Amáne of Teravinea - The Chosen One (The Teravinea Series Book 1) (23 page)

“Run, I said!” Trying to hold the terror from my voice.

Finally, he broke and ran for the wall. I could hear him behind me and was thankful that at least he was faster and more agile than I thought he would be. He reached the wall and scaled it without a problem.

The problem, however, was now mine. The creature’s gaze was broken. I had lost my concentration in telling Ansel a second time to run. It shook its head to get back into the present before the remainder of his meal could escape.

That was my cue. I thrust my torch in his face, which bought me a split second. Wheeling around, I literally ran for my life. Ansel’s hesitation had broken the timing, and the creature was much faster than I anticipated. I tossed my spear over the wall — the black lizard hot on my heels. The stench of its putrid breath burned my nostrils. I leaped on the wall and scaled toward the top. Ansel had his hand ready to grab mine and pull me to safety. Just in time. I made it. I grabbed his wrist as he locked his hand around mine.

Instantaneously, my right foot burst into searing pain. The feeling was familiar — it was a venomous bite. The beast had leapt up after me. Before I could escape completely out of his reach, he clamped down on my foot with his powerful jaws. I screamed in excruciating agony, but had the sense to use my left foot and shove it down on his snout with all my might. He let out an angry snarl and released me. Ansel pulled me over the wall and we slid and tumbled in a heap on the other side — the black creature growled and scratched in anger at losing his prey.

With some effort we untangled ourselves and I strained to keep my mind in focus. The pain was nearly unbearable. I could hear Eshshah calling my name as she urged me to keep going. Her call and concern gave me the encouragement I needed. I switched into survival mode.

“Hurry, this way!” I exclaimed.

“Are you okay?” Ansel asked with terror in his voice.

He looked at me in disbelief as I moved down the corridor, using my spear as a walking stick. I had been through similar agony. Only with Eshshah calling my name, melding with me and pouring her strength into me, was I able to keep my sanity and my will to go on. I convinced myself my injury was not that bad.

“Keep moving,” I said through clenched teeth, partly from anger, partly from pain. I could feel the venom as it spread upwards, but knew it wouldn’t overcome me just yet. I was sure bones were crushed, but I was not about to look.

My spear helped take some of the pressure off of my foot, but with each step a new stab of lightning shot up my leg. I looked back at the way we had come and my heart skipped.

“I’m leaving an obvious trail.”

Ansel turned, saw my bloody tracks and made a quick decision.

“Sit here,” he said as he took my arm and helped lower me to the floor — my back against the wall.

It didn’t appear that anyone was following us yet. I could still hear the creature howling in anger at our escape.

“Hand me your dagger.” He cut strips off his tunic and tied them together, then kneeled in front of me. A curse escaped from his mouth when he caught sight of the damage.

“I’m not going to look,” I told him. I didn’t want to lose consciousness ... or anything that might be left in my stomach.

“No. No need, you’ll be fine. It’s not that bad.”

He didn’t make a very good liar.

“You think it’ll leave a scar?” I tried to joke.

After another bewildered glance in my direction, he wrapped my foot and halfway up my leg with a speed and expertise that surprised me. I didn’t look until he finished.

“Where did you learn that?”

“I may be a stupid rich lord, but I am related to the Healer, you know. I’ve learned a few things from her.”

My face got warm but I still refused to apologize for what I’d said to him.

Ansel helped me to my feet, positioned himself at my right side, and wrapped his left arm around me bringing it under my arm. Modesty had no room at that moment and situation. But I was thankful I had my breastplate on or my impersonation of a boy would have been found out. I needed to keep up my male charade until we got to Eshshah in case he decided to try anything chivalrous — if he even had that in him.

With my spear in my left hand and his support on my right, we were able to move more quickly down the corridor. We had to find the door that would connect us to the passage from which we had detoured.

I started to think better of him after his attention to my injury, yet I debated whether I would ever forgive him for his hesitation. It was his fault I was bitten.

We found the door that led back to the original passageway. It took every ounce of my willpower joined to Eshshah’s strength to successfully make the last two turns down the long corridors.

