The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

4.3 || To Protect a Life

Somewhere between the last time that Josh had seen her and now, the girl had found a bow. She stood, another blue arrow drawn, her back straight, the arrow pulled back. Determination hardened her face.

Josh's heart stuttered, and this time, it wasn't from fear. Despite the dire situation and that she was a mysterious, armed girl who had been watching him earlier, he couldn't deny how hot she looked right then.

Mara! the voice shouted, relieved. Now you probably won't die.

Josh did his best to ignore that added 'probably' and studied the girl—Mara, if he was to believe the voice. He didn't see a quiver or anything else to hold extra bows. She did, however, have a leather belt, a forearm-length sheath resting on each hip, both holding what he could only guess were daggers. How had he not noticed those before, and how had she not been thrown out?

"Paladin," Darren spat. "I thought I sensed the boy fast enough I wouldn't have to deal with any of you pests."

She kept her gaze trained on Darren, but she spoke to Josh when she said, "I need you to come over to me."

He turned his attention to her arrows. Hot or not, she was a stranger with a weapon. How was he to know that she didn't plan on killing him as well?

Mara's on our side, the voice assured. She'll keep you safe.

"Now!" Mara barked.

Well, his choices were between the person the voice in his head trusted and a potentially demon-possessed bully... He gulped and went to move toward her.

"I don't think so." Darren placed a hand on Josh's shoulder and shoved down. Josh bit down a cry as the sudden force drove him to his knees. "And you..." Darren held out the darkness-surrounded hand to Mara. "I wouldn't release your arrow."

Mara glared down her arrow at him. "Why? You just made yourself a cleaner target."

"Very simple. We both know that a non-bonded human can't take magic very well. I mean, do you really want to risk killing this boy?" he asked with a gesture to himself.

"Then it's a good thing you're not a non-bonded human."

"If you believe that," Darren asked, words slow and smug, "why haven't you shot yet? Do I feel wrong, by chance?"

Mara frowned, her eyebrows drawing closer together. "It's true that you don't feel like a Shadow Knight, but..." She nodded to his hand. "Non-bonded humans can't use energy."

"Unless that human isn't the soul in charge."

Mara's face slackened in confusion for a moment, then her eyes widened and her face paled. "Liar!" she said. "Phoenix Dragons haven't taken control of humans in centuries."

"Is that so?" Darren challenged. "Shoot me, then, and stop me."

Josh sensed what was about to happen a moment before Darren did it. Josh tried to whack Darren's arm away, but he squeezed before Josh could. Fingers dug into his shoulder. The piercing agony froze in his escape attempt.

"Shoot me!" Darren cried at the same time as applying more pressure. Josh cried out and jerked away, but it only worsened the pain.

Mara flinched. Her pull on the string slackened as uncertainty flickered in her eyes. That was all Darren needed. He released Josh and launched forward. Mara shot the arrow almost immediately after, but the moment of hesitation gave Darren enough time to twist out of its path.