eggs?" She stood and wiped her hands on her cloak.
"We can bury him," Bastian offered, his hand on her shaking shoulders.
"No. He's a traitor, and he died as one," Elinor said with a half-hearted shrug. "He's my father. It is my decision. I say we move on and find the eggs."
Jarrett put his fingers to his lips. The others quieted down. He waved his hand to the left, motioning them to take cover next to the boulders. Jarrett tiptoed around the boulders, finding an opening to an underground cave. "Maybe they're in here. There's only one set of footprints, which look to be Malachi's. Maybe the eggs are hidden in here and whatever killed him didn't touch them."
It was a lot of guesswork, but no one could offer a better suggestion. The group stepped forward toward the opening together. A high-pitched keening broke the silence.
"It's a baby dragon," Connor said, his eyes lighting up. "At least one of them is alive." He pushed past Jarrett and crawled into the opening.
Jarrett dropped to his knees and followed behind Connor, propelling himself with his forearms. He couldn't see farther than Connor's shoes as they descended down the dirty tunnel. Finally the ground leveled out again and they crawled forward.
They emerged into a cavern filled with light from a series of glowing braziers. Cracked eggs lay scattered all over the floor, their shells in a multitude of pieces. In the far corner of the room, the dragons played with each other, rolling and tumbling across the rocky floor.
Connor did a quick count. "They're alive! We only lost the one!" He smiled and clapped Bastian's back just as Elinor emerged from the tunnel behind him.
Jarrett watched the little dragons. He'd never seen one so young before. They were cute. Like puppies. All tongues and feet and playing in an awkward jumble. He drew his sword and walked toward them.
"What are you doing?" Bastian called from behind him.
He paid Bastian no heed and continued to make his way to the passel.
"Jarrett!" Connor called out.
Jarrett heard feet scrabbling from behind. He heard his friends’ calls. Yet he continued, picking up his pace, his sword thirsty for dragon blood.
Chapter Seventeen
Jarrett raised his sword above his head and struck down, the blade slicing through the first dragon. The head rolled off, the tongue hanging out the side. He heard the screams of rage, but he did not falter. He swung his sword again and again. Blood splattered in the air, in concert the whistle of his sword.
Flesh clung to his blade, mingling with that of another kill. Someone grabbed his arm, but he fought it off, his mind set only on one thing: slaughtering the baby dragons. His mind clouded over. His vision had only one target. The hatchlings screamed and squirmed within his reach. One coughed as if it were trying to summon dragonfire. Jarrett knew it was too young. He had no fear of reprisal. Not from the dragons. Not from the humans trying so desperately to stop him.
He raised his sword one last time, the smallest dragon cowering in the corner. It didn't even bother to fight. He took a deep breath, preparing to take the final life and complete his mission. His sword swung down, but struck something else. He blinked and saw what was in front of him.
A woman. Blond. Covered in blood. His sword sticking out of her chest. Her arm outstretched. Her mouth lips forming a plea.
Jarrett shook his head. "Gods! Elinor!"
Bastian ran to her side, taking her in his arms.
"Don't move the sword," Elinor gasped through bubbles of blood. Her arms hung limp at her sides.
Jarrett didn't have a chance to apologize. A fist met his face. Again and again and again until he couldn't open his eyelids. He lay on the ground, taking the beating, not fighting back.
Eventually the fists went away, leaving him in a bloody pulp on the floor. He listened to Bastian and Connor's choked sobs. He could hear their voices in his head.
Their grief surrounded every inch of his mind, squeezing, choking.
Then it all winked out and Jarrett found himself back in the room with the Keeper.
"You have done well, my son. You have proven your worth to me. Soon you will be the next Keeper. You will fight to keep the dragons from our treasured island. You are the greatest champion, having slain more dragons than any of us combined. Stories will be sung about you."
Stories, Jarrett thought bitterly. Yes. Everyone would hate him