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  “I’m lost.”

  He laughed then although I wasn’t sure why.

  “No one gets lost in these woods. No one would dare to enter, and yet here you are with your sword and crossbow. You are armed and yet you chose to lie on the ground for us to find you and kill you.”

  I didn’t like his tone, although he had a point. In all my time of being a dragon slayer, I’d never felt or acted so helplessly. It was embarrassing. It was also making me angry. How dare he talk to me in such a manner?

  I pulled myself up to my full height. I was a tall woman and yet I still fell a few inches shorter than him.

  “I’m a dragon slayer. If you let me get my sword, I’ll prove it to you.”

  “Here,” he said, picking up the sword and throwing it to me. “No need to prove anything.” He was laughing again.

  Now with my sword in my hand, I knew I was invincible. He didn’t have his legion of buddies behind him now. It was just me and him, and I was the one with a weapon.

  I held the point of the sword to his throat and adopted my most menacing expression. “Don’t laugh at me or I’ll kill you where you stand.”

  He held his hands up but there was no fear in his eyes, just the same amusement he’d shown before. “Is that any way to treat a man who helped you up?”

  I lowered my sword slowly, although I kept a tight grip on the handle. One foul move from him and I’d chop him in two.

  “You should leave this forest. There is no space for you here.”

  “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.”

  I’d already planned to leave. I’d found no food and if I didn’t eat soon, I was going to be completely useless. I just didn’t want him to think he could tell me what to do.

  “You are a feisty young thing, aren’t you? Are you having fun in my forest? Find enough food?”

  I hesitated. He could tell I’d not eaten.

  “There is no food here. Not for you. Not unless you know where to look and I suspect you don’t. Your cheeks are hollow and you have circles under your eyes. I’d wager that you haven’t eaten in at least twenty-four hours. Well, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

  I calculated how deep in the forest I was. I’d walked for hours before I fell. I didn’t have the strength to walk back without sustenance. I needed water at the very least.

  “You know where I could get food.”

  He’d said there was food here if you knew where to look for it. My guess was that he knew exactly where to find food and water, and I wasn’t leaving until he showed me.

  He laughed again.

  “I’m so glad I’m a source of amusement to you.”

  “Turn around.”

  “Why?” I didn’t want to take my eyes off him. Despite the fact he hadn’t threatened me, I was wary.

  “Just turn around and look up. Just above your head.”

  I turned and looked. There was a bunch of funny-looking green fruit hanging just above me. I’d not seen them before. I plucked one from the tree and took a bite. The sweetest juice I’d ever tasted dribbled down my chin. I ate the whole fruit quickly and turned to pluck more. As I gazed upwards, I saw the fruit higher in the tree was bigger and more abundant. There was one particular piece that was huge compared to the others and I had to have it. I pulled my hunting knife from my belt and threw it at the stalk. It sliced the fruit clean off the tree, dropping it cleanly in my hand. The knife continued spinning until the handle hit the truck and it too fell. I caught it and placed it back in my belt before taking a bite out of the juicy fruit.

  “That was impressive,” said the wolf man. I’d almost forgotten he was still there since I was so absorbed in getting nutrients into my starving body.

  “I told you, I’m a dragon slayer. Killing a dragon is much harder than bringing a bit of fruit down. You should see what I can do with my sword!”

  “I thought you were joking. You don’t look like a dragon slayer.”

  “Because I’m a woman?”

  “Partly, yes.” He didn’t even seem bothered by his sexist attitude although I couldn’t blame him. Female dragon slayers were in short supply. “Partly because I can’t understand why someone with the skills you possess would end up starving and asleep in the undergrowth.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “You aren’t lost, are you? Are you here looking for us?”

  “No. I didn’t even know that wolf shifters existed. I mean, I’d heard stories but I didn’t believe them. I came in here looking for food, but as you pointed out, I didn’t do a good job finding it.”

  “So, you are lost?”

  “Does it mean I’m lost if I don’t know where I’m going?”

  “It does sound like a long story! Maybe you should come with me and tell me about it.”

  “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because there is a stream that runs through my village with the clearest water you’ve ever seen. Plus, your knife throwing skills are exceptional. Maybe I could help you.”

  I didn’t think I wanted his help and yet the thought of drinking from that stream was tempting.

  “The other wolfren will not harm you. I am their leader. My name is Alpha.”

  “Wolfren?” I’d never heard the term before.

  “It is the term we use for werewolves, or wolf shifters if you will. My people listen to me. You will not be harmed.”

  I had no reason to trust him and yet, I’d no reason not to trust him either. I followed him through the dark undergrowth for about half an hour until we came upon a clearing dotted with small huts. Some of the other wolfren looked astonished to see me but they said nothing as I walked through the village.

  Alpha led me to a stream and he wasn’t lying when he said it was crystal clear. I could see the fish swimming through the water and the pebbles that lined the bottom.

  I took great gulps of the water, feeling more refreshed with every gulp.

  “You were thirsty!” Alpha said behind me.

  “Why are you called Alpha?” I was being rude but I didn’t care. Alpha was a weird name. “I thought the alpha was just a generic term for a leader.

