The unicorn stamped his hoof. “You wouldn’t have been able to paralyse it if it wasn’t for my help. You would be a mushed-up pile of muscle and bone by now. I win.”
Laughing, Sera lightly cuffed him. “Fine, fine, you win, you sensitive old horse.”
“Take that back.” The unicorn’s eyes turned black and his horn sparked with magic.
Throwing her hands in the air, she struggled to keep a straight face as she said, “Sorry! I’m sorry. You’re not a horse. You’re the most amazing, fantastic mythic I am honoured to call my friend and saviour.” As Balthazar relaxed and his magic quelled, she added in a quiet aside, “Who has a superiority complex.”
He swung his head toward her, ears back, glaring. “What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just ruminating on my supreme inferiority to you, oh great one.”
“Harumph.” He stomped away from her, tail swishing, his hooves striking the rocky ground a little harder than usual.
Sighing, Sera pulled her phone out and made a call. The MRO would want to pick up the scorpius before it regained control of its body and take it to the Iniques Rehabilitation Centre. And she’d have to write a situation report on the scuffle.
Chapter Four
Someone was watching her. Sera’s eyes shot open and she bolted upright. Morning sunlight streamed into the cavern, highlighting the bright green eyes that stared back at her. She had hoped for a moment upon waking that yesterday was a bad dream. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as the previous day’s events flooded her mind. The dragon had curled up in front of her cage and was watching her intently. Even lying down, his bulky form made her heart hammer in fright. She tried to take deep breaths as she scooted as far away from him as she could. Automatically she reached for her blade at her hip and swore quietly when she remembered she’d taken her belt off when she made camp. The dragon’s eyes glimmered in what appeared to be amusement, and he blew some smoke in her direction.
“Do not fear. I don’t intend to harm you.”
That was all very well for him to say, but all the old stories had dragons painted as devious and cunning, always ready with a lie. She couldn’t trust him. But that wasn’t her biggest concern right now. Her bladder was protesting loudly, drowning out the voice in her head screaming to run away. She wasn’t sure she was so desperate yet that she was willing to soil her new abode, especially in front of the dragon. Unsure how to explain her need for a bathroom break, and confident he wouldn’t grant her one anyway, she awkwardly stood up. Cocking his head, the dragon scrutinised her.
“I suppose you are in need of relief?” He rose and walked away.
Confused, she watched as he disappeared behind a large boulder at the back of the cave.
It appears there may be more to this giant hole than meets the eye.
The dragon returned quickly, clasping something small between two claws. He gently pushed some sort of shiny pot through an opening between the ribs towards her. Eyeing him warily she shuffled closer and saw it was a bedpan.
That was considerate of him. She quickly stamped that thought out. Everyone knew dragons weren’t thoughtful. He would demand something from her in return. She would have to be careful.
“Better than nothing.” She shrugged casually, trying not to show her fear. With the vain hope that it might lead to him letting her go, she added, “Thank you.” It couldn’t hurt to be polite and appeal to his kinder side. If it exists.
“You are welcome. I will leave you in peace and return shortly.” With that, he retreated behind the rock at the back of the cave once again and left her alone with her full bladder.
A dragon. There is a very real dragon. There is a very real, very dangerous dragon that has taken me captive.
Her breath hitched as hysteria threatened to set in. Pushing against the panic, she closed her eyes and imagined she was home in her apartment with her flatmate, Hazel. She could almost smell the aroma of the coffee that Hazel roasted for them every morning without fail. They would then sit down on the couch in comfortable silence and watch the news on the TV together, before beginning their working day at the MRO; Sera as a Tracker, Hazel as an Alchemist. She was a pale, willowy girl, with dark brown hair and glasses and had been in the same year as Sera at MINATH. She was one of the few people who hadn’t shied away from befriending her. The other eighteen apprentices had always given her sideways glances and whispered behind her back.
