Leviathan: An Asher & Avandriell Story by Philip C. Quaintrell

Author:Philip C. Quaintrell [Quaintrell, Philip C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quaintrell Publishings
Published: 2024-09-06T00:00:00+00:00

9

THE INDEBTED

“Stop squirming,” Asher snapped, his feet pressed against Avandriell’s back left leg, his body almost horizontal.

In his white-knuckled grip was the last of the four ballista bolts that had pierced her side. The ranger pushed in with his feet and pulled hard with his hands. He was forced to twist the haft to loosen it, eliciting a roar from the dragon.

It made the Giant wince, who had been sure to keep some distance between him and Avandriell since they had landed late that morning.

Get on with it! Avandriell growled across their bond.

“Almost… got it.”

At last, the final bolt was jarred free of its lodging, taking Asher to the grassy knoll on which they had settled. The ranger picked himself up and tossed the bolt on the pile he had formed, including the bolt that had been embedded in her tail.

“Just one left,” he said, thinking of the bolt stuck in her front right shoulder.

The dragon snarled and whipped her head around to the right. Asher couldn’t see, but he heard the bolt be tugged free by powerful jaws. Avandriell turned to see him before spitting the bolt on the ground and exhaling sharply through her nostrils.

Asher knew her well enough to know the dragon was using her anger to conceal pain. He rubbed her injured leg, noting the dark stain of blood upon the bronze scales. She was lucky the pirates didn’t have access to silvyr. Had their bolts been tipped with such, they would have gone through and through, causing catastrophic damage.

You should have stayed out of it, he said dismissively, annoyed that she had put herself in that kind of danger.

Do not mistake me for some beast of burden, Ranger. I go where I please.

It’s luck one of those bolts didn’t find your heart.

Luck! the dragon echoed venomously. You would rob me of skill and have me thank dumb luck for saving you all from death?

I would have you think twice before risking your life to save me! Don’t throw away immortality just because you think I might die! I’ve survived more than most, Ava. Next time, just wait.

Avandriell shifted her position so she could bring her face that much closer to his.

You haven’t always survived, she reminded him. And I would burn the world and face the wrath of the sun itself to save you. Just as you would…

With that, her ragged wings beat the air, blowing the grass out in every direction. Asher raised his gaze with her ascension, his hair and cloak whipped out behind him. She was already following her nose, her acute senses having detected potential prey on the breeze.

“Was that as tense as it looked?” Galanör enquired, crouched effortlessly atop the only boulder in the field.

Asher sighed, feeling his bond with Avandriell diminish with every second.

“We’ve agreed to disagree,” he said simply, his eyes falling on Swiftling, the scimitar gleaming in the elf’s hand. “You don’t need that,” the ranger told him, glancing at Grod in the distance—the Giant was watching Avandriell closely.

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