by Rinelle Grey
The life dragon didn’t stop there either. “They have caused substantial problems in our clan, and we’ve brought them back to answer for their crimes,” she said firmly.
Her words were complete lies. Rita knew they were.
But that didn’t stop doubts from entering her mind. Ultrima and Warrian had been in the same clan once, and Warrian had caused some pretty big problems for him. Maybe it wasn’t such a stretch...
Wait. This was wrong and she knew it. The life dragon was completely twisting the truth, and even if she wasn’t, Rita wasn’t part of their clan, and hadn’t caused any problems at all. She wasn’t even a dragon. So why was she almost ready to nod along and agree with the life dragon’s lies?
Because she was a life dragon. Rita remembered the overwhelming fear she’d felt the last time she’d encountered this dragon and knew this must be more of her magic at play. And it was working very effectively on the police, who had no idea they were being manipulated.
“Well, it’s not our place to interfere in dragon affairs,” one of them said.
Another nodded. “How they solve their problems is their decision. It’s not like any of them are citizens. We have no need to protect them.”
The life dragon was nodding along with them. “That’s right. Much better to leave us to deal with this, and you can return to your posts.”
“A lot less paperwork for us too,” Hailey joked. Her eyes were knowing. She understood exactly what was going on, even if she didn’t look completely happy about it.
“We can return to our posts...” The police officer’s voice was almost robotic in its repetition.
Rita could have screamed. “I’m not a dragon. I’m a citizen of Mungaloo, and you do need to protect me,” she insisted loudly.
The police officers looked at her as though they couldn’t really see her, their expressions fuzzy and blank. While Rita seemed to be able to resist the life dragon’s magic to a degree, they seemed to have no defence whatsoever. Only one officer, the one she’d been speaking to earlier, still seemed concerned. His forehead wrinkled. “We should at least take the reporter with us.”
“You don’t need to do that. We’ll take care of her.” This time the life dragon’s voice was calm and soothing. “She is mated to the dragon. They should be together. She doesn’t want to leave. Why else would she have come back?”
The police officer’s last doubts seemed to fade. They all nodded in unison, and together they turned and walked back to their posts near the barricades around the lair. Only Hailey remained, although she at least looked a little discomforted. “You shouldn’t have used your magic on them. If anyone else finds out you’re manipulating people, then that’s going to be a big hole in your argument for inclusion.”
“Inclusion is unimportant,” the life dragon said dismissively. “That’s Rian clan’s goal, not ours. All we want is a chance for Ultrima to reunite with his princess.”
“My sister wants nothing to do with you. And kidnapping us will only reinforce that.” Warrian’s voice was pained. “Not that Ultrima cares what my sister wants. He never did.” He stared at all of them accusingly. “You’re just aiding him in forcing her to mate with him.”
For a second, Rita thought she saw a hint of doubt on the life dragon’s face. Then it was gone, and all that was left was scorn. “You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel any better. But none of the rest of us believe it. Do we, Rita?” She stared at Rita, her eyes challenging.
Rita stared back, caught. Did she agree with the life dragon in any way? Sure, she had some issues with what Warrian had done, but neither she nor the life dragon had been there three hundred years ago. And everyone was telling a different story.
And it wasn’t her problem. She should have taken Warrian at his word and left when she’d had the chance. She could be halfway to finding his clan by now. That would’ve been better for the both of them, wouldn’t it?
But when Warrian suppressed a groan under her hand, all thoughts of being anywhere but here fled. “What does it matter what I think?” she said bitterly. “You manipulate everyone into saying and doing whatever you think, so my opinion is irrelevant. But I do know if you let Prince Warrian bleed out, his sister will most definitely never forgive Ultrima.”
That seemed to have an effect. The life dragon actually looked guilty for a moment, and then she banished the emotion. “The reporter is right. Bring Warrian inside so I can tend to him.” She rose and strode into the lair, not even looking to see if anyone was following her. Rita looked longingly at the tree line, but she couldn’t abandon Warrian now. And he was in no fit state to make a run for it.
His eyes had closed, but he grimaced in pain as the other Trima dragon picked him up and strode towards the cave. Warrian didn’t make a sound, but his face paled alarmingly. Rita hurried after them, all thoughts of escape gone.
As they entered the lair, her reporter’s brain mentally took note of every detail, so she could describe it later.
It could have been gloomy, it was a cave after all, but fairy lights criss-crossed the walls, lighting up the small space until it was almost cheery. Other than that, it was empty except for two dragons in human form guarding an entrance on one side. One of them came over to assist the Trima dragon carrying Warrian.
Behind them, a winding tunnel disappeared up into the mountain. It was lit with more fairy lights.
Apparently Trima dragons had a romantic streak. Who knew?
But while the familiar cataloguing task and the cheerful surroundings brought some measure of comfort, for the first time in her life, Rita really wasn’t focused on a news story, though in the back of her mind she knew this would be a good one.
Hailey had said they wouldn’t be hurt as long as they did what they were told. But Warrian had already been injured. Admittedly that was because they hadn’t done as they were told, and it was the police who had shot him besides, but Rita wasn’t inclined to be charitable at this point. Since Hailey was apparently mated to a Trima dragon, it was clear whose side she was on. Did she really believe Ultrima wouldn’t kill them both if it suited him?
