Chapter 12
What the Heart Wants
Serenity tried to be as talkative with the family as she had been when she arrived.
“The hospital is only about another 45 minutes away,” the old man explained from the back seat.
“Actually, I think it will be alright to just go home. I forgot that my mother gave me a knee brace a while back when I hurt my knee during a dance competition. That should take care of the problem.”
“Are you sure?” The husband was driving beside her.
“I think it might be best just to get checked out.” The woman leaned forward from the back seat. The old man voiced his agreement, too.
“Thank you all for caring so much, but I’m really fine. I wasn’t lost very long and I was able to find decent shelter for the one night. It’s nothing that a long sleep and a couple of good meals won’t fix. Besides, I need to contact a lot of people, like my professors.”
“Oh, are you a student?” Suddenly the family was asking her questions about her degree, her experience, and a host of other things that helped to get her mind off of the problems that she didn’t want to think about. The rest of the trip went relatively quickly, and they had Serenity back at her place. She thanked them profusely and promised to keep in touch before saying goodbye. Getting the spare key from its hiding spot, she entered the home and began getting ready.
Once inside, she went and found her knee brace. She collected some clean clothing, put her outfit in the washer, and headed to take another shower. Within an hour, Serenity was cleaned up and sitting at her computer. None of her friends would have heard about her disappearance and no one from Deep Water would bother emailing her. At some point she would need to get her bag, but at the moment she had no way of getting in touch with anyone who may have it.
“Oh, wait, Alaric should be able to help,” she muttered to no one in particular. Quickly she sent him an email that she and Ryland were alright and that she would need her bag returned. She asked if he could set up a way of getting the bag back since she didn’t have class again for a few days.
She had no more than stood up when she got a ping. Turning around, Serenity saw that Alaric had already replied.
You should be at the hospital.
It was the entire email. Serenity frowned, “What kind of an answer is that?” With a deep sigh, she tried to figure out another way to get her stuff. Without a phone, she couldn't contact Silas or Cora. “Only one way to fix this problem.”
Pushing herself up, she picked up her wallet, which she had left at home since she hadn’t needed it for the rafting trip, then headed out the door. Her walk took her to one of the nearby stores. There were several cheap phones that would do for now, so she bought one and began to head home. The smell of food lured her into a restaurant, and she decided to eat in and learn about the phone.
More than an hour had passed when she finally left and headed home to rest. Feeling exhausted, Serenity lay down, figuring she would trying to contact Silas or Cora after she rested.
When she woke, it was already dark outside. Groaning, Serenity rose and decided to just get ready for bed. She would start packing up the easy things that evening.
She was working on her second box of books when there was a knock on her door. Serenity frowned, turning to look at the clock. “Who on earth would stop by after 10?” Standing up too quickly, she twisted her knee. “Oh, damn it,” she muttered before heading to the door.
Looking through the peep hole, she saw Ryland standing on her step. For a moment she felt panic. How was she supposed to treat him now? There was no way she could possibly keep his interest, and the idea of losing him hurt.
“I know you are standing on the other side of the door.”
Serenity froze. “Why did you stop by?”
“First, I have your bag because Alaric said you asked to get it back.”
“What’s second?”
“I’ll tell you after you open the door.”
Serenity bit her lip and shut her eyes. “Alright, hold on a second.” She unlocked the door and peeked out.
“May I come inside?” He was looking at her with the familiar smile that looked hollow now that she knew more about him.
“As long as you promise not to drag me off to the hospital.”
“I promise that I won’t drag you off anywhere you don't want to go.”
Her heart was beating wildly, but her head was telling her it was a bad idea. Serenity paused for a second before pulling the door open. “Of course, sorry, come in. I’m still a bit drowsy.”
Ryland stepped into her place and slipped off his shoes. “That’s why you should be in the hospital.”
Serenity was immediately defensive. “You promised.”
“I did, but nothing was said about trying to persuade you to go.”
“Please don’t start right now, Ryland.” He gave her a strange look, then his eyes started moving around her place. “How are things going? Were they able to get the poachers?”
His face snapped back to her. “No, they had already moved on. The dogs brought back… they knew there were people around, so they slipped off. We’ll find them, it’s just going to take a while longer. Why are you packing?” Ryland’s blue eyes bore into her, as the question caught her completely off guard.
