AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I really hope I’m right about this, otherwise I’m about to get myself killed.
“Hello?” I call out and take a step into the frigid water, instantly feeling stupid. I don’t know if the creature can hear me or understand what I’m saying. Will a creature like that even respond to my call?
“That’s how you’re going to tackle this? Your grand plan was to stand in the shallows and say hello?” Syn snorts behind me, clearly thinking my planning skills are lacking. I don’t blame him, but I’ve not exactly had much time to formulate a foolproof plan. My instincts are leading the way, and I can’t always put the feelings I get into words, so he’s just going to have to trust me on this.
Even so, my cheeks tinge pink with embarrassment. “Do you have any better ideas?”
Huffing, Syn steps up to the edge of the lake, but he doesn’t go as far as to step in like I have, and I get the feeling it’s because he’s picking up on the danger lurking in the deep. “Water dragon, we want to talk to you!” he shouts.
Syn knew there was a creature in the lake, but not what it was. When I explained what I was going to do, I told him about my experience with the creature in the last trial. I’m sure it’s not called a water dragon, but the description fits, and I have nothing else to call it.
I can’t quite tell if he’s being serious or not as he hollers, and there isn’t the slightest change in the water. “This is ridiculous.” Brushing my hair from my face, I will the cold breeze to cool my burning cheeks.
A tiny ripple catches my eye, and as I look across the water, I see two sleek black horns rise from the depths. My heart seems to freeze in my chest as two golden, reptilian eyes appear, locked on me. I get the distinct impression that it’s sizing me up like its next snack.
It’s just as terrifying as I remember. My stomach twists, and I have to fight the urge to run away, reminding myself why I’m here. Once it seems like it’s not going to leap out of the water and eat me, and I’m able to take a breath again, I clear my throat, praying my voice is steady and clear.
It’s not.
“I want to talk to you—” I cut off with a croak, feeling flustered, my hands clenching and unclenching at my sides. There’s no point in pretending not to be terrified, as I’m sure the creature can sense it. When I was last here, I picked up on the beast’s intelligence, and it will see right through any attempts of hiding my emotions. If I have any hope of getting it to work with me, then I have to be honest with it, even if that terrifies me.
The creature’s eyes seem to narrow in derision, writing me off as a waste of time, and it begins to sink back into the water. Why wouldn’t it when I couldn’t even finish my sentence?
Panic floods my mind, and I splash forward a step, my foot sliding on the muddy ground and steep incline, almost sending me toppling into the water. “Wait! Please. I want to break your curse.”
The creature seems to freeze, then deliberately, as if to make it seem even larger, it lifts its body out of the water. Inch by inch, it continues until its head towers above me, blocking my view of the moon. The whole lower half is still concealed by the water, but it’s so much larger than I remember. The razor-sharp talons on its front legs glisten in the moonlight, and a loud grumble emits from its chest, its top lip pulling back in a growl.
“Laelia,” Syn warns. Many would back away, but he stays behind me, ready to pull me back at a moment’s notice, even as the creature lowers its huge, ferocious head until its golden eyes meet mine.
There’s a strange flickering sensation in my mind, like I’ve got butterflies fluttering around and bouncing off my skull. I’ve never felt anything like it, until a heavy presence settles over me.
I remember you.The powerful, yet feminine voice echoes through my mind. Despite the fact that it’s all happening inside my head, I get the distinct feeling that it’s not pleased by my presence.Why have you disturbed me?
My eyes widen in shock, my body alert as I realise I’m communicating with what is essentially a water dragon via its thoughts. How is it managing this? My mouth opens as though to ask the question, but I stop myself at the last moment. I’ve already disturbed the creature, which clearly hasn’t endeared me to it, so asking pointless questions is only going to anger it further.
Not knowing how to speak to it via my mind, I vocalise my side of the conversation. “I want to free you.”
A loud snort makes me jump, my heart skipping a beat, but I refuse to step back and yield ground, as that will just make me look weak. Star growls in warning from the bank, but the creature just ignores her completely.
You truly believe that a tiny being such as you could break my curse?Turning its huge head, the dragon glances at me with one, large glowing eye. While the creature has limited facial expressions, I still get the feeling that it’s not impressed with what it sees.I have been trapped for over a century, child. You might reek of magic, but that doesn’t mean you are able to unwind such a curse.
There’s a lot to unpack in her reply, including the fact that she evidently doesn’t believe that I’m capable of doing what I say I can do. I’m briefly blown away by the idea that this creature is older than I can comprehend, especially as she’s been stuck here for over a hundred years. Taking a deep breath, I focus on the important questions, as I’m not sure how long she will humour me. There are many I could ask, but there’s one that has been bothering me for a while now.
“Why did you stop yourself from attacking me?”
From the flicker of interest in her eyes, I know I’ve taken her by surprise. She wasn’t expecting me to ask that. A low hum seems to rumble from her chest, and I’m worried I’ve offended her, but I realise she’s actually thinking.The hand of the moon goddess lies on you, and I make it a mission of mine not to kill those my sister gifts.The sensation of amusement tingles through me as she pulls back to stare at me once more.Plus, you reminded me of myself when I was young.
Again, I’m not sure how to comprehend this information, particularly that I remind her of herself. It makes me wonder what she was like before she was cursed. However, one word in particular stands out to me—sister.
“Your sister… You’re a goddess?”
Syn is probably wondering what in the underworld is happening, as I look like I’m having a one-way conversation with the creature and making grand statements. I dare not look away from the dragon though. While I don’t think she’s going to attack me at this moment, it would be foolish to turn my back on a predator such as her—not just any predator, but a goddess.
Once upon a time, I was known as the goddess of the beasts.Her weariness passes through to me, reminding me that she’s been trapped for so long. It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter how strong your power is, anyone can be captured in the right circumstances, even the gods.
Our power is relative to how many subjects we have, their worship fuelling us. After my human lover was killed, I hid in the shadows of my grief. I didn’t realise that so much time had passed, nor did I notice how my powers had dimmed. Human lives are so short, and the world had forgotten me.For the briefest of moments, I feel her grief over the loss of her lover and the loss of her followers. I can’t even imagine the pain of being forgotten. Anger instantly replaces her sadness, and I know I’m right to fear this being.Because of this, I was weak, and that allowed me to be captured and cursed to stay in this form.
My heart bleeds for her, although I will never tell her that. Something, someone, as powerful as her would only take my sympathy as an insult, so I give her what I know she wants instead. “I can help you get your revenge.”