They always treated me as an outsider. I don’t understand why… I would have been happy to share the lessons my father taught me. Their attitudes had transformed when Tyler chose her as his Tracker. Her lip automatically lifted in a sneer as she contemplated her Hunter. A bully at heart, he enjoyed using his natural charm to persuade people to follow his lead.
At least she’d had Hazel. The four years of training would have been utter hell without her one friend.
If only Hazel was here now.
Always logical, Hazel would have had plenty of theories as to what Sera should do to escape. If she couldn’t figure it out, she would research until she had a plan. Sera could only hope that her flatmate would report her missing soon, but she’d probably be eaten by the damned dragon before a search party would be sent out. She couldn’t rely on a rescue team to save her.
I have to figure out a way to save myself.
Channelling her inner Hazel, Sera methodically pushed against each of the ribs that made up her prison, hoping to find a weak link so she could flee while the dragon was gone. Admittedly, she didn’t know how to get out of the cave yet, but she intended to tackle her escape plan one step at a time. If she focused on the big picture too much she would become overwhelmed. Fear would take over reason, destroying any chance of making it out alive. There didn’t seem to be any movement in the bony structures so she couldn’t break out that way. They were too close together for her to be able to slip between them. The stalagmites that bookended the ribcage were smooth; there was no way to climb them. The gap above her head where the sternum once lay was more than twice her height, she couldn’t reach it even if she jumped. There wasn’t a thing in her prison that she could use as a tool to break out – no rocks, no rope, nothing.
She thought of her father, of Hazel, of Balthazar. They wouldn’t have even noticed she was missing yet. It was typical for her to go off the radar for a few days when she went on a solo camping trip. They wouldn’t be expecting her home for another two nights. She was good at her job, and loved tracking, even with the risk that came with it. To think she had fallen into danger on what was meant to be a harmless way to earn some extra cash.
Her adrenaline spiked and the panic she’d been holding at bay crashed over her like a wave. Screaming, she charged at the bones with the vague hope the impact of her body hitting them would crack one.
I have to get out of here. I can’t just sit down and wait to die. I have to do SOMETHING!
She ran again and again into the bars that imprisoned her. She eventually had to stop, her body protesting loudly. A sheen of sweat covered her, with bruises peppering her biceps and collarbones. She sat down with a huff, defeated. The adrenaline that had been coursing through her veins dissipated with the departure of the dragon, and now she was just exhausted. She hadn’t been asleep for long in her bedroll before he appeared and she had already been tired from her hike that day. If only she had her backpack, she would have her phone to call for help and tools to escape.
“If wishes were fishes…” she muttered aloud and yawned. The fog that now clouded her brain wasn’t going anywhere without some sleep, so Sera decided to rest while she could and make a plan later with a clear mind. Lying on the uneven floor she did her best to get comfortable. The constant burble of the stream that wound through the cave offered a soothing ambience. Closing her eyes, she slowed her breathing and let her body relax. Exhaustion quickly won out and she fell into the black oblivion of sleep.
Chapter Five
The afternoon sun’s rays that seeped through the fissure
s in the cave’s ceiling reflected off the stream, creating dancing patterns on the walls. The daylight revealed more of the cave’s details to her, but not enough to offer any hope of an easy escape. She unconsciously reached for her knife at her waist, only to remember it was still with her backpack at the campsite. She often found it easier to focus her mind when she ran her fingers along the staghorn handle. Without Firinne in its sheath, it felt like she was missing a part of herself. She sighed.
The only unknowns are that giant boulder the dragon disappeared behind and the entry hole of the stream. If I can only get out of this ribcage I can check them out.
Interrupting her planning, the dragon reappeared, the beautiful patterns from the stream shimmering over his body, enhancing the majesty of his imposing figure. He gracefully lay down, making sure to keep a respectful distance from her. Obviously, her ploy to hide her fear wasn’t working. If she could keep him talking that should ensure her survival long enough to plan her getaway.
“You asked me how our relationship was going earlier. I think you’ve been rather rude. You haven’t even told me your name.”
