Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends 3)

"Back in the cave!" Edwyn shouted. "Everyone get inside! Ashyn!"

She turned away and pretended not to hear him. That would have been difficult a moon or two ago. One did not disobey one's elders, particularly family. Yet now she assessed the situation. The fiend dog was intent on Edwyn and the others, and the beasts had already proven that Tova made them uneasy. So the chances of the fiend dog abandoning the others to come after her were minimal. Edwyn could handle it.

As terrifying as fiend dogs were, they'd been easier to handle than she expected, perhaps because of Edwyn's magics. She slowed to a fast walk, to avoid running, but she continued on up the path that led to Ronan's cave.

The old woman lay right outside of the cave mouth. Ashyn did not look closely. She saw blood and she saw a limb, and that was enough. She kept her gaze averted and told herself that she was stepping over stones and branches. Finally, she burst into the cave and . . .

Ronan was gone.

She heard a low moan, and Tova dashed ahead and ran to a dark shape in the rear shadows.

"T-Tova?"

Ronan's voice came thick and fractured, and Ashyn raced over to find him on the cave floor, the blanket wrapped and twisted around him. She dropped beside him and he turned to her and he smiled. No, more than a smile. He grinned for her.

"Ash."

She kissed him. On the forehead, but a kiss nonetheless, and as much of an embrace as she dared give in his condition. That's when he noticed the blood.

"You're hurt," he said, scrambling up.

Ashyn held him down. "It's not mine. You're the one who's been injured. Badly. The blood is not yours either, though. We . . ." She took a deep breath and felt grief surge as she thought of Tarquin. She pushed that back. "Later. We're safe for now." A glance at the cave entrance, where she could see parts of the old woman beyond. Reasonably safe.

His hands rose to his bandaged throat. "The arrow."

She nodded. "You've been unconscious since then."

"Okami . . . There was a young warrior. Dalain Okami. Is that who . . . ?" He squinted about the cave. "Where are we?"

"The Okamis didn't take us. They shot you, but someone else . . . It's a long story. We're safe, and you're awake and alive, and that's what counts."

"Hopefully if I'm awake I'm also alive. But I suppose these days that's not a given, is it?"

She struggled for a smile. "Sadly, no. Now, lie back down. Help will come so

on. I'll get you water. You must be thirsty."

When he didn't answer, she stopped looking for a waterskin and turned to him. "Ronan?"

"Sorry, just . . . Something about being thirsty. I was dreaming . . ."

"That you were dying in a desert? I don't doubt it. You must be parched. Probably famished, too, but we'll start with water." She found the skin near his sleeping pallet. "Here, I'll help you."

She opened it and held it out. He motioned that he could handle it and took the skin. After one gulp, he spat it out and made a face.

"The water's fouled."

She sniffed at it. "There is a smell, but I think it's from the skin. Perhaps it wasn't cured properly." She capped it and set it aside. "I'll get you more once I'm certain the fiend dogs are gone."

"Fiend . . . ? Did you say . . . ?"

"She did," said a voice from the entrance. Edwyn walked in. "I see you're awake. That is a relief. To us, but especially to my granddaughter. She was greatly worried."

"Your grand . . ."

"There are dragons, too," Ashyn said. "Well, only bones here, but we're going to see a sleeping dragon. Then I'll wake it to fight at the emperor's side."

She had to smile as Ronan rubbed his hands over his face.