Eriz POV

Dread. Pure dread.

The moment Ms. Athyra walked out the door with that prideful elf, I knew this date would fall to pieces. We would have to make a getaway. An overwhelming wave of fear consumed me at the thought of Master Talan finding me and drawing me back to his mansion. I would run away if wasn't for the fact Master Talan would destroy what's left of my family. I can see my aunt's face in my mind. She is always having to serve him as a maid and toy for his amusement. Aunt Nefrisse… She’s the one who raised me. Master Talan would gladly torture my aunt to get to me. My hands slammed down on the vanity causing makeup powder to fly in the air and hair brushes to fall. Inhaling the powder, caused me to cough hard. I got control over myself after sitting back on the chair.

“Ms. Athyra, I don’t think these horrible feelings are a good sign…” I murmured to no one.

I know I can’t just sit here. We needed to be ready to run. I wish I could have more faith in Ms. Athyra, but she has been moody since we left White Rapids. She’s talented in everything she does, and she has more than anyone I have seen. However, her emotions tend to rule her actions. Without thinking, I started gathering our bags. We each had one bag, so packing wouldn’t take long although I had to clean up my mess.

One hour later…

Waiting outside the inn, my anxiety rose. Constantly looking around for an angry dragon was tiring, but I knew we would have to make a quick exit. Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked me onto my side from above. I looked up and saw an ice dragon form. A fierce frosty muzzle exhales a freezing breath on me before swooping me with her claws. My body felt faint as we took off into the air, My stomach dropped. I was never one for thrills, and this seemed like the ultimate thrill. My face was stuck on a stunned expression as I admired her beautiful white scales. They were sharp, elegant, and menacing all at the same time. Her two horns glistened like glass in the moonlight.

“Eriz, hang on,” She called out as she picked up speed.

Ms. Athyra’s claws were silver with a red stain on them, which made me feel dread all over again. She held me just tight enough that I wasn’t crushed under her strength. Her body was long and sleek with a silver underbelly. Ms. Athyra is a beauty. “You certainly know how to make an entrance, Ms. Athyra,” I stammered.

All she did was huff. There was frustration in her eyes. The date must have crumbled as I predicted. The question was how bad things had things gone. I questioned whether I should say anything, but I was trying to distract myself from how far up I was in the air. The red staining on her claws and muzzle was bothering me though. “Ms. Athyra-”

“Hang on,” She grunted as her giant wing thrust us forward.

My rough hands held tightly to her claw as we spiraled down in a nose dive. I started to scream. “Ok, I want off this ride!”

“Too late,” She chuckled.

After a few successive loops and corkscrews, I began dry heaving. I gurgled and dry heaved as she climbed high through the air. Soaring swiftly through the sky, I could feel the tension in Ms. Athyra begins to melt for the first time in weeks. She looked like she had finally escaped a cage. “Ms. Athyra,” I called as her wings finally leveled out. “Mind telling me what happen with Katar?”

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All she did was huff and give me a side glare. “Ms. Athyra?” I questioned, quietly, trying not to upset her any further. Rage filled her eyes as she looked down at me. I could see her debating whether to drop me to fall in the forest below. A few silent moments passed before she grunted and turned away from me.

“Katar was an ass. He knew all I wanted was info and treated me like shit. So, I ripped his arm off to get an answer before picking you up.” Ms. Athyra admitted.

“You ripped his arm off?” I wasn’t surprised by that statement.

“Yeah.” She grunted. “Got a problem with that?”

My voice was caught in my throat. Did I have a problem with it? I have only known this woman for a few months, and she was quick to let her emotions control her. She has nearly killed me more than once, yet I don’t feel the need to run from her. Honestly, she’s my only hope to rescue my aunt in this situation although I haven’t told her about my aunt yet, either.

Impatiently, she broke the silence. “He made me, Eriz. That blonde elf was no different from Talan. He wanted to intimidate and control me. I am not going to take his shit. I am not taking anyone’s shit. Deal with it or leave.”

