Page 30 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

A dragon. I stumbled back, falling to the floor as I scrambled away from the bright yellow eye. I had only read about creatures like this in books, which did nothing to prepare me for looking one in the eyes.

The creature lifted its head, calling out again.

My hands covered my ears as the sound shook me to the core.

Its body was made up of the same glistening blue scales.

Fins stuck out from the side of its head, the webbing a transparent green.

Its claws dug into the side of the ship, causing the wood to splinter and rip apart as the monster tried to keep itself out of the water.

There was a massive tail that swished through the air behind it.

I faintly recognized the fins that stuck out about halfway down the tail as what I had seen sticking out of the water.

The entire creature was several times larger than the boat.

The boat tilted forward as the dragon pulled itself further out of the water.

I dug the heels of my boots into the wood, trying to keep myself from sliding toward the snapping jaws in front of me.

Even then, the rest of my body felt like it was frozen as I just stared.

Each tooth looked like it was the size of my arm.

Shouting started up from behind me again.

Everyone started running around me again.

“This can’t be happening,” I muttered, watching the jaw snap at the crew.

A loud bang rattled the ship. There was a loud ringing in my ears as a cannon ball soared over my head, past the dragon, and splashed into the water.

I glanced back to see the rest of the canons being rolled away from the mounts they had been locked on.

I followed several more balls as they went sailing into the air.

Most went flying past the creature. A few hit it with sickening thumps.

“ Cece!”

My name was screamed from somewhere behind me.

I couldn’t force myself to tear my gaze away from everything happening in front of me.

The tail came slicing through the air, smashing down onto the deck.

Screams were cut short as it sliced through a group of crew members surrounding one of the cannons.

Wood shards went flying as the tail wrapped around the ship.

The ship rocked as it followed the movements of the dragon.

I didn’t stop myself as I went sliding away from the creature.

Nausea twisted as the cries from the injured rang out.

There were a couple people near me who dropped to their knees, arms raised above their heads as they started praying.

A set of arms wrapped underneath my arms, pulling me up to my feet, twisting me around so I was looking at him instead of the carnage.

“I thought I told you to leave!” Atlas’ eyes were ablaze as he screamed into my ear.

My mouth dropped open, but I just glanced back at the people screaming behind us before turning to him again with wide eyes. I was thankful I had him in that moment as I clutched at his arms where they were holding my waist. His gaze softened as it traveled across my face.

“C’mon, I’m getting you away from this.”

He grabbed my hand as we started running away. People were pushing and shoving at us as we tried to make it back to the raised part of the ship. Atlas shoved people out of his way, refusing to slow for even a moment.

A new wave of screams started right as the dragon bellowed again.

My head whipped back as I slowed, tugging Atlas with me.

The tail was sinking further into the ship.

It looked like it was moments from splitting the ship in two.

Chunks of wood had splintered off, sticking into the monster’s thick hide.

The pain only seemed to be making things worse as the snapping jaws got closer to the crew.

A sharp intake of breath hissed between my teeth as I saw hands sticking out from underneath the tail.

There were people trapped underneath it.

Maybe it was foolish of me to believe no one had been caught by this thing already.

Most of them still seemed to be alive, though.

The hands dug into the ship as they tried to pull themselves free.

One person was only caught by their ankle.

Their fists beat against the creature as they yelled curses at it.

As their head turned, I saw a flash of blue as they desperately looked around.

“Sal!” I called out to them.

I ripped my hand out of Atlas’ hold right as he turned toward my yelling. It was too late for him to stop me, as I had already started running toward the only other person who had shown some care while I was here.

My name was screamed again, though I wasn’t sure if it was Atlas trying to call me back or Sal while he stared up at me in shock.

“Are you stupid?” they cried out, thrashing against the beast once again.

A laugh escaped me as I tried to find a way to free their leg. I pushed against the wall of muscle. There was the smallest give as I started to roll it over. It only lasted a second before the muscles constricted, causing Sal to cry out.

“I might be,” I agreed, ripping their dagger out of the sheath as I stood.

“Cece!”

This time it was distinctly Atlas. I glanced at where he was standing, most likely waiting for me to return so he could hide me away.

I looked over the ship. Some people had given up and were jumping off the sides.

Water was starting to flow onto the deck from where the sides had been ripped away.

The dragon’s head was closer than I thought.

It snapped at some of the crew that were trapped behind a crate across from us.

It was either going to get everyone here or sink the ship.

Maybe both. I straightened, tightening my grip on the weapon.

