Page 16 of The Lost Princess

My pulse raced at the realization. I was trapped. Getting home was now a distant fairytale or else I’d be abandoning my people, ensuring they’d starve.

Sitting down at the entrance of the cave, I crossed my legs under me and simply waited for dragon man to return.

ChapterSix

NASI

Iflew until my wings ached and burned, my muscles screaming in exhaustion. I wasn’t sure what had happened back in the cave or to me.

To my horror, I couldn’t remember my name.

In vain I searched the darkness of my mind, but there was nothing there; no clue as to who I was, or where’d I’d come from. The more I searched, the more lost I became. My instincts rose up within me, and my anger took over.

I didn’t want to frighten or hurt her in my rage, so I left.

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks as I glided over the mountain range. My female deserved a better male; an undamaged one, someone who could at least remember his name or where he’d come from.

What if I’d been banished by others of my kind? Was that why I lived alone?

You weren’t alone now, though. You had your Kaida.

Steely determination chased away the fury. I wouldn’t let her leave; it was that simple. I hadn’t realized how lonely I’d been until I’d picked her up and carried her back to my home. I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I refused.

Raindrops fell from the sky, and for a while, I ignored them. Small pings here and there, minor annoyances. Little by little, the pace increased, the pings turning into painful stabs that pounded into my back and the sensitive membrane of my wings. I hissed in pain. It felt like small rocks scraping along my wing with each raindrop that hit.

I needed to get back to my female.My Kaida.

Sharply I banked, losing altitude fast in the storm. Panicking, I pumped my wings furiously. I ignored the weakness and the burning of my muscles. I had to get back to her. I had to find strength.

A flash of lightning tore across the sky, jarring me. I veered too sharply to the right, and banged into the side of the mountain. I tumbled down fifty feet or so, managing to grab onto the edge of a cliff with my claws. I hung there for a moment, gasping at the blinding pain in my right wing.

I was foolish.

I’d let my darkness take over, and my female alone and unprotected. And now I was injured. I sneezed.

And sick.

I took a deep breath, trying to gauge my bearings and where I was. The next flash of lightning cut through the darkness, illuminating the mountain. I groaned. My cave opening was quite a ways up. I’d have to crawl there in the rain on wet rocks. If I fell, I likely wouldn’t be able to use my wings to catch myself.

I got started, using my claws on my hands and feet to dig deep into the mountain side. Inch by inch, I slid to the left, making my way slowly, so slowly across the mountain. I was used to being stuck climbing the mountain, so I moved well enough. I just needed to go slowly and carefully due to the rain. I shivered in the cold night air. To keep my mind steady, I tried to think of her; my mate.

She was the first female I had seen of my species. I was sure of it. Or at least, the first I had seen since the darkness had entered my mind. I was puzzled by her lack of wings and scales, though. Perhaps she was injured in a way I couldn’t fix?

I knew my people had a name. I just wished I could remember what it was.

My hand slipped, and my balance wavered as I slammed my claws into a new hand hold. My body steadied, and I breathed out. That was too close.

I kept moving.

My first priority now was to conquer this darkness. It overrode my instincts and forced me into foolish choices like leaving my female. I hoped she wasn’t too frightened. I seemed talented at scaring her.

Shame welled in my breast. I hoped she would be content with me and not wish for another male to come claim her. I wouldn’t give her up. She was mine.Ihad found her and kept her safe.

I kept moving, inch by inch along the edges of the cliff, moving upwards when I could, and patiently continuing sideways when I couldn’t. My wings ached horribly, and the chill sank deep into my bones.

But I couldn’t stop.

My mother would admonish me if she knew I had put myself in such a position. She’d say—

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