dragons hate each other. But I hate my brother most of all. He’s the only dragon that would give me serious trouble in a fair fight. Then again, Prince Yranox has never been involved in a fight that was anywhere close to fair.
I straighten, trying to look regal. “Very well. This is what I request…”
20
- Jennifer -
The spidermonkey has been dead for a couple days, at least. There aren’t many small insects on Xren, but some of them are crawling all over the carcass and the two caveman spears sticking out of it.
I poke the tip of my spear at the creature’s dead hand, and the scroll falls out and rolls a ways on the ground. I gingerly pick it up, and it unrolls halfway.
The writing is upside down, but I can read it. After all, I wrote it.
PS: This is not my blood.
“Shit.”
I shake the insects off the scroll and put it in the fur pouch, throw a handful of berries into my mouth, and decide to eat a whole salen fruit when I’ve walked for another hour or so.
Then I walk on, feeling guilty about not burying the dutiful little spidermonkey. But I don’t have time for anything other than walking now. I will try to go without sleep, too. Like I did last night.
Thankfully the jungle is quiet, and I think I know why. When I come across the bloody remains of a raptor that’s been summarily torn to shreds, I afford myself a smile. “You really want me to be safe, huh, dragon boy,” I mutter as I continue.
I’m tired in every way, but I’m also so stressed out and worried that even if there was a nice suite at the Marriott right behind that tree, and it had the coolest, cleanest sheets you could imagine, I would totally ignore it right now and keep walking. If I don’t get to Bune in time, I will never see a real Marriott for as long as I live. Not that I’ve ever seen the inside of one, but it used to be on my bucket list.
There’s still a chance.
Maybe the girls have decided to tough it out past the deadline.
Maybe they somehow got the word that I’m on the way and will be there soon.
Maybe the crisis resolved itself, and the siege is over so there’s no rush, after all.
No, it’s not really realistic. If everything was back to normal, they would send out scouts to look for me. Not only spidermonkey messengers, but dragons with Mia or Eleanor riding on them. And I haven’t seen a single dragon apart from my own.
I glance up at the sky. Nor have I seen any dactyls lately, but I don’t miss them. That could be because they sense Caronerax’s presence and stay away. Except the one that grabbed me wasn’t deterred.
I keep my head down while still being on my guard, walking as fast as I can. I eat a whole salen fruit while walking, and it gives me the energy to jog a few yards once in a while.
Before I know it, darkness falls and still no Caronerax.
I have no idea what kind of errand he could possibly have here in the woods. I suppose it could have been an easy way of ditching me. The cowardly I’ll-just-go-out-and-buy-smokes exit that’s such a classic back on Earth.
I suppose I couldn’t expect anything else. He has too many other priorities, he’s injured, and he must be longing for his cache. I slow him down, get us captured and him injured further. Hey, in his place I would have made my exit a good few days ago.
Except I thought there was something more. Was I kidding myself? Was his passion all fake? His little touches, his glances, his intensity, all that stuff? Faked, so he could get an easy lay?
It must have been something like that. Or some kind of scheme I’m too stupid or too naive to understand.
My future isn’t looking that great right now. Unless I make it back to Bune so I can go back to Earth with the girls, I’m stuck here with angry, desperate dragons and cavemen that seem to have gone sour. Being the only woman on the planet is not going to be fun.
Getting to Bune on time is a matter of life and death. I would take any chance to get there sooner. Even climb on the back of one of those dactyls that Heidi and Dar’ax can tame, although they would have