“Um, I just…” Serenity sighed. “Would you like something to drink? Have you eaten anything yet?”
“Water, please. And I am fine.”
Serenity gave him a knowing look before directing him to the couch in the living room. “Please sit down. I’ll be right back with your water.”
He nodded, then moved away wordlessly.
Serenity joined him a minute later with a small tray of food and the water. “Eat before you get too hungry.”
Ryland cocked an eyebrow at her, but there was no smile on his face. “What has happened? Why did you decide not to go to the hospital? And why are you packing?”
Serenity ran a hand over her forehead. “I'm not hurt enough to need the hospital. And I’m going to go back to the east coast.”
Ryland clenched his teeth, making his jaw even more defined than normal. “Are you too afraid here now?”
“Not afraid, just…”
He moved close to her and took her hand. “I am so sorry for failing to protect you, but please don’t leave.” His eyes begged her.
Serenity pulled her hand away. “I just don’t know…”
“What’s wrong? What can I do to convince you to stay? The idea of you leaving is…”
Serenity looked at him. “Ryland, what do you do for a living?”
“Oh.” There was an immediate change in his expression as Ryland closed his eyes. “I'm an actor. A fairly successful actor. A job that I did not choose and one I do not enjoy.”
“Then why do you do it?”
“Because what else can I do that will give me the tools to take care of everyone? My parents chose this career, and now it is too late to change paths.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“So you are going to leave just because of what I do?” His expression was slowly shifting into one of anger.
“I'm leaving because–”
His voice was like a low growl, “You promised not to get possessive.”
“I do not want to own you!” She moved away from him. “I wouldn’t even mind sharing you, but I can’t stand the idea of losing you. You are everything that I didn’t think I would find, and a few things that I didn’t want, but there is no way I can possibly keep your interest. How could I?” She stood up too fast, and immediately stumbled.
Ryland quickly stood and caught her. “I don’t understand what you are saying. If you leave you will lose me. If you stay, I… I don’t want to lose you. I have already lost so many people, I don’t want to lose you, too.” His hands were gripping her shoulders, but Ryland’s eyes seemed to be focused on something else. He moved his head and looked at her. “Please, don’t leave me.”
Serenity looked into the clear blue eyes. “I don’t want to be hurt any more. Men who can get someone else always do.”
“I don’t want anyone else. I don’t want to say goodbye. And I want to protect you, not hurt you.”
“But you will get bored of me. I know you will.”
Ryland put his hand under her chin and looked into her eyes. “A woman who can accept that I am a shifter, and prefers the outdoors to stores. A woman who puts more emphasis on her mind because it is more important than her looks, even though she is stunning. The man who thinks he will get better than that is a complete fool.”
Serenity began to fight back tears. “I want to believe you, but experience tells me that isn’t the way life works.”
Ryland let go of her and took a deep breath. “If it is a matter of your heart versus your head, all I can do is tell you that I am not like the men who hurt you before. I cannot force you to believe me. If you choose to leave, I will not stop you, but is that something you can live with? For the rest of your life? Is this something you can throw away without trying?”
“I…” A tear rolled down her face. “I–” The tears began to fall faster.
Ryland looked at her, waiting for her to collect her thoughts. When the tears started flowing, he reached out and pulled her to him. “It’s okay. I promise that it will be okay. Whatever you decide, life will go on. It will just be colorless without you.” The last sentence was said in a hush that she almost couldn’t believe he had said.
Slowly she wrapped her arms around him. The tension in his body was released and he kissed her on the top of the head. “I promise to take care of you. I promise.”
Serenity clung to his shirt. “Ryland, I'm scared.”
She could feel his voice through his chest. “Me too. But I’m also excited in a way I haven’t been in so long.” He stroked her head. “You are worth the risk of getting hurt.”
Serenity pushed into him. “I don’t think I am. I’m so–”
The hand moved from the back of her head to under her chin. Carefully he turned her face toward his. “Human. But I won’t hold that against you if you won’t hold my heritage against me.”
Serenity couldn’t help but giggle. Quickly trying to hide it, she looked away. “The only thing I hold against you is how little you have told me about yourself. If I would have known what you did earlier….”
“Last night never would have happened, and you would have dug further into yourself. My world would have remained nearly colorless and bland. I do not like my job and the rest of the time I am responsible for so many other people. You were the first thing in my life in forever that was not a chore or obligation. You didn’t want me because of a preconceived idea of who you thought I was – you were interested in me for me, and that is nearly impossible.”
