A sly smile grows on his face. “Are you starting to get it now?”
“I’ve always gotten it, Ray,” I retort. “I just don’t believe in it.”
“Ugh, you are making it so hard to have you killed,” he mutters in my ear as I try to pull away.
He’s starting to freak me out.
“Go on, then. Say the word; let me die for a cause that is going to bite you on the ass.”
He finally drops my arm, stepping away with his hands behind his back. Thula slithers into the middle, knocking Marco back as he tries to crawl towards me.
“Yes, please say the word,” Thula begs, his body shivering in anticipation. “We are so hungry.”
The usually calm Wyrm seems to have been taken over by the instinct to hunt. Its eyes are bulging out of its head and saliva pours out of its mouth like a small river. Their bloodlust must be strong now that I’m ripe.
“No.” Ray digs in his pocket and throws me a syringe.
I stumble to catch it, staring in amazement at the blue liquid inside. It’s serum. The whispers start gnawing at the back of my head, so I pop the cap off before Marco can stop me and inject myself.
“Stop doing that!” my boyfriend scolds, throwing the syringe into the wall of Wyrms. “You don’t know what’s in it!”
“Serum, that’s what,” I groan as the thick liquid travels painfully through my body.
“You don’t know that.”
“She will,” Ray interjects as the Wyrms rage around him. “It’s an instinct. Those who have serum failure gravitate towards the serum. Violet is the same when she is saner.”
Violet has serum failure too? I guess it would make sense seeing how she has a mixture of all the elements. If water is most likely to fail then she would have had a smaller dose of that too. It never occurred to me to think about what the others are going through back home.
“How do you know about the girl?” Thula growls, lashing its tail wildly.
“Cameras.” Ray rolls his eyes, as if tired of having to explain himself. “I have them everywhere. I saw your little deal with the others. I am declaring it null and void.”
Thula looks shocked before regaining its composure. “Then we will feast on the girls and return to Aria!” it screams, making the Wyrms cheer around it.
Marco and I press against each other as Asteroid drops Braith into the fray. My friend quickly crawls away from the wall of Wyrms as they turn to snap at her.
“No, you will not. I want them alive,” the blond boy says coolly, running a hand through his hair. “They still have uses.”
“Like what?” Thula demands. “If we can’t side with them, we may as well eat them!”
“I said no. You have no power here, Thula. I’ve only given you the illusion of having it.”
The green Wyrm hisses as the blond boy goes past but fails to notice the armoured dragons forming a circle in the sky. As one, the dragons release a flurry of elements at Thula, burying it under a thick cloud of dust. The Wyrms gasp around us, recoiling at the attack on their beloved leader. As the smoke clears, Thula lies broken and bloody on the ground. Its spine is bent at an awkward angle, while teeth and scales lay scattered around it.
“If you do not want to end up like Thula then I suggest you follow my orders,” Ray addresses the crowd of Wyrms, who duck their heads obediently in his presence. “The only way to expose the traitor is in front of the enemy. That steals a noble death from them.”
The Wyrms cheer at Ray’s speech while Thula twitches on the ground, still alive. Its red eyes dart up to me accusingly, but this soon fades to tiredness. It must have tried to usurp Ray behind his back.
“Ray!” Wes calls, hobbling out of the warehouse on his bandaged foot. “The Wyrms tried to eat me!”
“Did they now?” Ray asks, clearly showing his lack of interest.
“Yes! Remind them that I’m spared!” he says, leaning on Asteroid for support as they hobble in front of their leader.
Ray looks Wes up and down, staring at his bandages. Blood is starting to seep through, and Wes is looking paler than usual. He must be more hurt than he’s letting on. My former friend’s face drops as Ray remains silent.
“Put them all in the back of the truck.” He ignores his faithful follower to address one of the Wyrms. “I want to parade them in front of the city before we go back to Aria.”
“That seems like a waste of time,” the Wyrm tilts its head to one side. “Why not just take them straight back?”
