“I just thought you didn’t get enough when you were undressing me, and you needed a little extra.”
“If by ‘little extra’ you mean throw you off this building, I’m all in.” I walked to the balcony.
“Alright. Where is it?” he asked.
“Where’s what?” I turned. We stood face to face now. His light eyes bore into mine.
“Where’s my weapon?” He extended his hand palm up.
“I don’t have it.”
“What?” His jaw tightened.
“Sorry! I didn’t have enough strength to carry you, our supplies and both our weapons.”
“Are you saying that I’m in the wastelands and I have nothing to defend myself with?” His eyebrows lowered.
He was really good looking, but at that very moment, his face was begging to be slapped several times.
“You’ll figure it out.”
Victor muttered something under his breath.
I rolled my eyes, looking at the open area in front of the building.
I landed softly on the roof of one of the smaller buildings, surveying the street below. The merciless sun was beating on the hot shingles and it felt like the polished bricks were melting in the heat. This place was devoid of any resources that could sustain life. Staying close to the temples was not the best idea.But, despite Victor being so critical about everything I did, I still did not see a better option.
“It's right by the end of the street to you right. Your other right,” Victor spoke directly to my mind.
I shifted my gaze, noticing the carefully crafted platform. Usually big settlements were built closer to a water source and finding a hidden well somewhere behind the buildings was not uncommon. The question was, had years of possible contamination affected the water? We were told that the disease spread only through a crawler’s bite, but I would never trust the council about anything.
Victor landed beside me, his body slammed against the roof without even a hint of his usual stealth. He did not look well. His dragon form highlighted his exhaustion. There were so many signs, the way he held his head and his half closed eyes. He was not strong enough to fight or make the flight back to Darragh. Another day or two without food or water, and he would not be able to take off, and I was not far behind.
“I’m going to check it out.” I stepped to the edge.
“Frid, be careful,” Victor said.
“Always.” I dropped into the air, spreading my wings.
My muscles were trembling and a dull nagging pain had settled at the back of my head. I was sure that it was a sign of dehydration, flying in this heat depleted even more of my energy and all I could hope for was that my exertion would be finally rewarded.
When I landed on the dusty pavement, there were no crawlers in close proximity and I swiftly shifted taking out my blade. Irushed toward the well, avoiding the debris from the buildings, the remains of bodies and dry branches.
“Behind you!” Victor’s voice sounded from above.
I turned just in time to swing at a half decomposed woman with just one eye and a torn shirt hanging off her torso, barely concealing her muddy colored, sagging chest. Her head was still rolling on the ground when I was almost to the well.
Victor landed on the ground behind me. With effort, I released the bucket and with a loud clank, the rope unraveled all the way and I could have sworn I heard water on the other end.
“Frid?” Victor’s voice sounded strangely muffled.
“Almost there,” I muttered.
“Frid!”
“Just a second.”
“Frid!” Victor shouted.
