Prisoner (Dragon Shifter Book 5)

by Naomi Sparks

  "Faith didn't tell us," Lex says, drawing Saphira's attention back to him. I notice he doesn't volunteer who had told us through. No doubt, he doesn't want his mate to draw the ire of our captive dragon.

  Saphira glares at Lex as if her look alone can compel him to give her the information she wants. Why does it matter who told us? What difference does it make when we already know?

  "It's true then," Lex says. His voice is low and strained. I can feel the anger radiating off him, and I hope his self-control is as good as ever. He is my friend, my brother. I don't want to have to fight him.

  "If she didn't tell you, then who did?" Saphira asks, clearly still stuck on the subject. Her dark eyes are narrowed and her chin is up, suggesting anger and pride. I still can't quite figure out why it matters so much to her, but it does. And since it's Lex's mate, I'm not going to volunteer the information. If Lex wants her to know, he'll tell her.

  I'm treading a thin line here already.

  I glance over at Hannah to see how she's holding up. She stands tall and strong, her back straight, her eyes fixed on Saphira. She might only be a human with some witch blood in her veins, but she's no coward. I've always respected her strength. Even with a dragon bound in front of her, she doesn't so much as flinch. Then again, with Lex standing right beside her, I doubt there's much she fears!

  Saphira's eyes fixate on Hannah as if she knows Hannah was the one to spill the beans. Maybe she does know. We don't know what Saphira's powers are. She'd mentioned thinking she shielded the information from Faith, so perhaps she has a form of telepathy. Probably not as strong as Faith's, but it might be enough for her to get a read on Hannah.

  Either that or she's just observant. I notice everyone else glancing Hannah's way, and if Saphira noticed that it wouldn't be difficult for her to put two and two together.

  "Fine, it was me. What of it?" Hannah spits out, glaring at the bound woman. Hannah crosses her arms in front of her chest, refusing to back down, refusing to be cowed. I'm starting to wonder if her bravery borders on foolishness...

  "Then, you saw us together." Saphira grins now, showing off all of her teeth. She looks around at the rest of us, then bursts out laughing. "You saw the two of us together. In the future."

  I curse under my breath. Of course, Amasis's daughter knows what Hannah's powers entail. Amasis always seems to have more information than we gave him credit for, and of course he would share that information with his daughter. Females aren't held in the highest regard by most dragons, including Amasis, but of course, he would make an exception for his own daughter. It's why she was out fighting as a warrior, rather than locked up in the breeding pens with the rest of the females of our kind.

  "That means you won't be keeping me prisoner for very long," Saphira continues, still grinning. "So why not give me up now? You could undo these bonds, and I'd simply fly off."

  Galen snorts. He doesn't believe she'll just fly off and leave us alone if we released her. I do though. It isn't that I trust her, but I've seen she's aware of just how outmatched she is here. And she isn't suicidal. She knows if she tries to fight us, she'll lose and probably die in the process. No, if we release her, it's safer for her to rush back to Amasis and get reinforcements. Perhaps bring the full might of the Council down upon what remains of the Fae encampment.

  And we can't let that happen. As much as I feel for Saphira and don't like seeing her tied up like an animal, I can't risk letting her go free. There's too much at stake. Besides, I don't like the idea of her returning to Amasis in any capacity.

  "Why, so you can lead your father and his men right back to us?" Lex asks sarcastically. Apparently he and I are thinking along the same wavelength. "What guarantee would we have that letting you leave wouldn't come back to bite us in the ass?"

  Okay, so maybe not.

  I look over at him and glare, but he isn't paying any attention to me. He's in negotiation mode now, trying to see just what he can get out of Saphira.

  Saphira shrugs and grins at him. "What do you want?" For someone who seemed so keen on giving us the silent treatment earlier, she now seems perfectly willing to talk. Is she trying to lead us into some kind of trap? Or is she now confident she'll be able to get out of here and get back to her father? Before, she probably didn't have any reason to believe we wouldn't kill her once we got the information we wanted out of her.

