He closed his eyes, fighting to control his breathing. He would never escape from these humans if he wasted what remained of his strength. Strands of hair fell into his face, and he shook them away to see where Niamh sat with her companions around a campfire.

“Go bring him some water. We can’t have him dying on us before we reach Rhothia,” one of the male humans said, cuffing Niamh on the head.

Cathan raised an eyebrow as she turned toward him with a scowl, making eye contact. Niamh stood in front of him a few moments later. She knelt down and held a cup toward him. “I’m sorry they’ve been so cruel to you,” Niamh said, keeping her voice low. “Gavriel takes too much pleasure in tormenting others.”

Cathan glanced skeptically at the cup, but nodded and allowed Niamh to raise it to his lips. “Thank you,” Cathan said as he pulled back. “Is Gavriel the leader?” She nodded. “Tell me, how much are they paying you to help them?”

Niamh gazed up at him, a hint of defiance in her eyes, but Cathan could see the truth in them. He watched as she absently rubbed at the iron cuff on her left wrist, and Cathan understood even more. He’d seen such iron cuffs before, many years ago when he’d visited Rhothia, on the wrist of the merchant with the dragon skull on display. She needed help as much as he did.

“You don’t have to do this, ” Cathan said, keeping his voice soft. He watched the other humans sitting several feet away from them as they talked. “I know you’re a good person, and we can help each other.”

Niamh stayed silent.

“If you help me escape from here, we can go to the Drachenwald tree, and I will make sure these men can never find you.” He paused, letting that information sink in before continuing. “I am the tree’s guardian. My shifting magic is tied to the tree’s. But the longer I stay here, in this form, the more vulnerable the tree is. I need to get back to it. Will you help me?”

“Niamh! Come back over here!”

Niamh raised her eyes to him and stood, then walked away silently. Cathan watched as Niamh lay down on her bedroll, her shoulders hunched. Cathan could tell she was having a hard time getting comfortable as she constantly shifted her body. He hoped she would roll over so they could continue their wordless conversation, but she never did.

“Where are you taking me?” Cathan asked.

“To the marketplace in Rhothia,” Gavriel answered.

“Good luck with that,” Cathan scoffed as he watched Gavriel’s reaction.

Gavriel raised an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

Cathan looked instinctively in the direction of the Drachenwald, barely able to sense its power. He needed to be closer to break free, but the thought of these humans taking one step nearer terrified him. Niamh gasped.

Gavriel turned toward Niamh, who stood nearby. “Do you know why?”

Niamh looked away, not meeting his eyes. Gavriel grabbed her by the arm, shaking her. She bit her lip and gave Cathan an agonized look. “The tree,” she whispered.

Gavriel raised his fist, and she cowered with familiar fear. “What tree?” he asked.

Cathan’s eyes widened, and he snarled at Niamh. “Say nothing.”

Gavriel laughed. “She knows who she belongs to.”

Niamh bowed her head and pointed in the tree’s direction. “It has great power.”

Gaviel’s mouth widened in a vicious smile. “Great power, you say?” He turned toward one of his lackeys. “Break camp. We have a new destination.”

Cathan struggled against his chains with futile desperation.

Niamh knelt down next to him, holding a golden key in her hand as she fumbled with the chain’s lock. “We have little time. Gavriel is keeping watch and is stinking drunk,” Niamh whispered.

“Is that how you got the key?” Cathan asked.

Niamh nodded. “I took it off of him after he passed out. He’s not very good at keeping watch.”

“Clearly, but how do I know this isn’t another trap?”

“You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me. Hold the chains tight so they don’t fall when I unlock them. If we make too much noise Gavriel might wake up.”

Cathan nodded, watching as she twisted the key into the lock. “What changed your mind?”

The lock turned with a click and Niamh began to slowly remove the chains. “I’ve helped Gavriel hurt too many magical creatures already. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

“Why did the hunters have you with them?” Cathan inquired.

“I’m the bait,” Niamh answered. “They travel all over the country, collecting magical items and creatures to sell. Gavriel kidnapped me with this cuff and forced me to work with them, since I don’t look like a hunter. He uses me as a decoy to lure magical creatures—like you.” She raised her left wrist to show him the iron cuff.

“Are you sure you want to do this? There’s no going back.”

“I’m sure,” Niamh answered. “Are you able to transform yet?”

As the last loop of chain was quietly set on the ground, Cathan stood. His legs and arms felt cramped from sitting for so long, but he was free. His magic stirred within him, but returning to his true form took far more energy than shedding it. He turned toward Niamh and shook his head. “Not yet. We’re getting closer. Let’s go.”

Soon, he thought. He could return to his true form and fulfill his promise — not just to protect the Drachenwald tree, but to protect Niamh as well.

He reached up toward the clasp of his cloak, pulling it open and letting it drop to the ground. He held his gaze steady, walking faster as his transformation magic stirred within him. Clothes tore from his body as he grew, his legs and arms changing shape. Claws replaced fingers and toes, and two wings grew out of his shoulder blades. His long neck stretched toward the sky, and his jaw opened to reveal twin rows of dagger-like teeth.

Cathan felt an echo of both tension and excitement. He lowered his head, pausing it only inches from Niamh’s face as he stared into her eyes.

“You’ve granted me my freedom. What would you ask of me in return?”

Niamh swallowed, the fear in her eyes fading into determination. “I want Gavriel to get what he deserves.”

“Something we have in common,” Cathan said. “What do you plan to do afterwards, when you’ve gained your freedom from these men?”

