have to wait a while. Besides, she knew instinctively that scrubbing her scalp and face would
not remove the sensation. It was on the inside. How could she hope to clean away something that was beyond the reach of soap and water?
Brushing down her clothes with her hands, Nolita staggered to her feet. The scratches stung, and her chest and right upper arm felt bruised from her fall. Rather than ignore the pain or seek to
lessen it, however, Nolita harnessed it as a focus. It helped her block out the fear. Without a backward glance, she set off at a more sensible pace between the trees. Away from home. Away from
family. Away from
it.
Chapter Seven
Kira
‘Disarm the boy and bring him,’ Kasau ordered.
‘Yes, Kasau.’
The order was given in soft tones, but the way the hunters manhandled Elian towards the stand of trees was anything but gentle. His sword was taken from its scabbard before he even remembered it
was at his side and his backpack was pulled from his shoulders. The men then alternately shoved and dragged him, as he struggled to force his limbs into action. There was no question of attempting
to escape. He could no more run than he could follow Aurora by skipping across the surface of the water.
By the time they reached the edge of the small wooded area, Elian’s circulation had returned and he could walk unaided. Feeling had returned to his hands and feet, and his skin in both
areas felt as though it was burning; a delicious agony of pain and pleasure, as blood flooded through the outer layers of his flesh. He was led into the very centre of the stand of trees where the
men had set up camp. The guards threw him to the ground next to the fire pit. Winded by the impact, it took a moment before he could roll over and push himself up into a sitting position.
Kasau wasted no time in organising his men. Elian’s two guards did not leave his side, but the rest of the party gathered around at their leader’s signal.
‘We don’t have long until nightfall,’ he observed. ‘We need traps set before dark sets in. My guess is that she’ll approach from the east at dawn, when her powers
are at their peak. We will therefore concentrate our efforts on the eastern edge.’
‘What powers does she have, Kasau?’
‘Do you want an honest answer?’
The man nodded. ‘I’ve never come this close to a dawn dragon before.’
‘The truth is I don’t know anything for certain,’ Kasau admitted. ‘And what little I’ve heard was rumour and speculation. Does anyone here know about dawn
dragons?’ His question met with silence. ‘You, boy – do you know what powers your dragon possesses?’
Elian met Kasau’s gaze with a sullen, defiant stare. No more than a few heartbeats passed before the hunter shook his head.
‘I thought not. You only met her for the first time yesterday. Why should you know? I doubt she’ll use fire, even if she can project it. She’ll not risk hurting her rider.
Aside from that I can think of little she could do against a standard set of dragon traps. We’ll prepare as best we can. Husam – you and Tembo take three men and set traps on the
western edge in case she’s a wily one. If we have time later, we’ll set more to the north and south.’
He turned to Elian’s guards. ‘You two remain with the boy. Don’t let him out of your sight. If he escapes, I’ll personally gut you where you stand.’
There was a moment of tense silence. Kasau stared at the two guards almost as if trying to hypnotise them. Suddenly he broke eye contact and turned away. In silence he led the majority of the
men off to the eastern quarter of the wood. Elian shuddered. The leader of the dragonhunters was the creepiest man he had ever seen. His mismatched eyes were strange, but it was more than that.
There was an aura of coldness about him that made him almost inhuman.
It was a while before Elian dared to move. After Kasau’s warning the guards looked poised to stamp on him, or worse,
not remove the sensation. It was on the inside. How could she hope to clean away something that was beyond the reach of soap and water?
Brushing down her clothes with her hands, Nolita staggered to her feet. The scratches stung, and her chest and right upper arm felt bruised from her fall. Rather than ignore the pain or seek to
lessen it, however, Nolita harnessed it as a focus. It helped her block out the fear. Without a backward glance, she set off at a more sensible pace between the trees. Away from home. Away from
family. Away from
it.
Chapter Seven
Kira
‘Disarm the boy and bring him,’ Kasau ordered.
‘Yes, Kasau.’
The order was given in soft tones, but the way the hunters manhandled Elian towards the stand of trees was anything but gentle. His sword was taken from its scabbard before he even remembered it
was at his side and his backpack was pulled from his shoulders. The men then alternately shoved and dragged him, as he struggled to force his limbs into action. There was no question of attempting
to escape. He could no more run than he could follow Aurora by skipping across the surface of the water.
By the time they reached the edge of the small wooded area, Elian’s circulation had returned and he could walk unaided. Feeling had returned to his hands and feet, and his skin in both
areas felt as though it was burning; a delicious agony of pain and pleasure, as blood flooded through the outer layers of his flesh. He was led into the very centre of the stand of trees where the
men had set up camp. The guards threw him to the ground next to the fire pit. Winded by the impact, it took a moment before he could roll over and push himself up into a sitting position.
Kasau wasted no time in organising his men. Elian’s two guards did not leave his side, but the rest of the party gathered around at their leader’s signal.
‘We don’t have long until nightfall,’ he observed. ‘We need traps set before dark sets in. My guess is that she’ll approach from the east at dawn, when her powers
are at their peak. We will therefore concentrate our efforts on the eastern edge.’
‘What powers does she have, Kasau?’
‘Do you want an honest answer?’
The man nodded. ‘I’ve never come this close to a dawn dragon before.’
‘The truth is I don’t know anything for certain,’ Kasau admitted. ‘And what little I’ve heard was rumour and speculation. Does anyone here know about dawn
dragons?’ His question met with silence. ‘You, boy – do you know what powers your dragon possesses?’
Elian met Kasau’s gaze with a sullen, defiant stare. No more than a few heartbeats passed before the hunter shook his head.
‘I thought not. You only met her for the first time yesterday. Why should you know? I doubt she’ll use fire, even if she can project it. She’ll not risk hurting her rider.
Aside from that I can think of little she could do against a standard set of dragon traps. We’ll prepare as best we can. Husam – you and Tembo take three men and set traps on the
western edge in case she’s a wily one. If we have time later, we’ll set more to the north and south.’
He turned to Elian’s guards. ‘You two remain with the boy. Don’t let him out of your sight. If he escapes, I’ll personally gut you where you stand.’
There was a moment of tense silence. Kasau stared at the two guards almost as if trying to hypnotise them. Suddenly he broke eye contact and turned away. In silence he led the majority of the
men off to the eastern quarter of the wood. Elian shuddered. The leader of the dragonhunters was the creepiest man he had ever seen. His mismatched eyes were strange, but it was more than that.
There was an aura of coldness about him that made him almost inhuman.
It was a while before Elian dared to move. After Kasau’s warning the guards looked poised to stamp on him, or worse,
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