  It's what Amasis would do. She doesn't know that we're different or she doesn't understand.

  "Where did your father take the Fae?" Lex asks, leaning forward. "Depending on how much you cooperate, I might be willing to let you leave."

  "No," I say, stepping forward. I move to stand between Lex and Saphira, glaring at him. I'm not sure why I'd suddenly sprung into the middle of this, but I can't stop myself. "Faith already got the location of Amasis's compound from Saphira's mind. We are not going to let her go. She will not return to the Clutch. Ever."

  I stand there glaring at Lex for a long moment. No one else speaks. They all just stare at me and probably think I've lost my mind, but I don't care. I'm not going to let Lex bargain with Saphira, not going to let him send her back to those monsters. I can only imagine the pain and torture she's gone through over the years. I imagine what Amasis has done to her to brainwash her to being on his side. I know she has been brainwashed. How else is she able to look at all the women being held captive, and forced to breed with whomever Amasis decides, and not rebel against him?

  When Lex doesn't say anything right away, I push through the group of them and walk off. Anger wells up inside me at the thought of Saphira returning to be another one of Amasis's pawns. She deserves better than that. Our kind has so few women, so few children. She deserves freedom, the chance to explore the world and live her life.

  Sure, holding her prisoner probably isn't helping, but neither would sending her back to be abused by her monster of a father. And I know that's exactly what will happen if she returns. Amasis won't just be happy to have his daughter back. He'll be angry that she got herself captured in the first place. He'll wonder how she got away from us, and if he finds out she gave us information, he might well kill her right then and there.

  He isn't known for being forgiving.

  I don't realize just how far I've walked until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to find Lex standing there, the other guys a few paces behind him. We're a good bit away from the little corner we'd set up camp in, and the girls aren't anywhere in sight. "What was that about?" Lex asks. His voice is calmer than I expected. There's no trace of anger — just confusion.

  I let out a sigh and shrug. What the hell was that about? I wonder to myself. "I don't know," I say, locking eyes with him, showing him I'm telling the truth. "It's just... I feel drawn to her. I can't imagine the hell she's been through with Amasis. Just because she's his daughter doesn't mean he's been a doting papa. I don't want to send her back to that. You know as well as I do what Amasis will do to her if he finds out she helped us, even if it was just so save herself. He'll be angry."

  Lex nods, frowning as he thinks over everything I said. He spent more time with Amasis than almost anyone. Lex knows what the man is capable of. He knows how Amasis treats women of our kind. "What do you mean you're drawn to her?" he finally asks.

  Again, I shrug. I turn away from Lex and pace, trying to work through all the thoughts going through my mind. "I don't know. I... I think she's approaching her mating cycle. But it's been so long since I've been around a dragoness, I don't know if it's just that or something else...."

  "Maybe she's your mate," Ezra says with a grin. Then, he shrugs. "I think she's close to her mating cycle too, but I don't feel the same attraction that you're describing."

  I scoff at his suggestion that Saphira is my mate, but deep down, I can't help but wonder if he's right. If it was just the approach of her mating cycle, then he should be feeling the same thing. The others wouldn't since they already have their mates. But if Ezra didn't feel the innate attraction to her that I did, the
n maybe he was right.

  I didn't want to accept it, though. Sure, I feel bad for Saphira. I don't want her or anyone forced to suffer under Amasis's thumb. But that didn't mean I want her to be my mate. She fought against us, tried to kill us. God only knows how many of the Fae she's responsible for killing or bringing back to Amasis. How could a woman like that be my mate?

  Lex walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder to keep me still. He looks into my eyes, and I can see compassion there. Lex isn't like Amasis. He doesn't lead the Fire Riders with an iron fist, refusing to accept anyone else's input. He understands we are all in this together, that we're all on the same side. "Look, I don't know if she's your mate or not. If she is, then we'll figure it out together. But for right now, her job is to help us fight against Amasis. We can't let him keep doing whatever he wants. We have to stop him. And if she can help us do that, then we need to use her, okay?"