Ray narrows his eyes at the Wyrm’s attempt to influence him. “I want to prove to the citizens that we are capable of following up our word. The Anthropomorphic is attracted to Hazel’s beacon: we can lure it and kill it.”
The Wyrm grins. “I see; a good plan. Far better than leading it back to camp. I apologise for speaking out of line.”
Ray flicks his wrist and the Wyrms descend on us, herding us like sheep. Even Wes is forced to hobble alongside us, his face expressing his heartbreak. He looked up to Ray, and now the person he sacrificed everything for has betrayed him.
“Let me help you,” I suggest, dropping back so he can lean against me for support.
For once he doesn’t argue. “I can’t…why would he…”
“I’m sorry, Wes. I really am. But we all knew this was coming.”
“He said I was spared,” he continues, ignoring me. “They took a chunk out of me and he doesn’t even care!”
By the fluttering of his eyelids I can tell he’s about to collapse. “Hold on, Wes. Once we get to the city, we’ll get you some help.”
“Not if they eat me first.” He scowls at the line of Wyrms marching us out of the town. “Why not just finish me off now, huh?”
“Don’t test us, child!” a Wyrm screeches, stepping out of line to hiss at us. “We’ll feast on you when we deem it necessary.”
“Or when Ray lets you!” Wes snaps back, making the Wyrm curl its lips back in a hiss.
“Taunting them won’t get us anywhere,” I warn him, but he sticks his nose up in the air.
This is exactly what I didn’t want, but we have no choice. Aria is the only way forward now. At least there I can take the fight back to them instead of being hunted like a fox by hounds.
* * *
The truck jerks to the left to avoid some sort of obstacle, so we cling to the ceiling to stay in our seats. The dragons at our feet dig their claws into the shaven wood to get a grip so they don’t tumble into us from the side. Aqueous lies obediently at my feet, his turquoise eyes locked on Asteroid. The armoured dragon does her best to ignore him, but I can tell from her constant fidgeting that she’s uncomfortable.
Thula groans in pain beside Damayanti, coughing up another mouthful of blood. “Why not…” it starts, but gets cut off by its own rasping breath. “Why not…”
“Why not give it a rest?” Braith snaps as the truck goes back on flat terrain. “Manipulating us won’t get you anywhere.”
The windows are blacked out and we have no idea what route Ray is taking. Our only source of light is Drea’s tail, which is glowing brightly in the darkness. We can barely see each other, let alone our surroundings. All I know is that I’m sat on an uncomfortable old leather seat with no seatbelt and a handle on the roof that I can cling to. They obviously don’t want us to get too comfortable.
“What do we do now?” Marco sighs, his face mostly obscured by darkness. “We can’t go back to the city, or Aria.”
“What you do is you shut up and listen to Ray,” Wes barks, hissing in pain as he tries to sit up straighter. “He knows what he’s doing.”
“Seriously?” Braith fumes, letting go of her handle momentarily to throw her arms up in exasperation. “The man wants you dead and you’re still defending him?”
“He doesn’t want me dead.”
“Then why are you back here with us instead of sucking his dick up front?”
My old friend rolls his eyes. “I have not missed having you in camp. It’s so much quiete
r without your constant whining.”
The girl sighs and presses her head against her arms. “Insulting us won’t make you his best bud again, you know.”
“I bet this is one of his plans. To make you think I’m on your side – ever think about that?”
“Could you be any further up that man’s ass? Fucking hell, get a life.”
“I hate you. I’ll be cheering when the Wyrms eat you.”
“Woah-” I try to interrupt but the arguing just gets louder.
“And I’ll be fucking laughing when they eat you right next to me.”
“I am spared!” Wes fumes, rattling his handle. “I will not die with you!”
Thula chuckles, his body rising and falling slightly with the effort. “Foolish child. You were never going to be spared.”
“Shut up!” I can hear the panic in Wes’ voice. “Ray kills traitors, he won’t kill me! I’m not a traitor!”
“You have serum pumping in your veins, child. Serum that my kind needs to help Ray with his plans.”
