Desolation (Dragonlands Book 4) by Megg Jensen Page B

moons. It was an acceptable loss, but only because it was temporary.
    They walked most of the day, stopping only to eat or fill their water skins at the stagnant river. Beads of sweat rolled down Tressa's face, leaving a salty taste on her cracked lips. She took another swig from her water skin. Her lips curled at the warm, stale water. Still, it felt better on her throat than the dry breaths she took with every step.
    "We are almost to our destination, but we will take a breather here, at the bend in the Wardack River," Donovan said, slowing. He pointed in the distance. "Do you see?"
    Tressa squinted and held her hand to her brow to block the sun. "I see another pile of rocks." That was all she'd seen the majority of the day. Rocks followed by more rocks. No wonder this place was called Desolation.
    "Those are not rocks," Donovan said. "They are the key to saving the Dragonlands. The sooner we reach them, the sooner we can get back to your people."
    Tressa felt a rush of hope in her heart. She wanted more than anything to believe it would be that simple, but Donovan still hadn't explained what waited for them ahead. He kept urging Tressa to trust him. So far she had no reason not to.
    Fi lagged behind, visibly exhausted. Her arms hung limp at her sides. Her hair was plastered to her forehead in black and pink streaks.
    "Are you okay?" Tressa asked Fi as she finally caught up to them. She laid a hand on Fi's shoulder and was surprised how warm her friend was.
    "I'm fine," Fi said, shrugging Tressa's hand off. Her blue eyes were heavily lidded and her nose red.
    "You're not," Tressa said. She turned to Donovan. "Is this because you took her dragon?"
    "Perhaps," Donovan said. "It is different for everyone. It may be harder for Fi because she was born a dragon."
    "I'm fine," Fi said again through gritted teeth. "Let's keep going."
    Donovan turned and continued his march. Tressa walked next to Fi, holding her friend's hand. Fi wasn't well, and neither of them wanted to admit it aloud. What help was there for her in Desolation? So far they hadn't seen so much as a village—nor a beast like the one that hunted them in the night. It was as if the land were dead and so were all of its inhabitants.
    "We will pause one final time," Donovan called from ahead. He pointed to the east.
    Tressa's gaze settled on the nearby river. She licked her dry lips and smiled. "See, Fi, water. We'll have a nice rest, drink some water, and then be on our way. It'll help you feel better."
    "I hope so," Fi grumbled. "I agreed to come here. I agreed to help you and our people. But, Tressa, I didn’t want to let go of my dragon. It makes me feel helpless. I think my body just doesn’t cope well with being more human than dragon." She attempted a feeble laugh. "Maybe this is what I'd be like as a human. Weak. Pathetic."
    "You could never be weak or pathetic, Fi." Tressa looked her friend over again. She thought back to the woman she was before they left Hutton's Bridge and saw some similarities to the slump in Fi's shoulder and the furrow of her brow. Before she learned to fight under Leo's tutelage, Tressa had been soft. Fi was now like a normal person, one who had never had the strength of a dragon, and this trek across the uneven landscape was wearing on her.
    Tressa squinted toward the rocks Donovan had pointed out. It wouldn't be long until they reached their destination.
    Fi sat on a boulder near the bank, her boots off and her feet soaking in the water.
    Tressa laughed. "Good thing I'm upstream from you," she said to Fi. "I wouldn't want your stinky feet in my drinking water."
    Fi stuck out her tongue at Tressa and splashed her. "Oh yeah? How's this?"
    Tressa screamed and jumped back from the droplets speeding toward her.
    "Ladies, please," Donovan said. "This is not a pleasure trip to a beach. This is serious work."
    "Donovan," Fi said as she massaged the soles of her feet. "Why are you so boring?"
    Donovan huffed and thrust his chest out. "I am