Fuse, page 5
Cora waited for something, a compliment or an apology.
Flare slowly turned his eyes on her, his look unreadable.
“So…?” Cora tapped her foot in expectation.
Flare was still silent.
“I think you owe me an apology.”
Why?
“Because you assumed I couldn’t accomplish this.”
I made that assumption based on the information I had at the time. I’m sorry you took offense to it.
“How would you feel if I assumed you couldn’t fly?”
You would be right. I can’t fly.
“You know what I mean.”
All I’ll say is, I’m impressed.
Cora knew that was all she would get out of him. And based on all the insults he directed at her, it really was a compliment of the highest degree. “Thank you.”
Flare leaned forward and pulled the arrow out with his teeth. He tossed it at Cora’s feet. You may not want to watch this.
“Why?”
It’s not exactly pretty.
“Do you want me to build a fire so you can cook it?”
His eyes lit up in a smile. I eat my meat raw. And if I want to cook it, I can do it myself.
“Well, are you going to eat the skin? The fur?”
Yes. Why?
“I could skin the bear to make a coat. I’m not sure how long I’ll be out here on my own.”
He stared at her without blinking, his eyes unreadable once again. That’s probably best.
She pulled out her knife then got to work, feeling the dragon’s eyes on her the entire time.
A full week passed.
Cora was more comfortable around Flare after being around him every hour of the day. And Flare seemed to feel the same way in return. A quiet companionship formed between them.
Whenever Flare was hungry, Cora would hunt for him. And whenever Cora decided to bathe, Flare walked farther into the trees and faced the opposite direction.
Camping near the quiet stream was peaceful despite the danger they were both in. The Shamans never came for them, but Dorian didn’t make an appearance either. Flare and Cora could travel somewhere else together, but it was difficult for Flare to travel by land with his massive size. He was meant to soar over the trees.
“Do you think they’ll find us?” Cora sharpened her dagger in front of the fire.
Eventually.
Alarm shot through her heart. “Do you think we should keep moving, then?”
We’re fine. There are many hiding places to search.
“Do you fear them?”
Yes and no.
“Which is it?”
There’s no such thing as a simple answer.
Just when she thought she’d gotten used to his odd statements, he threw her off. “Do you care to elaborate?”
I’m not afraid of them because I’m stronger than them. My scales are thick, and my muscles are strong. In battle, I can prevail. But I am afraid of them because they can’t be killed.
“They can’t be killed?”
At least, I haven’t figured out a way.
“How is that possible?”
They possess dark magic. It’s unclear where they came from or how they got their powers, but it’s certain they aren’t indigenous to Anastille.
“Then how did they get here?”
King Lux must have found them. Where, I don’t know.
“When I stabbed one in the side…it was soft. Like stabbing a pillow.”
I know the feeling. I’ve bitten one before.
“They creep me out…”
I think that’s the point.
“So, they serve the king?”
Yes and no.
It took all her strength not to roll her eyes. “Meaning?”
They aren’t the type of beings that serve a ruler. They want something in return for their servitude.
“And what do they want?”
I don’t know the answer to that either. But I’m sure it’s something valuable.
This knowledge was making her skin crawl. She felt sick to her stomach and even a little light-headed. It wasn’t easy for her to admit she was afraid, but in this instance, she didn’t feel ashamed. She’d never encountered something more foul or fierce.
Flare seemed to pick up on her mood. I may not be able to fly, but I can protect you.
Cora turned her green eyes on him, surprised by the gesture. Until that point, it didn’t seem like he cared whether she lived or died. “I don’t need someone to protect me, but I appreciate the thought.”
Flare chuckled. I’ve never heard someone refuse the protection of a dragon before.
“You aren’t my slave. You don’t owe me anything.”
You fixed my wing.
“That was a courtesy anyone should have given you.”
He shook his head slightly. Most people would have preyed on my vulnerability and chained me down. They would have removed my wings permanently and sold them to the highest bidder. Then they would move in for my claws.
She fought the bile rising in her throat. “No one would do that.”
Your ignorance scares me.
“No one in my village would have done that.”
It was a common practice three hundred years ago. Any injured dragon was stripped for parts and sold to the highest bidder. The skulls were worth the most.
“Well, that was then, and this is now.”
And some things never change. Flare looked across the water, his yellow eyes remembering another time.
“How old are you?”
Last time you asked that question, I didn’t answer. And you can expect the same response.
“Why is it a hard answer to give? Whether you’re one hundred or three hundred, what does it matter?”
Age is a very private thing. The older you are, the more insane you become. If someone ever confides that information to you, understand it is a gift and an honor.
“Why are you more insane the older you are?”
Flare was quiet as he considered his response. The more things you see, the more people you lose, the more you lose who you are. He said nothing else, as if that statement explained everything.
“I don’t understand.”