She figured she’d leave out the fact that he’d taken her prisoner. The word “rude” doesn’t really cover kidnapping. Her snide thought made her lips curve up in a brief smile despite herself.
“Ha!” His laugh was deep and sonorous, and it made her feel safe, for a moment. “Fair point. They call me Arius. Son of Talegar and Valenta.” He lowered his head in a slight bow, but a small smile pulled the edge of his mouth up, betraying his amusement at her remonstration. “Please accept my sincere apologies for my lack of manners. I should have introduced myself earlier. Please, tell me about yourself.”
“I’m Seraphina Azura. As I told you earlier, I’m a Tracker for the MRO. I live in an apartment in Mandar City. My father, Allen, is also a Tracker.”
“And your mother?”
She winced as she said the next sentence. “My mother, Elisabeth, died when I was young.” Tears pricked the back of her eyes and she pinched the bridge of her nose to force them back.
Why, in the name of the Four Gods, am I crying? I haven’t cried for my mother in years. I’m sure as hell not going to start again now. Especially in front of a dragon. She pushed away her sudden gloominess and put it down to the stress of the last twenty-four hours.
Arius snorted softly and lowered his eyes. “I am sorry.” He paused, seeming unsure of what to say. “You must be famished. I shall fetch you some food and water.”
As he strode to the back of the cave once more, she couldn’t help but reflect on her early years. Her mother had died when she was one, so even as a little girl she sometimes travelled with her father on his less dangerous tracking missions for the MRO. They had no other family in the city, and only an old family friend, Del, could babysit her. This forced her to learn the Tracking trade young, which put her ahead of her peers during her apprenticeship at MINATH. Unfortunately, that put a target on her back, making it difficult to gain friends. This made her graduation a dreaded event.
Upon completion of their apprenticeship, the MINATH students received a ranking from highest to lowest in their respective programmes. The top-scoring Hunter had the first choice of which Tracker they wished to partner with. Sera hadn’t expected to be anyone’s first choice. She had assumed she would be chosen last by the lowest graded Hunter. As had everyone else. It was a shock to all the Apprentices when she was chosen by Tyler Grayson, the top-performing Hunter of their year and the most popular and influential boy at MINATH. At first, she’d thought it must be a mistake, a joke. But he was deadly serious.
With her twenty-second birthday approaching, she had been a fully-fledged Tracker for a year now and hadn’t enjoyed her pairing with Tyler so far. Her father was always telling her about duty, and what an honour it was to be chosen first. But he didn’t know what Tyler was really like. None of them did.
Arius brought her a jug of water from the stream along with a glass. She inspected it quizzically.
What need does a dragon have for a glass?
“I hope you don’t mind, but I fetched the doe you killed yesterday from your campsite,” he said as he pushed the freshly cooked hunk of meat towards her. “I thought it would be a waste of a life if we let her body spoil without being used.”
Sera’s stomach rumbled and she frowned. “That’s fine… but if you found the doe, did you happen to find my backpack?” She crossed her fingers. If he had her backpack she could try to sneak her phone out and call for help.
Arius paused before answering, his steady gaze unnerving her. “No, I didn’t.”
Disappointment twisted in her gut. There would be no rescue mission by the MRO if they didn’t know where to find her.
“What about you?” she asked, dropping her eyes and trying to deflect his piercing look. “I’ve told you my life story, but you’ve barely told me anything about yourself.”
“Not much to tell, really.” He turned away and said, “I hunt, I sleep, I suffer the arrogance of my brother, I abide by my father’s law when I must, I enjoy my sister’s companionship on the rare occasion we meet without my father’s presence, and I avoid your lot.” A half-smile quirked the corner of his mouth up, baring his fangs.
