The Dragon's Sign

Chapter 3

"In the world there is less wisdom because few have the courage to make the mistakes that would insure it." ~Anoria, Huntress of Verithiana~

The wind howled and hailed the two heavy-laden travelers mercilessly as they dragged along the mud-slick road; trying in vain to see through the white sheets of rain. Everything was hidden behind the bosom of the storm's rage, and it radiated the very air with it's static energy; wild and yet free.

Fairwin shivered and pulled her woolen cloak tighter, her body feeling as if the chilling breath of the wind had zapped what little warmth she had from her bones. She couldn't keep at this much longer. Keran may be immune to all because of his unfortunate parentage, but she was only a puny pathetic human.

"No, not puny. Witch blood has to account for something," she thought, looking across from her to see how Keran fared.

The downpour had slicked his hair back, exposing his pale, chiseled face. Some of it had plastered against dark eyebrows that were currently furrowed in worry. His full, sensual lips were quirked into a frown.

It took her a moment before she realized he had stopped; cocking his head back in the direction they had been fleeing from.

"Move, now!" he yelled, digging his heels into the slippery mud; half dragging her along in his haste.

"What are-" she stuttered, quickly shutting her mouth at the sound of the helicopter's whirling blades whining above them.

Adrenaline pumped her veins as her survival instincts kicked in. Keran turned into the brush and disappeared. Following suit, she ran; right into a thorn bush. Ignoring the pain in the haste to evade the agents that she knew were trying to track them down, Fairwin pulled through the thick vines and stumbled out onto a small deer trail.

She thought about strangling him for not warning her but decided against it. He probably hadn't even slowed down to recognize what he had gone through; his skin would have healed instantly.

"Keran!" she shouted, breathing heavily from the hard dash, her body covered in cuts and slashed. A hard body slammed into her, knocking her down just as a bullet whizzed by.

She kicked out at the stranger, but stopped struggling when she saw it was Keran. He grabbed her by the waist and held her close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. They both ducked as a gunman let loose a spray of bullets from the helicopter.

"Hold on and I'll get us out of here," Keran screamed into her ear, tightening his hold on her.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she tightened her arms into a death grip. She clung desperately to him, as he lifted them into the air; propelling them to the north just about the massive tree canopy.

The whirling noise faded as they flew further from danger and deeper into the wilderness. Miles went past them and blurs, and it seemed liked an eternity before Keran dropped back into the forest.

"Thanks," she mumbled, trying to keep her legs from buckling under her from the hard-driven flight.

"Well, I should apologize for not letting you keep apace with me," he replied, his green eyes reflecting his embarrassment.

Laughing, she shook her head. Of all the impossible things he was capable of, never had she seen him being embarrassed! Ha, even half-breeds couldn't keep themselves indifferent to their people!

"Well, I hope you have an idea on how to find our way back, because I sure as heck haven't a clue in where we are," Fairwin huffed, returning her attention to their unfortunate situation.

"As far as I can sense, we are exactly three miles from Frankfort. I hope we can recover the distance before the rain ends; otherwise, the trail from me breaking the air barrier will point them right in our direction," Keran said, his voice just a bit rough.