Chương 98: 098

Without a word, Dominicus dropped back and took the pack. Then he paused in front of me, hesitating briefly before holding out his hand.

"I'll take yours as well. You shouldn't be weighed down while you learn." I handed it over.

"Thanks." He nodded and moved ahead again, his wings draped loosely across his shoulders, shifting with each step. Dura gently eased away from Maya, nudging the girl closer to Dominicus before sidling up beside me.

"Hope you're counting me in on this little training exercise." Her tone was light, but there was steel beneath it, all but daring someone to argue. Thankfully, Henry only nodded, shooting her a knowing look.

"Of course. As long as you don't kill all of them before Nikolas gets a chance to attack." She shrugged.

"I can manage that." He gave her another look, one I couldn't quite place.

"We'll see." Then he turned forward, leaving the odd exchange behind.

"The trees will give way to open flatland and hills soon," he explained.

"That's where we'll find Rock Snakes. They burrow near the road and favor ambush tactics. Their skin is incredibly tough, so they're difficult to kill without the right weapon." He gestured to my staff.

"You can take one down with a strong enough blow to the head, but most people prefer to behead them. There's a small, unprotected section between the head and body. That won't be an option for you, but your friend here can." Henry glanced at Time.

"Will you use a sword or dagger?"

"A sword will suit me best, thank you," Time answered without hesitation. Henry handed one over immediately.

"Good choice." He pointed ahead.

"There, the break in the trees I was talking about." I followed his gesture, then nudged Volpe lightly.

"Alright, buddy. Time to walk." Volpe huffed but didn't move, his gaze fixed somewhere behind me. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I turned, and found Maya staring at him with barely contained excitement, practically bouncing in place like she might rush us at any second. …Right. That explained everything. I bit back a sigh and leveled her with a firm look.

"Maya, I know you like Volpe and want to pet him, but you need to wait until he's okay with it. If you try to touch him without permission, he might bite you and I won't punish him for it." She pouted, but Henry cut in with a stern frown.

"Nikolas is right. You don't like it when strangers try to hug you, do you?" Her pout faltered and she shook her head.

"No… Fine. I'll leave him alone." She hurried back to Dominicus, and Henry nodded, satisfied.

"She should listen now. She doesn't mean any harm, but children her age don't always understand that animals are living beings too. They need to be treated with respect." His gaze shifted to Volpe.

"That said, try not to bite her. A nip to make your point is one thing, but she's my daughter. I don't want her hurt." Volpe flicked an ear in acknowledgment before hopping down to walk beside me. Satisfied, Henry gestured toward the open stretch of road as we emerged from the trees.

"Alright, let's begin. Rock Snakes don't usually travel in groups, so if anything goes wrong, Dura or I will step in before anyone gets hurt. Who wants to go first?" I exchanged a glance with Time, then stepped forward.

"I will. But… how do I know where they'll attack from if they're underground?" Dura stepped up beside me, tapping her foot against the stone.

"Vibrations. They shift the ground as they move. If you focus, you'll feel it. Takes practice, but once you get it, it's second nature." I nodded.

"Are they edible?" I'd never cooked snake before, let alone a rock snake. Though I'd heard they tasted like chicken. Dura grinned.

"Yup. Been a while since I've had them, since it takes so many to feed me, but they're decent. Their hides sell well too, if you're willing to butcher them."

"Noted." I'd need coin if I was going to survive here. That meant learning to harvest what I killed, whether I liked it or not. Shaking the thought away, I focused downward, searching for vibrations. At first, there was nothing, just the steady, solid ground beneath my feet. Then, a faint shift behind me. A soft crack split the air, my only warning before something exploded from the stone. A blur of brown lunged straight for my face. And in the time it took me to register the attack, it was already dead.

I blinked, staring in a daze at the snake now dangling from a very familiar axe. Dura winced, lowering it slowly.

"Shit. Sorry. Moved before I thought." Henry just chuckled, shaking his head.

"I figured you would. Your people are instinct-driven and you, especially, are protective of those you care for. It's no surprise you'd strike at something threatening your bonded." Dura stilled and I fought the urge to do the same. Shit… was I really that obvious?