Page 19 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

I whipped my head around, the blood icing over in my veins as I stared into the black hole of a mouth. It lit with a red spark. There was no time. All I could do was clutch Eden to me, my body curled to shield hers, before I slammed my eyes closed.

But instead of the flame I expected, a gust of wind almost blew us off our feet. Min dropped into the courtyard, slamming her body down between the Black Spot and us just as that gust of flame let loose. I felt the flash of heat prickle against my skin, but Min’s body blocked the worst of it, her scales an excellent repellent.

When the Black Spot had spent its breath, Min growled, nipping at the dragon in warning. She towered over the angry thing, her long silver tail raised like a dagger about to strike. The Black Spot hissed in response, but it was no match for Min. Perhaps it realized that, or perhaps its injury had simply gotten the better of it, but with one more menacing hiss, the Black Spot shot into the air.

I exhaled heavily, relief filling me. Until I felt Eden shaking. As I pulled back to look her over, I noted how pale she was in the firelight. She looked… haunted.

A chill zipped down my spine, and I was glad for the warmth that constantly ebbed from Min as she coiled around us. “Are you okay?” I asked Eden, fighting against the desire to pull her close again.

She stared at me, eyes wide, uncertain. Then, as if she’d broken from a dream, she came back to herself and shrugged out of my grip.

“M’fine,” she said, smoothing her blouse with a shaky hand. “Thank you for your help.”

“Min and I can escort you home if needed.”

She shook her head. “I’m staying at Bramble Cottage. It’s not far.”

The place behind the infirmary. I knew it. But the way she was shaking, I wasn’t sure she was going to make her way back there alone.

“Eden!” a voice cried, and suddenly the team from the infirmary surrounded us, talking over each other.

“We need to get any injured back to the infirmary for treatment!”

“We started triaging in the woods!”

“Nothing too serious, but we’ll be a full house tonight.”

As I watched Eden get swept away by her team, I couldn’t help wondering what had rooted her to the spot in the face of such danger.

Min nudged me from behind with her snout. I twisted, placing my hand on her warm scales. “Cut it a little close there, huh?”

She grumbled in response, tilting her head, and it was then that I noticed some of her shimmering scales were damp.

I arched my eyebrow, somewhat amused. “You went swimming in the lake, didn’t you?”

Min made a dismissive sound.

I smirked. “You’re a terrible liar. You know that, right?”

7

EDEN

The air was filled with acrid smoke.

Dark, billowing smoke that tasted of charred meat.

I hated that taste. I hated that smell. I hated the way it choked me as the sky swirled with gray clouds. A howling wind caught my hair, pulling it free of my braid, dragging my chin upward. I shoved back the loose strands, watching the shadows along the horizon line with a growing horror. The figures rose higher and higher, chasing the thunder, flying directly into the storm. And then, with a flash that lit the sky on fire, a rotating spire of flame twisted open like a ravenous mouth.

Somewhere in camp, a voice barked sharp orders. Uniformed dragon riders rushed to their posts, and suddenly the air was filled with the thunder of footsteps and the beat of leathery wings. But neither that nor the roar of the fiery storm could drown out the shrieking that cut through the camp. The sound sent a dreadful shiver down my body. It was my mother. She’d collapsed to her knees, mouth open, her tear-stained face turned skyward.

And she wailed.

That horrible, horrible sound.

I slammed my hands over my ears, trying to drown her out as that vortex of flame swirled faster and faster, swallowing up those dark shapes.

“No!” I shouted, lunging forward.