Legions of Bone: Dragon Rider Book 3

Chapter 34: Eat Shit

And you need psychology to tell you how using a guillotine will traumatize the population.

Nevaeha

Several hours of traveling and Dragon Bait still hadn't said a word.

Granted, they were in the air for most of it and he was a mage. He didn't know the language dragon riders used up in the air and Nevaeha didn't want to share Scylla's telepathic link.

Not like the man would probably say anything anyways.

And he had an accent that made it hard to understand him when he muttered. When they'd walked to Scylla, Nevaeha had strained to understand him.

They'd flown against the winds deeper into dragon rider territory until he pointed to an opening in a forest. Scylla landed, huffing as she shook out her wings and scanned beyond the tree line.

Animals howled. Birds chirped and flew between the trees. Lizards darted across the soft earth. Birds chirped and darted through the treetops. Critters squeaked and sang as the sky grew purple and the forest darkened.

Dragon Bait led them, his steps light save for the occasional snap of a branch beneath his boots.

Milo gazed around, shoulders relaxed, hands swinging at his side. Fin trotted a little further ahead, stopping occasionally to glance back and make sure they hadn't disappeared.

"What's your name?" Milo asked.

Dragon Bait said nothing.

Nevaeha and Milo shared a questioning look.

Nevaeha thought he might not have heard. The wind was quite harsh today. But she thought he was ignoring them. She tried, "What do people call you?"

"Dragon Bait," he replied flatly.

"Where are you from?" Milo asked.

"Andis."
Nevaeha grimaced, tossing Milo an annoyed look. "We're all from Andis," she drawled.

"The gods aren't."

Her lips pressed into a tight line. She was fine with people believing in whatever they wanted to believe, but everything about this man--who wasn't much older than her--seemed to grate against her nerves.

"How long have you been with Norah?" Milo wondered.

"Too long," he muttered, his accent jumbling the words.

"Is this man serious?" Nevaeha asked Scylla. "Can he speak more than three words?"

Her dragon blew warm air against her back. "He's on our side."

Nevaeha swallowed hard, the corner of her lips curling back. He was on their side, but still a necromancer.

Milo started, "I don't-"

Dragon Bait turned just enough to cut him a look. "Unless you like having the gods rip your stomach through your mouth, shut up."

Nevaeha resisted giving him a vulgar gesture. It wouldn't do her any good to piss off the person that would bring Norah to them.

She opened her mouth when he stopped. Panic shocked her. She'd pushed him too far. "Wait here," he said.

"Why--where are you going?"

"You're leaving us in the forest?" Milo asked, eyeing the dark forest. Nevaeha hadn't even noticed how dark it had gotten until she was about to be left in it. Still light enough to see everyone, but dark enough to be uncomfortable.