“You are quite charming.”
“You don’t need to lie to me. I know I can be difficult and–”
“Stubborn.” She gave him a slight smile. “Nearly as stubborn as me.”
“Yes, very nearly.” His eyes moved down to her mouth as he brushed away a tear.
Serenity leaned her face into his hand. “Okay. I’ll stay. But don’t hide anything else from me. Please.”
“I wasn’t hiding it. I honestly do not like what I do. Would you want to talk about most of your classes when you didn’t have to?”
Serenity shook her head. “I get your point. It came as such a shock and I just…”
“It’s okay. I should have realized that something like that would be difficult, it’s just that it doesn’t seem that way to me.”
“I understand. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve decided to stay, so it’s okay. Just promise you won’t freak out again. Be more like the brave woman who had no problem dealing with me shifting into a bear.”
Serenity frowned, “Yeah, that’s a good point.” Her cheeks flushed and she began to feel embarrassed. “There was something far more unusual about you than you being a very successful actor.”
Ryland nodded.
“How can I make it up to you?” Serenity looked up at him. “I’ll do anything because I was being incredibly stupid.”
“Go to the hospital.” He didn’t even wait to respond.
“Oh, seriously. You promised not to drag me away.”
“You said anything.”
Serenity groaned, “It’s too late to go tonight.”
Ryland looked over at a clock. “I guess you are right.” He leaned over and picked her up, catching her completely off guard. “If you are really against going to the hospital, I guess I will need to stay here for a week or so to take care of you.” Before she could answer, he kissed her. “But I think that I want to spend that time in your bed. With you.”
Serenity nodded. “I’ll still owe you then because I want that, too.”
Ryland laughed as he carried her into her bedroom.
The End
Annora’s Dragon
By: Lisa Daniels
Chapter 1
Competition and Criminals
Annora looked around, her blue-green eyes taking in the picturesque landscape. Had she been anyone else, her breath would have been taken away by the way the rising sun reflected against the ocean and the brilliant colors of the sky. Annora noticed none of these things as she scanned the horizon. Her thoughts were focused on one thing only – finding the dragon that had burned down the villages of King Salmon and Marked Tree. The inhabitants of King Salmon had largely escaped with their lives, but the people of the small town of Marked Tree had not been so lucky. She had known many of those who had died. While she hadn’t been exactly friendly with them, the people had always treated her well, despite her profession. Dragon hunters were not popular. They were considered boorish, brutal, and generally cold. The people of Marked Tree had not felt that way; they had always been understanding that you did what you had to do to make a living. It was an easier sentiment for the people of Marked Tree to understand since that was the way most of them lived.
Initially, she had refused the request of King Salmon to hunt down the dragon, but after it decimated Marked Tree, she took up the contract. What Annora did not tell her employers was that she would go after the dragon with or without their payment. After all, if you could get paid while getting revenge, it provided a little extra incentive. Dragons were among the toughest creatures to kill, and there were times when the fight didn’t seem worth it. The odds of dying were significantly higher than surviving. It’s probably why dragon hunters were so wild and unpredictable. And they were incredibly expensive. You had to be either a certain type of desperate or a large amount of crazy to join this profession.
Annora was neither of these. Dragons had destroyed three of her homes by the time she was 12 years old, leaving her an orphan after the second attack. She never questioned what she should become. For her, the job was a vendetta.
That had been 15 years ago.
As the woman stood on the cliffside scanning for the familiar outline of a dragon, a few strands of her wavy, chestnut-colored hair passed over her vision. She seemed not to notice, her attention too intent on finding the one thing she was after. Standing there, any passerby would have thought she was a strange statue – a fair woman wearing men’s clothing and carrying a pair of weapons. The sword was angled up so that she could quickly remove it from the scabbard. A dirk was located slightly higher on the right side. Men who saw her often laughed, believing that she didn’t understand that real sword wielders carried the sword on the left side to make it easier to remove with the dominant right hand. Their laughter lasted only as long as it took Annora to level the sword at their throats, her left hand firmly grasping it with a level of expertise that few others had.
Annora’s eyes sparkled as her cold smile told the men she knew how to use the weapon just as well as they. “Yes, it should be on the opposite side of the dominant hand. Why do you think it’s on my right side?”
