The Priestess and the Dragon (Dragon Saga Book 1, Wattpad Version)

Chapter Twenty nine

Suzume looked from Rin to Kaito and back again. “Can someone tell me what’s going on here?”

It was Akira who stepped up to explain. “It would appear Kaito did not attack the shrine.”

“What are you talking about?  What attack? I think I’m owed an explanation.” Kaito’s head swiveled over to Suzume.

“Don’t look at me, I thought you went on a killing rampage when you found out I was Kazue.”

“Why would I do that?” He folded his arms over his chest.

I’m getting the impression the wrong answer could end me up in a lot of hot water, or in Kaito’s case, a deep freeze.

 “Now’s not the time for your bickering,” Rin interjected. She stepped between Kaito and Suzume holding her hands out like a makeshift barricade. “Someone is obviously pretending to be Kaito.”

“I wonder why,” Akira murmured. She tapped her chin in thought.

“I don’t know why but I intend to find out who this imposter thinks they are,” Kaito snarled. He brushed past Rin and out the door to the hallway beyond.

Following his exit, the shouts of the priests and the roar of the dragon could be heard from within the small room. Rin shrugged her shoulders and followed after Kaito.

Suzume shook her head. “Would it be too much to ask for a few moments’ peace?”

Akira had shifted into Tsuki and he smirked at Suzume playfully. “What would be the fun in that?”

Suzume scowled at him.

“Get your staff, Priestess, I think we’ll be in need of it.”

He’s a little too excited. Can I trust them? What if they created this fake dragon? Suzume ran to grab the staff anyway. She would feel safer with a weapon. She retrieved the staff from where it had been tossed on the ground by Kaito. Tsuki was waiting for her by the door smirking all the while.  I really don’t like that secret smile of his, it’s like he knows something about me that he shouldn’t. Tsuki motioned for Suzume to exit first and the pair ran down the covered walkways towards the sounds of shouts and the crash of falling ice.

They passed a few screaming priests who were fleeing in the opposite direction. Suzume watched them go. If I had any sense I would be following them, not this trickster.  Tsuki kept stride with her but when Suzume fell behind he slowed to let her keep up, smiling over his shoulder at her.

“Don’t dawdle, Dragons will not wait.”

Suzume snorted. “Don’t know I it.” Kaito has left me in the dust more than a few times.

A roar shuddered across the temple, shaking the buildings around them. It’s louder than last time. It’s as if it’s getting stronger. Suzume tilted her head back scanning the sky, she couldn’t see anything other than gray clouds fat with rain. If that dragon wasn’t Kaito then who is it?

The answers would have to wait. The dragon roared again and an icy rain pelted the shrine. Through the stinging rain, Suzume saw her first glimpse of the dragon. It was coiled about a cloud like some massive serpent. The length of his body weaved in and out of the clouds. Suzume tilted her head back watching as the dragon would emerge from the clouds to open his maw and spew hail and daggers of ice from his open mouth. He looks just like Kaito. I would be hard pressed to tell them apart. No wonder even Rin was fooled. The brunt of the dragon’s attack was focused on the courtyard, which was further off. Suzume was safe for the time being.