“Stop talking to him,” I warn the crumpled Wyrm, but it just rolls its eyes in return. “Not like you can do much eating anyway. You’re now as low on the food chain as we are.”
Thula tries to glare at me, but it can’t concentrate on my face. “My plan has backfired. But I will get my revenge.”
“Whatever. You’re just a bag of bones now,” Braith scoffs.
I mull this over during a few seconds of blissful silence. Ray knows where we are now, and after last time I doubt he’ll let me leave his sight. Plus, I don’t know if he’s taking any Aislados or Wyverns back to camp as well; he won’t let them all go free. All we can do now is play along until a chance to escape crops up. I scan the floor quickly and lower my face so Wes or Thula can’t see me smirk.
Bluey.
Either they have forgotten, or they don’t care, but the blue-footed dragon isn’t here. I hope he wasn’t killed in the battle. If he’s alive, I’ll bet anything that he’s tracking the truck right now, biding his time. Luckily no-one notices my elation as the truck stops abruptly. The doors swing open, blinding us all with a bright light until Ray steps into view.
“Chop, chop. I have a speech to make. You do not want to miss it.” He grins as Wyrms board the truck and herd us out.
“Like we have much of a choice,” I hear Braith sigh as she hops out.
Once my eyes have adjusted to the sunlight my breath catches in my throat at the sight in front of me. The usually empty streets of the city are filled with people celebrating. The roads are lined with stalls and tables as people mill around buying goods or having something to eat. Upon noticing us chained up outside the truck many people cheer, raising a glass to our misfortune. I’m also surprised to see a few Wyrms socialising with the citizens, wearing collars with the Cindaraan symbol on. I guess without their dragons around, people have swapped them with Wyrms. I don’t know which is worse to think about.
As Ray marvels at the festivities, I ask: “Where are their dragons?”
“Hm?” He looks around. “Oh, yes. The Wyrms made the citizens part with them for now.”
“Why?”
“They’re needed for serum. Or did you forget that the one thing that keeps you alive has dragon blood as a major ingredient?”
I swallow back my rage. “You’re farming them.”
“The Wyrms want them around just for the serum. Be lucky I found them a purpose, or they would have been slaughtered on the spot.”
“People can’t be okay with this!”
“They do not have to be; the Wyrms can make them think they are.”
Before I can ask him any more questions he stalks off, taking the lead of our ragtag parade. Wes hobbles to attempt to walk by his side, but his chains are yanked back by Braith, who sneers at him.
“You’re one of us now. Don’t want you stepping out of line, do we?”
Braith ducks her head guiltily when I glare at her. We’re all in the same situation; there’s no need for hostilities and fighting within our group. Wes isn’t stupid; he will see what Ray is at some point, but I’m afraid that the realisation may crush him.
“Citizens!” Ray halts to address the crowd, the Wyrms forming a blockade around us. “I have captured the escapees!” He pauses as the crowd cheers. “They will be returned to Aria soon enough, where they will be watched constantly to avoid another escape attempt.”
“Won’t stop us from trying,” Braith declares next to me.
“Please, continue your celebrations, I will march the prisoners through the streets for you all to see!”
With his speech over, the Wyrms nudge us forward once more, and we’re made to lumber along behind Ray as the crowd boos at us. Food and drinks are thrown at us from afar, landing harmlessly at our feet. Every face around me shows a deep hatred that I never thought possible. Ray and the Wyrms have done a number on these people; they despise us despite us not doing anything to them.
My heart thumps in my chest as more and more people gather to throw things at us. Something strikes Wes on the shoulder. He screams back at the crowd, but they ignore him under the racket.
“What now?” Marco catches up to Braith and me, managing to stretch his chains far enough to walk beside us.
“I don’t know,” I admit with a shrug. “What can we do?”
“We can’t give up!”
“I’m not saying give up,” I reprimand him as a plastic cup flies past my face. “But we need to consider our options here, and we currently have zero.”
“We’ve escaped him before, and we can do it again,” Braith puffs her chest out. “We always find a way; sometimes it just takes a while.”
