Mortal Decoy

Chapter 8 - Fallon

Chapter 8 - Fallon

My head pounded and sharp pain traveled through my leg with every step, even though I put as little weight as possible on it. The constricting bind around my chest didn't make breathing any easier. Flynn was in no better shape. Arm in arm, we stumbled past dead trees and cracked rocks. We needed to move quickly but could barely manage to drag ourselves along.

It took us an hour to make it out of sight of the cave. Soon after, Flynn kneeled over in the dirt. I stumbled to my knees beside him, just in time for him to vomit. I laid my hand on his back as he gasped for air. The sour smell permeated the air but I couldn't bring myself to move away. I grimaced and clenched my teeth as I dragged my leg out straight to prevent applying more pressure than absolutely necessary.

Flynn wiped his mouth with his sleeve. A dark bruise stretched across his neck. "We're not going to make it."

"We made it out of there. We have to make it back." I had too many plans for this to be the end.

"How?"

"Can't you make a water dragon to ride?" I asked.

Flynn laughed, a croaky sound that stopped as soon as it started. "I can't make water, Fallon. Why do you think I was so useless back there?"

My shoulders fell. "Oh. What if..." I trailed off, an idea slowly worming its way into my aching head. "How much water would you need?"

"Even if we had enough, I'm not sure I could make it work. My head hurts too much."

I could work with that. I had to make it work. The demon could escape the cave and we needed to be far away when that happened.

"I'll get you the water. I'll fix your head. But you have to swear you'll get me out of here." If I could do it, I'd be in no condition to get myself out. I pressed my hand to my pocket where the chunk of potential demonite resided. I'd pass this test, even if it killed me.

"If you can do all that, I'll marry you," he croaked with a thin smile. I glared. "Fine, fine. I swear it by all the angels."

I nodded, took a deep breath, and pressed my fingers to his temple. I closed my eyes as I urged the mana to mend his mind and broken bits. It wove slowly through him, like a caress.

When I opened my eyes, he stared at me. His eyes were wide but clear. His throat was still bruised, but the broken blood vessels in his eyes were repaired. "Don't you think..." he trailed off as I waved a hand at him.

I wasn't done yet. My mana was depleted, but I knew how to push it. I clutched my dagger and let the last of its mana trickle into me.

I sheathed the dagger and dug my fingers into the soft soil. This was my element. I closed my eyes and sunk my mana into the ground. I sent it deep, searching. It wormed down through the earth, past broken roots and bones. Finally, finally, the dirt became muddy. Liquid awaiting a purpose, now that all the plants were dead.

I gritted my teeth. "Be ready."

Flynn crouched beside me, palms open. I clenched my hands into fists and pulled upward so fast a spray of dirt came with them.

I opened my eyes to a geyser of dirt rocketing above my head. I swung my arms so it crashed down several feet away. A hole sunk deep into the earth before me. It was not very wide and would collapse if I stopped using my mana to hold it open. I swayed.

Flynn dove forward sticking his hands into the hole. He couldn't reach the water but could brush a finger against the mud and that was enough.

He pulled himself out of the hole and water followed in a gush. It rose into the air, a small blob growing as more water flowed from the hole. Slowly, it bulged and ripped until it formed a small steed. Its head was that of a dragon but its body was short and stalky like a horse. It landed on the ground.