A Dragon's Chains: An Epic Fantasy Saga (The Remembered War Book 1) by Robert Vane

Author:Robert Vane [Vane, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-19T05:00:00+00:00

14

My sister was gone.

Or she’d never been on the ship at all. That Mizu wizard had beaten me again, and probably for the last time. I would soon be testing my swimming prowess again, and this time I didn’t like my chances.

My experience in the lake had taught me a few things, mostly that I wasn’t as adept a swimmer as I’d fancied myself when my only experience had been watching ducks. I’d survived the lake, but the sea was considerably deeper, and it had big waves along with strong currents. Running and gliding along the bottom wasn’t going to work this far from shore. I probably shouldn’t have set those ghastrays free. They could’ve pulled the ship back to Maricopa.

Isn’t it perfect that my one selfless act is going to end up getting me killed?

The only choice was to try to fly. I wasn’t optimistic about how that would work out, but it was fly or die. For my sister, I would endure the pain of trying.

I climbed out of the ship’s hold, back onto the remnants of the deck. The highest, driest part was the foredeck, where the ballista had once been situated. I stood upon the rotating mount of the giant weapon and judged the distance back to Maricopa. I could’ve flown there easily if I’d been my usual self, but I wasn’t.

I tried spreading my wings. The pain had been mostly turned off, but even without the constant agony to remind me, I knew that my right wing was a disaster. The jagged tear stretched almost a third of its entire length. I closed my eyes, feeling the wind. The gusts were at my back at least, but I doubted I could even lift myself. If I’d been on this ship a day ago, I’m not sure I would’ve cared if I died. Meeting my mother and my sister had changed that. I had an inkling of who I was. I had blood kin that needed me. I had a purpose. I didn’t want to die, which was just so human.

I clenched my jaw and thrust my wings. Or at least I tried. I got airborne—a little. I flapped as best I could, struggling to lift myself. I pushed desperately, but with all my efforts I only managed to lift myself a tail length above the waves. I wasn’t going to make it, but I tried anyway. I pushed until my chest burned and my head spun. I thought of my mother and sister, and all my brethren back in Eladrell who would be condemned if I failed. I fed on the anger; I didn’t quit, but my body had its limits. I tired, slowing until there was nothing left to give. Then, I fell into the water, too exhausted to repeat my futile attempts at swimming. I sank, falling through the depths, the water growing colder and darker as I went down. The chill seeped to my body, banishing the burning fire in my wings.

It was a relief to not have to fight anymore.

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