Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
The wards are magicked walls that extend to the bottom of the ocean and high into the farthest reaches of the sky. In the Old Text of Dragemor, the First Sorcerer—Magni—said it was akin to a dome, one that would prevent any dragon from escaping, whether they swam to the inky depths or tried to soar into the stars above.
The dragons can’t get out, but we can go in.
And, with any luck, come back out again.
I instinctively hold my breath as Lemi swims through the wards. They’re about as thick as a window pane and my skin prickles with heat as we push to the other side. The water is as warm as the air on this side of the barrier, the atmosphere heavy with smoke. There are three active volcanoes along the Red Rift that snakes across the belly of the Midlands like a gaping wound, and depending on which way the winds are blowing, your visibility can be close to zero. At the moment the wind is pushing the volcanic fumes my way, so as soon as we reach shore I’ll have to wear a mask in order to breathe properly. Just another punishing feature of this forsaken land for those who dare to tread it.
The shore feels far away this time, the craggy features of the small island of Fjallen Rock hidden in the grimy haze. There are times I think the Midlands and its austere and terrifying geography can be quite beautiful, in the same way a dragon can be beautiful. But you’re always aware of the danger. Of how feeble and useless you are in comparison. The Midlands and the beasts that fly above it dole out death without second thought.
But that’s why I have Lemi. I couldn’t do this without him. The other thieves who pilfer the Midlands have heightened abilities and powers thanks to their egg consumption, senses that may help them find the precious commodities and fight back against dragon attacks. I have no powers except my dog and years of training with the best fighters of the Banished Land.
Now as we’re getting close to shore, Lemi swims faster. While the eggs—and more specifically, the suen compound that’s extracted from them—don’t work on me for reasons I still don’t understand, they do work on Lemi. He’s stronger and faster than any dog ought to be, plus he has the ability to shift through time and space, as long as it’s to a place he can see or a place he’s already been to. The moment my boots reach the sharp rocks of the seafloor I let go of his harness and he immediately disappears in front of me. One moment he’s here, the next he’s vanished into thin air, with only a faint whiff of his warm doggy smell left behind.
He quickly reappears farther down the coast, his giant black body blending in with the lava-sculpted shoreline, his head down to the ground, sniffing for our prize. I let out a sigh of quiet relief and keep my eyes on him as I stagger out of the water and onto land. I should have stopped worrying about him years ago after he proved no dragon could catch him, but even so, I watch him like a hawk.
It’s only for a little while, I tell myself, though I feel the bitterness on my tongue. All those one more times and soon I can stops and almost theres and not long nows have melted into chains of hope that keep me fastened to this trade.
The existence of tomorrow is more intoxicating than any drug.
I want to call out to Lemi so that he doesn’t go too far, but now that I’m on land, I don’t want to attract any attention to myself. Instead I pull up my mask from around my neck so that it covers my nose and mouth. It’s wet but that makes it easier to breathe, and in no time I’ll be completely dry, with the heat and the winds the way they are.
I start walking along the coast, the seawater squishing in my boots, keeping an eye on Lemi while minding my step among the sharp rocks. Occasionally a rock will move and charred legs will appear—a lava crab that scatters back into the dark sea. If I felt more optimistic about tonight’s hunt, I’d spear the crab and take it back home with me because they’re my aunt’s favorite dish and she’s been doing all the cooking as of late. But now that my plan has changed, the less I have to carry with me, the better.
Lemi is still visible, though he’s getting farther and farther away. I’ve always had unnaturally good eyesight, and the constant eruptions from the distant volcanos of the Midlands illuminate the sky in an orange glow, but even so he’s getting harder to spot.