“But it’s suicidal,” Frid said.
It was suicidal, but Alina did not know that. She was not from here. She had no idea that the wastelands were saturated with crawlers, as well as other monsters that were not seen anywhere else. That the temples were forbidden to everyone. She had never heard the stories of the travelers who got lost and were never seen again. I clenched my jaw, hating every moment we had to wait for our provisions.
“Are you sure about this?” Sol touched my shoulder.
I stopped and looked at my friends.
“This is my mistake. You don’t have to follow me,” I said.
“No way! You’re not going alone,” Frid said.
Solomon shook his head, attaching a water pouch to his belt.
“Damn it!” Victor frowned.
I stood for a moment, watching them.
“It’s too dangerous,” I said.
“Wouldn’t want it any other way.” Victor muttered.
I gave him a hard look and nodded.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ALINA
As soon as my feet touched the pebbles of the pavement outside of the tavern, my confidence dipped a little. I was still experiencing the adrenaline rush after my dealings with Tynan. His shocked face and parted lips almost gave me a smile. It was so delightful that I was able to trick him. I didn't even know I was capable of doing something like that. The feeling was absolutely amazing. He was always so confident and stoic, but a little bit of flirting and he completely bought it. My heart was racing as I sprinted through the narrow streets. The light of the moon outlined the tiny, cramped buildings and the surface of the road was still damp after the light mist earlier in the evening.
I kept looking back, paranoid that he somehow managed to escape and was going to catch me. And the feeling of a wild chase excited me beyond anything I have ever experienced. I forced my eyes back to the horizon, I was running even faster now. Somewhere by the edge of the city line, I took a wrong turn and could not figure out which way to go. Finally, I decided to shapeshift, and hoped that whoever protected the city from flying dragons would not see me in the dark. I stopped, concentrating on my body. A burning sensation invaded every particle of my being and I welcomed the change, my limbs elongated and I felt the power of the beast that had been a part of me as long as I could remember.
I had always been considered a strange person in the land filled with people who could not shift. I was the odd one, the pariah. But my brother always made me feel comfortable and safe, his protection meant that no one ever dared to treat me with anything but respect. Deep down I knew that I was a freak, I was unlike anyone I knew. In these strange lands, I was not weird. I was not unique in any way. I was one of them. I was still thinking about that as I lifted my body up, and started to climb through the air.
My body was weaker than I remembered, but my dragon blood allowed me to heal very fast. Unlike any human, I was almost back to normal after only a couple of days of rest and a few good meals.
As soon as I thought about food and water, my confidence gave way. I was not prepared for a long-distance journey, especially if landing was not an option. I might havebeen signing my death warrant, but at the same time, it was the only option I had.
My heart almost stopped when I left the security of the buildings and entered the empty sky. I kept looking back, trying to see if I was noticed. Luckily, I was almost on the other side of the channel. When I returned my gaze to the black land below me, other concerns filled my soul.
What now?
I scrutinized the remains of the buildings and roads that no one used anymore. It was too dark to see any crawlers but I was sure they were right below. I sighed and concentrated on the perfect circle of the moon.
The sun was already up, and my muscles were burning with fire. I could not keep pushing myself, so I continued to ascend and glided with the thermals in the warm sunlight, trying to preserve some of my energy. I desperately needed to rest, and I needed food, but more importantly, I needed water. It was incredible that I lasted so long without taking any breaks, I could not keep going any longer. Almost against my will, I descended even more and surveyed the land below.
The remains of the dragon cities sprawled underneath like scattered board game pieces. Here and there I could seethe city walls and partially destroyed brick buildings. I also passed several castles that were standing in the midst of overgrown meadows with dull, brown grass reaching almost to the middle of the castle walls. Everywhere I looked, there were no signs of life, only death and destruction. I could only imagine how the land looked before the undead, and for the first time, I thought that I would like to see it prosperous and free of the monsters.
I angled my body lower, trying to spot a place where I could safely land. I did not want to stay too close to bigger cities because of all the undead that could be hiding behind every corner. At the same time, rural areas had less resources including food, water, and shelter.
It was long past noon when I found a small village with a church building that stood in the very center of the flat land. My eyes peered down the broad streets, but there were no crawlers in sight. I circled down and landed on the roof of the only tall building. As soon as my body touched the warm ceramic shingles, I groaned. Despite my best efforts, my dragon transformed and I fell on my hands and knees. My muscles shook with exhaustion. I knew I would not be able to move, even if I tried. Forcing myself to sit upright, I searched the rooftop. The place seemed secure enough, I could not see any way the monsters could get to me here. Out of the blue, I remembered that Tynan and his group used rooftops when they needed a safe place for landing. I flipped over onto my back and stretched my arms, looking up.
If only I had some water. There should be some water source, people would never settle far from a well or a natural spring.
I rolled to my side and lifted my knees up to my chest. I needed to get up and search the area. I needed to find a safe way down. My eyelids grew heavy. The sun was so gentle on my cheek. I closed my eyes only for a moment.
Consciousness came back to me slowly. My arm had gotten uncomfortably numb, and that alone, at last, forced me to abandon my deep and dreamless sleep. When I finally opened my eyes, it was already getting dark.
“Oh, gods!” I scrambled up to my feet.
