Page 111 of Dream Reaper

The night wind slid over his scales as he hunkered between the trunks of the trees, reaching out to Jerrid.

He was so exhausted that he fell asleep before the shift finished.

Jerrid inhaled a gasp of air as Dragon all but thrust him back into their body. Agony sliced through his bones. Everything was out of proportion, his body stuck between phases.

“You haven’t finished,” he growled at Dragon, but he received no response.

It was on him then.

What was it Dragon had told him? Don’t try so hard.

He exhaled deeply and relaxed into the shift, imagining himself shrinking and reshaping. Scales receding, wings snaking into his back, body rising on two feet. He imagined himself still wearing a skin of scale trousers. If Ava could manage partial shifts, surely he could as well.

He opened his eyes when he became aware of his bare foot pressing against a sharp stick. Moving his leg, he stared down at himself. At his arms of smooth skin, his lower half covered in trousers made of dragon scale that ended at his ankles. If he hadn’t been so exhausted, he would have grinned.

Next time he would have to add boots.

His satchel hung awkwardly around his neck, so he swung it to lie flat along his side before jogging toward the cottage, hoping against hope that he would find the Prince of Gelaira inside.

The blue flame continued to flicker in the window as he trotted through the gardens and up to the back door. Making a fist, he banged on the door as loudly as he could.

“Your Highness? Prince Haryk? Are you inside?” He banged again, not caring if he shook the house down.

Footsteps pounded behind the door moments before a pretty elvish lass with golden hair spilling over her shoulders wrenched it open. She was wearing a bathrobe of midnight blue belted over a nightgown.

He averted his gaze and inclined his head. “Lady Persis, I am so sorry to disturb you, but I need to speak to Prince Haryk immediately.”

“Oh, Jerrid, I am so glad to see you,” the princess said, reaching to grab his arm and tug him into the cottage. “But where is Ava?”

Her voice hitched and faltered over the question as he lifted his head to meet and hold her gaze.

“That’s why I’m here, Princess. She’s in danger. We’re all in danger. The Nightmare Shadow… It isn’t dead.”

The color drained from her face as a tall, gray-skinned elf appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, tugging a tunic over his head. He walked slowly forward, finding his way through other senses than the sight he did not possess.

“Who is it, Persis?” he asked as he came alongside her.

She reached out to take his hand and guide him closer. “It’s Jerrid. He’s come with news. I think you need to start at the beginning, Jerrid.”

“There isn’t time for that,” Jerrid growled, leaning against the doorframe.

He began to relay an abbreviated form of his tale as the princess pressed a cup of water into his hand. When he finished that, she handed him a chunk of bread and several cold fowl legs. He didn’t bother with manners, talking and eating as quickly as he could.

Prince Haryk’s shoulders drooped as Jerrid fell silent.

“Well, this is a jolly mess, isn’t it?” he muttered to his young wife.

Jerrid tried not to watch the way their hands clung to one another. He hated himself for interrupting their honeymoon with this terrible news.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t desperate. But we don’t stand a chance of defeating this thing on our own. Every second we delay could cost lives.”

“You did the right thing,” the prince said. “Persis, I’ll need you to go to the palace and let them know where I’ve gone.”

She whipped her head toward him, mouth falling open. “But I want to come with you⁠—”

“You can’t.” His tone left no room for argument, but the elf princess’s expression darkened murderously. “I know what you’re thinking, but I need you here. Without your magic, you won’t be able to help me. I will only be worried about your safety. And that worry could cost other lives. It isn’t fair to them, Persis.”

This did the trick. Princess Persis’s gaze fell to the floor, her cheeks flushed but her expression resigned. It took her a moment to collect herself.