  I let out a sigh and nod. I don't like what Lex's saying, but I know it's the truth. Defeating Amasis needs to be our priority now. I don't like the idea of using Saphira as leverage, but if it stops Amasis, then it's the best choice.

  Amasis has killed too many people already. I can't let him kill anyone else, even if it means I lose my mate in the process.

  Lex and the others guide me back to the camp. I don't say anything. What is there to say? My heart is heavy in my chest, beating slow and steady. And as Lex helps guide me back to my tent, I can't even bring myself to look at Saphira.

  All I can think is that she deserves better than this.

  3

  Saphira

  The camp has gone quiet. The Fire Riders and their mates have all retreated to their tents. Even from my spot by the fire, I can hear them snoring away. Most of the Fae are gone too, hidden in their little shacks. My strength is beginning to return. I can feel it welling up deep inside me. It's not all there yet, but my dragon calls to me now and aches to be set free.

  Most of my physical wounds have already healed up, so I don't need to shift to recover. And shifting won't help me get my strength back. I need to get away from here and find some real sustenance. I can smell the gold nearby, stashed in one of the tents. I doubt I'll be able to get near any of it. As I breathe in deep, I feel enough strength to take my true form. If I can do that, then I can get far enough away to find my own gold to recharge myself.

  Closing my eyes, I extend my senses. There are still people awake and moving around in the camp, but only a handful, and none of them are near me. I grin, standing slowly and quietly. My legs are loosely bound, making it hard to move, but taking careful steps, I'm able to slip away from the fire. I use the shadows to hide, slowly making my way toward the edge of the camp.

  Thankfully, the Fae like to keep to themselves, near the edge of the encampment, which makes it easy enough to slip out into the darkness of the desert. Once I'm out there, I find a rock outcropping and hunker down behind it, taking deep breaths. I've done it. I've gotten free from them. Now I just need to get these bonds off and shift, and I can get out of here.

  Hands first, I decide. I consider just shifting to shatter the bonds all at once, but I know that takes more energy than I can expend right now. I'll need every bit of strength to get away from here as quickly as possible. Instead, I focus on the fire burning inside me, call it up to the surface. Once it's right there, I focus, then breathe out onto the ropes.

  The runes etched onto the rope glow bright against the fire. They resist it, making me force out more fire, stronger, more intense. I can feel the strength leaving me, and I wonder if I'll be able to break the enchantments binding me. Then, the runes shatter, and the ropes disintegrate. I fight back the urge to let out a whoop of happiness as I rub my raw wrists.

  I remain quiet, fearing to wake the dragons sleeping nearby. I'm so close, there is no way I will risk getting captured again so easily. Instead, I focus on breaking the bonds at my feet. I don't use the dragonfire this time. I just grasp them with my hands and pull, my muscles straining as the runes flare up again.

  It takes a minute before these runes shatter, but then I'm free. I stand up and stretch. My entire body is tight from being bound for so long, and it feels heavenly to be free. Now, it's time to get back to Father.

  I put some more distance between myself and the camp before shifting. I close my eyes and call out to my dragon. It's there, deep inside me. Still weak, but it responds instantly, clawing its way to the surface.

  In moments, I'm free. My dragon takes control as power surges through me. I'm back, I think to myself. I'm finally back. Resisting the urge to let out a roar, fighting back the need to storm to the camp and take my revenge, I push my energy into my legs, then spring up high into the sky. My wings snap out, the obsidian scales glistening in the moonlight, the air catching beneath me.

  Putting all of my strength into my wings now, I feel the drain on my reserves. I need to recharge, soon. But as I soar through the air, I relief washes over me. After hearing the witch's vision of me returning to Father, I could get away from those bastards. Unintentionally, she had given me the hope I needed to escape.

  And now I'm free, with the cool night air rushing around me. For a moment, I just close my eyes and enjoy the sensation of flying. This is the best part of being a dragon. Up here, nothing can touch me, and nothing truly matters. It's just me and nature.

