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I turned to the direction of the agonized cry. It wasn't close. It must have come from the village. I recognized the deep tenor of the roar. Zellar. If he was in that much pain, he was going to be trouble. They were going to need me.
On pure instinct, I opened my mouth to call for Elesor--then I caught sight of Prince Camden looking around for the source of the cry. I wasn't alone and Elesor wouldn't be able to take us there as quickly as I wanted.
"Jobe!" I called instead, whirling to the large gray dragon. "I need a lift!"
The dragon was at my side in an instant. They'd all heard the roar too; they knew it was a dragon in pain. Soft moans echoed throughout the nest in compassion for the dragon.
"Wait!" the prince shouted, following me until I climbed up Jobe's side and settled between two horns. "You're riding bareback? That's crazy! You'll be thrown off."
"No, you'll be thrown off," I snapped viciously, not forgetting what he had said to me only moments ago. "Jobe, grab him. I don't have time for spoiled brats."
The dragon's wings fluttered, lifting him onto his back legs so he could take a very disgruntled prince into his claws. He shouted at me and the dragon to let him go. We didn't. Jobe launched into the sky. I almost lost my grip, he was so powerful.
"Fuck!" Prince Camden screamed, halting his attempts to fight the dragon's hold. He shot a glare at me instead, ash blonde hair slapping against his face as he did so. I would have been amused if a dragon wasn't hurt. "Fuck you, Kali! This is it! I don't want you as my guide!"
"Tell me something I don't know," I muttered, squeezing my arms around a horn. My feet found holds against the joints of his wings for support.
We went over the mountain then dove down for the village. From up here, I saw Zellar was backed into a corner by the healing pen where our healers would do checkups or heal the wounds dragons procured from playing or defending themselves in the wild. The pen was a large size, butted up against a cliffside some dragons like to perch on while recovering. This afternoon, however, Zellar was against it, thrashing his tail and hissing at Tallinn, the first tamer on the scene.
Jobe dropped the prince on the ground before landing beside the dragon healing hut where the healers had gathered to watch. Thankfully, Amber wasn't among them; I wasn't in the mood to see her stupid smug face.
I slid off Jobe and rushed to my brother's side.
Zellar snarled at my entrance, inducing a scream from Amelia, who I could now see was pressed up against the cliff, doing everything she could to remain small and inconspicuous behind the dragon, which had appeared to have forgotten she was there. Thank Gods for that. Dragons like this were irrational, if he saw her he might think she was trying to sneak up on him and try to kill her.
"What happened?"
Tallinn, whip in hand, glared at me. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be guiding the prince--or did you kill him?"
I gestured at him over my shoulder, disinterested in whatever the prince was doing at the moment. Zellar had all my attention. "Not yet. I won't get the chance, either, he wants to talk to Dad about switching guides."
His eyebrows perked up at that and he peered behind him at Prince Camden. "He looks pissed."
"Jobe picked him up. Didn't have time to teach him how to ride bareback. What happened here, Tallinn?"
Falling into tamer mode, a cool mask fell over his face; he pointed at Amelia with his whip hand. "Amelia was doing an annual check up on Zellar. I don't know what set him off, but he looks pissed."
I watched the dragon spread his wings high and wide, threateningly. It was a warning to keep away. His hiss backed it up, but there was a wobble to the noise. The look in his eyes weren't hostile, they were pained. The cry I'd heard earlier was definitely one of agony. Something had hurt him, though there were no visible injuries.
What hurt you, big guy?
Only Amelia knew the answer, but she was trapped behind the dragon, scared out of her mind. Hey, at least she didn't have to calm him down. That was my job. A very terrifying yet thrilling job.
I stepped for him. Tallinn gripped my arm and nodded back to the prince. "Make sure nothing happens to him. I got this."
Now wasn't the time to argue--Zellar would sense our rising anger and frustration, and would react poorly to raised voices--so I fell into step beside the prince, ignoring him completely.
Tallinn approached Zellar with caution in a low crouch. Zellar watched him closely, hissing and fluttering his wings as a warning to back off. His tail whipped back and forth behind him, hitting the cliffside. Small rocks broke away. Amelia screamed and covered her head as they tumbled around her. Tallinn moved to the side, away from the cliff, in an attempt to draw Zellar towards him. The dragon only took a few steps to get a better angle on him--the real threat out of the crowd gathering around to watch a tamer at work.
Dad appeared at my side, my brothers close behind. "Situation?"
