The two of them soon reached the end of the forest and faced a small mountain, not as tall as the others, bald and without a snow hat. The brown peak looked as if it belonged in a desert, not here beside a large forest and a literal swamp.

Ganta could feel that something was wrong. She looked at the mountain with a worried face, trying to pin down the source of the worry she felt. Arad soon explained what she was feeling in a calm tone.

“The mountain isn’t natural. I guess one of the dragons built it. It must’ve taken them months, if not years, to build with the standard application of earth magic. I saw the dragons build ramps for my castle. It is never quick.” Arad was hiding inside Ganta’s clothes, nestled in her chest, hiding between the two warm mounds. He wanted to hide in her hair, but she put him there instead. Said that he’d remind her of spiders if he hid in her hair, which she didn’t like.

“This either speaks for the dragon’s patience, desperation, or power.” Arad glanced at Ganta, “Earth dragons are known for being lazy. They aren’t known for their patience. Most dragons also don’t know the meaning of desperation, so this one was powerful.”

“Only means the dragon bitch we’re chasing is all that more terrifying. We’ve gotta get the fuck out of here. I don’t want to find out how a dragon that could build a big-ass mountain died, and believe me, neither do you.” Ganta wasn’t all that happy about their find, and she was right, as far as she knows.

“Relax, I’ll deal with her.” Arad replied and then glanced at the mountain, “First, the entrance should be somewhere around here. We must avoid it, find the back door, and sneak through. I bet she left some traps or at least would be watching the entrance if she is still nearby.”

“We go from the front or the back. I’m running away the moment something shows up. You’re a dragon, but I’m not. I’ve seen your kind’s power a few too many times to dare mess with them.” No one knows the dragons’ powers better than the race hunting them for food.

Ganta was taught from a young age that dragons are born deadly and only grow stronger with time. A young dragon is a deadly foe, and a young adult is something they shouldn’t face without a good reason and a lot of preparation. An adult dragon is usually a disaster that they can’t defeat.

But her thoughts weren’t just influenced by that. Ganta had faced an adult dragon before and almost died. Her father, the chieftain at the time, died to the monster’s claws, holding it back while everyone else ganged up to defeat it. The black bastard melted her father in acid, alive.

Courage can take people just so far, and it ends when they see a man they once thought invincible drown and melt at the same time in a puddle of boiling acid that stinks to high heaven.

“You don’t need to be afraid of a dragon while protected by one. That shadow drakaina is afraid of me. That is why I need you to deliver me to her without her noticing.” Arad leaned back, and Ganta started moving. “Fine, but I’ll run away as I said. You’re the one who’ll fight her. I don’t mind dying, but not being ripped apart by shadows. I’ve seen my share of gruesome deaths.”

Ganta started walking beside the slop and looked around as the two of them searched for the entrance and the back door. “I honestly never expected us to end up like this.” She sighed.

“You mean what?” Arad looked up at her, and she shrugged.

“I expected many things.” She looked at the slope, “Like you killing me on the spot and flying to the clan to slaughter everyone. We barely managed to drive a black dragon away once. I doubt we could’ve endured a raid from you.” She then glanced at him.

“I also expected other things, like you taking me back as a hostage and keeping the clan in check that way. That would’ve been a happy ending for me. The worst of it was that I’d have to live away from the clan and probably serve Aella.” She smiled, “I don’t claim to know Aella well, but I’m sure she won’t abuse me as her servant. In fact, she is too kind for her own good.”

“That’s Aella’s charm, but don’t let her looks deceive you. She is anything but naive.” Arad smiled, “She is reliable and can take care of herself.”

Ganta sighed, “Like she played me now? Sending me here to this death trap? I guess going for you really got on her nerves. How wouldn’t it get her angry?”

She looked at the wall, “I should’ve expected this. Why did I think telling her that I liked you was a good idea? Really should’ve seen this coming.”

“Aella didn’t send you to your death.” Arad sighed, “What kind of monster do you think she is?”

“What monster? A woman who saw another woman going for her man, that kind of monster. Unstoppable, hungry, and vengeful.” Ganta stared at him, and Arad shook his head.

“You’re wrong, very wrong, we’ll, somewhat wrong to be exact. I won’t say that any of my wives fancy the idea of me having more women. But I assure you, Aella didn’t try to kill you. In fact, this mission is as safe as it gets since I’m here with you.”

Arad sounded confident, but Ganta wasn’t buying it. She knows how things go in those scenarios. Something bad will happen, the plan will fall apart, and they’ll end up separated. She’ll die a horrible and painful death in some dark hole and won’t even know what terror he’ll see and if he’ll manage to escape unscathed.

“Listen, if I die here, I want you to slap Aella for me. Slap her hard enough that she’ll see the stars. Tell her that I wasn’t really angry at her, just frustrated and disappointed that she didn’t speak to me directly and decided to send me on this stupid mission.” She sighed, “And I thought that being honest with her would lead to anything good. What a fool I was.”

“You aren’t a fool, and nothing bad will happen,” Arad replied, and she glared at him. “Don’t be too sure of that.”