No man who ever tried to challenge her during these encounters was ever able to use a weapon afterward.
Men were easy when you were accustomed to dealing with dragons.
The breeze on the cliffside caused her dark-brown braid to sway, the only sign that she wasn’t a statue. The dragon hunter didn’t feel it gently tapping against the small of her back as she took in the horizon.
Then she saw it. The creature was smaller than most she had seen, but that didn’t mean anything when it came to dragons. Females tended to be smaller than males, but they were far more vicious. Of course, the dragon may have been young still and was testing out its strength and power for the first time. Annora watched the graceful arch as the dragon soared over the water in the distance. A wry grin spread across her face as she imagined how much fun the dragon was having. Probably the same look it had when it decimated Marked Tree.
She was about to move when a movement at the bottom of the cliff caught her attention. For a second, she thought she had seen wings. If there were two dragons, she would have to reconsider the agreement. Either she would require more money or turn it down.
Shaking her head, Annora knew that she couldn’t do anything without confirming a second dragon. The fact that the dragon on the horizon was playing indicated that it did not realize that another dragon was nearby, and dragons did not tend to be stealthy. With that kind of power and size, stealth was hardly a necessary (or practical) skill to have. Considering how territorial they were, there were only a few reasons why two would appear in the same area together. This kind of distance between them made no sense. It was likely that the wing belonged to something else, perhaps a griffin or siren.
Taking a step forward, Annora looked over the cliff. To her surprise, a human was walking along the beach, his eyes also on the dragon in the distance. Her eyes flicked up to watch the movement of the dragon on the horizon, then back to the man. He was tall with curly black hair that moved with the breeze sweeping along the beach. For a moment she stared at his figure as he moved along the edge of the waves in the same direction as the dragon. It was obvious that the man was a fighter. The way his muscles pressed against his clothing was easy to see even from the cliff top. Even if she hadn’t been able to see the tensed muscles in his arms as he stood and folded them to watch the dragon’s progress, the broadsword on his back left no question that he was a warrior.
She completely forgot about what had caused her to look over the edge in the first place.
Competition.
It was the only thought that mattered amidst the jumble of other words floating through her head as she gazed at him.
Her eyes swept over his figure one more time, taking in the details. Best to know the competition, she thought, unable to admit even to herself that he was rather pleasing to watch from such a distance. He quickly unfolded his arms and turned toward the cliff face. Annora was startled for a moment and backed away where she would not be seen. Giving her head a shake, the dragon slayer turned and quickly moved back into the woods following the same direction in which the dragon had gone. She was going to have to work fast with someone else also after it. There was no way she was going to let anyone else take this kill because it wasn’t just about the money. Annora was going to make it suffer for what it had done to the people of Marked Tree.
Annora walked into Defiance, a bustling town and port. She had only been there once before, nearly five years ago, and it had grown considerably since then. The change was a bit unsettling. Had the woman known that it had changed so drastically, she would have gone to Kildeer. However, that was another three miles out of the way, and she didn’t want to go so far out of her way just because of a bit of discomfort. Not at this hour. Not when someone else appeared to be after her kill.
She didn’t notice any of the merchants or customers going about their lives as she headed toward what had once been a small and inviting inn. To her disappointment, that inn had burned down three years ago. In its place was a merchants’ guild. Glaring at the building, Annora saw someone approaching her from the corner of her eye. It was getting dark, and she wasn’t accustomed to so much light, but it did make the shadows and movement much easier to detect.
“Hello…” Annora slowly turned to look at the man addressing her. He was about to say something, but stopped when he got close. “Oh. Hello, ma’am. What do you think?”
Annora watched as the man folded his arms over his chest. He was clearly a merchant and he was looking up at the building with a sense of pride.
Usually she would just turn and walk away, but she did need some information as she had no idea where to go for the night. She attempted a small smile when he looked at her. “It certainly looks nice.” The woman’s mind was scoffing at him as the man returned her smile with a huge grin.
“Nice!” He laughed. “There is no building in this magnificent town as costly or luxurious.”
Annora simply blinked at him. “Well, that is something, then.” She fought to keep her tone from being too sarcastic.
The man didn’t seem to notice. “It’s mine, you know.”
