Starseeker

by S A McClure

  Emma nodded, and they both placed their hands beneath the boulder.

  “On the count of three,” Emma said.

  “One. Two. Three,” Iris said slowly.

  They lifted the rock and rolled it to the side. Iris immediately shifted her attention back to Liam’s crushed leg and began wrapping the worst of fractures with the linen.

  Liam couldn’t take the pain anymore and bit down on his own arm to stop himself from crying. He grew increasingly pale.

  “You’re going to be okay,” Iris cooed.

  She rubbed an herbal poultice into the wound and recited a short prayer to the Light for healing before finishing the wrapping.

  Liam shuddered a breath and passed out.

  “Help me get him out of here!” Iris shrieked as another rock dropped from the ceiling.

  Something rumbled from below. Iris shared another glance with Emma as they both placed one of Liam’s arms around their necks and lifted him up.

  They didn’t say anything as they fled the room. They moved slowly under Liam’s weight. He didn’t rouse as they drug him up the stairs.

  Iris’s legs trembled the higher they climbed. Although the air became cooler with each step they took, there was something about the way the mountain continued to shake that filled her with dread.

  A roar filled the cave.

  Emma yelped, startling Iris.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, but we shouldn’t wait to find out,” Emma replied as she crouched low and pulled Liam over her shoulder. She legs quivered as she stood.

  “Are you sure you can carry him?” Iris asked. She didn’t want to doubt her sister, but she also didn’t want Liam to fall down several flights of stairs.

  “I’ve got him,” Emma replied. “Keep going.”

  She nudged Iris with her free shoulder.

  Iris knew her sister was right. Whatever was down there was clearly infuriated that it had been disturbed. And now, they had no choice but to leave as quickly as possible.

  Flames streamed up the stairs. Iris slammed her hand down on Emma’s back, knocking all three of them to floor as a blast of fire blazed above them. Iris clutched Emma’s hand.

  “If we die here, I’m sorry I ever asked you to leave,” she whispered. “I love you.”

  “I should’ve stayed with you, even though I angry,” Emma responded.

  “I’m sorry,” they said at the same time and then laughed, despite the inferno right about their heads.

  The stream of fire ceased a moment later. They both sprang to their feet. Iris helped Emma load Liam onto her back. They raced upwards as quickly as they could. Iris was terrified another blast of fire would kill them before they reached the cavemouth.

  Before they reached safety.

  She glanced behind them and her heart skipped several beats.

  There, with its maw wide open and flames writhing past its teeth, was a dragon.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Emma

  Emma felt her energy draining the further she carried Liam up the flight of stairs leading to their safety. He was heavy and bulky, and she was already exhausted from her journey here. Her legs wobbled as she took another step and nearly fell.

  Iris’s scream ripped through her. She spun around in time to see a dragon snap its mouth shut and slither up the stairs. It was bigger than the golems had been. And its eyes were intelligent as it licked its mouth.

  “Run,” she whispered, nudging Iris in the back. “Don’t stop running.”

  “But—” Iris began.

  “No buts,” she replied firmly. She took another glance behind them.

  I am a huntress, she reminded herself.

  She met Iris’s eyes. “I can’t be worried about your safety,” she said. She slid Liam from her shoulders. “Take him with you, if you can. If he slows you down too much, leave him.”

  She turned her back on her sister as she faced the dragon. She wished she had something more than her daggers and the onyx blade to fight with. She couldn’t even use the bow since she’d run out of arrows.

  She squared her shoulders. If she died here, she refused to let it be in vain. At the very least, she could give her sister enough time to escape. If Iris survived, it would be worth it.

  Bending down, she picked up a rock, aimed, and launched it at the dragon’s head. It roared with what she took to be irritation as it swung its head towards her and snarled.

  “Hey, you!” she shouted. “I’m not afraid of you!”

  The dragon reared up, its body swelling as it filled the hollowness of the cave. More rocks fell from the ceiling, landing all around her. She dodged being crushed by one by mere inches as she slammed her back against the wall. She drew her daggers and waited for the dragon to come closer.

  While she still had the advantage of the higher ground, she leapt downwards and rammed the daggers into the dragon’s snout. It hissed, licks of flame scorching her as it shook its head. She managed to rip one of the daggers out, but the other one she lost as she tumbled to the ground in a heap.

  It took a step backwards and peered down at her. Its green eyes were full of sadness and confusion. Emma almost laughed at how absurd the situation was. Here she was, battling a fire-breathing dragon with no one to help her and all she could think about was how sad the dragon looked. Its black scales sparkled like rainbows as they caught the torchlight. If it hadn’t been trying to kill her, she might have thought it was beautiful.

  She rolled across the steps, landing in a crouching position, and darted up the stairs. The dragon snapped at her heels. She was surprised it didn’t engulf her in flames. Sure, it had released puffs of flame when she’d attacked it, but it hadn’t attempted to kill her directly.

