Daughter of Redmoon

Ch10: EMOTIONAL DAMAGE

The earth begins to tremble as Draxxus tries to free himself from White River's dungeon.

"What is he doing?" Anna shouts over the rumble of the earth moving all around us.

"Probably trying to dig his way out in dragon form!" Xia shouts back.

"Why doesn't he just turn into a human and walk out?" Jude calls out.

"I don't know!" Xia screams. "Maybe he collapsed the roof when he turned into a dragon down there and now he's stuck?"

"Stuck and wounded!" I offer as the sewer walls begin to crack. "I saw Alexander skewer his leg with Draxxus's own sword!"

"Good!" Xia calls back. "That will buy us time. He won't dare return to the dragon realm and look for reinforcements when he's wounded."

"How long?" Anna yells.

The earth suddenly calms down and we all stop to catch our breath.

"A few days," Xia says through her gasping. "Maybe a week, tops – depending on the severity of the wound. We dragons heal quickly."

Anna's head jerks up and she locks eyes with Xia.

"Yes, you heard right," I say and put my hand out to signal Anna not to attack. "Xia is a black dragon as well – but, she not a threat to us."

"What..." Anna mutters and closes her hands into fists.

"Well, yes, I used to be a black dragon, you see," Xia offers with a sheepish look. "But, I don't have any powers or abilities any longer. I don't really know what I am now. For all intents and purposes, I'm basically human – same as all of you."

A glowing long sword appears in Anna's hand.

Jude's eyes open wide.

"Captain! Don't!"

Anna springs forward and slashes at Xia.

I manage to parry her blow at the last second.

"What is wrong with you!" I shout as Anna and I topple over together in the sewer. We splash around in the fowl excrement as the other's look on.

"My parents were killed by a black dragon!" Anna roars as tears begin to well-up in the sides of her eyes. "The only good black dragon is a dead black dragon!"

Her words hang in the air for a moment as we continue to struggle in silence.

David finally stretches his hand toward us.

"Captain," David says in a weak voice. "I understand what you're saying, but Xia has proven herself an ally. Please, stop this now. More violence only serves our enemies. Please."

Xia begins pulling me and Anna apart.

"That's enough. Claudia, let go of Anna chest plate. Anna, release Claudia's arm."

I give Xia a quizzical look as Anna and I untangle from each other.

"Stand up, Anna," my beloved companion says quietly. "Look me in the eye."

Anna's face looks flushed in the torchlight of the sewer as she presses her nose against Xia's.

"We don't need any more enemies," Xia says softly. "So if you need to kill me in order to help manage your anger, then you do what you need to do. But please, turn your anger away from the rest of these people after you're done with me. I can tell you are mighty. They need your strength, not your hatred."

Anna grabs Xia by the throat and forces her against the sewer wall. The longsword in her hand changes to a dagger.

I start to move, but my love's eyes tell me to stay my hand.