Metal Dragon by Lauren Esker

Author:Lauren Esker [Esker, Lauren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-03-07T00:00:00+00:00

***

He really was a dragon.

His vast flank rose and fell against her as he breathed, as unexpectedly warm as his skin had been, pebbled with tiny scales and the same iridescent bronze color as his human skin. Although her first thought was that he looked like a storybook dragon, there was also something indefinably alien about him. He bristled with spikes, and when he turned his head, long jaws half parted, a row of serrated fangs glistened. His tail twitched like a cat's, dragging in the edge of the water. His dark blue hair, which she had thought of as a mane in his human form, really was a mane now, bristling all the way along his neck to the top of his shoulders.

Meri caught herself wondering if he could breathe fire.

The huge dinosaur-like things—velocirexes?—were clearly startled, but not enough to run away. They had stopped their approach when Lyr transformed; now they began to creep forward again, cautiously, with their heads lowered and tails stretched out behind to counterbalance.

Enormous wings unfurled from Lyr's back. They were translucent enough to let the sunlight through, surprisingly fragile-looking with their complex arrangement of delicate bones and a row of tiny spines on the leading edge.

*I don't know if I can fly and carry your weight,* Lyr told her, answering the question she hadn't asked aloud. *My wings are meant for flying in vacuum, not atmosphere. Anyway, there's not enough room here between the trees to take off. Stay with me.*

He lowered his half-furled wings like shields, blocking her from the dinosaurs. She could still see dimly through the translucent membranes, but not enough to make out exactly what was happening on the other side. The tiny hairs rose on her arms, like a static electric charge, as the green glimmer of Lyr's shield covered them.

A moment later, beneath the leading edge of Lyr's wing, she glimpsed one of the dinosaurs charge. Meri drew back against his side with an involuntary cry. Its claws raked down Lyr's shield and slid off—but Lyr jerked back.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

*Yes, but I don't have enough power to shield against too many attacks like that. Blunt-force blows will drain my shields quickly, and the cuffs haven't had a chance to recharge fully since yesterday.*

"So you're saying you can't shield us for very long."

*Unfortunately, no.*

Keeping his wings around her, he started forward, toward the path leading back to the ship. Meri hung back. "Wait, my phone—"

*You can get it later.*

He was right. Better that than her life. "Should I get on your back?" she asked. The idea seemed ludicrous, but he was as tall as a horse; she could ride him. In theory. "Or am I too heavy?"

*You aren't too heavy, but if I have to fight, you'd be in less danger if you stay on the ground than if you go into battle with me.*

Meri wasn't too sure about that. At least she had her blouse on, but she hadn't had a chance to get her shoes, and being barefoot made her feel terribly vulnerable.

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