Chapter 1

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. From what I've heard, it was already a treacherous place. Only the bravest, or the greediest, use that route to reach the merchant city. Seeing as I am neither in need to risk my life, and I don't want to gamble away my possessions, I am content to stay in the village.

Before the war, I have never ventured into the Valley, not even before those beasts made it impossible to do so. Though I have heard that the Valley is abundant with herbs and many other plant life, I've never left the village, and I never will. Too many unknowns. Too many risks. If I need any ingredients that I do not have in my garden, then one of the men in the village would fetch it for me. Whether their eyesight is reliable enough to discern a petal from a leaf is a different issue.

Unfortunately, the traveling merchants do not make our village a regular stop since we're so out of the way from any ports or well-known cities. Those that did come by rarely had anything worth buying. Now they do not come at all. And all the able men left to join the war over a month ago.

All because of the dragons. The men left this village to protect us from the dragons, but now we are trapped by our enemies.

Why couldn't one of them stay? Just one. Like Gabe. He always brought me exactly what I needed. He could go to the Valley for me and get me what I need for my nephew's sickness. I need the help more than this stupid war needs all of our warriors. If you can even call them warriors. Maybe mediocre hunters at best.

I touch my lips to my nephew's forehead once more and press my fingers against his throat. He's too warm, and his heart beat too fast. I can't wait any longer. I leave his side and seek out the village elder. He can send someone to fetch me what I need.

The old man lives in a hut along the outskirts of the village, not far from own my home. I march though his open doorway and glare at the lazy old man.

"I demand that you send someone to the Valley to gather the herb of immortality!" At least, that's what my master had told me that was how the plant was called. It's not like the elder would know the difference either way.

He sighs as he looks up at me then stands, putting down his fork next to his untouched breakfast. The bald man is short with a hunched back that made him shorter still. His face is bare except for the thick scar that crossed his chin. His grey eyes look into my amber ones as I wait for him to tell me who I should tell to do my bidding.

He sighs again, "Fine. Go to the Valley to gather the herb of immortality."

My nose twitches. "I can't. I have to watch over Matthew."

"Ameliya, there is no one else who can spare the time or has the energy to go foraging. You can do it. Sophie can watch over him until you return."

Does he not know how dangerous the Valley is? He knows as well as I that there are at least three dragons that currently reside in the Valley. We've seen them fly high over our village and back into the Valley. And he expects me to face the dragons. Alone. No way!

"I can't go to the Valley. Pick someone else. If I die, my knowledge dies with me, then no one will know how to stay well and healthy. Also, what good is my knowledge of healing if I don't have the means to obtain what I need? Someone else should go."

The man dares to roll his eyes. "You have the means. You can walk, and you can gather what you need. You even have a basket."

I grit my teeth. "I wouldn't even know where to start looking for-"

"Yes, you do! You always tell your admirers where to look and how to tell one plant from another. You even have a book of medical plants that your teacher left you. Stop making excuses and just go!"

I bit my lip and close my eyes.

The elder deserves respect. The elder deserves respect. The elder deserves respect.

Maybe if I keep thinking this, I'll actually believe it.

"I am not a fighter." I open my eyes and attempt not to glare at him. "My skill is only to heal. I mean, I do know how to harm, but that is not my way."

"Who says that you have to fight? Get in, get the root or leaf or feather or whatever you need then get out!"

"But-"

"Ameliya," he looks at me with a frown and sad eyes. "There is truly no other who can leave right now. And if you don't go, then your nephew may die, and you will always know that you were the only one who could've saved him."

I continue to glare at the old man. He's not wrong. I may be the only hope that my nephew has left.

I look away from him and say, "Fine. I'm going. I'm going."

And that's how I found myself entering the Valley.

A narrow crevice separates my village from the dragons. It separates us from almost everything. It's the only path that nature has left us to travel to the nearest city. There were other paths, but when the dragons were trapped in the Valley, the earth shook and the paths either collapsed or were destroyed. The only other way out of the village is to travel through the forest where no marked path is set or well-traveled.

Either way, there is no safe way to travel from the village to any other place.

