The Dracones

Eventually laying down only made me feel more nauseous so I just sat up and kept my eyes closed. Trayvon would occasionally try to encourage me to open my eyes. All I did was just remain sitting straight up and try my best not to think of how high up I am.

All was going great until Alienis warned me that we are about to start our descent. He then chuckles and drops. I scream as I squeeze the horn tighter. My organs are trying to escape my body through my mouth. Butterflies and adrenaline mix through my system, creating an exhilarating rush. I can hear Trayvon laughing as a smile spreads over my face. Okay, that was fun.

I hear people as my body begins to jolt back. Alienis has straightened his body as he slows his descent. “Open your eyes little one.” He says to me as he pumps his wings.

Slowly I open them and look around. We’re inside a canyonland, hovering just above a plateau that is pressing against a canyon wall. We are currently about two feet in the air. People are surrounding us. They wear loose-fitting clothes and pants, even the females. Some females wear pants cut off at midthigh, males cut theirs off at the knees. I see a lot of sandals and I know why. It’s hot here. There are red rocks surrounding us in this canyonland. Even the sand is red. It matches the majority of their hair color. Yeah, I’m definitely in the South.

They all look at me as if I am a wolf in a snake pit. Their eyes give me warnings while their body language signals that I am the one who is the threat. Most of their skin is darker than mine. They vary from fair to pitch black. The sun is a more common occurrence than in the north, that’s for sure. Some of their skin is even red. Well, I hope my fair skin doesn’t get burned while I’m here. How long will that be?

The ground shakes as Gracial lands next to Alienis and me. A lot of people start swarming around Trayvon and Gracial. I hear a lot of questions, mostly about me.

“Yeah,” Trayvon chuckles after he hops off of Gracial’s back. He’s basking in their swarmed attention as he looks at me; admiring his catch. “She’s from the north, and yes she did not come willingly.”

“How did you get that bruise on your eye?” Someone asks as he moves through the crowd.

His jaw tightens as I smirk. “She gave it to me.” A couple of people laugh while the others just give me another once-over.

Trayvon grins up at me. “Are you going to fight me?”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t really see the point.” He laughs as I just notice I have an accent. Mine seems a little warmer to me than his harsh one. I’m going to stick out in this town like a hairless rabbit. Alienis lowers his wing to provide a ramp. Trayvon climbs it and unlocks the chains from the saddle. He holds my waist as Alienis helps lower us further, so Trayvon can escort me to the safety of solid ground.

Right when my feet are on the ground, I see someone in one of the buildings. That strikes me as odd since everyone is down here. Giving it a closer look, I see a man with an ocher robe holding a bow.

“Duck!” I yell as I fall to the ground. Right where my head had been, is Trayvon’s shoulder. That’s where the head of an arrow buries itself, while Trayvon gives me a look that questions my sanity. As realization crosses everyone’s face, panic ensues. The dragons roar and try to provide some form of a shield for Trayvon as he swears and pulls the arrow out.

“Come on!” He yells as he yanks on the chain, making me choke. I get to my feet and run with him as he moves through the scattering crowd. Another arrow misses my head by inches. This guy is a good shot.

He pulls me into a building that has been carved into the wall. He guides me through the hallway to a wooden door at the end. Trayvon pushes me in there. “Stay here,” He orders as he locks the door.

“But I can help!” I yell through the wood, but it’s too late. He’s already gone. I swear as I kick the door. I look around. The only light is provided by a single window. A bed rests in the far corner. As I scan the room I notice something in the dark corner. Boots.

“Oh, come on!” I cry as I reach into my belt and pull out a blue-tipped knife. There is a lot of dark laughter echoing in this room, with more than one voice. I ignore it and keep my eyes in the far corner. This is going to be difficult without much use from my hands.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Soon hands grab my throat. Since a collar is around my neck it prevents me from being choked. I spread my arms and elbow the guy’s stomach behind me as I turn into it. My arms end up hurting as they come in contact with hard muscles. He grunts as I make a second attempt and hit him in the solar plexus. I stomp my foot on his foot and spin out of his hold.