  “For a wolf leader, yes. We take on the name as if it is our own once we become the alpha.”

  “So, what was your name before?”

  “You ask many questions and yet you have not told me how you came to be here.”

  “It’s none of your business,” I answered sharply, feeling a pang of pain in my heart. Xander would know I’ve left Drionas by now.

  Alpha’s eyes crinkled up at the edges as he began to laugh again. It seemed I was an endless source of amusement to him.

  I was just about to say something else when the sky darkened. I looked up to see the underside of a dragon fly overhead. The villagers all ran for cover as the dragon rained fire down on the clearing. One of the small houses began to burn.

  Without thinking, I leapt up and chased the dragon. It was something I’d done a thousand times. I knew how they thought and how they worked. Running through the trees was hard, but with the water and fruit, I had renewed energy. The dragon circled back and I knew he was going to make another pass at the village.

  I turned back to follow him, keeping his pace.

  Once we were out in the open, I’d be able to get a clear shot at him.

  As we both came into the clearing, I pulled out my sword, waiting for the dragon to fly lower. He was not here to play games; he was here for food, and to get food, he would have to fly lower. In the center of the clearing, I stood and waved my hands. Let him think I was on the dinner menu. If he came to me, it would make it easier.

  He swooped, his jaws open to carry me off, and just as he was about to take me into his mouth, I jumped and plunged my sword into his eye. The dragon let out an almighty screech and flew onward, leaving a trail of blood and taking my sword with him, still in his eye socket.

  Alpha ran toward me.

  “You are amazing. You stopped the dragon from taking any mor
e of our people.”

  I was not amazing. I let him get away with my sword.

  “I need to go find him. He has my sword.”

  “You need to rest. You’ve only had a little fruit and you look exhausted.”

  “I need my sword!” I replied forcefully.

  “I’ll do you a deal. Rest here for the night, and tomorrow I’ll show you where the dragons live.”

  It was a good offer.

  A campfire was set up and the other wolfren gathered around. Someone had skinned an animal and was now roasting it on the fire. I couldn’t identify it although it looked like a small deer of some kind.

  “I thought there were no animals in this forest?” I said, breathing in the delicious aroma of the barbecued meat.

  “There are not a lot left. The dragons have eaten almost everything. My people will have to move on unless we can eradicate them. We have been at war with them for decades and it looks like they will win. Although with no food, they will probably have to move on, too.”

  “It sounds familiar. My own people are slayers. We have also spent many years at war with the dragons. That is how I know how to fight them. That one you saw was the first I failed to kill.”

  “You are very tired, do not berate yourself. Without you, we would surely have lost another of our pack. We have lost many already.”

  “You need to learn how to use a sword,” I replied. Someone passed me a chunk of the cooked meat and I tore a piece off with my teeth. It tasted as delicious as it smelled.

  “Perhaps we do. We rely on our strength and brutality but in truth, that does not get us far.

  “I can teach you how to kill dragons. I’ve been doing it all my life. You saw what I can do. If I’d eaten this meal first and been rested enough, that dragon would be dead at our feet right now.”

  I don’t know what made me say it. Here I was, asking a perfect stranger to give me a place to stay, and yet I felt safe with him. He was in the same position as I. The dragons had tormented his village as much as they had done in Drionas, except here, they were wolves and not slayers. As much as I hated to admit it, even to myself, I needed to be here. It was already beginning to feel like somewhere I could call home.

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  I could see he was mulling my proposition over. I could tell that they didn’t let strangers into their pack lightly. Alpha had been kind and patient with me, as had the other wolfren, and yet I could see mistrust in their eyes. Every single one of them was a wolf shifter. Not quite human and yet not fully lupine, either. I waited for Alpha to answer. He stood and conferred with a couple of other wolves. It didn’t take long for him to come back with an answer.

  “You can stay in exchange for helping rid us of the scourge of dragons. As long as you are teaching us, you will be allowed free reign in our village.”

  “Done,” I replied, holding my hand out for him to shake. “I’ll go and retrieve my sword tomorrow, then we shall begin.”

  He shook my hand and nodded his head slowly. I had a feeling that this was going to be a decision that would affect my whole future.

  Chapter Three

  Early the next morning, I left the den before the others awoke. Alpha already knew I was planning to retrieve my sword; I’d told him the night before so there was no need to wake him. He knew I’d be back. He’d told me that he wanted to come with me in some misguided thought that I couldn’t look after myself when it came to dragons. Ha!

  I wanted to be alone. Even without my sword, I still had my knife and the new crossbow. It would be enough.

  I knew the dragons lived in the mountains. I’d spent enough time around them to know the types of places they liked to live. Finding them wouldn’t be a problem. I could see the peaks of the mountains above the tree line and I estimated that it would take me a couple of hours trekking through the forest to get to their base. How long it took me to find them after that would depend on how high up they made their nests.

  The path to the mountains was relatively clear and the journey took less time than I had anticipated. Luckily, there was also a pretty clear and easy route up the mountain, so I wouldn’t have to climb the whole way. The path was rocky but the incline wasn’t so severe that it strained me. With the early morning sun, it would be a pleasant walk.

