The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,38
after all.
Rafe used all his strength to slam the sword into the dragon's skull. The blade cut through scales, sinking all the way to the hilt—once, twice, three times. He twisted it for good measure. For the first time in his life, luck was on his side. The beast went slack beneath him. They fell together, the dragon landing with a lifeless thud as it tossed Rafe across the deck.
Just like that, the calm evaporated.
Agony struck like a dagger and he clenched his teeth to hold back his scream, the scalding of his feet too much to bear as his vision flashed white. Time raced forward. Boots pounded, growing louder, and Brighty dropped to her knees by his side.
"Rafe."
There was something unnerving about the breathy quality to her voice, the way her gaze flicked to his legs before swiftly returning to his face, the utter lack of sarcasm in her tone.
"You can thank me for saving your life later," he muttered through the pain. "Right now, I need you to cut off my boots so I can heal properly."
Her lips drew into a thin line, but she nodded and pulled a dagger from her waistband.
"Wait," Captain said from somewhere over his shoulder. "Leech!"
The man was already scurrying across the deck, his arms full of bandages and glass jars. A grim expression clouded his features as he took the spot opposite Brighty and scanned the wounds. He glanced at Rafe. "This is going to hurt, but there's no way around it. I can give you a little something to dull your senses before we get started."
Rafe nodded.
Leech opened a few jars before grinding leaves and flowers, mixing them with a clear liquid that Rafe hoped was water. "Here."
"What in magic's name was that?" another voice sputtered as Rafe downed the potion. "It whispered of darkness."
Shadow stared at him, her inky eyes wide and her blonde hair swirling in the breeze. He had a feeling she wasn't talking about the bitter taste currently singeing his tongue.
"It was raven magic," Captain Rokaro muttered, an exasperation to her voice he didn't quite understand. "Power I wasn't aware you possessed."
"Raven magic?" Shadow asked.
"Animal magic, from the bird his soul was bonded with. Humans aren't the only living things with a tie to the elements." She cut her gaze toward the dragon. "Is it dead?"
"Dead," her first mate answered.
Captain Rokaro cursed.
Rafe's senses were not dulled enough to prevent the shock from coursing through his system. "You wanted it alive?"
She ignored him. "How much damage?"
"I'm holding off water from both sides of the hull," Spout answered, then sneezed. A splash lapped over the side of the railing. "Bloody dragons."
"I'm not—" Spout broke off to suck in a wobbling breath, fighting off another bout as the blue surrounding her fingertips sparked. "It’s something about the scales. I can’t be around snakes either."
"Or cats," Brighty muttered, making Rafe's mouth twitch with amusement. His body grew more relaxed as the drugs sank into his system. "Or dust. Or flowers in the spring."
"Enough," Captain barked, shutting them both up. "Spout, downstairs now and keep the water from leaking into the ship as best as possible until Leech can repair it. Archer, go with her and use some metal sheets to temporarily seal the holes. Pyro, put out the fires. Jolt, take Squirrel with you, and go find the backup sails—"
"We burned those two months ago," Patch interjected.
"What about the backup, backup sails?"
"Last year."
Captain wrinkled her nose. "The sheets then! I don't give a damn what it is as long as the wind will catch it. What's the nearest city?"
"Da'Kin," the first mate replied, finding Captain's eyes. Something passed between them, something Rafe didn’t quite understand, but the world was becoming fuzzy around the edges, colors turning brighter and sounds growing duller. "We need supplies."
"I'll speak to the king."
"The king?" Rafe said. Or tried to say. His tongue felt fat and his eyes heavy. They began to slip closed, the world falling away, blissfully taking his pain with it. He rushed to finish, aware the words came out as nothing more than a garbled slur. "I want to speak with the king. You promised after the dragon you'd take me to the king."
"If you can walk by then, I will."
12
Lyana
Lyana stood on the balcony, staring out over the sleeping city. She'd awoken a few hours ago and had done little else but walk across her richly adorned room to stand in the damp air and think. Afternoon