In mid-spin, the second man grabs my chain and throws me to the floor. Pain is in my neck and wrists as they rebel against the harsh attack. I get up as I roll, dodging a knife to my heart. I spin in mid-step, stabbing the knife into one man’s neck. Once out of the spin, I do a backflip. I grin as the guy watches his mate struggle for air on the ground.

Both of them are wearing ocher robes. On his neck rests a winged crest. A circle that connects in the center with dragon wings on the right and left side of the shape. I’ve never seen such a crest, but then again I am from a different country.

He glares at me and spits at the ground. “You drivascar. I can kill you with a clear conscious now.”

“Who the hell are you guys?” I demand as I feel like a complete idiot. I haven’t even been in this city for ten minutes and I’ve already made enemies. I didn’t think that was possible.

He chuckles. “You know very well who we are girly.”

“No, I don’t,” I snap, exasperation clear in my words; but he was already on the move. I step out of the way and loop my arms around his head; trapping him with my chains. I pull back hard and squeeze the chains tighter around his neck. His height lifts me off the ground, giving me no other option than to hold on for dear life.

He spins around and rams me into the wall. I tighten my hold as air is forced out of my lungs. I shake it off as he goes for a second attempt. I swing my legs back and push off against the wall. We both go sailing forward. When I stop moving my chest is on his head and his face is buried in the ground.

I pull back on his struggling neck and stand up. “Who the hell are you guys?” I demand as he starts clawing at my arms. He’s choking, his face is red. Right as his body faints the door opens. Trayvon is staring at me with his jaw ajar, and about two more people behind him.

I glare at him. “I’m getting really sick of people trying to kill me,” I say as I loosen my grip and let his unconscious body fall to the ground.

One of the aides races forward and touches the knifed man’s throat. “Still breathing.” He reports as he pushes his long auburn locks out of his face. “She missed his artery.”

I roll my eyes as he races to check the one I just strangled. “Still breathing.” He looks up at me with petrified green eyes before backing up.

I look at a still-stunned Trayvon. “How’s the arm?”

He looks at me, then the two men, then me. “How in the name of Locksbeard did you do this?”

“Locksbeard?” I ask as a braver aide comes and starts dragging the man at my feet out of the room.

“One of our-” He grimaces as he grabs his arm. “One of our-” His eyes roll into the back of his head as he falls forward. I dash forward and catch him, making the two aides jump.

“Trayvon?” I ask as I turn him over so I can see his face. It’s red. I touch it and am surprised to find it hot. I can’t see any other injuries, other than the bruise on his right eye, then his arrow wound. I lay him on the ground and rip his creamed blood-stained sleeve. Other than blood I find a clear viscous substance. I sniff it and wince. It smells like mint.

“Get a healer!” I yell at one of the aides. I snap at the paling one, claiming his attention. “Get over here and hold him up.” They don’t move. “Now!” I yell, making them both jump. They move into action, each doing the task I gave them.

“Hold him on his side,” I instruct, placing the aide’s hand on Trayvon’s back, the other on his side. I bend down and put my lips to his wound and begin to suck. When a sharp mint taste touches my tongue I spit it out and repeat the process a couple more times until I taste just the iron hint of blood. Finally, his face starts to fade to a baked pink. I sit up and wipe his blood from my mouth.

As soon as I sit up, the healer and a bunch of aides came into the room. The healer is blonde and skinny. She’s about five foot three and has a really high voice. “Michael says that Tray fainted. He said that he thinks it was poison.”

“Yes, ma’am it was,” The aide holding Trayvon up says quickly. “But the Northerner sucked it out.”

She looks at me with wide dark eyes. “What did it taste like?”

“Mint,” I answer immediately. “Clear and it had a thick viscosity.”

She nods and orders them to lift Trayvon to the bed. One of the aides grabs my chains; giving me a cautious look resembling one you’d give a poisonous snake. I move willingly with them when three of them provide knives. I’m not dumb enough to make an escape attempt with an entire city on alert. They take a lock and chain me to a ring attached to the wall. Kindly enough, they provide me with a chair, allowing me to comfortably sit and observe the healer and her work.

I watch the healer check Trayvon’s pulse and count his breaths. Several times she places a hand on his forehead. About five minutes later they bring in these black worms. She places them on his arms and now exposed chest. I grimace. What are those things?