  It wasn’t long before I was above the tree line and could fully appreciate just how huge the forest was. It stretched for miles and, even though I couldn’t see the Wolfren camp, I could gauge where it was from the distance and direction I’d walked. I’d thought it was somewhere near the center, but seeing the vastness of the forest, I could tell it was really only on the edge. The forest would take days to walk through from one side to the other. I wondered what other creatures lived among its leaves and branches.

  Even though I’d never been here before, I recognized the terrain. The grey rocks were identical to those in the Triad Mountains and if that wasn’t enough to convince me of dragons living nearby, the unmistakable smell of sulfur would do it. It permeated the air. Not too strongly, but enough to convince me I was on the right path. It would only get stronger the higher I climbed. The path became much rougher and after an hour or so of hiking, I found that I had to climb more and more. I was almost grateful I didn’t have my sword with me as its weight would only be a burden.

  The heat of the sun began to burn and sweat dripped from me. In my haste, I’d forgotten to bring water with me.

  “Idiot!” I said to myself. Of all the things that could kill me in a place like this, dehydration was number one. Dragons I could cope with, but lack of water was not something I could fight with a knife. I needed to find water and soon. One thing I knew about mountains was that there was always water there if you knew where to look for it. Hidden lakes, streams, waterfalls. The Triads had them all. Even a puddle would be enough to sustain me for a little while. I’d never really mastered the art of water divination. I knew others could find water just using a couple of sticks, but I’d never taken the time to figure out how. I’d have to rely on my other senses. I stopped still and listened for the sound of running water. It was eerily quiet, just like the forest. What was with this place? Surely a forest this size and mountains as large as they were couldn’t only have two species inhabiting them. Even if there were only dragons up here, they would still need to drink. Nothing could survive without water.

  I climbed more, listening for the sound of a brook babbling or even better, a river raging, but I wasn’t in luck. Wherever the source of the water the dragons drank from was, it was much higher than here.

  I carried on regardless, despite my mouth getting dryer, my tongue beginning to feel rough, and the headache that was creeping around the edges of my brain. I knew I should turn back, but that would have meant defeat and defeat was not something I would ever admit to. After another hour of climbing, when the forest was way below me, I finally heard the sound I’d been listening out for. The faint strains of a stream winding its way down the mountain reached my ears. I ran toward it as fast as I could, keeping my senses open for the dragons. I was yet to see one, but the smell of sulphur had intensified and the scorch marks on some of the rocks told me that I needed to keep my wits about me.

  As I rounded a corner, I saw it. A stream full of clear water. It was probably the very same stream that ran through the wolfren village. I fell to my knees as I put my whole face in, drinking up the cool, lifesaving liquid. I gulped it down, desperate to hydrate myself, and when I’d had my fill, I splashed it all over my face and arms to wash of the salty sweat. When I was sure I’d cooled down enough and taken enough of the water to keep me going for a while, I stood, wishing I had some kind of container so I could carry it with me. It was then that I recognized I was not alone. I became aware of a presence watching me from further up the stream. Normally I would have noticed straight away but the dehydration had made my brain foggy.

  I looked up to find a small dragon, much smaller than any I’d seen before. It must have been a baby o
r at least a young one. Even from the distance between us, I could see that it would only come up to my waist, even if it stood up to its full height. I walked toward it cautiously. It may have been young, but it could still breathe fire. If anything, it could be more dangerous than an adult. Adult dragons could control their fire. Younger ones couldn’t. I took a cautious path toward it. I didn’t want to scare it but at the same time I didn’t want to be barbecued. If I scared it off, I’d only have to chase it to kill it, which would take up way more energy that I wanted to waste. If I could move slowly enough that it didn’t move, I could get it in one swipe of my blade. It would be a good souvenir for Alpha. It might even have enough meat on its bones to provide a pre-dinner snack for the wolfren.

  “There now,” I said as sweetly as I could. I didn’t have a maternal bone in my body and was useless with kids, but I thought if I kept my voice gentle, it might be enough to keep the dragon calm. It worked until I got about twenty feet away from him. My closeness had gotten to be a little too much and he scrambled on the rocks behind him to escape. Why didn’t he just fly? He was young, but he was certainly old enough to use his wings. As I caught up with him, I could see why. His wing was bent at a funny angle. He was frantically trying to get away from me, but his wing dragged behind him, slowing his progress. I caught up to him quickly and reached out to grab him. Killing him would be a walk in the park. I raised my knife, but before I brought it down into his flesh, something came over me and I paused. It didn’t feel right, killing this tiny creature. The dragons I’d killed were huge and ferocious. This one was helpless. I could feel him trembling beneath my fingers. He wasn’t even trying to escape my clutches now. He must have known it was useless. I was much too strong for him.

  He looked at me, fear evident in his eyes, and as I held onto his front arm, I knew I’d never be able to kill him.

  “You are probably going to die anyway,” I said, dropping my hold on him. “No dragon can survive with only one working wing.”