Dragonbound: Blue Dragon by Rebecca Shelley Page B

those he feels are worthy, and they are presented to the young Nagas when they come into the fever. You must choose one of those Rajahansa has picked to be your companion.
    A rebellious surge of anger spread through Kanvar. "Why should he decide? What if I don't like any of the dragons he chooses?"
    Indumauli let out an angry hiss. You sound like one of those revolting blue dragons. Destroyed our whole society, they did. I can't believe so many of the other dragons followed them. Hush now. You're hurt and you're sick. You don't know what you're saying. Indumauli closed his eyes and thrust his head beneath his coils as if unwilling to continue the conversation.
    Shivering, Kanvar rested his shoulder against the coils. Indumauli was right. He hurt too much to think straight. His right hand started to throb, and in his fevered delirium he imagined it swelled into an angry puss-filled ball and oozed blood out of two fang holes in the back of his hand.
    Indumauli remained safely curled around him until dim light penetrated the high canopies, signaling the rise of the sun. Then the serpent stirred and unwrapped his body from around Kanvar. Little Naga . Wake up, little one.
    Kanvar heard Indumauli's voice through the fevered fog of his mind. A serpent coil lifted Kanvar to his feet. Kanvar blinked and looked down at his right hand. It was normal sized and unhurt. He shook his head. The pain in his hand must just have been a nightmare.
    The sun is coming up. I must return to the water. Indumauli said. Follow the river downstream. There is a human village there, hidden from the bumbling Maranies. These humans can help you. Trust them.
    Kanvar swayed on his feet as Indumauli slithered away and slid into the river. The morning was still early, but the jungle teemed with activity. Black monkeys swung from the trees, hunting the colorful jungle birds. The monkeys' screeches blended with the raucous bird calls and constant buzz of insects. Lizards skittered into the underbrush away from Kanvar's feet as he stumbled in the direction Indumauli had shown him.
    The jungle air felt cold against his fevered skin. The cut on his right leg hurt like a firebrand. He tried to use his twisted left leg more to ease the pressure on his right, but the crippled leg failed him and he tumbled into a thick patch of ferns. He lay on the wet ground, panting. The loamy scent of the jungle floor was so strong he could taste it.  Water dripped from the fern fronds onto his hot cheeks.
    He gritted his teeth and tried to get back up, but both of his legs failed him.
    "No!" Kanvar shouted in frustration. "By the fountain, I won't die here. Not like this." He'd known surviving in the jungle wouldn't be easy. But he hadn't counted on taking a deep wound to his good leg. "I can't let this stop me," he muttered. But fear snaked through his gut.
    He looked around for predators. Doubtless, he smelled like blood, and there were plenty of lesser dragons and other animals in the jungle who would make a meal of him if given the chance.
    The black monkeys had fallen silent and were staring hungrily at him from the trees. They would run from a healthy human, but had been known to pick dead bodies free of everything and scatter the bones beyond recovery.
    "Get lost!" Kanvar waved his arms and shouted at them. But they remained in place on the branches, looking down at him.
    "Stupid monkeys." Kanvar crawled to a fallen log and tore a small branch off to use as a make-shift crutch. With the help of the crutch he managed to hobble a few steps. The band of monkeys screamed and scattered. Birds flew up in a rush of bright feathers.
    "That's right. You should fear me," Kanvar shouted after then. "I am a dragon hunter with a sword and a crossbow and armor."
    The insects fell silent.
    Uh-oh , Kanvar thought. Maybe it's not me they're running from .
    The ferns rustled. Kanvar searched the leafy ground. The ferns swayed again in a line to his left.
    Had to be a lesser serpent. A big