Solivagant

Chapter Twenty-Three

The night air was bitterly cold. It sliced through Asher's skin and deep into his bones, freezing him to the hard ground. The blackened, bare branches of the trees swayed above his head, groping blindly at the dim stars.

Asher shuddered and averted his eyes, too frightened to get up and warm himself. Terror surged through every vein, stronger than anything he'd felt before. He didn't remember waking up, or even lying down to sleep. The only thing he saw was the moonless sky above him; the only thing he heard was his frantic breathing and the drum of his heart.

He broke into a cold sweat, choking on a scream. Something was terribly wrong. He needed to get up.

But he couldn't.

Asher? Aurum slid into view and looked down at him. The dragon's mind felt faint and distant, but the worry that flowed through the bond was clear enough.

Asher tried to piece together a sentence, but the panic was too strong. He lay still, trembling, as Aurum's concern flashed brighter.

Asher! Speak to me! The dragon snarled and twisted his head, scanning the woods. What is it?

Gathering every ounce of his will, Asher forced himself into motion. He shot to his feet and pressed himself against Aurum's side, looking for whatever had ripped him from his dreams. Nothing but darkness.

Aurum's head nudged his side. Asher jumped. The extra jolt of fear was all it took for the magic inside of him to roar to life, sharp and sudden. It clawed at his heart and mind, desperate for a release. He froze, curling his hands into fists.

I—I have to go, he managed to say. Summoning another burst of energy, he scrambled away and fled into the forest. His terror lent him speed; within moments he had reached the trees. Aurum growled behind him; he leapt aside just as the dragon's body hurtled by and kept running.

Come back! Aurum cried, hurt and bewildered.

Asher tripped on a root, and a flash of light erupted from his fingers and struck a tree. He gasped out a curse and opened his mind to Aurum, showing the dragon just how close he was to breaking. Aurum paused and instinctively shrank away from him, tucking his wings protectively to his sides.

Oh, he said.

Asher kept running. Mere moments later, the ground beneath his feet dipped and vanished. He screamed and tumbled through the empty air, throwing his arms out in a vain attempt to slow his fall. He crashed into the ground and tumbled down a steep slope. The world dissolved into a blur of confused motion and pain as he slammed into a tree, then a boulder, then another tree. Blood filled his mouth as he accidentally bit his tongue, sharp and sweet.

Finally, Asher skidded to a halt at the base of the hill. He lay there, bruised and battered, still struggling to contain both his magic and fear. He tried to get to his feet but fell back into the mud, trembling. He moaned and pressed his hands to his forehead as some more magic spilled outwards. The leaves beneath his feet blackened and crumbled to ash; any trace of warmth fled from the air.

"Ash? Asher!" Rushed, clumsy footsteps sounded behind him, alarmingly close by. Asher yelled and twisted away, barely restraining another burst of magic. Wade froze where he stood a few yards up the hill, deep concern flashing through his eyes. He slowly lowered his sword and ran to Asher's side, gently shaking his shoulder.

Asher lowered his head, unable to concentrate on anything but keeping himself together. He knew he needed to calm down, but the panic refused to ebb away.

"Ash, snap out of it!" Something struck Asher's cheek, sending a flash of beautifully clear pain through his head. The magic abated slightly, and Asher leapt upon the chance to wrestle it into submission. He held a hand to his cheek and violently shook his head.