Would she really have brought them here if she didn’t? Hailey had always been a bit idealistic, that was obviously why she’d joined the police. Rita just hoped that same idealism would prevent Hailey from leading her and Warrian to their deaths.
She had plenty of time to wonder as she trudged up the tunnel, glancing behind her every so often at the dragons who carried Warrian. It couldn’t have been a pleasant trip for him, but by the time they’d been walking for five minutes, Rita was wondering if they could swap places. The tunnel wound around and around inside the mountain, sometimes sloping gently while at other times so steeply steps were carved into the floor, until Rita was exhausted and breathless. The pace the dragon’s set wasn’t comfortable for a human at all.
Just when she was wondering if she was going to have to insist they stop so she could get her breath back, the tunnel levelled out, and they walked into a large room carved into the rock.
This cavern was far from empty. Dragons sat on cushions and blankets covering the rocky seats and outcroppings carved into the walls. Many, many dragons lounging around the room. There had to be at least twenty, maybe more. And all of them turned to stare at Rita and Warrian.
Rita couldn’t help feeling a little like a monkey on display at the zoo, except she couldn’t quite convince herself that the visitors didn’t all want to eat her.
She glanced over at Warrian. He was evaluating the room too, but his eyes held only hopelessness and pain.
She shouldn’t feel sorry for him, not after everything he’d done. But while he might have lied about his sister, he'd been nothing but a gentleman to her.
And her heart wasn’t interested in shoulds.
Chapter 8
Warrian gritted his teeth. His wound shouldn’t hurt this much. It was small, nowhere near the size of the injury a dragon’s claw would have made, and yet he couldn’
t block it out.
The indignity of being carried over a Trima dragon’s shoulder certainly wasn’t helping the pain, not to mention the fact that it jolted him with every step. He would have struggled and insisted he could walk, except he wasn’t sure he could.
That only made him feel worse.
Rita’s hand dropped onto his shoulder, and he instantly felt better. He shouldn’t have. His situation was no different. He was still wounded, helpless, and being carried deeper and deeper into his enemy’s lair, and goodness knows, he still had no reason to trust Rita at all, but suddenly his surroundings didn’t seem quite so dark.
“Put him down here.” The Trima life dragon’s voice was brisk and businesslike.
Warrian bit his lip to be sure he didn’t cry out in pain from the movement. A warrior prince certainly wouldn’t do that, no matter how injured he was.
But the dragon handling him was surprisingly gentle, and the surface he was lowered onto was unexpectedly soft.
Rita hovered at his side as the life dragon put her hands on his leg.
“I don’t need your healing,” Warrian snapped. It was an irrational response, and the life dragon completely ignored him, as befitted the foolishness of his remark.
Rita scowled. “Pigheaded dragon,” she muttered under her breath, and Warrian felt a strange urge to smile.
A tingle ran through his skin, causing it to twitch. “This may hurt a bit, but I have to get that bullet out before I can heal your injury.” The life dragon’s voice was cool and matter of fact, but she didn’t even pause in her work long enough for him to catch his breath. His skin spasmed under her touch, sending a ripple of pain up his leg. This time, Warrian failed to suppress a grunt of agony.
He was sure the life dragon had intended that.
Rita’s frown instantly disappeared, and she reached for his hand and squeezed it. Warrian wasn’t sure if it was for her comfort or his, but he certainly had no objections. In fact, he even squeezed it back, a little harder than he intended, as another spasm gripped his leg. Then another and another.
Just as Warrian was beginning to wonder if he could keep himself from crying out, he heard the plink of metal falling on rock. “There, that’s got it.” This time, satisfaction tinged the life dragon’s voice. She lifted up a tiny piece of metal to show him.
That was why it had been so painful. If Warrian hadn’t been concentrating so much on his pain, he might have realised the projectile was metal. Then he probably could have removed it himself with considerably less pain than the life dragon had caused.
The life dragon laid her hands over his leg again, and though Warrian tensed, expecting the healing to hurt, it didn’t. In fact, the pain he had been feeling faded away under a warm flush.
She’d healed him. The Trima life dragon had actually helped him.
Probably just so Ultrima wouldn’t feel bad when he killed him.
Warrian scowled, then grimaced at his own bitterness. Instead of letting himself wallow in self pity, he forced himself to say, “Thank you.”
He was rewarded by a slight widening of the Trima dragon’s eyes. But all she said was, “Don’t thank me too soon. Now that you’re well enough, it’s time to see Ultrima.”
Her words echoed his own concern, and the feeling of foreboding grew. If the Trima dragon felt he should be worried, then he was even more concerned. But he didn’t voice that. He just nodded. “I expected no less.”
Was that a hint of admiration in her eyes? Whether it was or not, it was enough to cause Warrian to force himself to sit up and straighten his back. “I am ready to see him, but...” He broke off, not sure if he should voice his thoughts or not. They were pointless. This was a Trima dragon. They all hated Rian clan. They would never actually help him.
But Rita wasn’t Rian clan. Surely that counted for something.