  When I open my eyes again, it seems a bit darker, which is odd. Now that I'm shifted, it should be lighter, easier to see by just the moon and the stars. When I look up above me, the moon and stars are gone. In their place is blackness, pure blackness, casting a shadow over everything. Maybe if I hadn't been so exhausted, I would've realized sooner what was going on. But by the time I do, it's too late.

  The darkness crashes into me. The weight of a large creature latches on to my body, pushing me down. No matter how hard I try to fight against it, it's too big and strong. Even if I wasn't weakened, I doubt I could've fought it off. Only moments later the immense dragon forces me to ground. I try to land gently, but it's no use, and I crash down against the hard desert floor.

  I let out a roar and shake my body, trying to dislodge my attacker. If I can get him off me, I might be able to get back up into the sky and away from him. He's larger, but that means he's slower. My smaller, more agile form might be able to get away from him up there. But the harder I thrash, the harder he holds on. Then, he lashes forward, his jaw clamping down on my neck.

  I roar again, the sound seeming to echo on forever in the darkness around me. He tightens his jaws around my neck, and I go still. With his size and strength, it won't take much for him to snap my neck or collapse my windpipe. He's using just enough pressure that I know he's realized that as well. He's trying to force me to submit to him without killing me. For a moment, a shiver goes through my body, and it takes a second to realize the effect his bite has on me until I force those thoughts from my mind. This is not the time for the mating lust to rear its head!

  Change back! The voice is deep and firm, echoing in my mind. My entire body freezes in place as I realize I hadn't heard those words out loud. He'd spoken them in my mind.

  No! I shout back, but no matter how many times I repeat the word, I don't get the sense he heard me. I struggle against him a little bit more, and his grip tightens around my neck.

  Change. Back.

  His words leave no room for argument. And I don't have a choice either. Reluctantly, I pull at my dragon, trying to coax it back inside. It fights against me, not wanting to go back so quickly. It's free, damn it, and it doesn't want to be caged. It wants to shake this dragon off, to soar high in the sky again. But no matter how badly the two of us want that, it's not going to happen.

  Eventually, I push it back down inside and revert to my human form. The large dragon releases me from his grip and looks down at me for a moment. I back away, my heart racing, wondering what it'll do next. In this form, it can kill me in an instant. It would be a quick, painless death, at least, but it doesn't come.


  Instead, the dragon rears back for a moment, then begins to shrink. In the blink of an eye, he's gone, leaving a human standing a few feet away from me. I don't need to see every detail to know who it is. Bren. Of course, it would be Bren. Who else would be watching me in the middle of the night? The bastard never seems to take his eyes off me.

  He walks closer to me, then stops only a few steps away, watching me. He doesn't speak right away, just stares. Then, he asks, "did you hear me?"

  "Duh," I say immediately, rolling my eyes. If I hadn't heard him, why would I have reverted to my human form?

  Bren seems confused about this. He scratches his head as he watches me for a long moment. I wish I could tell what he is thinking since he just watches me. Both of us standing there, naked in the desert is driving me crazy. "Normally, I can't communicate, mind to mind, unless we have a rapport. You're practically a stranger, and yet I've been able to speak to you. Interesting."

  It may have been interesting to him, but it wasn't to me. I didn't like the idea of him being able to get into my head so easily. Years of working with Amasis has taught me to close my mind against others. Certain people, like Faith, can bypass most of my barriers, but those people are supposed to be rare, which is why Father is so adamant about getting his little pet back. If Bren can get in so easily, what does that mean?

  I glare at Bren with anger and fear warring inside me. "You know I'm going to kill you the first chance I get, right?"

  Bren just shrugs. My threat doesn't bother him in the least. Maybe he doesn't think I'm serious.

  i want to lunge at him and kill him right now. But I don't have the strength. I also want to shift and take to the sky and hope I can outrun him. Again, I don't think I have the strength. Shifting once took a lot of it out of me, and I'm not confident I could retake my dragon form right now.