Soul of Furies (Book Three)

Chapter 20: Alrek

By the time I see Eret walking towards our hiding spot, it must be early evening. I keep holding on to the idea that maybe, just maybe, it was in fact four days until Thor's day and not three. That'd be nice. It would mean I have until tomorrow at sunset until sunset today.

I poke my head out from the hut as Eret looks up, waving at us. I glance around, noting Nightstar as she snorts and glances around warily. She eyes me, arching an invisible eyebrow as her ear plates flatten.

"I'll go down first," I say to the others, climbing onto Nightstar's saddle. "Stay here."

"And if something happens? Then what?" Tuffnut demands.

"You fly away and don't look back," I utter.

I click my tongue, spurring Nightstar out into the darkened evening sky. She lowers herself gradually, beating her wings every now and then to keep the momentum at bay before touching down. I slide off Nightstar's back and give her a subtle motion to remain in place as I start towards Eret.

"Hey," he greets.

"Hello," I utter, keeping my voice smooth and collected.

He shifts in place, still casting shifting glances at his surroundings. He gulps. "Uh...look, I'm not sure whether you had a plan or not, but...erm..."

He wipes his forehead, clearing his throat. I arch an eyebrow at his fidgety ways. Even when he was a dragon trapper, I only ever saw him on edge when Drago staring him in the face and seething. His dark eyes look behind me for a brief second, then over his own shoulder.

"I have a few ideas, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about," I say. He doesn't respond, making me snap my fingers. "Eret."

He meets my eyes. The emotion in them startles me. They're wrought with pain, anger, and above all that, gut-wrenching fear. He drags his tongue over his cracked lips, moistening them just a tiny bit.

"I'm sorry," he says, his tone low and flat.

Before I can question what he's sorry about, a blunt object cracks against the back of my head and I collapse, my vision spiralling. I hit the ground face first, tasting the ashy dirt as my head throbs from impact.

"Thora!" Nightstar's roar sounds in my ears.

I can't make myself answer, my eyelids growing far too heavy to keep open. I blink slowly, my ears ringing as I watch the fuzzy outlines of Eret's boots approach. As I slip away into unconsciousness, I feel rough hands grip my arms and hear the flurried wingbeats of dragons as my friends flee for safety.

----------

When I come to, the first thing I hear are muffled voices. I keep my eyes shut, feeling as if there's a second heartbeat in my brain that's making it throb against my skull. Ever so slowly, I peel my eyes open, only to flinch and shield them again from the glaring torchlight.

"She's awake, my lord," Eret's voice says from above me.

I don't hear the next command, but I do feel the sudden jolting of a strong pair of arms dragging me forwards. With one more shove, I sink to my knees, head hung and hair loose around my face. I clench my hands a few times, becoming faintly aware of the chains surrounding my wrists and ankles.