Page 111 of Of Blood and Banes
Grumbling, I internally search for the pathway between us. But as I reach it, I leave it open. Not wanting to close it off.
“So I thought,”she snickers.“But if you keep blushing every time that man opens his mouth, everyone’s going to catch onto you.”
I clear my throat, roll my shoulders back, and grumble,“Thanks for the advice.”
She swings her head back to look at me and snorts with affection. The hot blast sends my hair back from my face.
After a few hours of silent trekking, we stop at a massive tree covered with tangled moss and vines. Long, wispy, lime-green fronds drip from its branches, swaying back and forth in a light breeze inches above a pool of green. A toad leaps into the water,causing a small ripple before it’s gone. Daeja stiffens beside me, and I pat her shoulder.
Though, I’m unable to stop my laughter from spilling over into my consciousness.“Don’t you worry. I’ll protect you from the toads.”
She narrows her eyes into slits at me, but she doesn’t deny the fact they still intimidate her.
“And don’t worry. I won’t let the others know your…reservations.”I rub her foreleg playfully.
The soldiers turn, looking back at the end of the line past me at Sethan. We all step aside as he strolls forward, then joins in some hushed conversation with the front of the group. I catch ‘which way’ and ‘left’ versus ‘right,’ along with a small squabble between two soldiers.
“Wow, look at this!” Archie snags a brilliant emerald off the ground where it had been perfectly nested in a bed of grass.
The ground glimmers with more of the green jewels, casting sparks of dazzling light as sunlight leaks through the trees above.
Archie turns a wide smile into my direction and holds the emerald up for me to see it. “This alone could get my family out of debt!”
“Stop!” a rough whisper cuts through our group from someone behind us.
As I turn, Corvin races forward with wide eyes and his hand outstretched as he barrels past me. “Archie, put that back now!”
At the same time, a low rumble trembles somewhere deep within the forest. Corvin bumps into Archie, and Archie loses his grip on the emerald for a split-second before seizing it mid-air and scrambling over himself to set the jewel back where he found it.
But it’s too late.
The leaves of the undergrowth shake, the movement drawing closer and closer. Yellow eyes flash open in the darkest part ofthe forest. Emerging from the thick shrubbery is a jade green dragon the size of…a cat?
“Lower your eyes! All of you!” Sethan commands, dipping his head low.
Oh, shit. Those aren’t emeralds—they’re dragon eggs.
We all lower our faces, eyes glued to the ground. But not fast enough, as the small jade-green dragon screeches and races toward Archie and Corvin. Several more small green dragons leap out from the undergrowth. One toward Sethan and A’nala, both of whom slide in front of Melaina holding Darian’s chains.
“Do not let them bite you!” Sethan draws his sword. “Hold them back!”
Another one, the size of a dog, lands in front of Cole, its scales glimmering underneath years of undergrowth blanketing its back. Roots rise from beneath its talons and snake toward his boots as he unsheathes his blade.
A fourth wingless dragon that resembles a snake slips toward Gavin and Nolan. Its black beady eyes flashing while its forked tongue slithers out from its crooked jaw.
Three more dragons varying in shades of green spring toward the dragon riders.
Seven dragons. Sevensmalldragons. It shouldn’t be a cause for concern…except the fear in Sethan’s voice spikes my pulse.
The first small dragon flings itself and barrels into Corvin, knocking him clear off his feet. The two of them turn into a wrestling match of teeth, claws, and fists. Corvin’s metal armor screeches as the dragon rakes its claws across his chest plate, then sinks its teeth to his face. Corvin screams with a terror that chills my blood.
The rest of the group explodes into havoc. A’nala and Sethan work at guarding Melaina and Darian from one dragon. Marge shifts behind Cole and removes her sword from her staff, while Cole swings his blade at the roots tunneling toward his feet.Gavin and Nolan work at keeping the wingless earth dragon at bay. And the other riders and their dragons circle to fend off the last three. Spare soldiers split to defend the horse-drawn wagons at the back of the group. The horses throw their heads back with panicked squeals.
Daeja and I race toward Corvin where he writhes on the ground, as Archie snaps forward to grab the dragon by its long, skinny tail. He pulls the dragon off Corvin, and the creature whips to snap its needle-like teeth at Archie’s hand. Archie dodges just in time. As the dragon rears back, I close the gap and shove Archie out of the way and raise my blade in front of me.
The earth dragon pauses. Its gleaming, yellow eyes narrow, Corvin’s blood still dripping from its maw. A gurgling hiss emits from its throat.
Heat barrels over my shoulder and fire blasts the grass between me and the dragon. Within the blink of an eye the fire ceases. Leaving behind a circle of fire no bigger than a spinning wheel.