With my dragon’s assistance, we managed to reach the stairs that led to the outpost and safety. The creature’s burning venom threatened to overcome me by that time. Ansel half carried me up the first set. When we got to the landing, I had to stop to catch my breath and try to deal with the pain that rose up my body. I bent over holding on to my knees as the fire reached my thigh. I needed to get to Eshshah quickly before it ascended to my chest. It would be too difficult for me to breathe, and I would surely pass out.

“I am so sorry. It was my fault that creature bit you. It should have been me.” Ansel couldn’t hide his distress.

“Then you would be dead,” my voice flat and harsh. “We’re almost there. Let’s go.” I threw aside all pretense of politeness as my pain dictated my mood.

Two more flights of stairs and we came to a gate that I unlocked with Aperio’s key, then closed and locked it behind us.

We turned the final corner and at last had reached the door into the safety of the Castle Outpost. Unlocking it, we entered the cavern. My lungs nearly burst from the effort to get here and from the venom rising. We took a moment to lean on the wall as we both gulped for air.

Ansel let out a curse as he realized we were in a cave high up in a cliff. He could see out the entry that it was a long drop to the ground below.

“What now, do we grow wings and fly out of here?”

I rolled my eyes and clenched my fist, barely managing to hold my punch.

“You’re not far from the truth. Eshshah, come around slowly, please.”

We had decided we didn’t want to scare Ansel any more than necessary, although, seriously, I would have loved to scare him senseless. Maybe show him some manners. But, I probably would have regretted it later. Besides, I was not in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. My body was on fire.

Eshshah set foot in the entry cavern. As was natural upon a surprise meeting with an almost full-sized dragon, Ansel jumped back and cursed. Then realizing Eshshah was a true dragon, he did something that I didn’t expect. He greeted her with a salute. I was shocked, yet pleased he actually knew the proper way to show respect to my dragon.

“This is Eshshah.”

“Greetings, Eshshah. I stand in awe of your beauty.”

Eshshah nodded to him, pleased with his compliment. Without delay, she moved to me, concerned only for her rider. Putting her nose to my foot, she exhaled her healing breath to stave off the venom and ease some of my pain. Ansel turned to look at me with wonder, mixed with confusion in his widened green eyes.

“You’re a dragon rider,” he stated, and saluted me.

With Eshshah’s healing attention, my pain became bearable. My pride got the better of me. I stood up as straight as I could and leaned on my spear. I nodded and pulled off my helmet. My long tangled hair fell over my shoulders.

I should have been a little more ashamed of the pleasure I took upon noting the shock in Ansel’s face.

“And you’re a girl!”

Once more, I nodded. Switching to my normal voice, “My name is Amáne.” I hoped my smug look wasn’t too obvious.

“You’re Amáne?” He asked in astonishment. I could see his mind starting to put it all together, now. “My aunt has been telling me about you. Please accept my apologies, Amáne, for my disrespect.”

I saw the blood rise in his face behind his tan skin as he said, “I owe you a double apology for my foul language. I don’t make it a habit of speaking like that in front of a lady. I’m so sorry.”

“Well, if I’m going to go about impersonating a male, I should probably try to get used to it.”

“I had no idea who was sent to rescue me,” he said almost to himself. His eyes were riveted on me. “... a Chosen One ... a dragon rider. And a beautiful one at that. My aunt neglected to share that detail, otherwise, I would have begged her to meet you weeks ago.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the redness as the blood rose in my face. Before I could think of a response, Eshshah surprised me with her behavior. She lowered her head and put her nose on the ground in front of Ansel.

“Eshshah, what are you doing?” I asked.

“Amáne,” she answered, “meet the true heir to the throne of Teravinea. This one you call Ansel, is a Drekinn, son of the late King Emeric Drekinn of the royal line of the Dragon Kings of Teravinea.” She felt the bond between her line and his and knew the heir stood before us.

It was my turn for incredulity and I think my eyes got as wide as his did.

“You are a Drekinn? King Emeric’s son? The songs say you died in the explosions at the castle. Now it’s my turn to offer an apology for my disrespect. I had no idea who I was sent to rescue — the heir to the throne.” I didn’t add any compliments as he had. I was not completely over being angry with him. I curtsied as well as I could with my injuries.

