Page 36 of Upon Buried Embers
It’s the only thing I have left.
Eleven
Elf
“Calian is a Keeper of Beasts,” Rohan says as he drags me to the back of the camp. “He takes care of our dragons, horses, sheep, and anything else we have with us.”
A man approaches. He has short, dark hair, a stark difference to how the other Dragorie people look. Their long hair, usually braided, is a sign of who they are. He has scars on his neck, they look mangled. Burns maybe? He has another one running through the top of his lip.
“Keep looking, girl, and I will shove you face-first in horse shit.”
His voice is more of a croaked whisper, like his vocal cords are broken.
I blink at him before lowering my eyes.
“Dragonbond.” He nods to Rohan respectfully. “What can I do for you?”
“She is to help take care of the horses.” He unknots the rope around his waist and shoves me toward Calian.
I barely manage to stop myself from colliding with him.
Calian is silent for a moment. “I already have Tofa helping me here. Could she even lift a bucket of feed?”
I feel Rohan’s stare on the side of my face. “We shall see. If not, she will work up to it.”
“If she doesn’t snap her arm in half first, she’s skin and bones.”
Rohan hums. “That was my assessment too.”
“She’ll likely be mistaken for a toothpick by some dragons,” Calian mutters.
“I don’t think they will be interested, she’s light on her feet though, so watch her in case she tries to escape.”
They speak of me like I’m not here—invisible, and honestly, I’d rather I was.
“Come, girl. Let’s put you to work, no one sleeps here for free.”
With one last tentative look at Rohan, who scowls at me, nodding toward Calian, I shuffle after him.
The clan eyes me, faces harsh as I pass them.
I follow Calian to where all the horses are resting. They’re not even tied up, waiting nearby wearing furs to stave off the chill in the air. A campfire isn’t far from them, burning brightly.
“First, you will clean the wound on the Dragonbond’s mare, Serah. Then you will feed the horses and groom them. However…” He turns sharply and folds his arms. “Don’t think about running, girl, or I’ll send the dragons to hunt you down.”
Do they listen to him?
I swallow roughly and nod, tucking the loose rope around my waist so I don’t trip over it.
He grunts, and we move through the small herd of horses until we come across the black one with a white spot in the middle of its head, and one white foot.
Serah.
“Here.” Calian passes me a bucket containing a clean cloth, along with a small bowl of green sludge.
“Feed is in the cart, four cupfuls each are to be given out in the larger wooden bowls with a carrot or two. I’m melting snow for some water which will be poured in a bucket that you’ll take around and make sure all the horses drink. Got it?”
“Yes,” I say quietly. When he stares at me, I start to shift, uncomfortable. “Is… is there anything else you would like me to do?”
