Soulbound

The purple sky began to give way to the morning's blue hue as the sun began its rise over the mountain. Dew-kissed leaves grazed my legs as I passed them, the cool water seeping into my cotton pants and sending a welcoming chill to my bones after trekking through the thick forest for hours.

It was strenuous work, sneaking from tree to tree, watching my every step to blend in with the sounds of the forest. This close to the waterfall, an amateur would think they could make as much noise as they wanted without being detected, but the creatures of the mountain were always listening. Waiting. No one was safe. Not even the littlest of mice hiding in their burrows. It may be beautiful--the sun glistening off the pool of water, the rainbow dancing around the cascade, the lush moss with dainty purple flowers clinging to trunks and branches all around me. But no beauty was ever free. The price on this mountain? Your life.

Did that stop me from hunting off the path? No. The best game was here, and I wasn't about to let the bountiful quarry in this area go to waste. My brother, Jacob, and I found this spot a few years back. Of the three spots I hunted regularly, this one was by far the most consistent. I confidently went off the path up the mountain, knowing I would return home with food for my family. With Jacob gone now, I felt the pressure more to make sure my family was fed. I didn't hold it against him for leaving--it was our dream to be Dragon Knights and he was lucky enough to have been recruited--but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the days when I hunted with my big brother. My hikes were quiet, hollow, without him. It was along this very trek where we would talk about being Dragon Knights together. In this clearing, we often peered up at the sky and wondered what the world looked like from above. Now he was somewhere up there, while I remained hidden in the forest's canopy.

Hearing movement up ahead, I ducked behind a bush and watched a sounder of boars scuttle through the woods towards the base of the waterfall. A thick layer of foliage surrounded the pool of water, shielding critters from predators.

Most of them.

Undetected, I moved for the first trap laid by a large fallen log; it had snagged a hare.

I haven't had hare for a while. Grinning, I collected it and reset the trap. I tied the hare on my shoulders and went for the next one. There was nothing in the second trap, or the third.

Pressing my lips together, I glanced at a boar grazing away from the rest of its kin. Jacob taught me not to go for game too big, otherwise its blood might attract a predator I wasn't equipped to fight. But I wasn't going to be able to feed my family with a hare. If Erika was to be big and strong like her brother and sister, she was going to need all the food I could provide.

I drew my bowstring back and stole a steadying breath from the chilly morning air. I listened to the forest, waited for the wind to pass. Exhaling, I loosed my arrow. It struck home in the boar's heart. The other boar watched their sounder-mate fall then ran in the opposite direction. Once they were gone, I moved to collect my prize.

I knelt over him and brushed his coarse hide before ripping the arrow out. "Thank you, my friend. You will feed my family and earn us extra coin for the winter to come."

Hare slung over my shoulders and boar steadily in tow, I trekked back down the mountain. With my unplanned catch, it was needless to say my hike took longer than it usually did. By the time I'd reached the path at the base, the sun had fully risen. Beads of sweat rolled down my temples as I stumbled down onto the public trail. I hadn't run into any curious predators yet, but I didn't want to doddle on the mountain any more than I needed to and quickly called for my horse. I'd left Hiron somewhere along the path to graze safely while I went into the more dangerous parts of the forest.

Suddenly, a jackalope hopped in front of me and sniffed my feet. Its red beady eyes held mine, long ears twitching to the sounds of the forest. I wish King Renkon hadn't made it forbidden to hunt the magical wildlife; this jackalope was three times the size of the hare I held. It'd be enough to feed my family for two days! But no, magical beasts were sacred and should not be trifled with--even as delicious as they looked.

Hiron came trotting through the ferns, stopping in front of me, green eyes glowing. His magical glowing hooves allowed him to hover a few inches above the ground, giving his species easy passage through the forest. Yet he still wouldn't wander too far from the path. It was an inconvenience to say the least, but what could you do when an animal as large as Hiron didn't want to go into griffin territory?

With difficulty, I tied the boar onto the saddle then hopped on. Finally able to relax, I sagged in the saddle and let Hiron take us home. It had rained last night and forest still smelled fresh and crisp; I breathed it in and let the cool air ease the burn in my muscles. The forest wasn't as thick in these parts and the sun's light peeked through the canopy to dance with the few remaining raindrops. Colour from wildflowers filled the forest's floor, a sign every parent taught their child that they were in a safer area.

A curious lightsprite followed us down the path for a bit, the bird's four wings beating together rapidly, creating a harmonious buzz. It had blue and purple feathers that shimmered in the sun as it moved from tree to tree. Magical beasts were always so beautiful and so curious of us non-magical folk. Some were a little too curious as to how we tasted, but most of them were bored, so they looked upon us for entertainment. However, as the smell of manure wafted into the air--a sure sign we were approaching the village--the cute little lightsprite flew off for other adventures.

Familiar wooden buildings came into view. A large archway with "Brar" elegantly scrawled across it, painted by Beatrice, our only talented artist, loomed over me as I passed through the village entrance. I was welcomed home by Erika running down Mainstreet, straight from our house on the edge of the village. Several town member stopped in their travels and let her race past them. Being six years old, she had not developed a mental awareness of her surroundings yet, and she had a tendency to run in front of wagons or to bump into groups of people.

