But none came near.
Later in the afternoon, Gwenna emerged with more rations, offering a piece of dried meat. “Any trouble?”
Cedric shook his head.
That was in their favor, at least. But on foot, it would take several more days to reach the capital. Maybe a week or more—Cedric wasn’t certain. He exhaled sharply, frustration burning in his gut. There was another way. A faster way.
Gwenna caught the shift in his posture, the way his wings tensed. “You’re thinking of something.”
Oh yes.
The sun was sinking fast, tinging the treetops in gilded light. Cedric had minutes left before the change took him, minutes in which he could cover more ground in the air than they could on foot in a day.
He made his decision. Turning, he gestured to his back with his snout.
Gwenna blinked. “What?”
He sighed, curling his tail impatiently. There isn’t time for this. Mindful of her fragile skin, Cedric reached forward, closing his claws gently around her waist before she could react.
“Hey!” Gwenna hissed, but her protest was cut short as he lifted her and deposited her onto his back. She barely had time to adjust before he bent down, snagged both of their packs in his foreclaws, and launched.
The ground fell away in a rush, trees blurring beneath them as his wings caught the air. The wind tore at Gwenna as she clung to the ridges along his back. “Cedric!” she whisper-shouted. “You’re going to be seen!”
No, he wasn’t.
This might not have been his usual hunting range, but Cedric had spent ten years perfecting the art of moving unseen. He scanned the horizon, searching for signs of danger—plumes of smoke that marked settlements, clearings where farmers might watch the sky.
Nothing.
Gwenna punched his shoulder—uselessly, given the thick layer of his scales. “You absolute reckless idiot.”
Cedric huffed out a laugh, the sound rumbling through his chest.
“It’s not funny!” she snapped, tightening her grip as he banked, adjusting his course. “You cannot just—oh, we are talking about this when you can properly form words!”
Already, Cedric felt the shift clawing at the edges of his being, the telltale warning that his body was about to turn traitor again. He swept low, scanning the landscape.
There.
A small meadow, tucked away from prying eyes. A herd of deer scattered as he descended, the soft thud of his landing shaking the ground.
Before his feet had even settled, Gwenna was already scrambling off his back. She whirled on him, finger jabbing toward his snout. “You have a lot of explaining to do!”
Cedric snorted in amusement.
She glared. “Oh, you think you’re so clever, don’t you?”
He grinned a dragon’s grin, then held up a claw, glancing toward the horizon. Soon.
Cedric quickly made his way to the far edge of the meadow, where a dense stand of trees offered a modicum of privacy. He braced himself against the rough bark of a tree, his breath coming short as the first ripple of magic tore through him.
Pain struck like lightning, blistering and merciless. Cedric clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to fight it, not to struggle against the inevitable. Breathe. Endure. Let it pass. His pulse pounded behind his eyes, and he dug trembling fingers into the earth.
“Gwenna?” His voice was raspy. “Could you bring me my clothes, please?”
Silence. Then, at last, her voice rang out, edged with unmistakable exasperation. “Oh, I don’t know. I think you owe me an explanation first, brother dear.”
Cedric let out a long, suffering sigh, pressing his forehead against his knee before running a hand through his damp hair. He was shivering, the night air nipping his bare skin. “Gwenna, please. It’s chilly out here.”
