SpringFire Read Online Free PDF Page A

had been so soft and quiet I couldn’t even tell if it was male or female. And what did it mean, “I shall find you”? The whole idea of meeting a stranger’s spirit while meditating made me feel uneasy, as if someone had been poking around inside me.
    Eventually, while Traz watched Grey working once again on his bow, I curled up next to the fire and went to sleep.
    I woke up twice in the night. Once, the fire had burned down to embers, so I arose and stoked it up. The second time, just an hour or so before dawn, the fire was roaring and Grey was sitting up, working on his bow again. I pushed myself up onto one elbow. He glanced at me, then back at his work.
    “The stars,” he said, his voice so quiet that I barely heard him.
    “What? What about the stars?”
    “They’re all in the right places.”
    I sat up and moved closer to him so we could talk without waking Traz up. “I’m not following you.”
    “Xyla said we were on another world, this Stychs place, but all the stars are exactly where they should be for this place at this time of year.”
    “Oh.” The enormity of that hit me. “Then what do you think she meant?”
    He looked over at her, a frown furrowing his brow. “I don’t know. It’s not like Malk taught me any dragon lore.”
    I yawned hugely.
    “Sorry,” he said with a half-smile. “I didn’t mean to bore you.”
    “No, no,” I said quickly. “Not bored. Just tired.”
    “Go back to sleep, then. We can talk more in the morning.”

    When I awoke, Xyla still lay exactly where she’d stopped the night before, no change in her condition. Her tail did give a tiny flick when I placed a hand on her neck, though, and I took that as an encouraging sign. Traz was nowhere to be seen, and I guessed he was hunting again. Grey was outside, taking some practice shots with the now-completed bow.
    “I wouldn’t even use this to teach Traz to shoot,” he said, “but it’ll have to do for now. I’ll need to get a better one before long, if we can only find a settlement.”
    “Does that mean that you will teach him to shoot?” I asked hopefully.
    “I suppose I will. If I can. If I must.”
    His eyes dared me to rise to the bait, but I didn’t. “And you’ll be able to bring down something big enough for Xyla to eat?”
    Grey grimaced. “I hope so. I’ll go now and see what I can find.”
    “Before breakfast? You have to eat something before you go.”
    “Already did. Leftover rabbit. Well, wish me good hunting.”
    And he disappeared into the woods.
    I went back inside and made tea. Soon Traz returned with a pair of small birds, which we cooked up into a simple stew in my saucepan.
    “We’re going to miss bread before long,” I observed.
    “I already do.”
    “Grey mentioned trying to find a settlement so he could get a new bow. We could get bread, too.”
    “With what?” There was a hint of exasperation in his voice. “How much money do you have?”
    I hadn’t thought of that. “I see what you mean. I haven’t any.”
    “Neither do I. If we even find a settlement, which I doubt, we’ll have to work for anything we want to buy.”
    Xyla’s weak voice interrupted. “Donavah?”
    I ran over to her. “Xyla? Are you awake?”
    “Hungry,” she said.
    “I know. Grey is out hunting right now.” But when would he be back? It was Winter, and finding anything worthwhile to bring back could take all day. Or longer.
    “You must find the other dragons,” she said, and somehow, her voice sounded a little stronger.
    “What other dragons?”
    “The other red dragons.”
    “But Xyla, there are no other red dragons. You’re the only one.”
    “That was on Hedra. Now we’re on Stychs.”
    There it was again. “What do you mean, Stychs? We’re exactly where we were before, just everyone has gone.” That sounded stupid even to me.
    “No. We are on Stychs.” There was a pause. “I cannot explain now. Perhaps later, when I am stronger.”
    I sighed. I wanted to understand her,