He put his hand out and said, “I guess we’re even now. Truce?”

“Truce.” I answered as I took his hand.

Emotions, exhaustion and pain all conspired to overwhelm me, as my head started to spin. I leaned back against the wall and slid down, as I reached for Eshshah. Ansel’s hand was still in mine from our handshake. He helped lower me gently to the floor.

“Amáne,” Eshshah said, “please ask Lord Ansel to remove the bandages.” ‘Lord Ansel’ sounded strange to my ears as I was still in disbelief about his true identity.

He did so, and against my better judgement, I looked at the damage to my foot. The blood drained from my face as I saw the
mangled flesh and bone barely held together by my boot. I gagged, but sheer willpower kept me from actually throwing up. I was convinced had it not been for my dragon-scale boot, the creature would be digesting my foot, and I would be looking at a stump.

Eshshah placed her warm healing nose on the devastation and hummed her tune. The heat of her healing overcame the burning pain of the venom. I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes as her heat became much more intense, even than when she healed me from the rabid dog bite.

“It’ll need to be wrapped again, if Lord Ansel wouldn’t mind. Keep the boot on. I have no time for a proper healing, but this will have to do for a while. It’s almost daybreak — we have to leave.”

Handing him my dagger, I gave Ansel Eshshah’s instructions as I removed my outer tunic for him to use. I hoped I could find a tunic left in one of the sleeping chambers. After expertly wrapping my foot again, he helped me to my feet.

“We need to tell Gallen we’re heading home. The communication disc should be in the library, this way.” I said.

Using my spear on one side and Ansel supporting my other, we made our way down the long hallway to the library, which was in the same general location as the library at the Dorsal Outpost, except there were many more bed chambers to pass before reaching it. Moving to the disc, I placed my hand on the brass knob and said, “Gyan,” and then, “Kaelem.”

The disc shimmered and then muted into an image. Gallen appeared in the glass.

“Amáne, thankfully you’re safe.” Relieved to see my face — as relieved as I was to see his. I tried to hide my pain, but he knew me too well.

“You’re not okay.” His face paled. “What happened? Is Lord Ansel with you?”

“Yes, he’s here. We’re fine. We’re heading home.”

Then Ansel stepped up and saluted. He knew Gallen had been a dragon rider. “Greetings, Gallen. Since it appears Amáne is not going to tell you, I will. She’s been seriously injured saving my life. She was bitten by a venomous creature — some kind of relation to a dragon. It’ll take all of the Healer’s skills to save her foot. Bones are broken. There’s a lot of damage. I wanted to prepare my aunt so she’ll have everything she needs to attend to her.”

“I’ll tell her. Thank you, Your Grace. Amáne, please get home safely.” This news upset him. I was furious with Ansel for causing Gallen to worry. I glared at him through my pain.

We said farewell, and I removed my hand from the knob. Ansel helped me find a warm tunic in one of the sleeping chambers, and we hurried back to the entry cavern.

“Ansel, or Your Grace, or whatever you want to be called, there’s a gear pack in the corner over there. Get out your helmet and put on the outer tunic. Prepare to fly.” My pain should not have been an excuse for my lack of respect. Diplomacy was not high on my list at that moment as my self control waned.

“Please, just call me Ansel.”

He donned his gear as Eshshah treated me once more. Attaching the pack to the saddle, Ansel put my spear in its holder. He helped me up to Eshshah’s leg so I could climb into the saddle, but I didn’t have the strength to pull myself the rest of the way up. Under any other circumstance, I would have been mortified, but one more time, modesty was set aside. Ansel looked embarrassed
as he tried to decide where best to place his hands, but I didn’t care just then.

I glared at him, “Just get it over with!”

He quickly pushed me up from behind, then took his place in the rear saddle. He helped me buckle in and get my helmet on.

I gave Eshshah the okay to take off. She proceeded to the entrance and leapt off the ledge. I could hear Ansel gasp behind me as we did a free fall for several feet before she spread her wings and took flight. Shamefully, I took some gratification in his reaction to her dive.