"Eva!" she screamed when she was close enough. She jumped up at me; I caught her and placed her in front of me on the saddle. "Eva!" She whipped her dusty blonde hair back and forth in my face. "What did you get this time?" Her tiny legs swung along Hiron's sides in her excitement; the old gelding was used to having children ride him, having grown up with Jacob and myself first, and paid no mind to her antics.

I handed her the hare I'd caught. "This little guy and a boar."

She squealed in delight, holding the hare up triumphantly. A couple of people gave her an endearing look as we passed by them. She was--by far--the village favourite. There were only a few kids her age; most of the youth were in their early twenties like me, or too young to talk.

We turned down Vendor Street, where, if you hadn't guessed, was where all of our vendor stalls and shops lined the road. I paused at the butcher, demounted, and hauled the boar off Hiron's back. "Take her home, Hiron."

"But I wanna come with you!" Erika protested, rocking in the saddle in an attempt to dismount as smoothly as I had. It was futile, though; the gelding was far too tall for her to jump off without hurting herself.

I patted her hand in comfort, stilling her. "I'll be home soon." My family unanimously decided she wasn't allowed in the butcher's shop after the last time; she'd cried and called Mister McHale a murderer when she saw pigs' feet for sale.

Hiron started his trot for home with all of Erika's protests, and I turned to go inside. Mister McHale's eyes went wide when he saw the boar. He rushed around the counter and heaved the beast onto his meaty shoulder; he took it to his storage room in the back. He came back with a stained cloth, cleaning his bare arms and hands of the fresh blood. "Good find, Eva," he praised. He had to be the only one in the village who approved of my methods. Probably because I earned him the most money. "How far did you have to go for it?"

"Griffin territory," was all I gave him. The exact location was a Greene family secret. If the other hunters learned where I hunted, and had the balls to actually go there, I wouldn't make nearly as much and my family would suffer for it.

Given the rarity of my catch today, Mister McHale jingled a pouch full of coin before dropping it into my open palm, and even added a freshly baked loaf Misses McHale had just made.

The sky had gone gray by the time I left the shop, darker clouds looming far the distance. The weather in late spring could be so random--it could be a fantastically hot day one minute then hailing the next. It looked like today was going to be one of those days.

Another night of sitting on the porch and listening to the rain. The thought made me smile.

Suddenly, the large shadow of a green dragon flew above us, followed by a powerful gust of wind; it nearly knocked me off my feet. Another unfamiliar blue dragon followed close behind her, circling the village in a slow descent for the meadow just south of here. Dragon Knights.

Excitement flooded my veins. Forgetting the fact I'd been hunting all day and carrying a boar that weighed as much as I did for hours, I ran for the meadow where Jacob usually landed. It must be him. Who else would come out to the middle of nowhere?

By the time I got there, the two gigantic dragons had landed, stretching their wings wide after their long flight.

I wasn't familiar with the broad, dark blue one, but the slender green one was Aries. She was so majestic as she lowered her sleek, scaly body for Jacob to slide off her saddle. Usually her scales glimmered in the sunlight, but today, with the graying sky, her scales were matte green, making her look more like a warrior than a mystical beauty. Her golden eyes slid over in my direction before my brother noticed I was running across the field for them.

Jacob grinned at me under the hood of his cloak, which wrapped around his torso. He looked so handsome in his dragon scale armour; it was black in the dim light, but when the sun was out, it shimmered in all the colours of the different dragon species that helped create the armour. He shook his fluffy blonde head out as he took his hood off to get a better look at me. He'd grown since I last saw him, more muscular, but his playful brown eyes hadn't changed a bit.

With the biggest smile on his face, he moved to hug me, but I sidestepped him and went to Aries. I loved and missed my brother dearly, but how could I pass up petting Aries? I rubbed her muzzle, right under the chin where she couldn't reach to scratch herself because of the small horns in the way. It was always a dragon's favourite spot to be touched. She groaned blissfully in response, closing her eyes.

Jacob yanked me away from her and pulled me into a fierce hug. "It's good to see you, Eva."

I held onto him just as tight. It was good to see him. I hadn't seen him for almost a year, which was far too long. He gave me one last squeeze then stepped away to look me over. His deep brown eyes softened the longer he took me in as realization hit him that I wasn't the same little girl he grew up with. "Eva. . . you don't look like a boy anymore."

Growling, I smacked him. "I never did, asshole!" He, more than anyone, should know I was one of the first girls to hit puberty; he was the one who had to fend off all the boys. I was more embarrassed that he'd say that in front of company.

His companion slid off his dragon's back smoothly and patted the beast's thick neck affectionately to hide that impish grin from my brother's taunts. He didn't remove his hood, concealing most of his face, but I didn't miss his steely gray eyes taking me in head to toe--or the satisfied smile that came afterward. Clearing his throat, he looked to Jacob purposefully.