I filled them in with what I knew, which felt so little. All I did was confirm that Zellar was hurt and irrational, which meant we might have to take drastic measures. Ones I didn't want to take. I'd saved Zellar's life before. I could do it again.
Dad dispatched my brothers to clear the crowd--a distraction Tallinn nor Zellar needed right now--and for me to remain at Prince Camden's side.
He bit his lip, watching Tallinn work in strict concentration.
Tallinn swung his whip around casually so Zellar got used to the idea of the whip moving, as to not fear it. Unsettled by the movement and the direct eye contact Tallinn gave him, the dragon growled, swishing his tail like a rattlesnake. If Tallinn wasn't careful, Zellar might lash out.
Quick as a cobra, Tallinn flicked his whip and caught Zellar around the leg. He pulled, bringing the dragon down into a submissive position.
It was a mistake.
The dragon roared and reared up. He tore the whip out of Tallinn's grasp and swung his tail all the way around, hitting my brother squarely in the chest. He went flying into the fence and hit the ground, still.
"Tallinn!" Dad cried.
Harry and Giles went to grab him, but I caught Harry while Dad got Giles. "Clear your minds, boys," Dad cautioned. "Kali, distract Zellar. Casper, Kaden--grab your brother while he's focused on her. Harry, Giles--get Amelia out of here."
Prince Camden laughed, making me almost trip. "That's suicide. She's going to get clobbered."
"Then I guess you won't have to worry about me being your guide, will you?" I snapped then approached the dragon with my hands up so he could see I was unarmed. His scales bristled at my approach, claws digging deep into the earth. He barred his teeth at me; I stopped, angling him away from Tallinn so Casper and Kaden could move in. "Hey, buddy, what's the matter?" I asked the dragon softly. "What happened to you? I can't help you if you don't show me."
He roared, spreading his mouth wide open. His hot breath spilled over me and blew my hair back. As much as I wanted to cringe from the noise and gag at the stench of smoke and rotten meat, I held my ground, keeping my hands open, passive. Showing any kind of weakness would give him doubt and I'd end up like Tallinn. He had to trust me that I knew what I was doing and I wouldn't hurt him.
"Okay, sorry. Can I come a little closer?" He wasn't far enough away from the wall for my brothers to get Amelia out safely. I needed him to follow me out in the open.
I advanced for him, reaching my hands out for his face.
He roared again, stepping for me so he was right in my face. My body told me to run, but I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. If I showed or even smelled fear, he wouldn't give me the time of day, let alone obey me.
"Kali! Tail!"
I turned to Dad's call, catching Zellar's tail swinging my way. Swearing, I leapt over it, rolling to the side.
"Someone get her out of there!" Prince Camden ordered. "She's going to get herself killed!"
"Shut up and let her work," Dad shouted. "Kal's got this."
Hearing the confidence in Dad's tone snapped me back in focus. Zellar's tail was coming my way again. I only had time to brace myself before it hit my chest and sent me into the cliff face. Amilea screamed and stepped for me.
I shot my hand out at her. "Don't!" I croaked, regaining my breath. Any movement he would see as a threat and attack them.
She pressed herself against the wall instead. Content she wasn't going to move, I shook my head to clear my mind and stood up. "Zellar!" I barked. If being passive wasn't going to work, it was time to switch gears. "That wasn't cool, man! You see what you did to me?" I raised my arm so he could see the blood trickling down the nasty gash I'd gotten from the impact.
His nostrils flared at the scent of blood, eyes constricting into thin vertical lines. A rumble started in his throat as he recognized that he'd hurt me, his friend.
"You've gotta calm down, buddy, you're going to hurt a lot of people."
He bellowed, backing me up to the wall. I was faintly aware my brothers were calling for me, but I was too focused on the nose a foot away from me to hear what they said. Swallowing back a lump of bravery, I reached out and placed a hand between his nostrils. Smoke puffed out them, encasing me in a thick layer I couldn't see through. Once it cleared, he opened his mouth.
My heart lurched. This was it. I'd gone too far. He was going to snap me in half with his powerful jaws. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.
And waited.
He grunted, mouth still open, boiling hot breath burning my skin slightly.
Biting my lip, I opened my eyes--and stared right down his throat. Gods it stunk. His uvula jiggled as he breathed. Saliva dripped off his teeth, narrowly missing my feet.
I swallowed. I'd been closer to dragons than anyone but never practically inside one's mouth. Even though he clearly didn't mean to harm me--at this moment, anyway--it still put an awful knot in my stomach.
