Ash Princess (The Deviant Future #6) - Eve Langlais Page 0,48

place?

Not likely. If trained adults couldn’t do it back in the day, then how could she and one man prevail against an older and wilier drake? Had her father tried at night? Surely the drake had the same habit as the other beasts and returned to the heat of the lava at night.

Or did he?

In case he didn’t, Cam needed to see the reality of a smaller dragon to appreciate the danger of a larger one. He should know how they moved and attacked. How to kill it. Experience with dragons would help on their treacherous march to the border.

Killing the beast who’d claimed this ledge would make one less predator in the air coming after them. Win. Win.

She’d had very few of those lately, and she feared the tower would prove to be another dead end. Even if there was a fabled tunnel, it was probably destroyed. But what if it existed and they found it? She had to take that chance and get out of this mess. She’d already waited too long.

Before the ghoul invasion, she’d been loath to admit Cam might be right, that they were wasting away in the Necropolis. Their numbers being whittled year by year with dwindling births. None in six years now. Food was becoming scarce. The predators more cunning.

She’d often thought about heading out and seeing if she could make it to the border, find a safe place, and send back help. She just couldn’t leave anyone behind, so she stuck around.

Cam’s arrival helped jolt her. It reminded her that there was a world outside this nightmare and she shouldn’t give up.

She glanced across at the man with her. He had his gaze focused outside, but as if sensing her stare, he glanced her way. When their eyes locked, she’d have sworn something snapped into place between them. The ardency in his gaze heated her. She couldn’t hold it. She glanced away and took in his body instead.

Big and fierce, showing barely any sign he’d fought ghouls the day before. He’d already peeled the bandages from his wound, and she saw the skin. The scabbing gash was getting ready to shed already. He’d claimed he healed quickly. Too quickly. Perhaps he did have some of the magic he spoke of.

Only two days she’d known him, and yet she felt a closeness to him. He’d shared with her, telling of his upbringing, his sister. She didn’t get the impression he did that often. She also got the sense he was lost and looking for something. Was it foolish to wish she could be what he sought?

There was something solid about him. Ardent, too. She’d seen how he gazed at her.

She admired his fearlessness. Did nothing penetrate his cool composure?

Could he teach her how he did it? Because she trembled. Even after all this time, she felt fear before each battle. And it made no sense. She’d killed dragons before, usually attacking them in a group, an arduous culling endeavor to ensure none of the ones nesting on the mountain got too big and also because they made a good source of meat. Pity that eating their enemy didn’t make them stronger.

On the contrary, Kayda gagged if she tried to eat them, unable to choke it down. Even killing them filled her with a stomach-churning nausea and a sadness. She’d been raised with dragons. Surely there was a better way?

A foolish thought. The fire dragons had no interest in dealing with humans. Just eating them.

“I hear something,” Cam whispered from his crouched spot across from the gap.

Listening carefully, she caught the distinctive flutter of wings and rattling as a breeze stirred up the debris on the ledge. Then the crackling and crunching of something walking on brittle bone.

Cam had the right angle for viewing, and since she watched him, she noticed his expression turn grim. He looked away from the gap.

What is it? she mouthed.

“It has a human,” was his whisper.

She went to rise, and he shook his head.

“Not one of yours,” he mouthed.

A small relief. But who was it then?

A pained cry had her eyes widening. Whoever the victim, they weren’t dead. Before she could react, Cam slid out the crack, long dagger in hand.

Kayda followed with her crossbow and took aim. The dragon, a beast with a deep black and burgundy hide, hissed at Cam, lifting its wings, making itself seem bigger. It reminded her of the kitten she used to have before she fled the castle. Its wide stance made it