Suddenly Annora didn’t feel like asking this man for assistance. “Good for you.” Her tone was nearly monotone as she gave him a condescending look. “If you will-”
Ignoring her words, the man pressed on. “And I dare say you are quite a pretty thing, aren’t you?” He winked at her. Annora merely stared back at him, her cold eyes warning him not to continue. The man seemed oblivious to the warning. “I’ll tell you what. If you will give me the pleasure of your company for, oh, let’s say three days, I will-”
Annora spun on her heel, her braid hitting the man’s arm with an audible smack. Ignoring whatever he had to say, she walked purposefully back the way she had come.
Unsure of where to find lodgings, the dragon hunter headed toward the water. The town was located at the mouth of the Allia, the longest river in Senones, a country that, until recently, had been backward. After the Cremera War, though, Senones had been growing rapidly, having benefited from aiding the victorious country of Volsci. Annora didn’t know the politics behind it, nor did she care. The only thing that mattered to her was that the small town she once understood was now yet another place she planned to avoid in the future.
As she reached the port, a hand fell on her shoulder. The woman’s instinct was to draw her blade, but she could hear someone gasping for breath and saying her name.
“Annora! My gods, but I never expected to run into you here!” There was a very melodic laugh and the tension eased from Annora’s shoulders.
Turning to face the woman, Annora tried to keep her face straight. “Hello, Bree.” She could not help the way one of her eyebrows raised and the corner of her mouth likewise went up.
There was another laugh as the curly-haired, redheaded woman placed a hand on her hip and stood up straight. Dramatically, she expelled a long breath, “Wooooo, but you are a hard woman to catch.” She beamed from ear to ear. “Don’t know what brought you here, but damn, it is good to see you. It’s been, what? Three? Four years?”
Annora couldn’t hide a small smile. “It’s been a year and a half.”
Bree looked shocked. “That’s it? Are you sure? No! It has to have been longer! Your hair is almost twice as long now.”
Annora shook her head, the braid swaying back and forth. “Just a couple of inches. It was just after the war ended. That was about two years ago.” Bree’s eyebrows were furrowed. “Remember? We were in Illyrian when the army came through and you-”
Bree began laughing. “Oh yeah! That was amazingly fun. You should have joined me.”
Annora just shook her head.
Bree looked her friend in the eyes. “So, where are you staying and for how long?”
Annora looked out over the water. “Just staying for the night, but I don’t have a where yet. The Boar’s Snout Inn burned down and I really don’t know anywhere else.”
Bree threaded her arm through Annora’s. “Now that’s what I want to hear. You’re coming with me.” Annora knew better than to try to fight at this point – Bree had never been one to listen once she heard what she wanted to hear. A rare smile spread across the dragon hunter’s face as her friend gently steered them toward one of the more luxurious inns in Defiance.
Annora stepped out of The Palace Paradise and shook her head. Bree had finagled a room for her, despite how packed the place was, and had managed to get it for free. Laughingly, Bree had told her that the room wasn’t free, it just wasn’t a bill that either of them would be paying. The woman was a couple of years younger than Annora with a personality that was the complete antithesis of Annora’s, despite the pair having grown up on the streets together in the modest city of Achaean. Bree’s given name had been Brianna, but she had always said it was too formal. Where Annora was cold and serious to a fault, Bree was charismatic and gregarious almost to the point of obnoxiousness.
Still, Annora loved her like a sister and was sad when Bree had taken her to a small but nicely-furnished room, then announced that she had to tend to a few things that night. Annora thought she knew what Bree was up to, so it was best not to ask, just as Bree never asked her about dragon hunting. Their outlooks on life were very different, and both felt the other had taken on a job that was too dangerous. The best way to avoid arguments was to simply avoid talking about work.
Bree had given her a big hug and headed toward the door. The young woman placed a hand on the door frame and paused. With an uncharacteristically serious look, she turned to face Annora. The dragon hunter felt a sense of dread. Bree was almost never serious unless it was bad news.
Bree bit her lower lip, looked to the window, then up at the ceiling, before fixing her sparkling green eyes on Annora, “Naya says she forgives you.”
Annora felt her stomach lurch. Whatever she had expected, that was not it. She looked toward the window.
Bree gave a humorless smile. “I know you aren’t ready to forgive yourself yet, but I think you owe it to her to at least pay a visit and talk. She’s not a child anymore.”
