Page 41 of Dream Reaper

She was enjoying this.

You’re right, Dragon whispered sleepily. I am beginning to like her…

“Do I even want to know why you keep destroying your clothes?” Brynja’s eyes rolled closed, and she winced again.

“Probably not.” Ava’s gaze lifted to meet Jerrid’s.

Something unspoken flickered over her expression—was it hesitation? Concern? Whatever the expression meant, it seemed conflicted. Was she planning to keep his secret?

He hoped so. And yet…he almost wished it was out in the open. He hadn’t meant to let Dragon out tonight.

Yet again, the blasted beast just exploded out of him when Jerrid was at his most vulnerable. He’d watched as the wyrm swung a leg and smashed Brynja into the tree. When her body had fallen lifeless to the ground, something inside him had snapped.

And that was when Dragon took advantage of him.

He was always in there, biding his time and waiting for the exact moment when Jerrid let down his guard so that he could come out and “play.” If only he didn’t play so rough…and threaten to eat people quite so often.

“We need to get her back to the clearing,” Ava said. “I left the boy alone with Echo. I don’t feel good leaving them alone for long. I shouldn’t have left them to begin with…”

“Then why did you?” Brynja growled.

Ava didn’t answer, but her gaze flicked to Jerrid, and then she looked away quickly. Almost as if she hadn’t meant to look at him at all. Which would only mean…

He had been the reason she left the boy.

Of course. She’d heard Dragon blundering about slaying wyrms.

Queenie. The Queen of Wyrms. A glorious kill… Dragon whispered. One for campfire songs and legend-telling.

Jerrid wouldn’t go quite that far.

Together they helped Brynja to her feet. She insisted on limping along on her own, cursing under her breath as she led the way back to the clearing. Ava followed silently behind him, her footsteps rustling through the dried leaves.

Around them, the forest remained silent, as if⁠—

Paying homage to the glorious battle I have fought. I, Dragon of Haldor! The Fang Master! Lord of Scales!

Good grief. More likely all Dragon’s rampaging had simply scared away everything within miles.

That too. I’m very scary…

Jerrid shook his head as they stepped out of the shelter of the trees and into the clearing. Above them, the moon still shone bright white against the blue-black sky. The bonfire still raged in the center of the clearing.

But Jerrid’s heart stuttered in his chest.

Because Echo—and the boy—were gone.

CHAPTER 11

AVA

Panic crawled up Ava’s throat as she stared at the empty clearing.

They should have been right there, right beside the fire, right where she had left them only a few minutes ago…

“Where are they?” Brynja ground out between her teeth, spinning to face Ava, expression dark and accusing.

“I don’t know! I left them here! I was only gone a few minutes.”