danger that lurked in every corner of the fire court.
I stood on shaky legs as the dragon landed on the mesa where I’d fallen asleep. Green and orange scales covered its massive body, and it let out a snort of smoke that muddied the air. Its talons were as long as my arm, and one of them could easily impale me. I looked back to the stairs, which continued to wind up the mountain. I wasn’t far from the top. But now I’d never make it. My fists curled, and I winced at the pain that lanced through my hands.
I had to fight. Maybe I wasn’t as skilled as the other thieves, but I’d just spent weeks training every day with them. I wouldn’t run from this, wouldn’t give up, not when the earth court was at stake.
The only problem was that I didn’t know anything about fighting dragons. I did know how to be quick on my feet, how to defend myself. I didn’t have to kill the creature. I just needed to escape from it.
The dragon rose up before me and sucked in a sharp breath. I was already on the ground, rolling as fire scorched past me. The heat from it blasted the entire mesa. I tumbled to my feet, bracing my legs like Lightning had taught me, ready to jump in either direction based on what the dragon did. I needed to get to those stairs. They were too narrow for the dragon, winding and naturally enclosed by the mountain walls. I would be protected if I could reach them.
The dragon let out a roar that shook the ground beneath me. Its yellow eyes landed on me, and it sniffed the air. I looked down at all the dried blood on my hands, wishing I’d had the sense to wash them off with my water. I hadn’t wanted to waste valuable drinking water at the time. I had so much to learn about survival.
“Of course you’re being attacked by a dragon. Because you can never make things easy, can you, Lilypad?”
I whirled in the direction of the sound, and there stood Penn and Shadow. They’d come after me. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
Penn nodded his head at Shadow, who ran to me, while he faced the dragon, summoning long vines that slithered along the ground toward the dragon’s legs.
Shadow grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the stairs as the dragon’s attention turned to Penn.
“What’s he doing?” I asked as Shadow dragged me away. “He’s going to get hurt!”
“He’s faced a dragon or two in his lifetime. He’ll be okay,” Shadow said.
I didn’t even know why I cared. If the dragon killed Penn, that would actually work out in my favor. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
“Come on,” Shadow urged. “We have to go. We don’t want to get caught in fire court territory.”
Actually, that was exactly what I wanted, but it wasn’t why I resisted. I elbowed Shadow, who grunted, and I ran back to the mesa, where Penn was currently jumping back as the dragon blew out a stream of fire, incinerating his vines.
“Princess,” Shadow hissed. “Oh, Penn’s going to kill me.”
