Traded

“No.” I gasp, my heart in my throat as I stare dumbfounded at the black space that consumed my mom and the healer. I whimper and carefully move my way out the door and onto the thin pathway, closing the gateway to the hell behind me.

There are two ways down to them, over the ledge like they went or hoping following this path allows me to find an easier way. It’s the raging fire the booms to my left, far in the distance but close enough that I know exactly who they are aiming for.

There is no time for safety and precautions. If I hope to get us all out of here, it’s going to have to be a controlled descent. I look over the dark edge, my hands shaking as I exhale deeply and drop to my knees before kicking my legs out to my side and hanging them over the edge.

I give myself a moment, reaching out to feel for Merikh, needing the assurance he is okay and I feel him. It’s a glimmer, but it is reassuring to know he is so close. My legs and arms twitch with fearful anticipation as I shake them out and inhale

deeply, before placing my palms on the cool stone path and sliding myself down the side.

The rocks cut into my side, the nicks and slices burning as I hiss and try to slow my near vertical descent by using my hand, attempting to grab onto whatever I can. I gain speed, my heart pumping and my lungs burning as I pant and panic simultaneously. The air grows warmer, staler as it ceases to move and the light from the world above me wanes.

I close my eyes, trying to calm myself as the panic creeps up my throat and my body feels numb. I can feel my wolf stirring, pacing as she begs to be let out and in my state of fear, I let her. She takes over, my body rearranges and a new calm settles over me, my wolf’s senses winning as my paws shove off the mountainside and I leap out, landing on solid ground.

My nose moves to the ground as I sniff, catching the scent of my mother and chasing it a few feet away. I nudge her with my nose, a whine coming from my chest as I lay down next to her, trying to wake her up. There is a sudden striking sound and I whip my head around to see a small light and the healer’s face illuminates.

“Ah, there you are,” He says, sounding relieved. “I was worried you had fallen further from us and were severely injured.”

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4

Chap 97

I whimper, resting my snout on my mother’s arm as she lays looking unconscious, and he moves over toward us, groaning as he steps over her legs.

“She will be fine,” He says, grunting as he drops, placing the small light to the side. I look at it curiously, confused by what exactly it is as I lean forward and sniff at it.

“Ah, little dragon trick. Anything can be burned,” He chuckles and reaches out over my mother, pushing something under her nose that makes her startle awake.

“Colette,” she says, worried until she looks right at me and her eyes fill with tears and she covers her mouth. “Are you hurt?”

I shake my head no and she touches my snout, sucking in her tears as she nods happily.

“We need to get moving,” he says, looking up and then around, his lips pressed tightly together like he is worried.

“What’s wrong?” My mom asks, and he stands, helping her up gently.

“Finding a way up won’t be easy or fast,” He frowns. “It may be best to send you on ahead.”

I growl at the thought rising and moving to my mother’s side, nuzzling in under her loose, hanging hand. She sighs heavily and shakes her head before she crouches next to me, wrapping her arms around my soft, furred neck.

“He is right. What is most important is you-” she says, but I interrupt her with an agitated yip, and bare my teeth at her. She frowns and shakes her head. “My sweet little Cole. I have missed so much time being your mom and I know I don’t deserve this, but I am begging you to go. You could come back with help, or wait for us somewhere else.”

She says it like it’s a possibility that they will make it out of here, an old hobbling half working dragon healer and a werewolf alpha female who was tortured for ten years. Even I know it’s a pipe dream, but then again, I have also learned that even the most off the wall dreams can come true.

Hell, look at me, from orphaned maid to full-blown Luna, queen of our kind and finding out both parents are still alive. If that isn’t a fairytale come true, I don’t know what is.

I stare at her and look over at the healer, torn between the options. But they are© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

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right, time is not a luxury we have right now.

Merikh will only last so long against a horde of dragons, Alpha of death or not dragons don’t go down easy. And there is not a single doubt in my mind Merikh would fight to his last breath to ensure my freedom. It comes down to risking Merikh or risking my mom and my heart is in agony over my choice.

I drop my head, taking three steps back before I turn and take off. With a newfound determination, I sprint through the rocks, then I try to leap up the steep hill I slide down before. I make it a few feet before slipping, my paws gliding out from under me as I grunt and hit the rock, sliding down on my side.

Shit. I need a way up, but with no light, it’s nearly impossible to see where the hell I might be able to move up. Until I see a glinting in the darkness, a spot catching the faintest hint of light, and I gallop toward it, stopping to sniff and find it has no real scent.

