Fuse by E.L. Todd

Twenty-Four

“Can you show me my back?”

Flare handed her a mug of tea before he gave her a quizzical expression. “What do you mean?”

“I want to see it, but I can’t bend that way. So, can you show me?”

“One, I don’t see how I can do that. Two, why do you want to see it?” He sipped his tea and rested his arms on his knees.

“I just do.” She wanted to understand how bad the damage was. What would people see when they looked at her? She needed to know. “You said I sent you an image of Rune when I was being tortured. Can’t you send me an image of my back in the same way?”

“I suppose I could try. But I really don’t think you want to see it.”

“If I don’t, I’ll always wonder.”

He sighed like the idea repulsed him. “Fine.” He pivoted his body toward her so he could face her head on.

She turned around then lifted up her shirt, exposing her bare back to him. She felt his stare bore into her skin, heating the tender scars. Her arms rested in front of her chest, keeping them from view.

Then an image emerged directly in her brain. The image of her back appeared crystal clear. Every crack and scar were highlighted from the flames of the fire. There were so many lashes that the skin didn’t look like skin at all, just a patchwork of marks. The groove of her spine was indecipherable in the mess. Even her shoulders held the abrasions. It didn’t look like skin anymore.

It didn’t look like anything.

Her eyes welled up with tears at the sight. Unable to handle it anymore, she pulled down her shirt and ended the image altogether. She kept her back to him because she didn’t want to face him. He would think less of her for caring so much. The delicate skin that she carried all her life had been taken away from her. Now, she had to bear the marks of a ruthless man.

Like he’d once owned her.

* * *

She watched the sun set into the ocean. Her feet were buried in the sand, and her knees were pulled to her chest. Lost in quiet solitude, she kept to herself most of the day. Flare stayed inside the cave and never emerged.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Appearing out of nowhere, Flare stood beside her. His approach wasn’t picked up by her ears. His boots didn’t make a sound as they dug into the sand.

“No.”

He sat beside her, keeping a foot between them. “Do you think you’re ready to leave?”

She would never completely heal from the trauma, but she had to hold her head high and move on. Moping around in self-pity wouldn’t get her anywhere. All she had to do was remain fully clothed, and no one would know what had befallen her. “Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

She nodded. “I’ve rested long enough. And you’ve stuffed me like a swine.”

He chuckled in a throaty way. “You’re the one who ate like a pig. I just hunted and prepared the food.” He nudged her in the side playfully, reminding her of the relationship she had with her three adoptive brothers. He teased her, but he was also there for her.

“Yeah…I guess I did overeat a little.”

“You’re almost back to your former weight. But you’re missing some muscle. You’ll gain it back once we start moving.”

“I hope so.” She needed her strength. Being thin and bony wasn’t her preference. She didn’t have as much energy as before. It didn’t matter how much meat she ate; she needed to get moving if she wanted to rebuild lost muscle.

“Don’t worry about it.” Flare watched the sun until it completely disappeared beyond the horizon. The sky turned pink and orange, the last few rays of light streaking across the sky.

“I’m sorry about yesterday.” She’d avoided him ever since that painful conversation. “I know it’s stupid to care about something so superficial.”

“It’s not stupid.” His sincerity shone through. “Someone mutilated you, changed your appearance. It would bother anyone.”

She cared a great deal about his opinion, but she wasn’t sure when that had begun. When they’d met, she didn’t care for him. But somewhere along the road, that had changed. “I guess I’m embarrassed by those hideous scars. I can never show anyone.”

“Embarrassed?” He turned away from the setting sun and watched her. “You should never be embarrassed by what happened to you. You survived unspeakable torture. They pressured you to give up your secrets, but you never did. Even when they flogged you buck naked in front of thousands of people, you still didn’t give them what they wanted. If anything, you should be proud.”

The blue color of his eyes was usually bright like a summer day, but now, it had darkened to the color of the ocean. “I know I am. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known.” He rested his arms across his knees. “Actually, I take that back. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

Without realizing it, the corners of her lips lifted into a smile. It was the first time she’d felt some form of happiness in a long time. Flare always made her feel good about herself, even between the insults. “Thank you.”

He faced the ocean again, his eyes on the darkening sky.

Silently, she sat beside him and stared straight ahead. Unstoppable tears formed in her eyes, and one escaped down her cheek. She wanted to wipe it away, but she knew it would draw Flare’s attention.

So she let it drip to her chin before it fell to the sand.

* * *

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Flare stood with his pack over his shoulders, his blade hanging from his hip.

“Yes.”

“Because I’m not going to slow down for you. I expect you to keep up and give it your all. We have a lot of ground to cover. So, if you need a few more days, you’d better speak now.”