“Ray!” Wes screams, ratting his chains towards us. “They’re plotting against you! Punish them!”
“That little fucker,” Braith growls as the parade halts.
“I’m so glad that Ray decided to leave him with us,” Marco sighs sarcastically.
“What is it, Wes?” Ray storms down from the front, his arms linked behind his back.
“They’re trying to plot against you!” Wes announces, pointing at us like a child telling on its peers.
The blond boy rolls his eyes. “Of course they are. I expect nothing less. I think you would be wiser joining them with their plans than reporting to me.”
Wes’ eyes widen under his glasses. “Oh, I get it! I can spy for you, no problem!”
Ray rolls his blue eyes and shakes his head. “Do whatever you like, Wes.” He dismisses the boy by turning on his heels and jogging back to the front, restarting the parade.
“No-one likes a tattle, Wes,” Braith huffs. “Not even the people you’re trying to tattle to.”
“Shut up.” Wes curls his lip. “Ray wants me to go undercover, so I will.”
“The whole point of being undercover is that you’re not supposed to tell us,” Marco points out. “You’re not doing a very good job. That’s why even Ray is sick of you.”
“He isn’t sick of me!” Wes stomps his feet like a toddler. “I am his most loyal follower!”
“Can someone shut him up, for the love of God?” Braith calls out to the Wyrms, but they ignore her. “Fucking hell, how does he have the energy after getting his leg bitten off?”
“I think they gave him serum.” Marco motions to the boy’s feet. “You don’t stop limping a few hours after getting a chunk bitten out of your leg.”
Watching Wes walk, I realise he’s right. He isn’t limping anymore under his heavy armour; his wound doesn’t seem to be hurting him as much as it was previously.
“Can it work that fast?” I wonder aloud.
“If they gave him a high enough dose, I don’t see why not.”
“I wish they hadn’t.” Braith grinds her teeth as Wes tries calling out to Ray again. “You shoulda just left him behind, Hazy.”
“I couldn’t do that,” I answer with an irritated sigh.
“No-one would have blamed you.”
“I would
have blamed myself. I’m not cruel, I wasn’t going to leave him to get eaten by Wyrms.”
“It’s clearly what Ray wanted all along. Just goes to show that you can’t trust him as far as you can throw ’im.”
I nod silently in agreement. I don’t trust Ray, but that doesn’t mean I could leave Wes to die. He hasn’t treated us well, but he’s still one of us. A misguided boy who has been injected with a serum he didn’t want. We can’t just turn on ourselves now. As I think it, I realise how stupid that sounds coming from me. After all, I did fight Sadie before the Wyrms killed her. She was one of us as well, but I still took Ray up on his offer to throw a few punches at her.
While I still think she deserved the fight, I don’t think it was necessary to have her slaughtered.
The newly evolved Wyrms flank us as well as the normal ones, distinguishable by their glowing green eyes. They look around like young children seeing something for the first time, their faces alive with childlike awe. Every one of us gives them a new power that they want; it’s foolish to believe that they’d spare some over the others. Today has just proven that none of us are safe.
33
Chapter Thirty-Three
“The Anthropomorphic has been spotted a few miles south of the city,” a Wyrm slithers into the room to report, blinking its new eyes as it adjusts to the unnatural light.
“Excellent.” Ray shoots up to his feet, looking out of the only window in the room. “Once it gets within a mile let me know, then we’ll execute the plan.”
The Wyrm ducks its head obediently, snaking backwards out of the room and letting the door slam behind it. Ray continues looking out the bleak window, the horizon blocked by the ugly skyscrapers of the city.
“Let me guess; I’m the damsel in distress?” I spit, trying to get comfortable in my seat with my hands chained to my back.
“Very clever,” Ray praises, sliding in the seat opposite me. “You are going to be our bait.”
“Not like I have a choice.” I rattle the chains around my hands.
“Just so you do not try anything,” he says, drumming his fingers on the cool metal table. “I know that you are desperate to escape.”
Glass and Ice (Elemental Dragons Book 3) Page 24