Book 3: Chapter 46 (1/2)

“Then let’s be friends,” Emile said as he struggled to right himself. “You look like you’re struggling up there, so why not let us help you think?”

Mary blinked at Emile and dropped him onto the ground, causing him to squawk as he fell on his head.

Susan cleared her throat and smiled at Mary. “Can you put me down gently? I’m sure someone as powerful as you can control their strength.”

A faint smile appeared on Mary’s lips as she placed Susan onto her shoulder. She picked Emile up and hugged him, bringing him to her chest. Her head lowered and the two’s gazes met. “You should be more like this one,” Mary said and pointed at Susan. “My name is Mary. I can think perfectly fine by myself when I have to.”

“I’m Emile,” Emile said. One wing popped free from Mary’s hug, and he gestured towards the phoenix sitting on Mary’s shoulder. “She’s my sister, Susan.” His wing covered Mary’s gauntlet as he lowered it. “It seems like you’re pretty strong. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

Mary patted Emile’s head, causing his face to cramp. Even though she was wearing metal armor, she still felt Emile’s warmth in her palm. “I’m hunting a black dragon. It stole my prey.”

“You’re hunting a dragon…?” Emile asked, his eyes widening. A dry laugh escaped from his beak. “Well, it was nice meeting you. I hope we see each other again someday. Mind letting me go now? I just remembered we had important phoenix things to do.”

Emile squawked as Mary tightened her hug. Her eyes narrowed at him. “Friends do things together, right? And we’re friends.”

Emile hung his head and buried his face into his wings. He muttered, “Big Sis, save me.”

Mary smiled at Emile and grabbed a nearby vine, tying it around his waist. She tied the other end around her arm before meeting Susan’s gaze. “Your brother’s very dramatic. He reminds me of my own.”

“Really?” Susan asked as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “What’s he like?”

“He was a coward,” Mary said. “He used to tremble and hide in a corner when my other siblings picked on him.”

“Used to?” Emile asked, pecking at the vine around his waist. “Does that mean he isn’t a coward anymore?”

“Yes,” Mary said with a nod. She closed her eyes and sniffed the air before turning around and walking, shrinking the ground underneath her feet as her face grew pale. “He’s dead now. He fell on my sword and died.”

“…Oh.” Emile deflated and shut his beak, all thoughts of escape pushed to the back of his mind.

A few days of traveling later, Mary stopped by a gated mansion, two phoenixes perched on her shoulders. Mary closed her eyes and dropped to all fours, sniffing the ground. “The black dragon was definitely here,” she said as her eyes shot open. She stood up and tilted her head back, letting out a howl towards the moon. Then she closed her eyes and sniffed the air again. “It’s still here. Its scent is fresh.”

“You sure?” Emile asked, raising an eyebrow.