Page 12 of Dream Reaper

His snout lowered to the ground and settled into a bed of leaves and trampled briars. Yawning loudly, he flopped onto his side and curled his long, spiky tail around his exhausted body. He knew he should fight, but he was so tired. Surely a little nap wouldn’t hurt…

The dragon slipped into slumber with the whispered words, “I am human,” echoing in his thoughts like a death knell.

Jerrid clawed his way out of oblivion, the taste of ash and blood on his tongue. He blinked and stared blearily at gray shadows and white mist. Above him, light filtered through the canopy of the trees.

It must be dawn.

How long had he slept? With a groan, he tried to push away the blanket wrapped around him.

Wait. Blanket?

He blinked down at himself and stared at the thick woolen cloak draped over his chest. Where had that come from? He hadn’t brought a cloak with him. He’d left it in his pack on the saddle when he’d parted with…with…

“You’re awake.”

Jerrid jolted and snapped his neck to the left to watch a slender figure unfold herself and sit up straight. The elf lass sat propped against the trunk of a badly mangled tree, and she watched him through narrow, intent eyes. Shadows hugged those eyes, a bruise discoloring her left cheek.

A bit of dried blood still clung to her jawline.

She shifted, her expression guarded. “I thought you were going to sleep the day away. I almost left you, but I took an oath to help the injured…and you appear to qualify for that. It must be exhausting being…whatever it is you are.”

Skadi’s frost. What had he done?

He shook the question away. He was too tired and hungry to waste any energy on it. He needed water and food. Soon.

“Is there anything to drink?”

She frowned, her thin mouth compressing and turning down at both corners. “Nothing, I’m afraid. I didn’t have supplies on me, and you⁠—”

She broke off and turned her head to stare into the branches around her.

She was an odd one, that was for sure. What was her name again? He was supposed to know her. Of that he was certain. He stared at her for a long moment, waiting for the memory to return.

They usually did, if he waited long enough.

“Ava.”

She snapped her gaze toward the sound of her name on his lips.

“You’re…Ava. The healer.”

“Yes,” she said, drawing out the word. “And you’re the dragon rider. The one who yelled at me for trying to save the flowers. I’m sorry, but I don’t remember your name.”

Her tone dripped with accusation, but he didn’t remember yelling at her…although he was sure he would eventually.

“Jerrid. My name is Jerrid Chrysalis.”

She didn’t respond, her arms crossed in front of her chest, expression guarded.

Shades, he was tired. Jerrid closed his eyes and wished he could let himself go back into oblivion, but he knew they couldn’t stay here for long. Because…because…

His eyes flew open, his breath pinching behind his sternum. “Talos! Where’s Talos?”

“Didn’t you”—she flinched and shot him a wary look—“eat him?”

Nausea churned in his gut. “Shades, I hope not.”

He let his head fall back against the ground and took violent, stabilizing breaths. Surely he hadn’t… Surely he didn’t…