Shit. Katar broke her. “It doesn’t bother me. I knew the prideful elf was a long shot,” I answered. “What answer did you get from him?”

Ms. Athyra seemed speechless. She wouldn’t look back at me. Did she think I was that shallow? I am a slave with an obsidian cuff on my wrist permanently. Who could I judge? This icy woman makes me feel like I am the calming woman and she is the raging man. She’s frustrating definitely.

“West. We are headed west,” Ms. Athyra whispered.

“Okay,” I replied.

Two hours passed.

Ms. Athyra had been silent for a long time now. Simply sailing through the night air among the stars. The moon was full in the sky. I don’t know when, but Ms. Athyra had begun to fly southwest. We passed over a few towns and mountains. The land below had been quiet for a while as if the land had gone to sleep, or so I thought.

Something suddenly came wisping through the air before colliding with the mighty dragon. Next thing I know, Ms. Athyra tightens her grip on me as she lets out a painful roar into the dark sky. What the hell? I finally looked down to the land below, and I saw balls of fire aimed right at us. “Ms. Athyra, get us out of here.” She looked down at me and saw the fireballs. She flapped her wings, thrusting us forward. Magic fireballs whipped passed me, and I felt my skin begin to burn. Ms. Athyra’s claws were singed by the fire and beginning to bleed. Are we going to die? Blasts of magic fire followed us as we tried to escape.

“Eriz,” Ms. Athyra said, seriously. “I am not going to run. I am going to fight back without holding back.”

Why was she acting like this? If she wants to fight back, she can. Is it because someone might die? Sad as that is, I don’t want either of us to die. “Do what you have to, Ms. Athyra,” I answered. I kept my gaze as reassuring as I could. She wasn’t in this alone.

Without hesitation, I watched her unleash her ice upon the ground. There were faint screams below from our attackers. Ms. Athyra moved like the wind as she dodged their magic blasts. She tucked, rolled, flipped, and dived through the sky like a white stream of light among the stars. The battle was over in a flash after a few ice blasts blanketed the forest where our attackers were hiding. Ms. Athyra roared to the moon in victory as she flew away from the Enchanted Forest. We were safe.

Ms. Athyra stopped in the middle of the sky without warning.

“What’s wrong?” I called out to Ms. Athyra.

“I thought our attackers were behind us, but I sense strong magic ahead. I think it might be a magical item,” Ms. Athyra stared at the ground with concern. “I can’t tell if they are with our attackers or not.”

“Could it be our targets?” I questioned.

“No,” Ms. Athyra answered. “They wouldn’t let it be this easy to find them. Not after two months of chasing them. Right?”

I looked down to see an arrow headed straight toward me. Covering my face with my arms, I felt the arrow burrow into my arm. I felt the tip of the arrowhead hit my bone. Pain filled my body as I screamed. Blood spilled out of my arm onto Ms. Athyra’s claw. I could feel Ms. Athyra’s eyes on me as I pulled the arrow from my arm while groaning from the pain. After the arrow was dislodged, I tore my sleeve and used it as a bandage. I knew this wouldn’t be enough to heal my wound, but at least, I could try to stop the bleeding. Who the hell fired an arrow at me?

“Are you okay?” Ms. Athyra questioned. She hadn’t moved the entire time I had been dressing my wound.

“Yes, Ms. Athyra. I will be fine, but I need to dress the wound better,” I replied, hoping to calm the raging ice dragon. “Who hit me with an arrow, and why did they fire at me?”

Ms. Athyra breathed out a chilled mist. Anger rolled off her in waves. Whoever had fired that arrow was about to wish they never had. This ice dragon was about to tear apart the forest below. Should I try to stop her?

“Three times today, I have been assaulted. First, the bastard, Katar, tried to assault me with words, the relentless fire wizards tried to burn me, and now, a sneaky archer attacks… It ends now. The archer hurt my friend, and I won’t stand for it,” She roared.