Dragon Witch ✔️

39 - Backup

The dragon growled, hissing out more silver fog at me. Turn around, changeling. Prove to me you're who you say you are. Forget the fairy. If you don't show me proof, I'll rip you limb from limb right now.

I had one chance. Once chance to convince this dragon that I was telling the truth. If I didn't, I was dead. I had an idea, something that might just work. But it would use all the magic I had left. If I failed, I wouldn't get a second chance. The dragon had said that only a pure silver changeling could fool him with glamour. I would show him glamour.

Every scrap of magic and willpower I had left, I wished into an impenetrable cocoon around me. I wished to be invisible, silent, and nonexistant to the touch. Exhaustion crashed over me, and I fell against the tree.

How? the dragon roared.

Claws dug deep into my back, then darted away. In a haze of pain, I dropped to my hands and knees. I crawled around to the other side of the tree. It was a cheap trick. The glamour ran out a second later, leaving only a tree between me and certain death.

Wait, wait- The dragon's roar died off to a low growl. This was only a misunderstanding. How could I have known you were his offspring? Your glamour is powerful, of course it is powerful. You seemed human, how was I to tell? You escape my sight easily. Of course you do. Have mercy, young alpha. Have mercy."

He'd surrendered to me. He honestly thought I was some dragon princess. My thoughts swam. Cold shock threatened to drag me into unconsciousness. For the first time that night, the trees seemed shrouded in shadow. It didn't matter that he believed me. I would bleed out before I could use that to my advantage.

A red dot in the distance drew my attention. The dot wavered like fire racing toward me through the trees. It had to be Eva. She was still a ways away, but she was coming in hot. Kyton had to be with her. If I could just get the dragon to leave, Kyton would find and save me. His contract didn't give him another choice, even if I was a changeling.

"Leave, worm." I forced as much wrath into the words as I could. Pain made them into wrasping growls. "If you stay one second more, I will choose revenge over amusement."

"Of course, daughter alpha. I will go."

I gave into the pain a little, letting it drag me closer to unconsciousness. The dragon was gone, and Kyton would be here soon enough. I could relax now.

A silver blur slammed into my side. Sharp pain exploded in my ribs as I fell to the ground. Wheezing, I stared up at the source of the blur. The dragon stood over me, fangs bared.

Did you really think a few seconds of glamour would fool me, whelp? He pressed a paw against my back, pinning me to the dirt.

I yelped as his claws dug into my wounds. "D-don't-" Words escaped me as pain fogged my thoughts.

You will pay for your impudence. You and your fairy pet with die slowly.

An ear-splitting screech echoed through the trees. I twisted my neck in time to see a flaming ball of feathers streaking toward the dragon's head. Eva clawed the dragon's eye before streaking upward. Silver blood dripped from his eye.

Roaring, he reared on his hind legs and reached toward Eva. With a flick of her wings, she veered right and barely dodged his claws. A red-feathered dart appeared in the dragon's neck. What was that? A tranq dart?

The dragon fell to all fours and clawed at the dart. Eva dove at his eyes. He tried to hit her, but his movements were just sluggish enough that she avoided him. Another dart appeared in the dragon's neck.