Free The Dragon's Prize by Sophie Park Page A

this is the last time I try to save your life.”
    “Noted.”
    They stared.  The creaking of the barge and sloshing of the river water was the only sound as they approached their destiny.
     
    *
     
     
    The first day they made camp before night in a small clearing to the side of what could generously be called a road.  The horses were doing quite well considering the circumstances: Lightning had obviously been this way before and knew where to pick his path, and Annie was content to follow him.  The roots and other detritus covering the path made the way treacherous, but Lightning could almost sense where the sinkholes and other dangers lurked and avoided them by instinct.  Sandra was happy to let him take the lead, but as the already poor light began to dwindle near evening, she called their little expedition to a halt for the day.
    After Sandra dismounted, unpacked Lightning and brushed him down, the strength the potion had given her earlier finally drained out of her body.  She yawned and collapsed onto a fallen log without even stripping off her armor.
    “You okay?”  Mira piled her own packs with Sandra’s and was going over Annie’s coat with a stiff brush.  Annie was sweatier than Lightning and looked like she could use the rest, too.
    “Yeha.  Just… tired.”
    “Well, you did fight a dragon.”
    “Ha.  I suppose so.  It feels like it happened years ago.”
    “I know what you mean.  Time seems lost in this place.”  Mira looked up into the canopy, which was so thick with pine needles that you couldn’t see the sky.  “Like an endless green cavern, you know?”
    “Yeah.  I’m here too.”  Sandra took a deep breath of the cool forest air.  Autumn was just settling onto the kingdom, but here in the forest there was a rough chill that could sap the strength from your bones if you weren’t careful.  It was a good thing Mira thought to pack so many extra blankets.  “It’s hard to imagine that we’re only a few miles from the capital.  It’s like another world in here.”
    Mira nodded, then collapsed onto the log beside Sandra.  There was an old fire pit in the middle of the clearing which suggested others had stopped here as well with the same thought as the two of them.  It was nothing more fancy than a circle of stones with some ashes in the middle, and some thoughtful soul had left a small pile of wood and kindling off to the side.
    “Good choice of site.”
    “Thanks.” Sandra desperately wanted nothing more than to sleep, but there was work to be done before that happened.  She groaned as she stood up, and put a hand on the middle of her back to help steady herself.  Muscles stiffened from a day of riding grumbled and fought back against her attempts to stretch them out again.
    Once the trial of standing was completed, she set about the business of making camp.  She put feed bags on Lightning and Annie, who were happy to ignore the two humans in favor of dinner.  She started the fire, stripped off some of her extra armor and was about to start building a stew when Mira came over.  Sandra had been busy with the business of making camp and only barely registered Mira’s disappearance.  The former maid put a gentle hand on Sandra’s wrist and held up a small bundle of herbs.
    “Know much about cooking?”
    “Stir food together and add fire, right?”
    “Ummm… yes, I suppose that’s the basics of it all.”
    “I’m kidding.  You’re right, I don’t really know how to cook.”
    “Let me.”  Mira was already rummaging in her pack to find cooking utensils.  “That’s why I’m here, after all”
    “Well, if it doesn’t bother you…”
    “I think your cooking would bother me.”
    “Point taken.”  Sandra collapsed back onto the log.  With her heavy chain gloves, helmet and shoes off she felt unnaturally light.  “You know, this is the first time I can remember ever being out of the capital.”
    “Really?  You make camp like a pro.”  Mira