The Trima dragon raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
Warrian realised he was still holding Rita’s hand and made himself release it, although he did give it one more squeeze first. “I’m the one you want,” he said firmly. “Rita isn’t involved in this. Can’t you just let her return to her people outside?”
The Trima life dragon gave a short laugh. “She’s more involved in this than you know.” The amusement in the life dragon’s voice unsettled Warrian. It was as though she knew something he didn’t.
He didn’t have time to consider that though, because Rita immediately objected anyway. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Warrian’s discomfort intensified. “Why won’t you leave? We had a plan. You were going to fetch my clan to rescue me. Surely that makes more sense than remaining here,” he said into her mind.
Rita shifted on her feet, but held her ground. Her chin jutted out, and though she didn’t say anything, her resolve was clear. She had no intention of leaving him to face Ultrima alone.
The Trima dragon’s smile deepened, and for a moment, Warrian thought she was going to laugh at him outright. But all she said was, “Since the two of you are bound by the Mesmer bond, she will have to remain until the ritual is complete. As you are completely aware of this requirement, I can only assume you hoped she would bring a rescue. But Rian clan are trapped in their lair by the humans, just as we are. They are far too concerned about the humans’ opinion to mount a rescue right now.”
Her words brought Warrian the first information he’d heard about his clan since waking, and he lapped it up eagerly, despite it coming from his enemy. “What do you mean, trapped by the humans? What is going on?” Frustration laced his words, and his hands clenched into fists. There was so much he didn’t know, so much he needed to find out.
And instead he was trapped here, inside the Trima lair, completely at their mercy.
A fact only made more obvious by the Trima dragon’s reply. “That is not your concern right now. All you need to know is no one is coming to your rescue. Your only hope of survival lies in begging for Ultrima’s forgiveness.”
Warrian stared at her in disbelief. Begging for Ultrima’s forgiveness? Did she not understand that there was no way he would ever do that? No way he ever could?
It didn’t matter that he was at a complete disadvantage, that all the cards were in Ultrima’s hand. There was no other way out. Help wasn’t coming. Ultrima had no reason at all to look kindly upon him, and Warrian had no right to even hope he would.
Rita’s snort indicated she had a pretty good idea what Warrian was thinking, and the amused look the life dragon shot her indicated she probably did too.
Warrian ground his teeth. They were playing with him. All of them. Even Rita.
He’d never felt so lonely in his life.
He was trapped in his enemy’s lair with no help, no friends, and his family had no idea he was even in danger.
Warrian faced up to that fact and accepted it. This was out of his control. There was nothing he could do except hope for the best.
Even though he certainly didn’t deserve it.
Chapter 9
With Warrian walking this time, they passed through several more caverns, some with more dragons and some without, until Rita felt a breeze. Moments later, they stepped into one final cavern. This one was a little different from the others. One side was completely open to the sky. Rita itched to take a peek to see how high up they were and just to see the view, but a closer scene caught her attention and held it.
On one side of the cavern, almost hidden in the shadows, was a huge silver dragon.
Ultrima.
It had to be him. Rita was sure of it, even though she’d only seen him as a dragon in a bunch of faraway photos on social media, taken with crummy phone cameras. She wasn’t sure if this form was better or worse than his scary human one. The way his silver dragon eyes whirled as he stared at her made her feel judged.
And she was pretty sure she came up lacking, at least in Ultrima’s eyes.
“Well, well, well, this is an interesting turn of events.” Ultrima’s dragon voice was a purr in her hea
d. A satisfied and very unsettling purr.
Warrian’s face was stony. He stared straight ahead, not even reacting to Ultrima’s words, although Rita was sure he’d heard them.
Ultrima didn’t seem to care. He didn’t wait for a reaction. He stalked out of the shadows into the middle of the room, his huge bulk filling most of the space. His tail swished behind him, stirring up the sandy floor as he regarded them.
But his words, when he spoke into Rita’s head again, where curious and a little amused. “I would have expected you to have completed the Mesmer ritual long ago. Tell me, what is holding you back.”
It was Warrian he was staring at, but the prince didn’t respond. He didn’t even blink. Just stared straight ahead, ignoring Ultrima.
Rita winced. The Trima leader wasn’t going to like that. He’d probably get mad at Warrian. Madder than he already was. Why was Warrian provoking him?
Unable to bear it, she couldn’t help jumping in. “There was a sandstorm…” Her words trailed off as Ultrima’s huge dragon head swung around to stare at her instead. She swallowed and fell silent.
Ultrima turned back to Warrian. “You seem to have earned her devotion, so I’m going to assume you’re the one who is reluctant. Can you possibly still believe love makes you weak? That it prevents you from protecting your clan?” His words were taunting, and they finally earned a reaction from Warrian.
He glared at Ultrima. “Anything that becomes more important than your clan prevents you from protecting it.”
His words were certain, final, and they made Rita’s heart sink. She should have already known how Warrian felt. His actions had been clear enough, but hearing the words so definitively made them far more real.
She’d been a fool to even think he might be able to change. To think love might be able to change him. She gave a harsh laugh. Love was the last thing he was going to respond to.