I knew you wouldn’t. But you’re an elf. One day, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
“Do elves have long life-spans?” She didn’t know anything about them other than the fact that they’d existed at one point. She wasn’t even sure where they were located in Anastille. They were pretty much a myth.
Very.
“How long?”
So long, they are practically immortal.
“That’s not a good thing?” The idea of living forever sounded great to her.
No. After a thousand years of living, most elves take their own lives.
“What?” She blurted out without thinking. “That’s insane.”
Not really. The elves have a ceremony. Gathered among remaining friends and family, an elf will be laid to rest, never to wake up again. It’s actually a very beautiful thing.
She didn’t understand it, and she probably never would.
The only exception to that is elves who find a partner. As long as their partner is alive, they stay alive as well. But once that person is gone, they don’t usually last long afterward—unless they have children.
“How do you know so much about the elves?”
It’s common knowledge. The dragons were close to them before the Great War.
“What happened after that? They weren’t close anymore?”
The elves exiled the dragons and humans from their land. We aren’t welcome there and are considered enemies.
“But why?”
The dragons’ ill decision to allow the humans to infiltrate the land was not approved by the elves. And once the humans took over and slaughtered the dragons, the elves hid away in their mountains and forests, choosing to live in solitude. They’ll never forgive the dragons for allowing this to come to pass. They lost a lot of their land, their magical beasts, and their own kin. Because elves live for so long, it’s hard for them to forgive. Decades can pass before they even consider granting another chance. Time means something different to them than it does to you.
Cora struggled to process all of this. It was unbelievable that she’d lived in Anastille for so long but knew so little about it. At one point, she’d thought the dragons were a myth too. “Since I’m a hybrid, does that change anything?”
I’ve never known a hybrid, so I can’t answer that question.
“But surely this has happened to someone in the past.”
It hasn’t.
Was that possible? “You’re telling me I’m the first?”
Flare nodded. The elves hate the humans as much as the dragons. It’s frowned upon to have any kind of relationship with a human, no matter how noble or innocent they are.
“Then how did my parents meet?”
That’s unknown.
What did that mean for her? Was her life-span half as long? Or was it not extended at all? “I’m surprised people in Vax didn’t realize I was a hybrid.”
Why would they? They’ve never seen an elf before.
“I suppose.”
Your features blend well together, human and elf. The result is a beautiful woman with soft features. You’re delicate like a flower but have the sting of a bee. You’re strong and hearty like an elf but calculating like a human. I suspect most of the men in the village fancied you.
For the first time, Cora smiled. “Wow.”
Flare regarded her in confusion. What?
“You just gave me a compliment. Actually, quite a few of them.”
Is it really a compliment when it’s so obvious? Flare looked into the trees like he was uninterested in the conversation entirely.
“A compliment is still a compliment. And coming from a dragon, it means even more.”
So, it would mean less if it weren’t from a dragon?
Cora didn’t understand the question. “Sorry?”
Flare stared at the water and remained still.
Now she was even more confused. “I just—”
“Cora?” Dorian’s deep voice erupted from the trees to the left. His voice was unmistakable to Cora. She’d recognize it anywhere since she’d been listening to it her whole life.
“Dorian?” She’d been so involved with Flare she’d forgotten what she was waiting for.
Flare jumped to his feet quicker than Cora could watch with the naked eye. He was aggressive for the first time, flaring his nostrils and arching his tail defensively. His massive shoulder shoved Cora aside, blocking her from view with his massive scales. A mighty roar erupted from his mouth along with a jet stream of fire.
Dorian dodged out of the way before the fire could strike him. “Cora!”
Cora recovered from being slammed onto the ground then smashed her fists against Flare’s thick scales. “Flare, stop! He’s okay. He’s not here to harm us.”
Flare ceased the flames coming from his nostrils but kept his body tense for battle. Who is he?
“My guardian.”
How did he know where to find us?
“I agreed to meet him here.”
Flare looked down at her, disapproval in his eyes. And you didn’t tell me this?
“I was afraid you would overreact—exactly what you’re doing now.”
He growled, and smoke rose from the tip of his nose.
“Oh, don’t blow your nose at me.” Cora marched around him then approached the trees. “Dorian, it’s okay. Flare won’t hurt you.”
Dorian walked out from the safety of the trunks, his eyes on Flare the entire time. His shoulders were tense in fear, prepared to dodge out of the way from another round of fire. But his eyes showed his evident awe of the creature. He couldn’t look away from Flare’s shiny scales and intimidating claws. “Cora, are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Flare is harmless.”
Flare released a mighty growl that shook the ground beneath their feet.
Cora felt the vibrations all around her. Even though she didn’t fear him, her hair stood on end.
Dorian wasn’t scared of anything, but this was an exception. He put his arm around Cora’s shoulders, trying to protect her from something neither one of them could defeat.
“Okay, he’s not harmless,” Cora said. “But he won’t hurt us.”
Flare lowered his head so he could get a good look at Dorian. A quiet growl escaped his lips as he regarded him with a shrewd eye. This is your guardian?
