He stops inches from me, and I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “You could have at least put a shirt on.”
His jaw tightens, and I think he might be grinding his teeth. “I was woken out of a dead sleep by a roaring dragon. Clothes weren’t exactly the first thing I thought of.” His words are so low and harsh, I can practically feel the impact of each word.
“Huh. Guess that’s never happened to me.”
“What?” he barks at me.
“Going into a battle without getting dressed first.”
He blinks and then blinks again. That tiny muscle in his jaw jumps again. “If you go into battle without a shirt on, you will never hear the end of my wrath.” For some reason, his wordsmake me laugh, which I instantly regret.
“Oh,” I groan and put my hand on my damaged ribs. “I’m going to kill somebody for this pain.”
“There’s nobody left to kill.” His words are dark.
“Well then I’m going to bring them to life and kill them again,” I snap at him. Pain is coursing through me everywhere, and the only way I can deal with it is through anger.
“Let me know how that goes,” he says in response. I hear a low rumble and smell the scent of sulfur. “I’ve got to get Redara free before Noxlyn charrs this entire kingdom. Are you good for a moment?”
I scoff. “What am I going to do? Run away?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me. You've done stupider things.”
I try to glare at him, but it hurts my face too much. I blink and then blink again. “I would throat punch you if there weren’t two of you right now.”
He scowls and steps close, taking hold of my arm. I hiss in pain, and he instantly releases my arm. He says something under his breath, but I don’t hear it. I’m too busy trying to remember how to walk and breathe and at the same time. All of a sudden, two dark eyes are right in front of me. “Stay right here. I’ve got to get Redara free. For the love of all that’s holy, don’t move from this spot.”
Chapter 36
“You know what?” I start. Or at least I try. I'm pretty sure it comes out all wrong; which is fine because I can’t remember what I was going to say anyway. I hear Redara’s sound of pain, and my own pain is suddenly diminished.Redara?
I'm okay.But there’s that underlayer of pain again.
I walk towards her. It’s slower than I want, but I won’t leave her in pain.I’m here,I tell her.
“Do you ever follow instructions?” Rauk growls at me.
“Nope.” I try to pull on the metal rope, but don’t get anywhere. “What are we going to do?” I ask, real fear working its way through me. If we can’t get her free, what will happen to her? “I won’t leave her here,” I say around the fear racing through me.
There’s a hand at my arm. Later, I’ll remember how gentle it was; but not right now. Right now, I’m panicking because my dragon is trapped and in pain, and I don’t know how to free her. “I would never leave her here,” Rauk says in a calm voice. “Wewill get her free. But would you please sit down before you fall over?”
“No,” I pull out of his grasp. “I’ll help you free her.” I tug on the net again, but it doesn’t budge. Something slices my arm, and I yank it back in surprise. “What in the—” I look closer at the net, and horror flows through me. There are small, sharp spearheads embedded all in the net, and the weight of the net is drawing them under the scales and into her flesh, meaning there are literally hundreds of these piercing her right now. I yank at it. “We have to get it off her!” I cry in panic.
Noxlyn roars his rage, and the ground trembles beneath us. “Don’t make him any more angry,” Rauk says in a warning voice. He turns suddenly and goes still. “We have soldiers incoming.”
“What?” I turn around but don’t see anything.
“Noxlyn told me.” He spins towards me. I can read his intent before he says a single word.
I’m already shaking my head. “I’m not leaving.”
“Harper,” he grounds out.
“I’m not leaving Redara,” I tell him, gripping the knife in my hand tightly. He doesn’t miss the action. His eyes flick to my knife then back to my face. “Has anyone ever told you how stubborn and frustrating and—”
“You forgot powerful,” I tell him, using the words he said when we first met. His eyes darken, and I swear they would sear me if he could do that. He runs a hand over his chest and closes his eyes a moment. Then he rips a blade from one of his sheaths and puts it in my hand.
“Do not leave my side.” His dark gaze slams into mine. “Imean it, Harper. You wander away from me, I will personally put you down myself.”