My tongue flicks out warily, and I realize its water. Not enough to make a puddle, but enough to make the rocks wet. My eyes slid shut and I pray I can use my siren’s ability to guide myself out, only to find the attempt futile.

When I open my eyes, my vision is clearer, almost like I can sense the water as it moves up the rocks, like finding the source of a waterfall. I trace the drops, listening as it drips over smaller rocks and ledges and trust my instincts to get me where I am going. I take a leap of faith, jumping up only to freeze as the rock creaks and smaller stones tumble beneath me.

After taking a sharp inhale and steadying my frightened muscles, I leap to the left, my hind liege slipping as I whine, my underbelly slamming into the slate like rock that cuts into my stomach. Warmth drips down my belly and I struggle to get my leg up, my tongue hanging out as I pant with the effort.

The water seems to grow more steady the higher I crawl. From an inconsistent drip to a small trickle down over the ledge as I grow closer to the light, the sun is just a few more steps above me when I hear rushing. I furrow my wolfs brows in concentration trying to listen, the sound of running water overwhelmingly loud as I cover my face and ears to stop the pain from the roaring.

Then it hits me, a wall of wet hammers into my body before it comes fast enough it behind to overshoot my body, dropping into the cannon like a faucet has been turned on high in a tub. I panic, looking for a way up before looking back where I ran from, watching the dim light where my mom and the healer are, hopefully,

making headway before the light goes out

The soft scream of shock and yelling echoes over the sound of the water and my ear ticks back, trying to listen better before I bound off the ledge, into the flowing water letting it take hold of my body as it wipes me from the air and pulls me into it’s wet embrace. Instead of it being a ravaging wave, it feels oddly calm and settling.

I plunge into the growing pool at the bottom of the ridge, my body tumbling with the waves and current as I rush back the way I just came. Everything tingles, my paws, my fur, and especially my soul.

Water has always felt safe, like home, but nothing has felt as wonderful as this. To be in my wolfs form, in the water, it feels like I am being embraced in a warm welcoming hug and I don’t ever want to leave it.

“Hold on to me, Calvin,” I hear my mom screaming as the healer grunts with effort.

The current is too strong. You need to let go, Melody.”

“No.” She cries. “You saved my daughter. That’s what got you into this mess. I refuse to let you go, not now.”

My body tingles with renewed purpose as I duck into the water, swimming toward them in my wolf form. With every kick, I feel the water wrap around me, making way for me to move faster, the current working with me rather than against.

I pop up to search for them and see I over shot them by mere feet, spinning toward them, again the current dying around me as I move toward them with ease. My mom’s eyes light up when she sees me, fear turning to confusion as she tilts her head and the healer lets go. He doesn’t move, instead he floats in place, looking around with awe and shock before he sees me and he stares.

My body shakes and I close my eyes, feeling the water, calling it to my command like I have in the past, only this time I realize how much I am asking of it, willing to give back to it every speck of energy it gives me.

It responds, my eyes snapping open and my human body back in place as the water rises, bringing with it the three of us as we grow taller, moving closer to the top.

“Colette,” my mother whispers, but I can’t break the concentration as my body is

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leaching of energy. Every fiber in my body quivers with exhaustion, my wolf standing tall in my mind, giving me everything she has to help keep me conscious as I drain my source.

We shoot from the crevice, my body going limp as we splash along the ground on the other side, my body slamming hard into the rock as the water retreats down, leaving us soaked and heaving for air.

“That was-” My mother says, stopping to think of a word.

“Exhausting?” I offer, coughing and unable to push myself up as my arms and legs crumble under me after the first attempt.

“Phenomenal.” The healer says instead.

“How did you do that?” My mom whispers, crawling over to me as she tries to tug me into her arms. My eyes droop, the immense amount of effort to do what I just did weighs too heavy as I fight sleep.

just…did.” I whisper, my eyes closing.

“Colette, your wolf was made of water,” she tells me, but I am too tired to confirm or deny what she claims. Instead, I shrug.

“Cool,” I murmur.

“Luna!” I hear someone scream and I peek through my heavy lids to see what looks like Merikh rushing toward me. I find the energy to smile, reaching out for him, happily. He is safe, and we are saved.

“Who are you?” My mother demands, standing abruptly to protect me.

“Calm down, my name is Hayes. I am her beta and she is mated to my brother, the alpha.”

“Mel…” I hear another familiar voice whisper in disbelief before a soft s b breaks

out.

“Caspian?” I hear my mother say before I can no longer hang on and I let the comfort of sleep take hold of me.