Despite his genial tone, she shuddered as she appraised the lethal points. Everything about him exuded a wild strength that frightened her; his body was that of a warrior. His weapons were in the shape of the four horns that swept back from his skull, useful for hooking under an opponent’s jaw and piercing their neck. His talons could crush and slice apart any enemy, and those fangs could tear a foe to shreds in seconds. Even his wings had sharp hooks at the joints for slashing into prey. That wasn’t even taking into consideration the fact that he could breathe fire. His armour took the form of the lines of spines that flowed from his neck to the tip of his tail, to the hard plates that protected his throat and underbelly. The muscles that rippled underneath the scales that covered his hide cemented the sense of invincibility he wore like a cloak. She tore her gaze away from his body, fear settling into her bones.
There’s no way I’m getting out of here alive.
After she had eaten the meat he cooked for her, she stared out of the cave entrance into the empty sky. The sun was setting behind the mountain she was holed up in, the rays splitting into fractured beams of light, smearing the clouds with splashes of colour. Misery clouded her thoughts, hiding the beauty before her, hopelessness sucking away her drive to continue looking for an escape. Depression stole into her mind. Although her mind screamed to keep fighting for freedom, she couldn’t find the motivation to pursue it. Throat thick with unshed tears, she lay down, her back to the dragon, closed her eyes and prayed for the sweet release of sleep.
Chapter Six – Three Weeks Ago
A pair of titters flitted around her head before Sera flicked a hand up to shoo them away. The annoying birds darted away and landed on a digital noticeboard, whispered to one another, peeked back at her before snickering and taking off again. She sighed in good-natured annoyance, knowing there was nothing to be done about the little pests. Her gaze fell on the noticeboard as it flickered with an ad about an inner-city skyrise that had recently been built. The large display proclaimed that they had apartments suitable for humans and mythics alike. It showed photos of a room with a tree trunk in the centre, nests for beds, and open windows that allowed flighted creatures to enter from the air. Another room was for water-based creatures, another for those that preferred the drier climates, along with standard apartments for humans. Sera sighed. It seemed such a shame not to spend their resources on fixing up the old buildings that had been left to fall into decay following the war.
The ad faded and was replaced by the country’s Coat of Arms, a large navy “M” surrounded by a triangular pattern fanning behind it like a sunrise with the words “Veritas Vetutis” below. An image of President Kaesus appeared over the top of the Coat of Arms. He had come into power sixty years ago, shortly a
fter the Mythic War, but he didn’t look a day over fifty. Dark hair framed his face, with silver strands just showing at his temples. A dark blue suit complemented his intense blue eyes, but no matter how much other women admired his good looks, Sera always felt perturbed when she saw his face. A new regulation appeared beside his picture, reading:
“Regulation # 453: Henceforth, all individuals and community groups proposing public rallies must have completed and submitted Form 713A to the Department of Community Services (DOCS) thirty days prior to the event. The organising committee will not hold any event without receiving formal approval from DOCS. Any committee member or community group not adhering to the above requirement will be subject to incarceration in Iniques Rehabilitation Centre.”
Sera’s eyebrows raised. That seems a bit excessive. I wonder if this has come about after Tormund’s rally?
One of her teachers from MINATH, and the only hippogryph on the staff, was always spouting the latest conspiracy theory to his students. Quick to anger but easily distracted, she had always considered him a harmless old mythic. A few weeks ago, he had hosted a small gathering at a park where he claimed that dragons still existed, and the President was hiding the truth from the people of Mandar. Rereading the last sentence of the statement, she shuddered. The Iniques Rehabilitation Centre looked like a high-security prison from the outside, but the Negotiators provided therapy and mediation to the inmates who had committed misdemeanours. Those that had been tried and found guilty of felonies were executed. Cocking her head, she thought about Tormund. She realised she hadn’t seen him on his usual flight to work for the last week.
Surely, they wouldn’t have detained him at the IRC? This regulation wasn’t in effect when he got up on his soapbox.
She shook her head, banishing the thought. He was bound to have gone away on one of his frequent expeditions into the wilderness to search for lost relics.
A Dragon's Mind: A New Adult Fantasy Dragon Series (The MINATH Chronicles Book 1) Page 3