Dragon Chameleon: Memory of Mountains by Sarah K. L. Wilson

Author:Sarah K. L. Wilson [Wilson, Sarah K. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sarah K. L. Wilson
Published: 2019-05-15T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“Principles are great until you hang yourself with them,” my mimic said, playing with the black scarf around his neck. “Has anyone ever told you that you tend to sabotage your own future?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you look terrible in black?” I asked.

“I look great in black.”

“Go make yourself useful,” I commanded.

“And how would I do that? You know I’m bound to you. I can’t go where you don’t go or do what you don’t do.”

“You can in there,” I said, nodding to the doorway. “Why don’t you slip into there and see if you can find us some help.”

He shrugged. “I’m surprised that you trust me with this. You know that when you die, I might be the soul that lives on. How does that make you feel?”

“About the same. I was already regretting my life.”

“Ha! Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. After all, I might be the real Tor.”

He sauntered through the doorway as I leaned against the pole I was lashed to, letting my blood drip, drip, drip onto the ground while my mind swirled ineffectively in a circle. I needed to get free to save my friends. But I’d blown my only shot. And now I was destined to stay here and freeze until I was killed.

I was too cold to think about that. I was so cold that I needed to get free. So I could save my friends. But I’d lost that chance. I was so cold.

I looped round and round as the sun crept across the sky like a beetle across a frozen pond.

I must have lost consciousness or fallen asleep at some point because I woke to Bataar’s voice.

“Tor?”

“Bataar,” I breathed.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” my voice croaked like a dying toad. I shook myself, pulling my forehead from where it rested against the pole. I was so tired. I was so tired that I just wanted to go back to sleep. I couldn’t feel my feet or my fingers anymore.

“I should have left for help like you asked.”

“I shouldn’t have let you stay with me,” I replied.

“You didn’t. I kept disobeying you.”

“Ah, but I liked it. I’m not really a solo kind of guy. I like having people around,” I said. I hadn’t realized until right now how true that was. I even missed the mimic. If I was going to die, then I wanted everyone to be around when it happened. Even the worst parts of who I was. “Do you think he’s real or me?”

“Who is real?” Bataar asked, his words slurred by frozen lips.

“The shadow-self.”

“If you were ruled by your shadow-self we wouldn’t be in this mess. You’d be ruling Ko’Torenth or something. At least you’d be ruling Kav’ai. The deserts are so lovely and warm at this time of year ...”

His words faded off.

“You make it sound like he’d be way better at life than I am,” I muttered, irritated.

“Evil often thrives. Selfishness is gain for a time. Heartlessness can be profitable.”

He was still sitting, slumped against the wall, his head leaning against it, his words tired.

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