A Dragon's Fate: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Remembered War Book 5) by Robert Vane

Author:Robert Vane [Vane, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-06T05:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Six

I woke to voices that weren’t human.

The noise was too deep, too sharp, and I couldn’t understand the words. My body was mostly numb, except for my left foreleg, which burned as my blood seeped out from a gash through my scales. I didn’t remember that injury happening. I did remember my wings striking something hard as I fell in a dark tunnel, but nothing after that. Presumably, I hadn’t landed well. I didn’t know where I was precisely, but I knew I was in trouble.

I opened my eyes reluctantly. I should have kept them shut.

A quartet of oversized wolves stood in the passage, their eyes glowing a sinister amber. Each was easily twice the size of their normal ilk, even bigger than the war wolves Oster deployed in battle. There were other small differences as well—their snouts were shorter and their fur curled like a coarse sheep’s wool. Also, they talked.

“En-hanted,” the largest of the pack said. The creature sounded like it had consumed a human and the unfortunate fellow was speaking from inside its belly, sans a tongue.

The other wolves emitted more traditionally vicious growls. They were really unhappy about something.

My wit returned slowly. First, I noticed that one of the smaller wolves was leaking blood from the part of its skull where there should have been an ear. Another had an open cut on its nostril. Then I noticed Harlan, a dagger in each hand, looking very distressed. Blood smattered his enchanted tunic armor, but it wasn’t his—it was the wolves’.

I realized the pack had probably tried to kill me while I slumbered, but hadn’t succeeded. I had Harlan to thank for that, it seemed.

Then, I realized the giant beast had said enchanted. Wolf jaws apparently had trouble with certain human sounds, just like dragons.

“It w-akes,” another of the wolves said, its speech even rougher than the alpha’s.

I intended to tell the pack that I eat wolves (or I would if given the opportunity), but I found my jaw bulky and uncooperative. The unintelligible slobbering that emerged drew a quizzical head tilt from the alpha, followed by a contemptuous bark that I think was a wolf version of a scoff.

“You are bro-ken,” the alpha said with satisfaction.

I managed to draw myself up slightly and even move a wing—enough to know there was no chance of flying out of here. My hearts seemed to be working too hard. Even after Harlan had removed the fury stinger, there was still poison in my blood.

“Trapped,” the alpha purred.

I was still having trouble getting my jaw to work properly, but I managed a few intelligible words. “No need to fight.”

This sent the pack into a tizzy of barking scoffs. They quieted only when the alpha spoke again. “You let us kill you now?” His eyes glinted. “Big meal to end the hunger.”

The pack crooned at that idea. Even the wolves were starving.

“I came here to tal …” I could barely understand myself. I tried again. “Talk, not fight.”

The alpha’s glowing eyes bulged.

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