Jacob smiled impishly at him. "Sorry. Eva, this is my partner, Grayson Smith, and his dragon, Eran. Grayson, this is my little sister, Eva."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Eva." His voice was deep and smouldering. I stepped closer to him to shake his hand; it was firm and calloused from unyeilding hours of sparring. "Jacob talks about you all the time."

"I can't say the same thing about you," I said then threw a sly glare at Jacob. Even away from home, he was still protecting me from men. "I didn't know Jacob had been assigned a partner."

"It happened shortly after my last visit here," Jacob put in, returning the glare I'd snuck him. "Don't get in a huff because I failed to mention I've finally been assigned a partner in my last letter."

I stood straighter. "Fine." I wasn't about to berate him during his visit anyway; I saw him infrequently as it was, I didn't want him to visit even less. "How long are you guys here for? There's plenty of food if you want to stay the night. I caught a hare and a boar today."

"A boar?"

Neither of the men could hide their surprise, which only made my smug smile bigger. "You heard me. My traps only caught a hare this morning, and I just happened to be by a sounder, so I thought I'd bring one home. I didn't think about how I was going to bring it back, though," I added, making a mental note to find a better way to transport bigger game.

"You don't have a horse?" Grayson asked curiously.

"We do, but he won't leave the trails. Hiron is as scared as everyone else here of leaving the path."

"For good reason," Jacob chided with a concerned furrow in his brow. "You have to be careful how deep you go, Eva." Here came the big brotherly tone I definitely didn't miss.

I waved him off. "Since when do you care how far I go? You're the one who taught me that's where the good stuff is."

"Yeah, but you weren't by yourself then. If you're going to explore, bring Chad with you."

I groaned, throwing my hands up in the air in a big display of my dislike towards that pig. The last thing I wanted was to bicker with him, especially since I didn't know when I'd get to see him again. We were supposed to play around and catch up by the river while I tried to convince him to let me ride Aries, just once. Instead, he's gotten all big brotherly on me. He lost that right when he left.

I opened my mouth to tell him as such when Grayson stepped between us--which was brave, since he might as well be getting between two centaurs in battle--and gave Jacob a meaningful look. "Perhaps we should get to the point as to why we're here?"

All my anger deflated and was whisked away with the harsh breeze that blew passed us. This wasn't a visit. They were here on a mission. "What's wrong?"

Forget Chad and the trails, Brar was in trouble.

Most people would only see the concern in Jacob's features, but I knew him better and his eyes held guilt for this not being a typical visit, especially when I pouted. "There's a bad storm coming this way. We have to evacuate the village for the caves," he conveyed, serious now. It wasn't often I'd heard his no-time-for-shit voice, but I knew when he used it, it was time to shut up and listen. "We've had reports from other Knights who've been grounded in nearby villages that Pennyworth was hit pretty hard by the storm yesterday." That village was two day's ride north from us; it was bigger than Brar, if it got wrecked in the storm. . . Brar would be destroyed. "We'll see Lord Myers," he told Grayson. "Can you make sure the caves are clear?"

With a swift nod, Grayson was already heading for Eran; Aries followed them into the sky. Jacob and I went to Lord Myers' home. It was easily distinguishable by the size and sheer elegance it displayed. Nobody else had a grand entrance with columns and trellises. Certainly no hedges trimmed to look like one of the griffins that patrolled the mountain. Most of us were happy when the grass in our yards stayed green; though, if you touched my mother's flower garden, she'd take your hand as punishment.

Jacob knocked on the thick, wooden door. Lord Myers' servant, a well-seasoned man, answered with a scowled pinned on me. "My lord is in a meeting."

Jacob stepped slightly in front of me to catch his attention. His jaw went rigid when his eyes fell on the Dragon Knight uniform, then they drifted up to Jacob's hard gaze. He stepped aside without a word.

My chest brimmed with pride for my brother. He'd gone from Town Goofball to Respectable Dragon Knight.

Lord Myers was at the end of the grand table in his study, surrounded by wealthy men and successful business owners from here and neighbouring villages. It was actually my first time on the upper floors of the Myers Estate. It was far more luxurious than my own home, with mahogany furniture, stained glossy wood paneled walls, and a beautiful painting hanging behind him. My filthy presence felt unworthy to be near such fine pieces, but he had been kind enough to allow me to borrow books from his library, even if there wasn't a lot to choose from.

Lord Myers looked up at us, his angered expression changing instantly to one of curiosity and alarm. "Are we being attacked?"

"No," Jacob said, then explained the situation. We had less than two hours to get to the caves before the storm hit the town in full force.

We all knew the evacuation procedure by now--we had to hide in the caves at least once a year to avoid attacks from creatures or bandits--so there was no time wasted in planning. The lord rang the bell outside and everyone started their routine.

Jacob pulled me aside. "Make sure Mom, Dad, and Erika are safe. I have to keep an eye on the village."

I squeezed his shoulder, secretly excited I got to help him on his mission. This was as close as I'd ever get to becoming a Knight, in being a part of something greater. I wouldn't let him down.