Annora heard Bree’s footsteps as the woman moved down the hall. Annora closed her eyes and for a few moments she felt lost. With a quick shake of her head, the dragon slayer decided she needed to head outside before her thoughts went where she wasn’t ready to go.
And that was how she found herself in an unfamiliar part of a growing town, unsure which way to go. Cursing herself, Annora wished she had at least asked where she could get a decent meal. The cost of the room was covered, but nothing else, and the dragon slayer was starving. Her head swiveled left and right. Deciding that direction didn’t matter, Annora stepped out into the night.
Her mind managed to keep track of all of the twists and turns she took while she looked for somewhere that would have decent food at a reasonable price. Usually following the smell was the easiest way to find a place where the food tasted like it was fresh. Annora may not have been particularly picky about the type of food she ate most of the time (after all, she really didn’t have that luxury when on the hunt), but it was one of the few benefits of being in a town. The dragon slayer greatly preferred the freedom and mobility of the wild, and detested being stuck in a place full of people. However, well-cooked meals were one of the few comforts Annora enjoyed when she was forced to remain in a populated place. Beds were the other benefit that she found great comfort in as the number of dangers were significantly reduced. The feel of a bed was also nice, although she felt more bothered about who may have slept in the bed before her than she felt about the animals who last slept in wherever she decided to sleep when she was in the wild.
Annora grimaced as her stomach growled. It had been a very long day, and she now regretted her earlier decision to skip food in favor of making progress.
She was distracted enough as she turned down a darker street that she did not notice the two figures that stepped out of the shadow. Annora didn’t walk very far before she realized the folly of allowing herself to be distracted. Cursing herself again, this time under her breath, Annora decided to make quick work of it.
In the dim light, it looked like she placed her hands on her hips as she stopped walking. The woman’s voice sounded annoyed as she spoke. “Sorry, but if you are looking for easy prey, you haven’t found it yet. I won’t even turn around so you can slink away and pretend this never happened.”
There was a derisive laugh behind her, then a higher-pitched male voice said, “Oh, I think we have found the perfect person for our little adventure. There’s nothing like a woman who knows how to act tough. They are the sweetest to take down.” His laugh echoed through the alley.
Slowly, she turned around and looked at the two thugs, men who clearly had enough money, so they didn’t need to prey on tourists who roamed into the wrong part of town. That meant the guys had been following her for a while, and there was only one way to take that –they were part of the criminal underground. The dragon slayer rolled her eyes as she tapped her sword and dirk. The first person she had talked to and this was the result. She made sure the metal gleamed as she partially drew them out. “These aren’t just for show.”
The sound of the man’s voice grated on her ears as he gave a cold, humorless laugh. “If you were a real fighter, you would know that the sword goes on the left side. Only a fool or a woman would wear it in the wrong place.” His smile was a sneer.
Annora simply blinked at him.
The man stepped forward and continued, “The boss didn’t like the way you turned him-”
The man’s voice wavered as the sound of metal hissed in the evening and the two weapons appeared leveled at his throat and stomach. A cold smile spread across her face. To make the point that she wasn’t incompetent, she quickly drew them back and twirled the sword and dirk, returning them to the same spot when she was done. It was obvious from looking at them that the sword pointed at his throat and the dirk at his stomach were well used and the edges really sharp.
The man’s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard before leering at her. “Sorry, sweetheart, but flashy tricks don’t mean anything.”
Annora realized too late that she had given the man in front too much attention. The second man threw a small dagger. Unable to dodge it, she changed its direction with her dirk. She felt the edge gash her right bicep. The street was dark enough that it was nearly impossible to see that wound, and she was not one to make a sound when wounded. Annora immediately moved forward, her weapons moving in unison. The man in front tried desperately to fend them off with his own sword only to find that the woman’s skill far outmatched his own.
The fight lasted only a few seconds. Annora’s sword plunged into his chest as her dirk slashed across his throat. It was certainly more than was necessary, but she was in a really bad mood. She used her foot to push the dying man away and immediately turned to fight the second. To her annoyance, he had already turned to run and was several hundred feet ahead of her. She dashed off after him, cursing as he reached the corner of a building and disappeared from sight.
Her weapons still out, she reached the corner and almost immediately froze. Her weapons were up and ready to fight the shadow lurking in the alley. Without a word, she dashed forward, her weapons looking for a second kill.
The sound of metal rang out in the night. Then a male voice spoke in the darkness. “You’ve missed him.”
