The figure moved again, and Gwenyth weighed one of her rocks in her hand. Her chances of helping Leo increased if Nan remained in her human form. Gwenyth waited until Nan scurried closer before she fired her next rock. She struck the dragon’s shoulder and took great satisfaction in Nan’s surprised roar of pain.
Gwenyth scooped up two more rocks and darted to a new position. In her black tunic, she blended with the darkness while Nan’s naked body glowed in the moonlight, making her easy to spot.
“Stop playing silly games,” Nan shouted. “You can’t escape me.”
Maybe not, but she could fire at least two or three more rocks and make Nan hurt. Gwenyth wasn’t stupid enough to return Nan’s shout.
Instead, she watched the dragon shifter and took pleasure in Nan’s frustrated curses. The woman had a nasty mouth on her. Gwenyth took up her next position against a wide tree trunk and waited for Nan to show herself again.
She still had Leo’s dagger in her right boot, but she didn’t intend to venture close to Nan since she’d witnessed Leo’s speedy changes. If Nan caught her, she’d shift and spurt fire. Gwenyth would be toast before she…
Ah!
There she was—the cocky dragon.
Gwenyth waited for a clear shot.Now!She flung her rock. It struck Nan on the shoulder, and the woman bellowed in pain.
“The instant I get my hands on you, I’m gonna rip off your arms,” Nan snarled. “You think you’re clever, but you’re a useless human. Don’t forget that. Mongrel humans don’t have the pedigree to marry dragons. You can’t fly, can’t breathe fire or protect yourself.”
Gwenyth listened to Nan’s ranting but didn’t react. Leo didn’t agree. He appreciated her enough to marry her in a human ceremony. Gwenyth didn’t know how the dragon marriage ceremony differed, but their marriage was real. Leo hadn’t lied about that.
“Where are you?” Nan demanded. “Show yourself.”
Gwenyth bit back a snort. Did she look stupid?
The battle sounds continued overhead. Gwenyth edged to a clearing so she could see what was happening while still keeping an eye out for Nan. The dragon made it easy for Gwenyth to keep tabs on her with her taunts and threats. Gwenyth stilled, a rock curled in her hand.
“I’ve had enough of this,” Nan declared. “If I have to burn the entire forest, I don’t care. I’ll smoke you out and hunt you down. Leo will marry me, and that is final.”
Gwenyth curled her lips in disdain.Over my dead body.
Nan stalked into the open, and Gwenyth pelted her with two rocks. Nan roared and rushed Gwenyth’s position. Gwenyth kept firing rocks, some striking and others missing.
“Try running,” Nan said. “You won’t escape. I have your position now.”
Gwenyth gritted her teeth, her mind sorting possibilities. Leo was busy, and she needed to save herself. She ducked to pick up more stones. Apart from the dagger, they were her best weapon. Nan couldn’t shift back to her dragon if Gwenyth stayed beneath the trees. That gave Gwenyth an advantage. From what she’d already noted, Nan’s temper and her arrogance made her stupid. The dragon woman didn’t believe she’d lose.
Gwenyth would emerge the victor or die trying.
Leo counted on her.
“You’re hiding again,” Nan snapped. “Come into the open where we can fight to the death.”
Huh! And give up her one advantage? Not likely.
Gwenyth froze, scarcely breathing. Wait.Wait.Nan darted between the trees. Gwenyth aimed, fired. The rock flew in a straight line.
Bam!
Nan howled, and before the dragon woman recovered, Gwenyth flung another stone. This one clipped Nan on the head. Gwenyth didn’t wait to witness Nan’s reaction, but judging by Nan’s aggrieved roar, she figured she’d done some damage.
“You’re a coward,” Nan shouted, the end of her sentence rising to a shriek. “Stop hiding and show yourself.”
Why, when she was having so much fun? Gwenyth slinked through the forest, placing her feet with care to avoid standing on a stick and signaling her position. She gathered suitable stones as she slipped past trees and crawled through undergrowth. She peeked around a rough-barked trunk and discovered Nan a few feet away. The woman stood with her hands on her hips, swiveling as she sniffed the air.
Gwenyth ducked out of sight, convinced Nan would discover her.
Her heart thudded, panic icing her veins as she waited for Nan to pounce.
