Page 22 of Dream Reaper

Stairs.

He froze, an itch tingling on the back of his neck.

Stop, Dragon hissed. Danger.

Jerrid craned his neck to thoroughly study the terrain around them. Something definitely felt off. The way forward beckoned with its deceptive simplicity.

“What’s wrong?” Ava asked at his elbow.

She too observed the makeshift stairs winding up the far side of the ravine. A cool breeze whistled through the massive gap in the forest, sweeping over them before continuing south. And for a moment, just one single moment, he thought he caught the whiff of woodsmoke…

Seconds later, movement exploded from all sides. From behind every boulder and hidden crevice, figures burst into view, flooding toward them.

Jerrid grabbed Ava and tucked her behind him, trying to shield her from the flash of sunlight on metal. A feral-looking creature with dirty blonde hair shoved a dagger beneath his throat.

“Move one muscle, and I’ll slit your throat,” the creature hissed.

CHAPTER 7

AVA

Ava clutched Jerrid’s arm as he shoved her behind him, his hand remaining on the edge of her hip. One of their attackers dropped from a boulder above them and spun, wielding a wicked-looking blade.

The man—no, the girl—shoved her weapon beneath his chin, driving him backward and onto the toes of Ava’s boots.

She winced and jerked her feet loose.

“She’s an elf!” another female shouted, a hint of panic lacing her tone.

More shouts exploded as their attackers surged around them. Ava pressed tight against Jerrid’s back as the perimeter of attackers closed in. They were everywhere, covered in dirt and grime. Many of them were young, barely more than children.

They were all female.

And every last one of them was human.

Her mind exploded with questions as the human women and girls crowded against them, baring their teeth and raising weapons of the most bizarre variety: hoes, pickaxes, shovels, make-shift spears…

The muscles on Jerrid’s arm rippled beneath her fingers. She realized a second too late that he was preparing to attack. Gasping, she clawed at his arm and tried to hold him against her.

“Let go, lass!” he snarled, trying to shake her off.

“Don’t!” She leaned up on tiptoes to rasp into his ear, “They’re not warriors. They’re not fighters. Look at them!”

Jerrid went still, his muscles hard beneath her fingers. His eyes roved over the group of women, and she knew by the way his muscles twitched the moment he realized what they were really up against.

Frightened women and children.

He lifted both hands in surrender, clearing his throat loudly. “All right, now look here. We’re not aiming to cause any trouble. We’re just passing through.”

“Passing through our back door,” the wild blonde girl who didn’t look a day over sixteen snarled. “With an elf.”

When her gaze flicked to Ava, filled with such venom, a chill swept down her spine. Why did this human hate her so much? She didn’t even know her.

“Aye,” Jerrid said cooly, his fingers pressing a little harder against Ava’s hip. “I can’t deny that she’s elvish. We can all see that—gray skin and pointy ears and all that—but you can also see the state that she’s in. She’s no threat to you.”

The girl’s fierce eyes shifted focus back onto Jerrid. “Why are you traveling with the likes of her? Tell me that.”

Jerrid’s cheek lifted, and Ava realized he was smiling.