My instincts as a huntress become essential as the territory around us grows unfamiliar. Our trek is increasingly treacherous, with rocks and steep ledges we could stumble over. At one point we’re on our hands and knees crawling so long my skin is scraped up. Drazak stops to lick my wounds when the path opens back up.
Then I hear the wind.
It’s faint at first, no more than a whispering whistle. But with each step it grows louder, unmistakable. My heart pounds when the whistle grows increasingly sharp. Like it’s caught gusting through a small hole. Excitement causes my steps to quicken, my gaze searching for the source, but Drazak stops me.
“There’s an opening. There has to be,” I tell him when he doesn’t budge. “If there’s an opening, there may be a way out. Why have we stopped?”
“I smell the naga.”
I still at his words. It makes sense. I saw the boy slip into the tunnels, and so far, there’s been no other path but the blocked one. And I’m positive we haven’t missed any holes in the rocks or crevices where he could have hidden.
“He is up ahead,” Drazak murmurs, peering down the corridor. Following his gaze, I see the path breaks into a mass of stones that leads upward. It’s steep. The shrieking wind calms for a moment, and I hear the scuttle of falling stones. They keep falling until a single pebble rolls its way to our feet.
Drazak tenses beside me. And this time, whenhesteps forward, I stall him. “Don’t hurt him.”
His face turns to me with a sneer. “Why?”
“He’s just a boy. He’s harmless.”
Drazak’s nostrils flare. “You care about him? Another male?”
“A child. One who’s all alone and possibly stuck here like us.”
“Human, those snake beasts are no less monstrous than a dragon. They make fine food, but their jagged spearheads and poison are wicked at puncturing a wing, and in our case, exposed flesh. If he wanted to survive, he should have never made his home in a dragon’s den.”
“Drazak,” I warn. “We aren’t hurting him. You aren’t hurting him. Even if he attacks us, we’ll subdue him but bring him no harm.”
He scowls.
I scowl back. “We do not hurt children.”
Drazak growls and shakes off my hand. He grumps and scowls at me again. My eyes are narrowed, my lips flat, I’m not backing down.
“Fine,” he barks.
“You promise? It’s your turn to make me a promise,” I add.
More growls. “You use my weakness against me?”
“Yes.”
“I promise, human.” He stomps forward then sprints up the pile of rocks.
“Drazak!” I yell, rushing after him. By the time I catch up, he’s already on the stones, the naga boy underneath him.
A cacophony of shrieks echoes through the cave.
The boy’s tail swipes out, and I dodge to the left. With his next swing, it rises, pounding Drazak on the back. Screeches tear from the boy’s mouth while grunts come from Drazak’s.
“Stop!” I cry, unable to see what’s happening.
I don’t want either one of them to get hurt.
The boy’s tail swipes out again and the tip whips my arm. Pain rushes through me. Slapping my hand on the wound, blood rises under my palm. The naga’s noises grow more frantic and high-pitched.
“Waters! Stop!” I scream. My voice booms through the corridor. The wind picks up, howling again. I dodge the boy’s next attack and grab at both his and Drazak’s arms. Not even my male could convince me to allow this to continue. Thankfully, the naga’s flailing comes to a halt when his tail thumps on the rocks. A scattering of stones tumbles down the slope.
For a moment, they’re the only noise, but then the naga’s ragged panting starts.
