Page 29 of Ensnared

His blood hits me like the recoil of a twelve gauge. Like the kick of a mule to my chin. Like Gideon’s left hook to my jaw. My body shrinks inward to what feels like a single atom and then explodes outward, refilling all my empty spaces, burning through everything that I once was and replenishing all the holes and tears and empty wells with pure light energy.

Ironically, my eyes are burning, my lungs are aching, my back is screaming with pain, and my arm, which hurt worse than any injury I’d ever felt before, screams with agony. But this isn’t the kind of pain that made me scream. It’s the pain that precedes the repair, like the scream of muscles being torn down to rebuild stronger. Like the grinding of an old scar to expose new, healthy tissue.

His blood is healing me.

But it’s also changing me.

I can’t tell how, and I’m not sure quite how much, but the new, rebuilt Liz is not the same as the Liz-that-was. I’m stronger. I’m brighter. I’m tougher.

I’m Liz 2.0.

I got an upgrade. I doubt that green dragon meant to improve my life, but that stupid sadist did it anyway. Thanks to his mauling, thanks to his filthy venom, I’m now even better than I was. I’m not sure what it means, but the world’s sharper, the colors are brighter, and when I sit up, I move easier, faster, and different somehow.

“Oh, that worked.” Axel swallows as if it’s a surprise.

“You didn’t think it would?”

He shrugs. “I’ve been looking into the ensnared humans. I know you think I abandoned you here, and I really should have made time sooner, but the earth dragons are in charge of both defense and setting things back in place. Managing all of that has been exhausting. Your ecosystem is. . .delicate.”

“What?” I ask.

“So many people with so many tasks that are all interconnected or they fall apart.”

I blink.

“And trying to learn about the ensnared while also managing all of that—it was exhausting.”

“But I could have helped.”

“The blessed will struggle to accept that I’ve bonded you.”

“So? You’re best friends with the big red nightmare.”

“The big red. . .” He snorts. “I’ve never in all my life heard anyone call him anything so disrespectful.”

“Of course not. You’re surrounded by yes men and lackeys. That beast is terrifying and evil and just. . .” I shudder.

“He says you tried to attack him.” Axel’s smiling like it’s a big joke.

“Tried, yes. It was like using a toothpick on a tank.”

“Ah, the rolling gun boxes.”

“Yes, those are tanks.”

“And a toothpick is a small piece of wood you use to pick your teeth.”

“How did you learn English?” I finally ask.

“When we first came, there were only a handful of us. We assumed a humanoid form and found many books. We took them back, and one of us assimilated them, and then Azar, the dragon you hate, used his magic to spread the knowledge to the rest of us.”

“That sounds handy. I’d know, like, every language.”

“Once you complete your training, you probably could assimilate some of the information as well, if you so choose.”

That blows my mind.

“Or you can just use our language. Soon the lesser ones will no longer be necessary.”