The crevice is more of a tight squeeze for me. I had to walk sideways, dragging my brother-in-law's old travel bag. I wonder how I'm going to make it back with a full bag. I shake my head and dismiss the thought. Focus on the now.

The crevice is a few meters long. When I reach the other side, I almost turn around.

Was the Valley always this vast? How am I going to find this herb in such a large area? Where do I even start?

And where are the dragons?

I shake my head again and remind myself. I'm doing this for my nephew. Be strong. Keep moving. Think while you move and search. But first...

I take out my master's book on medicinal practices. According to my master's notes, the herb of immortality loves the sun and grows like a waterfall, but it also likes to be in partial shade...

Wait, is that all it says on where to find it? I roll my eyes. This man couldn't leave me a map?

I put the book back into the bag. No point in keeping it out. At least my master had talent in drawing the plants likeness, and I've stared at it long and often enough that the image is implanted into my brain.

I scan the Valley. This area is peaceful. No signs of war. No signs of the dragons. All the land is vibrant with plant-life. Greens, reds, yellows, blues. It is beautiful, but I already know that I will not find what I am looking for so simply. Mostly flowers cover this area. I need to go deeper.

I don't want to.

I take a deep breath. Think of Matthew. Just think of Matthew.

I take a step forward. Then another. Then many more. For over an hour, I walk though the flowerbed, my eyes searching for a green waterfall of leaves, my ears listening for any sound that invaded the low whistle of the wind.

Nothing. This much time passing and nothing to show for it. I want to stop and sit and try my hand at drawing these vibrant flowers.

No, Matthew doesn't have much time. Keep going. Think of something else.

I look up. Maybe if I go up these hills, I may be able to find this herb. My master wrote that it loves the sun. Maybe he meant being close to it? Does the herb like the higher climate?

Not sure if that logic is... logical, but I know that, from the past hour, I won't find this herb amongst the flowers.

I trudge up the tallest of the connected hills that were on my right. My legs burn , and I'm breathing fast. I reach the top of the hill and look down, way down. I almost fall back the way I came. The hills end and become the side of a cliff. Is this really the same Valley?

If there were flowers on this side of the Valley, then they're gone now. The dragons made this place into a Valley of fire. The earth is scorched as far as the eye can see. The dragons really are just destructive beasts. The only other color besides the dirt red and fire orange of the craters is the vibrant green of the vines hanging right in front of my feet.

Wait a minute.

I look down at the falling leaves. Are these vines the herb of immortality?

I start to kneel down and take a closer look. If I could just grab a few-

My chest starts to burn. It's a familiar feeling, one that I've dealt with for many years.

Just ignore it for now. It's only in its beginning stages.

I take a deep breath and take a mindless step forward.

My bare foot slips, my back hitting the edge of the cliff.

I turn and grasp the vines of the plant that I was inspecting. Now that they are right in front of my face, I realize that, no, this is not the herb of immortality. That's just great.

I cling to the thick vines, feeling my fingers slide down, burning. My breaths speed up as I realize that not only did I not find the herb, but I may not make it out of the Valley.

See! This is why I should've never left the village! I was perfectly content staying at home and growing my own plants. This should not be part of my job.

I shake my head. No time to think of that. I can't just hang here. I need to move.

I try pulling myself up, but it only makes me slide down faster. I look around and find a small hole in the cliffside. I might be able to-

Just as I reach for it, my slippery hold on the vine slips. I fall straight down. I can't even scream. My arms flail as I try to grab on to anything, anything at all to stop my descent.

A red blur grabs me, jolting me. I gasp and close my eyes. For a moment, relief courses through me.

That moment was short lived.

A heavy weight pushes me into the ground. I can't breathe. My chest continues to burn. Do I dare open my eyes?

Since I'm not dead yet, I suppose the only way to know if what I fear is true is to open my eyes.

So I do, only to look into the slit pupils of a monstrous, red-orange scaled, beautiful dragon. It gazes down at me, and all I do is stare, my breath caught in my lungs.

The beast's talons cage me to the ground. It can crush me, and yet all the beast does it stare. If I have to die, let it be a quick death. Why doesn't it just get it over with? Why is it staring at me with intelligent eyes?

See! I never should've left the village.