Niamh’s eyes widened as she considered the question and looked away. She shook her head. “I’m not sure. I have no family or home left to go to.”

Cathan nodded, looking out into the distance, to where he could imagine the golden treetop of the Drachenwald, glistening in the sunlight. He raised his head toward the sky and closed his eyes, breathing in. Soon, he could put everything that had happened behind him and go back to protecting the tree. Perhaps I won’t be doing it alone, though, he thought as he opened his eyes.

As Cathan came up the crest of the hill, a familiar woodsy scent entered his nostrils and he paused, baring his teeth as rage filled his belly. Gavriel led his caravan toward the bottom of the cliff, pointing toward the tree as he and his men shouted their cheers of victory.

“Stay here.” Cathan’s wings spread out next to him and he took off into the air, leaving Niamh behind on the hillside.

Cathan flew high above the caravan, watching as Gavriel’s lackeys stood paralyzed in fear. He searched for Gavriel, whose horse was already beginning the climb up the cliff toward the tree. Cathan’s roar echoed throughout the valley, and he dove toward the cliff, landing in front of Gavriel’s horse as he spread his wings out to their full length. Gavriel stared up at him in horror, his hand shaking as he raised his sword in a feeble attempt to protect himself.

Cathan growled, baring his teeth and lowering his head as close to Gavriel’s face as he could. “I told you I’d rip you limb from limb.” He opened his mouth, feeling the rage build up in his belly as foam slipped through his teeth and dripped onto his chin.

“Wait!” Gavriel exclaimed, dropping the sword as he held up one hand. “I can offer you riches or anything else you want! Look, I’ll prove it!” He reached slowly into a pouch he wore on his belt, pulling out a pile of dragon scales and dropping them to the ground.

Cathan reared back on his legs, shaking his head in a fiery rage. The ground beneath him shook as he roared, sending more of Gavriel’s men scattering away. Gavriel’s horse followed, leaving its owner behind. “This is your idea of a bribe? Throwing the scales of my brethren at my feet?” he scoffed. “You lost your life when you captured me.”

For a moment, Cathan forgot about Niamh, about the other men, focusing on Gavriel instead. It was because of greedy men like Gavriel that the other dragons had been killed, and now the results lay in front of him. It would be Gavriel’s last mistake.

Out of the corner of one eye, he saw Niamh approach, and he raised his head. His eyes flickered toward her, watching as she carefully approached Gavriel.

Gavriel turned toward Niamh. “You think this dragon will do a better job than me taking care of you? I put food in your belly. How can you trust him not to eat you?”

Niamh looked up at Cathan, who raised his chin in acknowledgement. As they made eye contact, he felt a sense of kinship coming from her.

“I trust him more than I ever trusted you,” she said after a moment, looking back at Gavriel. “You took me from the only home I ever knew and used me for your own personal gain.” She looked up at Cathan, who waited patiently for her signal as he sensed the rage radiating off of her, and she stared down at her former captor. “You may have put food in my belly, but you never took care of me,” she said as her breathing slowed.

“You’ll never get by on your own without me, girl,” Gavriel scoffed.

Niamh reached toward the chain hanging around Gavriel’s neck and yanked it off. She held the silver key in her palm before looking back at him. “I’m done doing your dirty work.”

Niamh raised her left wrist, clicking the key into the lock and holding it there for a moment before letting the iron cuff fall to the ground in front of Gavriel.

Gavriel stared down at the cuff before looking back between Niamh and Cathan, his eyes wide with fear.

Niamh turned away from Gavriel and looked up at Cathan, who nodded, waiting for her to move.

A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the valley.

Cathan turned toward Niamh, who knelt on the ground several feet away. His magic stirred, and he sensed her confusion, relief, and uncertainty radiating off of her. Part of him wanted to ignore it and let her go her own way, but the magic was strong. It had been many years since the last dragon bonded with a human, but Cathan couldn’t deny the familiar feeling of a bond forming any longer.

“Are you alright?” he asked as he walked toward her.

Niamh looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “I’ve wanted to escape from Gavriel for so long, and I couldn’t . . . until now. You gave me that strength, Cathan.”

Cathan shook his head. “You’ve always had that strength within you. In time, you’ll learn to use it for things you can’t imagine,” he said.

Niamh frowned, wiping her tears away as she stood. “What do you mean?”

“Come with me, and I’ll show you.”

Cathan led her forward, pausing near the base of the tree, gazing on its golden leaves glistening in the beaming sun.

Niamh paused at his side, her mouth gaped open in awe.

“Did I not tell you the tree was magnificent?” Cathan asked.

“It’s the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen,” Niamh whispered in awe.

“Being a guardian of this tree is not something to take lightly,” he said. “A guardian is forever bound, not just with physically protecting it, but because of the magical connection a guardian has to the tree. It is a lifelong commitment.” He lowered his head in front of her. “You said before that you don’t have a place to call home. You can stay here and learn more about the tree. If it goes well, this may become a permanent home for you.”

Niamh’s green eyes widened, and she smiled up at him. “You’d really allow me to stay here?”

Cathan nodded. “For as long as you’d like.”

“I don’t know what to say . . . thank you, Cathan.”

“We have much to learn from each other, I think,” Cathan said, looking up at the tree. For the first time in many years, a weight had lifted from his shoulders. Finally, he would have someone to share his duties with, and he could take to the sky more often. He wouldn’t be alone anymore. He looked down at Niamh again, lowering his neck. “If you’re going to live here, you should see your new home from above.”

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