The Balborite Curse (Book 4) Read Free Page B

cactus flowers.
    Duskeye landed downwind and kept her distance, so as not to frighten their prey. Sela dismounted and gathered her hunting bow. “Look at all those fat rabbits! We’re going to eat well today.” She walked slowly toward the dunes, her feet whispering across the sand. When she was close enough, she reached up and drew an arrow from her quiver, nocking it carefully.
    "No magic today, eh? You ’re doing this the old fashioned way?" said Brinsop.
    “It’s good practice for me; I hardly ever get to use my weapons anymore. Plus, I feel the creatures suffer less, when my aim is true.” Sela squeezed the shaft between her thumb and index finger, focusing her good eye on the horizon. Her first target was a large male, his back rigid atop the highest dune. Sela drew back and loosed the first shot. The black-feathered arrow found its mark, and the rabbit collapsed in the sand. The sudden movement startled the other rabbits, and they scattered. Even so, Sela was able to hit three more before the frightened creatures disappeared into their burrows. She recovered her arrows and collected her game, tying their necks together with a dry palm leaf.
    Sela kept the smallest rabbit for herself, and sat down on a rock to dress it in the field. The rest she gave to Brinsop to enjoy.
    "Only four today?"
    “Bow hunting is fine sport, but this is enough food for me. If you’re still hungry, you can search for larger prey. There are greathorn sheep six leagues to the east, and if you fancy a boar, we could go north. There are always wild pigs at the edges of the Dead Forest.”
    "This will satisfy my hunger for now." Brinsop gulped the rabbits down without chewing.
    Sela gutted her kill with her boot knife, expertly removing the skin and internal organs. She walked over to the creek and rinsed off the carcass before skewering it on a stick. “Please roast this for me,” she said, handing the skewered rabbit to Brinsop. The dragon held it daintily, like a kebab, while breathing a low flame across its surface. The meat sizzled, filling the air with the heavenly aroma of cooked rabbit.
    “That smells delightful,” said Sela, smiling. “I need to get some water.” She walked back over to the creek and filled a large metal cup, wrinkling her nose up at the smell. The water was barely suitable for drinking, and she would need to boil it first. She threw the entrails across the water so they wouldn’t attract flies, and rejoined Brinsop with her meal.
    There was a single tree on the dunes, a scraggly palm that offered some shade. They both walked beneath its canopy, watching as the sunset filled the sky with brilliant color. Sela sat beside her dragon, tearing cooked rabbit from the skewer with her teeth, savoring each bite. Brinsop boiled the water for Sela using her firebreath, and Sela brewed some loose tea to enjoy along the rabbit.
    “It’s beautiful here.” The air began to cool, and the rabbits ventured again from their burrows, their earlier scare already forgotten.
    "It warms my heart to see you so content, rider."
    “I’ve lived in the Death Sands for a long time, and I’ll never tire of it,” Sela murmured as she pointed her face toward the sun. In the distance, the sandstone plateaus turned orange against the gathering dusk. Purple shadows played along the dimpled surface of the landscape. “It’s a shame we can’t enjoy it longer. Duty calls, so we should get going.” She stood up and dusted off her breeches. A shadow in the sky caught her attention. Sela glanced up and spotted a large bird flying in their direction, silhouetted against the setting sun.
    She tried to ignore it, but couldn’t help but look up again. The bird was much larger than a crow or the white-tailed hawks that were common in this part of the desert. “Hmm. That’s odd. Look at that bird in the distance.” She pointed to the sky. “It’s enormous, and I don’t recognize the species; it’s flying from the east.”
    The bird