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In a short while we were cleaned and dressed, but the harrowing adventure from before our heated encounter hadn’t been forgotten. I brushed off a few bits of sand from my sleeve and my eyes happened to look down at the spot where the harpy had vanished. Or dematerialized. Or whatever had happened to her.
“What did you do to the harpy?” I asked Thorn as I turned to him.
He had resumed his human form with horns and at my question he pursed his lips. “A magic unique to my species. We burn away the flesh of our foes and absorb their magical properties, if they have any.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Then you take on some of their magic?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly. The magic is stored within me should I need it to defend myself.”
“How often does that happen?”
“Very rarely. When such an instance does occur, I call upon the stored magic to craft a suitable ‘weapon’ with which I might vanquish my foes.”
I cocked my head to one side. “Like what?”
Thorn folded his arms over his chest and sighed. “The last time I was forced to use my store was some three centuries ago against the incursion of a small army into my land. They intended to take the populace and sell them into slavery. Instead, I wiped out most of their front line by crafting a giant glowing spear of light and swinging it at their cavalry. A thousand men were swept away in an instant and the rest fled.”
My mouth dropped open. “A thousand?”
Thorn turned his face away from me and his voice was low and tense. “It is not a skill I use lightly.”
I set a hand on his shoulder. “You did it to protect your land just like what you did today. If you didn’t do what you did then a lot of other people would’ve died or worse. Innocent people.”
Thorn had a long face, but he set his hand atop mine and nodded. “You are correct, though the burden is still heavy to bear.”
My face fell, as did my shoulder. “And all alone. . .”
He turned to me with a touch of a smile on his lips. “Not anymore.”
I blushed beneath his admiring gaze. “Yeah, well, don’t expect me to start stopping whole armies any time soon. If you’ll remember, I just had to run screaming away from a single harpy.”
Thorn chuckled. “You still made a beautiful sight, but we should return to the village and tell them they need not drive their animals so far.”
“Or wait a moment longer to wash their clothes,” I chimed in as we made our way toward the town.
We soon arrived at the village and the empty streets had been cautiously filled with the frightened faces of the inhabitants. Men, women, and children crowded about the short steps of the meeting house, many wearing the stench and stain of dirty clothes.
One of them noticed our coming and gave a shout. Everyone perked up and the mayor pushed his way to the front of the group. His anxious face displayed his emotion. “Well?”
Thorn smiled at them. “There’s no need to worry. The harpies are gone.”
A cheer rose out of the crowd. Men shook hands and women hugged each other until they inhaled one another’s scents, and then they scuttled back as quickly as politeness would allow. The children were less than amused as several shrugged and others looked forlornly at their muddied hands, now doomed to be rubbed raw with water and soap.
Mayor Helmsley grasped one of Thorn’s hands in both of his and tears pooled in his eyes as he looked up at his savior from filth. “How can we ever thank you?”
Thorn smiled and shook his head. “There’s no need for thanks beyond our ancient agreement. That is thanks enough.”
Helmsley bobbed his head. “Of course! Of course! The road is clear and I hope you return to us soon.”
“Three cheers for our dragon lord!” one of the townspeople shouted.
“Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!” came the call as many pumped their fists in the air.
“A feast!” someone yelled above the fray.
“A feast! A feast to celebrate!”
“Will you not stay and sup with us, My Lord?” Helmsley pleaded.