Cora appreciated the fact that he didn’t treat her like a sad pity story. He expected her to overcome her pain and push on like a warrior. He didn’t cut her any slack because he shouldn’t. “I’ll be fine.”

He searched her gaze for sincerity.

“If I felt otherwise, I would tell you.”

That seemed to be enough to assure him because he turned around and began the hike. He moved uphill, walking quickly as if the steep hill had no effect on him.

She took a deep breath then followed close behind him.

* * *

“How long will Bridge wait for you?” She matched his stride now that they were on flat land. They stayed away from the trail and moved between the trees, relying on the cover of their leaves.

“Until I get there.”

“But you’ll have been traveling for two months.”

“He’ll wait.” He said it with the utmost confidence. “If I say I’ll be somewhere, I’ll be there.”

“Does he have enough supplies?”

“Plenty. Honestly, it’s probably a vacation for him.” His hood was pulled up, and his face was hidden with the exception of his chin. He’d shaved by a pond earlier that morning, and now his face was clean of whiskers. His lips were more noticeable without the distraction of facial hair, and they looked soft.

“How do you know where you’re going all the time?”

“I have a good sense of direction. And I’ve been around a long time.”

She knew he was old, but he never gave her a real number. “Have you been everywhere in Anastille?”

“Pretty much. Except Eden Star. They don’t let our kind pass.”

“Because they hate you? From the war?”

He chuckled sarcastically. “Hate is an understatement. We’re absolutely vile to them.”

“Do you think they’ll feel the same toward me?”

“It’s possible. Actually, it’s probable. But you’re the one who seems confident they’ll accept you with loving arms.”

“I’m sure when they meet us, they’ll drop their prejudice. We’re obviously not a threat to them.”

“They’ll always be prejudiced against me.” His statement lingered on for minutes.

She didn’t voice the question in her mind because she knew she wouldn’t get an answer. “During wartime, there are casualties on both sides. A lot of elves may have died, but so did humans. We’ve both lost people.”

“They don’t see it that way.”

“Why?”

“They just don’t.” It was clear he was hiding something. He didn’t make eye contact with her, like that would open the gateway to spilling every detail.

Cora tried not to be offended by his secrecy because he’d saved her from a bloody death. His secrets were his own business and had nothing to do with her. But she hoped one day he would take down a few walls and let her in—completely. “Maybe we can repair what happened in the past.”

“Doubtful.” Every stride of his was equal to two of hers. She had to walk twice as fast to keep up with him. “For humans, it only takes a few decades to move on from a big event. And that’s because our life-spans are so short. When the older generations pass away, new ones emerge. And over time, all the hostility and prejudice slowly die down because the newer generations weren’t around to experience it. But with elves…all the survivors are alive. And they never forget. To them, the war happened just yesterday.”

Now she understood the situation a little better. “I see.”

“So, don’t have unrealistic expectations. If they agree to meet you, that’s a miracle in itself.”

She gripped the straps of the new pack he’d given her and stared at the scenery as they walked. “Do you think we can stop by the poisonous frogs on the way?”

“Why?”

“To create another venomous arrow.”

“That’s out of our way. We’ll have to double the length of the journey to make it happen. And neither one of us has time for that.”

Perhaps on her way back, she would make a stop.

“But I think it’s worth doing eventually,” he said. “I would love the opportunity to kill a Shaman. I’m just not as good an archer as you.” He glanced at her with a smile on his lips.

“I’ve never seen you shoot an arrow.”

“I’m pretty good. Not an expert like you, though.”

“I miss my bow…” All of her things had been left behind in Easton. The only thing she got to keep was her sword, which was probably the most valuable thing she owned anyway.

“We’ll get you another one.”

“But I prefer to make my own. I do a better job.”

He chuckled. “Cocky, are we?”

“I’m just being honest.”

“Maybe the elves will let you use their forges. I can only imagine what you could create with their tools.”

Excitement coursed through her at the thought.

* * *

When she opened her eyes the following morning, she looked directly into two enormous yellow eyes.

Startled, she jolted upright.

Do not be scared. It is I.

Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, and it took her nearly thirty seconds to calm down again. “You scared the crap out of me. You should have told me you were morphing into a dragon.” Looking at a winged beast first thing in the morning wasn’t a pleasant way to wake up.

He was tired, so we made the change late last night.

Cora was confused by the choice of words. “He?”

The man you know as Flare.

“As in, he’s not here right now?” Weren’t they together at all times? Or something like that…

No. We disconnected.

“Oh… Any reason why?”

He needed to rest. But don’t worry, I’ll look after you.

In that moment, she realized something. “Is this the first time I’ve ever spoken to you, and only you?”