“Something drastic,” I muttered, a half thought through plan forming in my mind.

Sal started questioning me, but I ignored them.

Any extra doubt and I would never see this through.

I glanced back at Atlas. He was trying to cross the deck, but it was futile.

Everyone seemed to be fighting for his help, grabbing at his sleeves.

He snapped as one of them started pulling him backward.

His fangs were barred as he yelled at them.

His eyes were wide with panic as he looked over at me.

I smiled at him. A part of me was going to miss him.

It was a larger part than I would’ve liked to admit.

Atlas shook his head, yelling my name once again before I turned back to the creature.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I took off running.

People bounced into me as I ran in the opposite direction of them.

All they needed was a good enough distraction.

Something to pull the dragon’s attention away from them.

It would either be enough for them to get their standing to fight back, or give them an opportunity to swim away.

Either way, I sent a plea to the gods that this wouldn’t be in vain.

My blood ran cold as I came to a stop. The head was directly in front of me now. It gnawed through a wooden crate that had people hiding behind it. Saliva trickled from its lips down onto the deck, creating a small puddle underneath it. Fish fell from the holes in the crates.

“Hey!” I yelled at it.

The large head titled my way, the crate stuck between several of its sharp teeth.

The lips curled back as the creature snarled at me.

Its hot breath wafted over my face. I gagged at the smell of rotten fish that followed it.

The crate tilted out of its mouth, shattering against the floors, fish sent sliding everywhere.

“I’m ready to go home,” I muttered as the dragon roared once again.

I found every instinct my body had as the dragon’s head lurched for me, jaw spread wide.

A scream ripped through me as I was snatched into its jaw.

A fang tore through my clothing, down my side.

Tears streamed down my face at the burning pain that coursed through my side.

I clawed at the creature’s nose, trying to keep myself from sliding further into its mouth.

I already used up most of my luck still being alive.

Most of my body was nestled between the large teeth.

My feet kicked at the tongue as it slipped around my legs.

The ship below me shuddered as the dragon loosened its hold. All its attention seemed to be used on making a meal out of me. Relief flooded me as I watched Atlas run over to Sal. Though it was short lived as I watched Atlas get in Sal’s face, screaming as he kept pointing up to me.

The attention wasn’t on me for long, though.

The cracking of more cannonballs being shot toward us soon started back up.

I twisted my body, shoving my face against a scaly nose as one went flying past me, too close to where my head had just been.

I cursed as I tried to pull myself out of the creature’s mouth before one of the crew hit me.

It tightened its jaw in response. I held my breath as an upper fang came too close to my stomach. The thump of it being hit in the side caused it to loosen their jaw again as it growled at the people below. I sucked in a deep breath, tightening my hold on the stolen dagger.

“I want to go home!” I screamed as I plunged the blade deep into its eye.

The monster roared, whipping its head from side to side.

I kept a hold of the knife, using my other hand to dig my nails into the scales to keep from flying out of its mouth.

There was enough space for me to wiggle myself out of its mouth until I was mostly standing.

My body was hunched over its nose, legs dangled and smacking into the side of its head when it moved.

Fear coursed through me at the thought of being sent flying away from the ship.

My options were quickly becoming limited.

My fingers were ripping the scales out. The dagger was slowly sliding out.

I glanced down at the churning water. Dread sunk like a weight in my stomach.

There really was only one option. Falling back onto the ship from this height would most likely be fatal.

Plus, it would just bring the dragon’s attention back to the crew, and this would’ve all been pointless.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes before pushing myself off the creature.

There was a loud crash as icy water rushed over me. The hard impact made me gasp, sucking in a lung full of cold water. My arms flailed uselessly, legs thrashing against the water. It was hopeless. There wasn’t any water in Donnaway to learn to swim. I was at the mercy of the river.

My body jerked as it tried to take in oxygen that didn’t exist. Bubbles streamed up to the surface as I kept gasping in the water.

My hands clawed at the burning sensation in my throat.

The world around me started to dim as I sank deeper into the water.

The swishing tail of the dragon became a blurred shadow.

I closed my eyes as my hands fell away from my throat.

This was what I wanted. Thoughts of my family flooded my mind.

The multicolored flowers that would bloom in front of the house during the spring.

Being yelled at for picking said flowers and turning them into small crowns for me and Josi.

I could almost hear my name being yelled now.

I smiled as I succumbed to the darkness.

Brown eyes and horns filled my remaining thoughts as I drifted further away from everyone.