  She lifted the onyx dagger. She could kill it. The dagger had the ability to rip away the beast’s life essence. Iris thought that meant that it destroyed souls in the name of Darkness. Maybe she was right, but there was a part of Emma who wanted to desperately believe that the dagger did more than just kill things.

  She wanted to believe that it set them free.

  The dragon’s gaze narrowed on the dagger. She flipped it in her hand, and it trailed it with its eyes.

  “Are you afraid of a little dagger?” she asked, tossing the onyx blade from one hand to the other.

  The dragon crept backwards by a step. Emma raised an eyebrow. This was unexpected. She pointed the dagger at it, and it retreated a few more steps.

  “How do you know to be afraid of this blade?” she mused. She approached it, still holding the dagger out before her. The dragon weaved its head from side to side, watching her warily.

  She sighed heavily. She didn’t want to kill the dragon if she didn’t have to, but she also didn’t want to leave it alive to come after her later. She’d read once that dragons enjoyed toying with their prey.

  She sighed. Huntresses killed. They ignored their prey’s fears. They worked alone.

  She inhaled deeply. If she was going to save Iris, this was what she needed to do.

  She charged forward, the dagger held in front of her. The dragon cried out, a note of fear laced with anger as it tried to retreat further down the stairs.

  She leapt at it again. It batted her with a massive paw. She attempted to prick it with the dagger, but missed. Her body was flung through the air. She slammed into a wall. The wind puffed from her chest as she sank to the ground. Glass shattered, sending particles of dust and shards across the room. She waited for a moment, her lungs refilling with hot, oppressive air. When she stood, more of the sparkling dust Eldridge had given her spilled from her pant pocket.

  It swirled around her. Dust particles glowed in an array of color as it floated before her face. She watched them dance on invisible waves as they twirled upwards and floated all around the dragon’s head. The dragon made a loud, booming noise that reminded Emma of a sneeze before curling its tail around its legs and hunkering away.

  Emma cocked her head at the
dragon. It didn’t seem to want to hurt her at all. If anything, it seemed like it just wanted her to leave. She laid the dagger on the ground between them and held up her hands, palms forward.

  She took a step towards it. It growled and hissed, but didn’t roast her, so that was a plus.

  Trusting her gut instinct, she sheathed her dagger.

  “See,” she whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you.” She held out one hand and placed it gently on the dragon’s snout. For a moment, its green eyes grew wide and it stilled. It was as if it expected her to harm it. She pressed a little more firmly and said, “It’s alright.”

  Eventually, the dragon leaned into her palm and closed its eyes.

  Emma released a breath of surprise.

  A smile curled the corners of her lips upwards.

  “You’re not trying to hurt us, are you?” she whispered. She leaned down and nuzzled the dragon. A low rumble filled the cave around them.

  She didn’t know dragons could purr.

  “I’m sorry I attacked you,” she whispered. “I don’t know if you can understand me or not, but I’m not going to hurt you again.” She pet the dragon’s snout and smiled. “I promise.”

  After a moment, she remembered that Iris was somewhere nearby, struggling with Liam’s limp body and terrified they were about to be eaten. She straightened, and with a sigh, continued her climb to the cavemouth.

  When she looked back, all she could see were the sparkling dust particles still lingering around the dragon’s head. She wondered if the dust had tamed the dragon. Eldridge had told her that it would help her seek the Light even the darkest of places. She hadn’t understood it then, but maybe he’d meant that even those who seemed as if they belonged to the Darkness could be redeemed. The thought left her feeling hopeful for the future.

  Sometimes violence wasn’t always the right answer. Sometimes, love and patience were. The smile on her face lingered even after she caught up with Iris and Liam. They linked hands as they supported Liam between them. Together, they climbed the stairs to their freedom.

  The end.

  The Valka Chronicles continue in Dreamwalker

  More Books by S.A. McClure

  The Valka Chronicles

  Spellbreaker

  Starseeker

  Dreamwalker (coming soon)

  Broken Prophecies Series

  Kilian: A Broken Prophecies Story

  Keepers of the Light

  Destroyers of the Light

  Harbinger of the Light

  Apprentice’s Wings

  Wings of Gold & Snow

  Wings of Shadow & Wrath (coming soon)

  Wings of Steel & Valor (coming soon)

  About the Author

  S.A. McClure is an avid lover of all things fantasy and science-fiction. A self-proclaimed nerd, S.A. enjoys attending comic cons, seeing new movies, and discussing books with friends. By day, she spends her time working with college students and by night she writes. When S.A. McClure isn’t traveling, she’s at home, wrangling her three trouble-making cats.

  Read More from S.A. McClure

  https://www.samcclure.com/

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