Yes. For the most part.

Wow. That meant she was speaking to a real dragon. Flare wasn’t present, and it was just the two of them. “Well, it’s an honor to formally meet you, Flare.”

The dragon released a quiet snort that sounded like a sigh. It’s nice to meet you too, Pretty.

Both of her eyebrows rose up. “Pretty?”

You’re pretty like treasure. That’s what I call you when I speak to him.

It was a compliment, but it took her a moment to accept it in that way. “Well, thank you.”

The dragon rose to its full height and surveyed the clearing they’d spent the night in. Are you ready to continue your journey?

She fixed her hair before she stood up and gathered her pack. “Do you know the way?”

Now an irritated snort came out. Yes. This was my land long before it was yours.

Cora realized her serious misstep. “Sorry…I didn’t mean it offensively.”

I know. You’re lucky. The dragon turned and continued on their path, its massive claws moving slowly. Its large size made it difficult for it to walk quickly. It was clearly meant to fly, not travel on foot.

“Did you eat breakfast?”

Two deer. They were delicious.

Cora pulled out a sack of nuts and snacked on those. “Thank you for saving me a few weeks ago. Without the two of you, I would be dead right now.”

You’re welcome, Pretty.

It was much easier to keep pace with the dragon than the human. She could actually walk at a leisurely speed and breathe through her nose instead of gasping for air through her mouth.

He and I don’t agree on a lot of things, but we agreed on that immediately.

Cora looked down and kept eating her nuts.

You care for him a great deal. The dragon didn’t ask a question, but it was implied. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, the yellow iris glaringly obvious.

“Of course I do. He’s my friend.” Without him, she would be wandering Anastille alone. She would have been captured by the Shamans long ago and surely would be dead right now. He gave her a purpose, something she desperately needed now that she couldn’t return home.

You care for him more than that.

Cora closed her sack of nuts and looked up at the dragon, unsure of his meaning. “Sorry?”

I’ve been inside your head. I see the way you see him.

Cora still didn’t know what he was talking about. “I didn’t care for him much in the beginning because he was so rude. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized it was just a cold projection he emitted. He’s caring, passionate, and thoughtful, just like everyone else. Actually, even more so. I’ve come to long for his companionship, to feel at peace when I’m in his presence. I’ve even come to trust him—with more than just my life.”

The dragon’s claws thudded hard against the ground with every step they took. To anyone nearby, they probably assumed a herd of wild horses was passing. He’s very fond of you.

“He is?” She smiled at the thought. “I thought he hated me most of the time—at least when we first met.”

No. I remember what he thought the first time he met you.

Cora didn’t ask because she understood how Flare was. He didn’t answer questions when they were asked. He only gave information willingly when he wanted to.

You were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Cora gripped her sack awkwardly and spilled the nuts onto the ground. She panicked and squatted to pick them up, but she moved too quickly and tripped over herself, rolling onto the grass in an ungraceful way.

The dragon stopped and eyed her with an amused look.

Cora quickly stood up and pretended it never happened. “Just tripped on a rock…”

Sure, Pretty.

Even though she’d been completely naked in front of thousands of people, she blushed. She examined the passing trees so the dragon couldn’t see her face.

I think you feel the same way.

She tried to dissipate the tension with a joke. “No, I don’t think he’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Flare made an irritated snort. You know what I mean.

She returned the nuts to her pack and changed the subject. “What was it like before the humans came to your land? Were there more of you?” The history of Anastille was fascinating, especially from a dragon’s point of view.

Flare stared straight ahead, his long neck supporting his massive head. The curvature of his face was fixed with jagged points, extra protection to go along with his hard scales. You’re both strange. Neither one of you will admit how you truly feel, even though you know exactly what’s in your heart.

Now that she knew the dragon personally, she wasn’t so scared of him. But she would never forget how she felt when she first saw him. She thought she was going to lose her lunch. Now she was scared of his prominent intelligence and intuition. A being so old was bound to be wise, but not like this.

Flare turned his head slightly and eyed her down below him. He shook his head slightly, full of disappointment at Cora’s silence. Anastille was a much different place before the humans arrived at our shore.

She breathed a sigh of relief now that the subject had been dropped.

We had a government, but it was rarely used. There were no such things as castles or homes. Dragons lived freely, roaming the countryside or infesting the enormous caverns of the mountains. We rarely stayed in one place for too long. The dwarves and the elves coexisted with us peacefully. An unspoken rule was forged between us. We didn’t eat their kind as long as they didn’t hunt ours. And it worked.

Cora hung on every word, fascinated by a world different from the one they lived in now.

