He tried to ignore the sentries, but they were distracting. They weren't subtle watchdogs. Clearly whoever was watching wanted them to know they weren't alone. But to what purpose?
They wandered beyond the rocky shoreline onto a grassy plain. A hill stood in the distance. All was quiet. Not even the trees made a noise as the wind passed through their leaves. It was as if silence ruled the island.
Jarrett felt a tap on his shoulder. Bastian pointed at Connor, who had squatted and was holding something in his hand. Jarrett ran to him, dropping to the ground next to Connor. He held a single shard from a dragon's egg. Blue and spotted.
Jarrett looked at Connor. He hadn't seen the eggs and needed confirmation that this was what they were looking for. Connor nodded, concern on his face.
Jarrett stood and motioned to Bastian and Elinor. "Look for more," he said, pointing at the ground.
The group scoured the area, looking under moss and leaves, stepping carefully.
"Over here!" Connor yelled from a copse of trees. "No! Oh no!" He disappeared behind the trunks.
His wails attracted not just his friends, but also the sentries. They buzzed around in the air, all four together, heading straight toward the copse. Jarrett ran as fast as he could, arriving the same time as the sentries.
An egg sat in the middle of the ring of trees, smashed beyond recognition. A tiny dragon baby's body lay still, limbs ripped off and scattered in the leaves. Connor rocked back and forth on his heels. "No! This is my fault for not protecting them."
Elinor pushed past Jarrett, wrapping her arms around Connor. "I'm so sorry," she said, over and over. She rubbed his back. "It's okay. We'll find the rest. They'll be fine."
Connor’s eyes burned. "We need to move. Now!" He locked eyes with the four sentries. "This is what we are looking for, you bastards. If you know where the rest are, show me now!"
The sentries formed a circle, their eyes darting, almost as if they were speaking a secret language. Then they buzzed around in a circle until crashing into each other. Jarrett ducked, covering his head with his arms. He glanced through the space between his arms then slowly lowered them. The four balls had merged, becoming one. It zipped off to the north.
"I'm following it," Connor said, taking off in a run.
Jarrett shrugged. "Might as well. We have no other leads."
Elinor ran next to him, her words catching in her throat. She coughed and tried again. "I want to come back and bury that baby."
"Of course," Jarrett said. He took off in a sprint, leaving her and Bastian behind. The sentries were moving too fast. Connor's agitation was growing. Jarrett recognized the tension. He'd seen it in many dragons. They tried to fight their nature, to maintain discipline over their human forms, but any form of anxiety or anger could push them past any ability to control it.
If the Keepers had killed the baby dragon, they wouldn't hesitate to do the same to Connor if he came too close. The sentries looked back at Connor and Jarrett, then sped up. Too fast. Jarrett knew they'd never keep up.
Apparently so did Connor. His arms and legs began to tremble. Jarrett thanked the gods that Connor hadn't fully mastered his dragon form yet. Jarrett reached deep for one last burst of strength. He jumped, grabbing Connor's arms. The two tumbled onto the ground, bouncing over the dirt. Jarrett looked up. The sentries were so far gone he could barely see them in the distance. At least he knew where they were headed. To the hill.
Connor swung at Jarrett, his fist meeting Jarrett's chin with a solid blow. Jarrett hauled off, his arm like a hammer as it connected with Connor's gut.
Bastian yanked Jarrett off Connor. "What are you doing?" the redhead screamed.
"Stopping him from making a huge mistake," Jarrett said. He didn't fight against Bastian's grip. There was no point. He'd done what he'd set out to do. Connor's body wasn't shaking. The transformation had been interrupted.
Connor stood, wrapping his arms around his middle. "Let him go. If what he says is true about the Keepers and dragons, Jarrett probably just saved all of our lives."
"He was trying to change," Elinor explained.
Bastian released his grip. Jarrett shrugged his shoulders, allowing the blood to flow back into his limbs. Bastian was strong, there was no doubt in Jarrett's mind about that. He was glad they were on the same side.
"The sentries headed toward the hill. That is where we will find whoever controls them." Jarrett wiped the dirt and grass off the bottom of his boots. "We need to head there now, before darkness falls."
"Let's go." Connor held out a hand to Jarrett. "And I'm sorry. Thank you for tackling me."
"Any time." Jarrett wanted to smile, but the situation was too grim. He steeled himself for whatever lay ahead.