Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

CH. 21.3 The Battle

"Well, crap in a napkin," Alex said, craning her neck up at the dragon for a moment. "Unarmed combat with a weird-looking dragon. Just perfect."

"I'm getting the brothers." Drake dashed off into the trees.

The dragon flamed at him but Alex flew into the flames, scattering them away from Drake. The dragon's breath was hot, metallic, almost burning. It smelled of sulfur, like the bad smell of a volcano.

The dragon's hindquarters tensed to leap upwards. Its lanky tail writhed, whipping back and forth as it flexed, like an angry snake. Alex speed-burst straight into his neck right where it joined its triangular head and drove the head into the ground. It screamed and flailed its wings. The dragon's hind legs tried to kick the untouchable target. The hind legs were massive, pudgy and muscular, covered in hard, heavy scales.

Remembering her Kung Fu lessons and following the lines of force, Alex grabbed the edge of a wing and speed-burst with it and pulled the wing back like an underhand serve in tennis. The momentum dislocated the wing, and she speed-burst forward, further wrenching the wing. The dragon flamed at her and spread his wings and pulled one in again, full of air. Alex was thrown off and tumbled through the air, the wind whistling in her ears. The short flight ended abruptly when Alex's feet touched the ground briefly and she re-engaged her slipstream, bursting upwards.

Feeling like a wasp before a dinosaur, Alex darted toward the dragon, a blur of deadly small strikes. She wove through his claws, turned and struck where she knew he would strike next. She blasted his right eye and it shrieked in pain. The dragon swiped at her and she speed-burst into his palm instead of away, firing a concentrated burst of white fire into the center of his paw. With a roar, the dragon reflexively clenched his claw into a fist. His claws opened almost immediately, but the concentration of Alex's power had rendered the fingers paralyzed. With a cry, Alex fell to the scorched ground.

"Shitshitshitshit," she gasped as she lay there. "Forgot about reflexes."

Drake burst from the tree-line to see the brothers running, leading a crowd of arbalests, who trotted with their weapons cradled under their arms. Rake jogged confidently at the head of a perfectly formed troop square of sword Agama. They were too far west and Drake cupped his hands to his muzzle to shout.

"Sons of Gideon! Over here!"

They alerted and changed direction, Rile charging in front, outstripping even long-legged Gabe. Cale trailed Gabe, and instead of having a drawn weapon, was carrying a large pack.

"Drake! What is going on?" Rile shouted as he neared.

Drake held up his hands in surrender but Rile charged and plowed into his shoulder while Gabe circled him on the balls of his feet.

"What did you do, you bastard?" Rile rounded on him.

Drake back-stepped quickly, holding his bruised shoulder. "Alex bound herself in a duel with Flint."