To Wake a Dragon - Naomi Lucas Page 0,11

it.

A low, echoing growl. It should’ve been lost among the falling rocks, but it’s not. The growl fills my ears, and I’m pierced with another jolt of warmth.

Staggering, I drop my torch again and clutch my chest. My heart is on fire. In my haze of shock, Haime picks up our light—and a rock crashes beside us. We both jump.

“Milaye, it’s waking up,” Haime yells.

“Run!” I scream.

Our fingers intertwine, and we surge into the darkness. Despite the warmth bursting through me, I search wildly for the ledge, desperate to find the exit as Haime waves the torch. She tugs me to the left just in time when another boulder falls. We dodge the impact and—I see my feather. It flutters on the ground.

I’ve never witnessed a more beautiful sight.

“Here!” Pulling Haime after me, I run to it, and the dark line of the ledge appears.

I waste no time and grab Haime’s waist, lifting her. She drops the torch above and climbs up. A second later, she turns around, watching as I reach up and grab the ledge.

“Run! I’ll be right behind you.”

She hesitates. Tears are falling down her cheeks.

“Go!” I scream. “Don’t wait for me!”

Dust litters the air, rocks are raining everywhere, but it’s the growling roar that sends terror through my bones as it grows louder and louder still. The dragon’s too big for this cave. I knew it upon first sight of him. We’ll be crushed if we don’t make it out before he awakens. The cave will be destroyed.

There’s another crash, and Haime flinches. I slip from the ledge. This one was right behind me, and far too close for comfort.

“Go!” I shout again, and she finally disappears, taking the torch with her.

The light vanishes in moments. I pray that the way ahead of her is clear.

Pressing my foot to the wall, I use it as leverage and jump up. But my arms are still burning, they’re shaking and won’t take my weight. I slip back down. I do it again, harder this time, and miss again. Worried now, the heat building inside me, I try a third time and manage to fling one arm over to hold me up. A cacophony of noises blasts my ears as I climb my feet up the wall.

“Human!” a deep, guttural voice bellows. A deeply angered male voice. It fills the cave. It slams into my soul.

Stunned, I lose my footing and fall. My head slams into the ground. Searing pain darkens my mind.

Everything falls into the abyss.

I awake sometime later.

I don’t know how long it’s been. But time has passed because I’m surrounded by silence. Not even the shudder of pebbles reaches my ears. There’s nothing but darkness and pain radiating from my head. For a while, all I can do is open and close my eyes, checking that my eyes really are opening because it’s dark either way.

I lick my lips. I need to move.

I need…

Haime? Is she okay? I groan.

I manage to lift my arm and press my fingers to the back of my skull. My fingers come away sticky and I smell the blood. Tentatively, I return them to my head, trying to learn how badly I’m wounded. Wincing, I shut my eyes and discover a cut, nothing more. My hand drops and I smear what I can of my blood onto the ground, wiping the last of it on my top. When it’s as clean as it’ll get, I pull my legs into me and brace my elbow on the ground.

Pain like lightning shoots through my head, and I cry out. But I remember the dragon and I hush.

I wait, listening, wondering if he’s still around, if he even heard me, but as nothing tackles me, I start to calm. The more I calm, the more tired I become. Part of me wants to curl up and sleep, hoping I’ll wake up later, pain-free and back in my hut. If only life were that easy.

Move, Milaye. You can’t stay here. You’re not safe.

Clenching my teeth, I fight the exhaustion and rise into a sitting position. My head clouds. Luckily, I still have my supplies with me, and I tug forward the satchel strapped to my back. Digging through it, I feel for my bag of herbs and pull it out.

One by one, I sniff them until I find the one I’m looking for. Crushed Mermaid’s Breath. A strong underwater flower the merfolk brings us that dulls pain. I gather saliva in my mouth and pinch