Dakh looks surprised at my reaction.
I hug the book to my chest—precious, precious book—and frown at him. “You have to be careful with books. You can’t just rip the pages out or the story is ruined.” I hold the book out and show him how to delicately turn the pages. “See? Like this.”
He takes it from my hand and moves a page from left to right carefully, glancing at me. It looks tricky for him with his claws, but he’s trying. It’s something, at least.
I give him a nod of approval and then add the book to the cart. “We’re getting some reading material.” I’ll cull it later if I have to, in favor of needed supplies, but if I can take books with me, I want to. Seeing them has made me realize how much I’ve missed reading. I love a good story, and it’s been so long. I used to read all the time Before. And there are so many romance novels here on the shelf that it makes me giddy. I pick another one up and flip it over to read the text on the back, smoothing my hand down the cover. Billionaires. Seems kind of silly to read about billionaires now, but I’m game. I just want a nice, romantic story to take me away for a few hours. I add this one to the cart, too, and then pick another one with a bright blue cover off the shelf.
I’m so entranced by the books that it takes me a moment to realize that Dakh is sniffing at the air again, a frown on his face. I glance over at him, and then I smell it, too—a skunky, terrible smell. He glances around, then stalks down the aisle past me, searching for the source.
“Is something wrong?” I call out.
“Dakh,” he says.
“Right. I keep forgetting you’re not gonna answer.” I finish pawing the book in my hands and put it with my things, then turn the cart around. The dragon’s blocking the end of the aisle, so I push the cart in the other direction, and as I do, I see something move between two circular racks of clothing.
It looked human, too. Female.
Hmm.
“I’ll check in this direction, Dakh,” I call out, pushing my cart along as if it’s no big deal. As if I didn’t just see a woman duck past. “And I’m going to look for more books.”
He grunts something, acknowledging my words. I doubt he understood them, but he doesn’t move, still sniffing the air at the end of the aisle like it’s bothering him.
I push my cart down into the main aisle of the store, nearer to the rounded racks of clothing. I’m not afraid—the person I saw looked female, and if she’s hiding out here by herself, there’s got to be a good reason. Unless she’s not by herself, of course, but I feel strangely fearless. Maybe it’s because I’m with a dragon and he can toast anyone that threatens us.
The racks of clothing look innocent enough. I eye the garments hanging there. They’re nightgowns—ugly ones—and I pretend to consider them, fingering the material of one. “I saw you,” I whisper. “Who are you?”
Two of the nightgowns push apart, and a face gazes back at me. It’s a woman, about my age. She’s not as thin or dirty as most of the Fort Dallas natives, and her thick black hair is pulled into two clean, shiny braids. She’s wearing a shirt I passed on one of the racks from earlier. I don’t recognize her, and I wonder if she’s been here a while.
She glances over at the book aisle, where I left Dakh, and then back at me. “This is my home,” she tells me, lifting her chin in a defiant gesture. “I want you and your boyfriend to leave.”
My boyfriend? If only she knew what he really was. “I can’t tell him what to do, I’m afraid. And there’s more stuff here than you could possibly use. I promise we won’t take much.”
She gives a little shrug and straightens, standing up. “Take what you want. There’s plenty of clothing.”
Well, that was easier than I expected. I smile at her. “I appreciate it. I’m Sasha. I used to be from Fort Dallas. Are you…” I hesitate, trying to figure out the best way to ask. Nomads aren’t well thought of back at the Fort. They tend to be outcasts, murderers, or thieves that have gotten booted from their forts and have taken their lawlessness on the road with them. “Are you from the nearby Fort?” I ask politely, even though I know the answer.
The woman shakes her head. “I come from out west. There’s a fort near here?”
“Well, not too near. If you follow the highway it leads through the ruins of Old Dallas and there’s a fort there. But there are also a lot of dragons.” I glance around. “Are you here alone?”
She bristles, looking nervous. “Does it matter?”
“Oh! No, I was just curious.” I give her another friendly smile, because I can see myself in her eyes. She’s young, alone, and scared. Who hasn’t been there before? “I’m just shocked this place hasn’t been raided, is all.”
“Nomads come by every now and then, but I make sure they don’t stay long.” She sounds tougher than she looks as she says it. “Not too often, though—the highway’s pretty clogged with dead cars, and so it doesn’t get much travel.”
She’s got a point. I remember seeing lines of cars on the highway here. You don’t run into many with cars or motorcycles because gasoline’s non-existent at this point. Travelers that do have bicycles would probably avoid coming out this far. No one in Fort Dallas ever goes beyond the gates. Well, in theory. In actuality, the city still gets a fair amount of exploring, but it’s all on the hush. “I haven’t been this far out myself. Are there other stores?”
The woman shrugs. “If there are, I haven’t looked.” Her head tilts, and she studies me curiously. “I’m Emma, by the way. Emma Arroyo. How did you get out here without being eaten by a dragon?”
“What?” I’m a little nervous at the question, because Dakh is just a short distance away.
“They chase women,” Emma says flatly. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Saw a dragon tear open a building once just to get to the woman inside. And I’ve seen dragons snatch women out of nomad camps. They leave some chicks, and others, boom. Grabbed up by the claws.”
I stare at her, wide-eyed. Her description is hitting a little too close to home. “They…go after women?”
She touches the side of her nose. “I have a theory. They can smell ’em. That’s why I’m safe here. Been covering my scent.”