Once my fear faded away, I scanned his mouth to see what he was trying to show me. There. A sheep's leg was wedged between two teeth. It must have been the sheep Amelia fed him to see if he was eating properly and not swallowing something that big whole (some dragons did and ended up choking and dying because of it.)
"Hey, Zellar, I see it. Will you let me remove it?"
He stretched his neck out, giving me full access. Gingerly, I moved to the side of his head and reached in, praying he wouldn't shut his mouth. My fingers barely touched the bone when he roared, a second's warning before he clamped his mouth shut. His head reared up, catching my gut and hucking me over his head. I latched onto one of the horns just above his eyebrow and clung to any part of his neck with my legs. I held on for dear life as he swung and bucked.
Dad called out to me. I chanced a look to see Casper and Harry hold him back. Good. Now was definitely not the time for anyone to be going near this dragon.
Zellar's head flew back. My hands slipped from his horn. I went tumbling down his back, barely able to catch the crook of his wing joint.
"Casper--Giles--grab Amelia. Now!" I screamed, as I held on with everything I had. Thankfully, I was more familiar with this end of a dragon and found much more solid holds to grip. "Harry--rope!"
Zellar flapped his wings as an attempt to buck me off, since his neck wasn't long enough for his jaws to catch me. While he wailed, Casper and Giles snuck around the back and finally got Amelia away from the wall. Harry, the most lithe of my brothers, darted up to Zellar's side. Before he could toss the rope to me, Zellar whipped his tail around. Harry dodged it, rolling underneath the rearing dragon to get to his other side. He threw the rope up at me. I barely managed to catch it, nearly falling off in the process. With a grunt, I swung the thick, heavy rope around Zellar's neck and tied a loop for a more reliable handle.
Zellar beat his wings again, but this time with more vigor--with the intention to fly.
"Shit!"
"He's going to take off!" Dad warned me. "Get off him, Kali! He's not worth your life!"
Ignoring him, I held onto the rope, determined. If I let Zellar go, they would hunt him down tomorrow and kill him; he would be deemed too dangerous and untamable. Not happening. This dragon had done so well with our tamers. He would be fine once we got that bone out of his teeth.
And you have to prove Prince Camden wrong. You're not a worthless dragon tamer. You are the best.
Taking a deep breath to calm my mind, I went into action. First step: immobilize him. Releasing the handle I'd made, I dove for the base of his right wing and pulled out my hunting knife in its sheath. Flipping the knife around so I held the scabbard end, I rammed the hilt just beneath the joint. Zellar cried out; his wing flopped to the ground, paralyzed. While he was surprised by his sudden paralysis, I jumped to his other wing which was flailing about wildly, almost boffing my head. He was moving around so wildly, I had to lie on his back, wrapping my legs around the base of his wing.
He jumped, attempting to fly with one wing. We hit the ground hard. I lost my knife. Swearing, I formed a triangle with my arm and rammed my elbow under the joint. Just like the other wing, this one flopped to his side. He bucked desperately. Using whatever strength I could muster, I swung off his wing and slammed my knee into a pressure point behind his front left leg, rendering it useless. As a precaution, I rolled over to his other side and elbowed the pressure point behind his front right leg. The great dragon teetered forward, roaring and shaking his head.
Step two: secure him.
"Tie him down, boys!" I ordered my brothers, leaping for the dragon's head to weigh it down while they wove his muzzle shut and tied his wings to his back. With rope and the large iron pegs we used in cases such as these, they pinned his tail down to the ground; they moved on to his neck, binding it down the same way.
Confident Zellar wasn't going anywhere and that he was safe, I slipped off his muzzle and staggered back. My legs were a lot more wobbly than I'd anticipated, weak from clinging for my life. Dad wrapped a supportive arm around me with a proud smile as he watched the whimpering dragon while my brothers finished up securing him.
"Good job, Kali. Quick thinking. Are you okay?"
Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, I was starting to feel the ache in my back and chest and an awful throbbing in my elbow where it'd had direct contact with dragon scale, one of the hardest substances man could find.
I bit my lip. "I'll be fine. Nothing Amelia can't fix, right?" I turned to find the girl huddled against Prince Camden, crying. He was the only available soul to console her at the moment, but it still got my blood boiling watching him hold her.
For some reason, that pissed me off more than anything else had today. Not that she obviously needed comforting by someone. Not that he was just being nice. No, it was the fact that he was holding her. Being nice to her. Letting her cry on his shoulder while he clearly didn't want to be left in charge of a weeping woman. Saying encouraging things to stop her from breaking down. There was the man I knew was hidden under all his narcisity--but he wouldn't be that man with me.