Annora had been pushed back. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as a different figure emerged from the shadows. She had not seen much of the second man, but she knew he was not as tall as the figure before her, nor had he been as muscular.
“Why didn’t you stop him?” Her voice was cold and accusing.
The clouds that had covered the moon passed for a brief moment, and she was able to get a better look at the man’s face. His eyes were deep and dark, and in the moonlight they almost looked red. Not as if they were bloodshot, but because the whites of his eyes were a very bright white. His jaw line was very sharp, and his nose a little large, although it fit his very rugged features. Stubble lined his jaw and encircled his mouth, drawing her eyes to rosy red lips, the kind of lips she thought only belonged to men of leisure. His hair was almost as dark as the night. A gleam of metal also caught her eye, and Annora could tell from the location that the man carried a broadsword.
Shit, she thought, immediately recognizing him as the figure on the beach. It looked like her competition had also made it this far, too. Regretting that she had not pushed further that night, Annora tried to find an excuse to keep from talking to him. The less they talked, the better. She knew it was only a matter of time until he would inquire about her clothing, and there were too few reasons to give for it.
The man’s expression was one of surprise as he looked at her. It was not a look that she liked as it was one that Annora had come to associate with having to kill. Fully expecting the encounter to go wrong, the dragon slayer relaxed her stance. Though she looked at ease, her weapons were ready for what she felt was inevitable in the current situation.
The man smiled, and her brain told her that it was a pleasant sight. Her eyes narrowed in disapproval of such a girlish thought.
The man raised an eyebrow at her reaction to his smile. “I didn’t stop him because I had no business with him myself.”
Annora’s expression did not change. “Oh, how gallant of you to feel it is none of your business when two men attempt to assault a woman in a dark street.”
The man grinned, his teeth shining as the moon passed behind another cloud. For a moment, Annora thought his teeth looked a little too pointed. Had she not seen him about during the day, she would have suspected him of being one of the undead. There was clearly something off about him, though.
The man seemed relaxed as he looked up at the sky. “Oh, most nights I probably would have stepped in. It’s not like I enjoy lurking in alleys, but it didn’t appear my intervention was necessary this time. I hate to get in the way.” There was sincerity in his voice, but it still sounded more like an excuse to her.
“You let a criminal escape.”
“You could probably still catch him.” His expression was calm as he spoke, his voice low and gentle.
Annora shook her head, then she turned. As she returned to the corpse of the first attacker, she said, “And do what? By now he’s in a high traffic area or made his way into a building, which increases his advantages. I’ve no desire to-” Pain shot through her as she began to wipe her dirk on the corpse. She had forgotten about her injury. Refusing to let the man see that she was already injured, Annora continued to talk, although her voice was more aggressive as she kept it steady through the pain, “-to go hunting in a town that is nearly a city. He will likely meet his end some other night playing the thug for that merchant.” She tried to make it clear that she did not want to continue talking to him.
There was silence behind her, and the young fighter hoped that meant he had left. Annora turned, thinking that she may be talking to herself, hoping that was the case. Her disappointment was palpable as she realized he had followed her a ways and watched as she checked to make sure the man was dead, saying nothing as she cleaned her weapons and stood to face him. Once she was looking at him, the man reached out a hand. “I’m Elian.”
Annora’s stomach growled in response. As the man laughed, she glared at him. She did not offer her hand in return, but her eyes took in his features as the clouds moved on. The moon shone brightly on his face and his laughing, reddish eyes.
Elian did not seem offended as he smiled at her. “I dare say you are hungry. Would you mind if I accompanied-”
Suddenly a shadow passed over the moon, a shadow that was certainly not a cloud. Both the man and the woman immediately looked up and saw the outline of a dragon passing overhead.
Elian watched for a moment, his eyes following the trajectory that the dragon must have taken. He turned to look at the woman to make an excuse to leave, but found that she was already gone. Blinking and looking around him, Elian had no idea which way she had gone. Then his eyes went to the ground and a barely perceptible trail of blood.
“And just what is your interest in a dragon?” His words were spoken into the night, a sign that the woman had captured his attention and curiosity. The man took a few steps in the same direction that the woman had gone before he recovered himself. “Now’s not the time for distractions.” He cocked his head to the side and wondered for another brief moment, clearly ignoring his own advice.
With a faint smile, he turned and moved down a different alley.