“I haven’t done anything for a few days.” I stood up. “I should exercise my powers and my body.”
Malcolm assessed me. “You only just healed. Are you sure you don’t need to rest more?”
“And lose all the stamina you’ve been helping me build?” I folded my arms over my chest and tapped my foot. Coins toppled over each other, clinging as they fell.
“Fine.” He stood. “Make a fireball. We’ll run that way.” He pointed at a narrow opening on the other side of the chamber.
“Coming?” I asked Cody.
He stood beside me. “Where you go, I go.”
Malcolm led the way. His pace was slower than it had been for the days leading up to Mavros’ attack on me. Cody stayed right beside me, watching me from the corner of his eye, making sure I was doing okay. I ran faster, passing Malcolm. The passage we ran through looked like it had been carved, not formed by nature. It was wide enough for Malcolm to fly through in his dragon form. There were no flowstone formations, and I couldn’t hear the constant sound of water dripping.
The passage turned, and a pungent aroma filled the cavern. I looked up to see hundreds of bats hanging from the ceiling. I dimmed my fire, keeping it closer to me. Some of the bats flapped their wings and some crawled along the ceiling, but none of them took to flight.
I was relieved when we left that chamber and the smell behind. We ran for a while longer. My legs shook, but I didn’t want Malcolm or Cody to know. I didn’t want them to think I was weak.
“We should turn back.” Malcolm’s voice startled me, and the flames flickered. “I don’t want you to overdo it.”
I turned around, hoping they didn’t see me wobble as I did. “Okay.” I ran past them, setting the pace for the way back. Once again, I lowered the flames when we ran through the chamber with bats in it, hoping not to startle them.
As we left that cavern behind, my leg buckled under me, and I fell forward. Malcolm wrapped his arm around my waist, righting me. “Let’s walk.” He lit the chamber around us, and I closed my hand, suffocating my flames.
Cody walked on my other side. “Shouldn’t push so hard.”
“I know.” I pulled my hand through my hair. “But I never know when something’s going to happen. I’ve got to stay strong.”
“You need to rest, too.” Malcolm let go of me. “Get it while you can.”
By the time we returned to Malcolm’s treasure horde, Cash was back. Cushions were piled on the coins, and it looked like I might get a comfortable night’s sleep. I started walking toward the purple and black cushions, but Cody grabbed my arm. I looked at him in question, and he nodded his head toward the dragons.
Malcolm’s pupils were slitted. A low rumble filled the cavern, rattling the coins. Cash lowered his eyes and lifted his neck while making himself seem smaller.
Malcolm strode toward him. He pressed his fangs to Cash’s neck. Cash stood absolutely still. After several tension-filled moments, Malcolm stepped away.
Cash kept his eyes lowered to the floor. “I touched nothing. I didn’t know you’d be gone.”
“Dacia wanted exercise.” Malcolm’s voice was like the deep rumbling of thunder.
Since they’d both pledged their loyalty to me, I hoped I’d be able to diffuse the situation. “And now I need food and a bath, so quit trying to assert your dominance.”
Cash shot an uneasy grin at Malcolm. “I kind of miss the days when she was terrified of us. Don’t you?”
“Every day.” Malcolm reached his hand toward Cash. “Thank you for restocking their supplies.”
Cody let out a deep breath. “That was tense.”
“Sorry.” Malcolm’s pupils and voice had returned to normal. “Two thousand years of instincts are hard to overcome.”
“It doesn’t help that dragons are greedy bastards.” Cash shrugged, then dug to go boxes out of several sacks. “I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I grabbed a few things.” He handed two containers to Malcolm. “Rare steaks.”
I chose chicken Alfredo, and Cody took a steak and baked potato. We all sat down and ate in silence. After we finished, Malcolm walked over and took our containers from us. “This cave system is dry. The baths will have to wait.”
Unintentionally, my chin dropped to my chest. I was sweaty and gross, and I didn’t even have any other clothes to change into.
“If it was warmer outside, I’d take you to a waterfall to wash off, but you’d freeze.” He pointed at the cushions. “Get some rest. Maybe tomorrow will bring good news.”
Cody looked at Cash. “Sticking around?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’m supposed to be hunting Dacia.” He tossed a bag at us. “Might be better than nothing.”
Two T-shirts and two pairs of sweatpants were in the bag. I took the smaller ones and handed the others to Cody. “Thanks,” I said. “Be safe.”
Chapter 31
Reprieve
I woke up to hushed voices. Aurelia, Cash, and Malcolm stood together across the vast cavern from me. I sat up, and Cody put his hand on my arm. “Leave ‘em.”
“But you know it’s about me.” My voice was loud enough that they all looked at me.
Aurelia strode toward me. Her gray slacks were tailored to fit her. Her blue silk shirt was perfectly pressed. Compared to her, I looked like a hoodlum in my baggie sweatpants. “We wanted you to rest.”
“That’s pretty much all I do these days.” I stood up, striding across the cavern toward them. Treasure jingled under my feet. “So, am I to be caged?”
“No.” She shook her head, and a smile spread across her face. “They have decided you are not the threat they feared.”
The wave of relief that washed over me nearly knocked me down. I held one hand out
