I lay on my side along the cave’s wall, waiting for the dragon to step past me and meet my master. My arm tensed at the sound of scales on stone. This entrance was too narrow for a dragon to avoid me.
My blade glided forward to prick the dragon’s back leg, between the scales. It had thirty breaths until collapsing now.
The dragon looked back into the cave. I was thankful my gray cloak and clothing concealed me. My hand was covered in gray leather, and the shine of my dagger had been dulled for this very purpose. I began counting.
From outside, a voice called, “Are you afraid to face me, Dragon? Are you afraid of a simple knight?”
The dragon lost interest in me and roared at who had disturbed its meal. The scarf over my nose and mouth mostly protected me from the smell of raw and rotting meat.
I tried not to snort at my master’s continuing insults to draw the dragon out. Dragons could hardly understand humans. The sounds were just making him a target. When I had told him that, he simply increased his volume. I was sure the village could hear him.
Fifteen breaths. Hurry up…
Finally. An official challenge roar split the air. A yell from my master followed— not from pain, but effort. To dodge? Or deflect an attack? I would have to ask later.
Twenty five…
I heard a roar of pain before a heavy thud. Twenty eight breaths. I must have put more drug on my dagger for it to take effect a little faster. I moved my arm back close to my body and turned over, letting my cloak conceal me against the cave wall.
My master walked into the cave to find the prize that had been carried off by the beast. Hesitant, very nervous footsteps followed. I stayed quiet as the merchants gave the sleeping dragon a wide berth. My eyes were closed to the stone wall in front of me, and I was careful my breathing wasn’t visible. They shuffled around and grunted as they lifted the book. It was the width of my arm and as thick as my hand was long. I smiled to myself at not having to lift it.
After a lot more groans and breathless thanks, the merchants were on their way. My master stayed behind, saying he needed to dispose of the dragon carcass. A few minutes later, a stone was tossed into the cave. I got up and dusted myself off.
“You’re cutting it close for the magic to work,” I said, dusting off small stones stuck to my sleeve.
His smiling façade dropped away. “If it’s close, get working.”
I glared at him out of the corner of my eye and walked to the dragon. “For how long do you want him gone?”
The knight shook his sweaty hair out of his face. “A year, this time. And send it North. By then they should be able to pay handsomely because of the mines.”
I raised an eyebrow at the time and placed my hand on the sleeping dragon’s forehead. I worded my request as a dragon, adding in false imprints of surrounding dragon activity to make the message stick. It would see the signals everywhere it looked now. I pulled away and felt my legs tremble.
“We have to leave…” I put my hand on my forehead. No mater how much I used this spell, it still drained me. “Soon.”
My master came up to me and griped my arms, taking my weight as my legs weakened on their own accord. I groaned softly as he carried me to his horse and placed me on the saddle so I could sit in front of him, between his arms. He mounted behind me and nudged the horse into a fast walk. I felt his hand brush my arm as I slipped into unconsciousness. His little touches were always a sign that he wanted to praise me for my work.
I felt my head flop against his chest. I would talk him out of it later. At times like this, between his arms and on his mount, I was at his mercy.
And I hated it.
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