When the humans arrived, we thought they were harmless creatures. Small and weak, they didn’t pose a threat to us. We took pity on them and allocated a small amount of land they could inhabit. The dwarves and elves strongly advised against it, sensing humans were greedy and reckless. But we lacked the same wisdom to see it for ourselves. Quickly, they populated exponentially, and soon they were a force to be reckoned with. That’s when King Lux made his move.

She gripped the straps of her pack as she walked, too enthralled in the story to pay attention to her surroundings. She stopped searching for enemies and obstacles, only caring about the history of the past.

King Lux and his two brothers forced a fuse between a few of the dragons, using their dark magic to manipulate them in grotesque ways. Then they forced other dragons to fuse with other members of their species. The remaining dragons started the Great War, killing any human who got in our way. But we failed to win—because we refused to kill our own kind. It’s our one rule.

“You couldn’t kill King Lux and his brothers?”

When they’re fused, you can’t kill the human without killing the dragon.

Now she understood the problem.

In retrospect, we should have done whatever was necessary. Those dragons have been slaves for years. Death is preferable to that. Their power has led to the enslavement of every living dragon. Not a single free dragon remains in Anastille—besides me.

“What about the dragons hiding away on that island?”

It could be a myth.

“What if it’s not?”

It would be the greatest hope we could ever ask for.

“Do you think you would know any of the dragons there?”

Yes. There weren’t very many of us to begin with.

“I hope we find them. I’m sure it would be nice to have friends of your own kind.”

Yes, it would.

“When did you and Flare meet?” She had many questions, and there wasn’t enough time in the day to answer them all.

A snort that sounded like a chuckle erupted. He warned me you were nosy.

“I’m not being nosy. I’m just curious.”

I can’t share secrets that don’t belong to me. I’m sorry.

“Oh…” She stared at the grass beneath her feet. “I wasn’t trying to pry.”

I know, Pretty. I told him he should just tell you. He’s afraid.

“Afraid of what?”

That you won’t look at him the same way.

“But he already told me he forced you to fuse with him. I didn’t think less of him then, and that’s one of the most inhumane things I’ve ever heard of.”

Flare reached his neck down, then gave her an affectionate tap with his nose. Thank you, Pretty.

The tap was gentle but almost knocked her over. “It’s how I feel.”

He can’t forgive himself, so he assumes no one else can either. He hoards his secrets like treasure.

“He thinks I won’t forgive him?” She wasn’t perfect either. She’d done things she regretted—a hundred times.

Flare nodded.

“He’s sensitive, huh?”

The dragon released a laugh that shot a stream of fire out of his nose. It almost hit a tree and burned it to the ground. Pretty, you’re so funny. That’s why I like you. You’ll put anyone in their place—it doesn’t matter who it is.

“Except you. I wouldn’t want to become lunch.”

The dragon laughed again, releasing more fire. I don’t eat my own treasure.

* * *

They settled down for the night in an enclosure of trees.

Cora yawned before she situated herself on the grass. She pulled a blanket out of her pack and stuffed it around her body to remain warm. It was usually hot during the day, but in the evening, it cooled down to a low temperature. “Good night, Flare.”

Good night, Pretty.The dragon walked to her then formed a circle from its nose to its tail. He surrounded her on all sides then placed his open wing above Cora, boxing her inside a protective fort. Now you’ll be warm and safe.

It was dark inside the enclosure, but the moon shone through the webbed wing. She’d never taken the time to truly examine the dragon before. Now she noticed the horns that jutted out from the bones of his wings. While the material was thin, the endless veins hinted at their strength. Her eyes remained open for a long time, just observing the strange beauty of a dragon wing.

Pretty, he’s coming back. Just wanted to let you know.

“Thanks.”

The dragon fell silent and didn’t speak again. Several minutes passed, and Cora kept examining the wing that protected her from the sky. She’d never felt so safe in her life, even when she was living in Vax.

Were you nice to my dragon today?While the voice sounded identical to the one she just heard, it was clear it belonged to someone else.

“Of course. I prefer him to you.”

Bridge says the same thing.

“Maybe you should work on your insufferable personality, then.”

Insufferable? I know I’m rough around the edges, but I wouldn’t take it that far. I did save you, remember?

“Flare did too, remember?”

I saved you from the guards in Polox. He had nothing to do with that one.

She was tired and ready for sleep. “Why don’t you disconnect again? I can’t keep my eyes open.”

Someone has to keep a lookout.

She rolled onto her side and got comfortable. “Good night.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time. Sweet dreams. The familiar cobweb spread around her mind, keeping the bad thoughts out and the good ones in. Beautiful images of rainbows and oceans came to her, soothing and warm. Her dreams were truly sweet now, sweeter than any she’d ever had.