Daughter of the Dragon

Chapter 13: The Cave (UPDATED)

Meika looked down at Tessa's broad back. The templar was lying face down on the forest floor where she'd fallen, her body half concealed by tall green ferns turned to sliver in the faint moonlight. Tessa wasn't moving, but whether she was dead or alive was impossible to say from where Meika stood. A simple life-detection spell, and she would know instantly. But no. Meika had promised Mother—no magic unless lives were at risk—and she had every intention of keeping her word.

"I think she's dead," Valant said. He bent down to check on the fallen warrior but stopped short of touching her.

"I didn't mean to kill her!" Darya replied, voice going up an octave near the end. The Alderman's daughter would freak out any minute now, probably break down crying.

For her own part, Meika felt oddly calm. Tessa was down, maybe dead, maybe dying, maybe unconscious. Hard to tell. It was for the best, really. As soon as the templar had appeared out of the gloom, Meika knew something was wrong. She hadn't known exactly what was off—or how to get rid of the big sword-swinging bitch—but she had been apprehensive. Darya's rock throw had solved the conundrum.

"Then you should not have thrown a big rock at her head," Meika offered. It was a little harsh but not undeserved. Killing someone was wrong, to begin with... and from behind, without warning... that was dark stuff. On the other hand, if Tessa was in league with whoever had attacked Stelmond, tried to murder her mother, and set fire to their home... then Meika was all for some head-bashing.

"It was the only rock I could find. She was lying. She was going to trick us, hurt us. I aimed for the shield. Oh, Valant, what have I done?" As predicted, Darya started sobbing, clinging to her big, dark friend.

Aiming for the shield, indeed. The rock had hit the shield Tessa carried across her back with enough force to shatter the rim and send the stone skipping into the templar's head. That had probably saved the woman's life.

The templar made a gurgling sound. So, not dead after all. "Stop whining, Darya. She's not dead. Just having a little rest. Exhausted from all the lying."

Darya's tears dried up real quick. "We should help her," she said. Just when Meika started thinking the farmgirl had some sense, Darya started talking nonsense again. Perhaps they were too different after all. Perhaps there was no hope of a friendship. Pity though. Meika could have used a friend now that she was on the run.

Meika turned her back to not-quite-dead Tessa. "I'm not helping her. I'm not even touching her. I'm leaving before she wakes up or her friends show up. Don't forget your bow," Meika nodded to where the priceless dragonbone bow lay forgotten on the ground. "It could come in handy if we can get some arrows."

Meika turned around and started back toward the mossy slab. She scooped up the bow—Darya obviously wasn't going to—and suppressed the urge to use a magical compulsion to get her companions to follow. Instead, she twirled and said with her most motherly, insistent voice: "You wanted to go to the cave, fine. But we're going now. Valant. Can you please get your girlfriend moving? If you have to carry her, carry her. Come on!"

Darya didn't need to be carried. All it took was Valant's big arm around her shoulders, and they were off, heading down the slope under Meika's watchful eye. It was steep and dark, and slippery in places, but they made it to the bottom without incident.

The road loomed in front of them. Meika halted in the elderberry bushes by the roadside, pushing strands of damp hair from her face. It was well past midnight, but the forest was still stifling. Meika couldn't think of a night in Stelmond that had ever been this hot. She looked around but saw nothing unusual, so she quickly moved across and took cover behind the half-exposed roots of an ancient oak tree. Darya and Valant followed close behind. The healer's daughter moved further into the woods without delay, not wanting to linger close to the road.