Trinket (Reverse Harem)

A Slushy Dragon Takes Point

"Korr!" I scrambled to my feet. My body wasn't my own. It felt like a shell I was wearing and all my skin was trying to come up. I floundered and managed to get my way to Korr, who had crumbled into an elegant pile at Asund's feet.

Korr lifted one burning hand to caress my cheek. His eyes were colorless, his skin nearly tranluscent, and the black blemish under his bound-silks seemed to devour his entire side. "I'm fine. Just drained."

"You weren't supposed to come, you stupid dragon!" My voice cracked and didn't even sound like my own. A thousand wings buffeted my brain and songs echoed across it.

"And leave... Ethat...unattended?"

"For all the good it did! How many ravens did you eat?!" I demanded tearfully and shoved Ethat's head.

Ethat spit out a feather and then shoved his head down by his brother, crooning with worry.

"He didn't get any," Itek said. "Not for lack of trying, though."

Korr tried to pick himself up. "I'm fine, my love."

I shoved the silks aside and looked at the wound on his side. It wasn't open, but the skin was mottled and black, like burned oil on the bottom of a pan. His skin had sunken inwards to model the original shape of the original piercing wound. He hissed as my fingers fluttered over it.

Asund knelt down on Korr's other side and lifted his shoulders slightly. Korr winced and a hot wave of pain rolled off him. "You did too much, dragon."

"I did what was... necessary," he rasped.

"You weren't supposed to bring him!" I told Asund.

"He refused to stay behind. Nice catch, by the way, Korr. Not your first quick exit, hmm?"

Korr chuckled, then coughed, and another terrible shimmer of hot pain rose off him. "With Ethat, I am practiced."

Ethat nuzzled his brother.

"Yes, yes." Korr put one hand on Ethat's head and started to try to pull himself up even as the black wound seemed to pin him to the ground like that damn's bug leg was still spearing him through.

Outside, the howls of wolves, the cries of ravens, and the shouting of human voices mixed pressed on the walls. Ormiss coiled his whip with a skillful flick of his wrist that sent me shuddering as the bone shards and cursed leather rattled. Asund looked away, visibly paling.

"They're going to come," Ormiss said, his voice deep and hollow and as grim as that whip.

"Help me up," Korr told his brother and Asund.

"Korr--" I tried to say.

"This is my duty," Korr told me, voice weak and breathless. Ever breath he drew sounded wet and his wound seemed to consume all of him. "I can't fail."

Asund pulled Korr to his feet. Waves of pain in the form of heat rose off Korr, and he put a hand over his side, his other arm over Asund.

"You can't do a fucking thing, dragon," Asund told him gruffly.

Ethat chittered urgently.

"The thought of shifting forms sounds painful," Korr said with weak laughter. "And I would prefer to... be able... to speak."

More chittering. Korr's legs gave out, and he caught himself on Ethat's neck and Asund heaved him upwards.

Ormiss watched the front door with Itek. They seemed to be having a debate of war now, war later?

"Take her," Asund told Ormiss. "Itek, you're the fastest flyer. Take Theia and Ormiss and make a run for the shoreline. He can take her below the waves."