“Yes.” Cora stepped between them to keep them both comfortable. “He came here to check on me.”
Flare didn’t look at Cora. He was only interested in Dorian. He’ll tell the others I’m here.
“No, he won’t say a word.”
Flare growled again.
“Just give me a moment to speak to him.” She grabbed Dorian by the hand and pulled him into the trees. Dorian kept looking over his shoulder, unable to believe a dragon was just feet away. “Sorry about that. I would have given you some warning, but I didn’t have a chance.”
Dorian finally fixed his gaze on Cora, still in shock. He rubbed his forehead and took a moment to make sense of things. “Cora, how the hell did you find a dragon and befriend him?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Well, you better get talking.”
Cora recounted how she met Flare and what they’d been doing since. “I repaired his wing, and he’s kept me company while I’ve been waiting for you. Since we’re running from the same enemies, it just kind of worked out.”
“This explains why the Shamans came to the village.” Dorian put his hands on his hips, two packs hanging from his back. “They were looking for him.”
“Well, now they’re looking for both of us.”
“Now I understand why the Shamans wouldn’t explain why they were there. How could they tell us that they were hunting the last dragon on the face of the earth?”
“He’s not the last dragon,” she blurted.
Dorian’s normally calm face immediately contorted into one of sheer surprise. “He’s not?”
“He says there are others, but he hasn’t given me anything specific.”
“Has he fused?”
“No. He’s just a dragon.”
He nodded in understanding. “I’m not sure if you’re better off with him or worse off.”
“What do you mean?” She crossed her arms over her chest and lowered her voice so Flare couldn’t listen to their conversation.
“I’m assuming they want his head more than yours. If you stick with him, you’ll always be hunted.”
Cora had just met Flare, and while he was rude to her most of the time, she was comforted by his presence. He’d become an ally and a friend. Perhaps she got along with beasts better than she did with humans. “Does that mean the Shamans are still looking for me?”
He sighed and closed his eyes. “They want you dead, Cora.” He didn’t dull the blade of the ax. He came down hard and struck her right on the neck. “And they aren’t going to stop until they find you.”
She’d expected those words to hurt more than they did. Perhaps she already expected that outcome the second she stabbed the Shaman in the side. “Did they hurt you? The others?”
“No,” Dorian said. “They interrogated us, but no harm was done.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, eternally grateful nothing had happened to them because of her stupidity. “I’m so glad.”
“We’re all worried about you,” Dorian said. “I’m not sure what we can do. We can present the charge to the king and say it was self-defense—”
“No. I don’t want this to go any further.” Dorian and the others would be dragged down, and that could present worse problems. If they pissed off the king, they could be flogged then hanged.
“But we can’t do nothing.” Dorian’s voice was low but full of terror. “We can’t just leave you to your fate.”
“Dorian, there’s nothing else you can do. I don’t want any of you to stick your neck out for me. I’m not worth it.”
He shook his head slightly, his eyes downcast. “Then what is your plan? To live on the run? To look over your shoulder for the rest of your life?”
“I don’t know.” She really didn’t have a plan. She’d never planned for this eventuality because the thought never crossed her mind. “But I’ll figure something out. Perhaps I’ll stay with Flare. I’m more likely to survive with a dragon than alone.”
“If he doesn’t eat you.”
“He’s harmless.” Cora didn’t know Flare well enough to make such assumptions, but she somehow knew he would never hurt her. Despite his ferocity and bad temper, he was thoughtful and protective. “He wouldn’t lay a hand on me. Or, should I say, claw…”
Dorian rubbed the back of his neck then began to pace like he was brainstorming. “Perhaps in a few years, you can come back to the village. Surely, they have more important things to focus on than some woman who stabbed them.”
“I’m sure I will.” She would say whatever Dorian needed to hear. “It’ll blow over in no time. I’m not done growing, so I’m sure I’ll look different in a few years. I won’t have to hide.”
“Yeah…maybe.”
If the Shamans were still in Vax, they might have followed Dorian to the top of the crags. It hadn’t crossed her mind until that moment. “Were you followed?”
“No. I took the caves. If they followed me, they’ll get lost when they come out.”
“Okay.”
“But you two shouldn’t stay here any longer. It’s only a matter of time before they figure it out.”
“I know.” They had to keep moving. Once Flare’s wing was healed, he should be able to fly. Perhaps he would let her ride him. The thought sent a thrill down her spine.
Dorian pulled one of the packs off his back. “Extra weapons and clothes.”
She peered inside and saw most of her belongings. She also spotted a sack of gold. “Dorian, what’s this?” She peered inside and noticed the sum. It definitely wasn’t hers.
“I want you to have it. You’ll need it.”
It was his entire savings. He kept it hidden behind the stove. “Dorian…I can’t take this.” She shoved it to his chest. “I really appreciate it. Truly. But…I can’t.”
