Page 9 of Upon Buried Embers
Rohan turns my head and puts his fingers under my chin, forcing me to lift my eyes to meet his. “Stay seated.” I swallow, and nod before he effortlessly slides down the side of Drogonah, landing in a crouch before rising again.
He’s leaving me up here on my own?!
Others gasp, looking at Rohan and then to me with wide eyes, and I look down, my hair a curtain of safety as I let another tear fall.
“Move out,” Rohan commands.
The dragons growl, and then we’re moving to what I can only imagine will be the worst part of my life.
Worse than Master and his post in the barn.
Four
Elf
I don’t know how long we’ve been moving through the caves, maybe two days? Maybe long enough for my eyes to droop and stop fighting sleep that wants to take me.
Maybe I wouldn’t wake up.
That would be a blessing as the pain’s becoming too much to bear.
Rohan doesn’t speak to me as he walks beside Drogonah, murmuring to him. Lava rivers flow along either side of us, and holes high above allow beams of light to filter through the darkness.
I would enjoy the warmth it brings, but I can’t seem to stop the chattering of my teeth and the trembling of my body.
I observe everyone instead, wondering how I can escape them.
Some ride horses, some ride in the carts being pulled behind them, but most of the members are on foot. They don’t seem concerned about the dragons walking among them. In fact, I notice Kaldar stays close to a green one whose chest seems to glow.
He’s smaller than the other dragons, but I have no doubt he’s still just as dangerous.
Darcia, the woman who sneered at me, rides a brown horse, and she hasn’t stopped glaring at me. She’s talking to a brown-haired woman riding a gray horse.
I look at the lava, watching the orange liquid bubble in a river that winds along the cave, dripping from clusters of rock in the curved walls.
It would be beautiful if I wasn’t being taken by a Dragonbond.
How am I ever going to get out of this?
I need to wait and bide my time. Then I’ll escape and find a way to get back to Effy. We can leave the city, maybe go and start anew in a village far away. I’ll make sure our ears are covered, and if that doesn’t work… well.
I look at the lava again as I try to loosen the rope with no luck, it’s tied too tight. I glance behind me, noticing Drogonah’s small spikes on his spine, thinking I may be able to cut through the rope, but I’m on a very short leash. I look at the ones at the base of his neck and come to the same realization I’ve had many times already… I’m stuck here.
The inside of my thighs burn as I shift, rubbing against the saddle, and I slump forward with exhaustion. It feels like my ribs are snapping, but I don’t think even that will stop me from falling asleep.
Rohan is alert and watchful, dropping back at times to give Drogonah a pat here and there, glancing at me like he’s checking I’m still here.
Like I can go anywhere.
Along the way, some clan members approach him to confirm stock of supplies, or go over training.
Training for what?
“We’ll sleep here for the night!” Rohan bellows suddenly, and everyone stops at once, some unpacking a variety of items to make camp, while others unsaddle their horses.
Drogonah grumbles, his ears pulling forward as he sits back on his haunches. The move makes me fall backward, and I scream as the rope pulls tight, jostling me. I scramble to hold on to something and Drogonah snarls, another plume of smoke spewing into the air.
“Drogonah, lay down.” He doesn’t, and I’m left dangling by the waist, my back in agony. “Drogonah…” That one was a warning, his tone turning much deeper and the dragon flops down, flinging me forward.
