“East is safer,” he responded.
“Why?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“Where are the resistance?”
“I’m not going to tell you.”
“Why not?” she asked.
He sighed, brushing his hands through his hair. “Because you would try something foolish, like try to escape to warn them, or blab all over the next town about trying to save them. Like you, I am not foolish.”
She wrinkled her nose. “So, this is what it comes to then? I’m to be your slave wife?”
He raised a brow. “Excuse me?”
“You don’t trust me to let me loose. You don’t trust me with where the resistance is, though Creator knows why you’d tell the Dragonia Empire and not me. Yet, you claim to love me, to want to be with me. I am not willing, but you have forced me to stay with you. I am your slave, but you want me to be with you. What is that? That is wrong.”
“Tell me you don’t have feelings for me.”
She opened her mouth, but closed it. They’d spent over eight months together when she was free. Although, all the while, Derkas had been searching for the traitor, unbeknownst to her. Still, feelings formed. Even with his hardheaded mindset, and chains to keep her from escaping, she’d be lying if she said there were no feelings at all.
“See? You can’t even say it.”
She let out a deep breath. “This is wrong, Derkas. Can’t you see that? You can’t keep me in chains forever. What about free will? Do you really want me to love you because I’m forced to? I would be a slave wife, and I would never be happy.”
“You won’t be in chains forever.”
“I shouldn’t be in chains now!”
“Those chains aren’t to keep you locked to me. Can’t you see, Zaviana? I’ve made a deal with the empire. Deals with the empire aren’t easy to make. The last time I made a deal with the empire … well, you remember. I turned in that traitor. And I received”—he gestured toward his dragon—“Chalce. She was just an egg at the time. But they never thought she’d hatch. Only red dragon eggs had hatched. They thought the blue ones were bad eggs. When they found out, they tried coming for me. They wanted to take the deal back. I refused, and no one who tried to take Chalce from me was successful.”
“What does that have to do with me?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Can’t you see, Zaviana? I gave up the resistance for you. If they march up to the resistance and find me there, the deal will be off, and they’ll come for you. They finally backed off me over Chalce because I did win her fair and square. But if they feel betrayed, they won’t rest until I’m dead and you’re back in prison. If we warn them, the same thing will happen. If you escape, you will be ‘fair game’ to them. They gave you to me and I lost you, so they would take you back and I wouldn’t have any more leverage to get you back.”
Zaviana gulped. “I understand your reasoning. But I don’t agree with it.”
Derkas pressed his lips tightly together. “I’m sorry, Zaviana. But I must keep you locked up until the resistance is destroyed. Then, the emperor’s blood-thirst will be quenched, and hopefully, if we’re lucky, his attention will be far away from you. But right now … I need to keep you safe.”
“I won’t run,” she said.
He shook his head. “I wish I could believe you, really, I do.”
She looked away from him, toward the smoke in the horizon. It had increased. A steady flow of thick black smoke flooded the sky.
“What is that smoke?” she asked.
Derkas glanced behind him and shrugged.
“That isn’t from a campfire, is it?”
Derkas didn’t move.
“Something is burning. It’s the Dragonia Empire, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know,” Derkas whispered.
“We should go see,” Zaviana said.
“We shouldn’t get involved.”
“Why do you love me?”
“Excuse me?” he asked.
“Clearly you don’t have the same morals as me. Clearly you don’t care about people as much as I do. I want to make sure everyone’s all right. Yet, you could care less. You are selfish, and I am selfless. Why, then, do you love me?”
He gritted his teeth. “I love you because you care … because you make me care.”
“Then care … Let’s go see what’s going on with that smoke.”
“Fine,” he said through clenched teeth.
4
Naveen shivered as she stepped out her door into the crisp winter air. The red sun peeked over the horizon, casting a pink glow in the sky in the east. It was cold already. The winter would only grow colder. A light layer of snow covered the ground. It had only just begun. Roosters crowed in the distance. Naveen would miss her village of Anius. However, she knew in her heart it was time to go.
There was nothing left for her in Anius. Her friend was gone, and her family had died years ago. It wasn’t like she had a husband, nor did she particularly want one. Besides, no one would understand her secret. She’d have a harder time hiding it if she had a husband. They’d call her a witch and hang her. She was better off alone. Yvanya had known. But she had kept silent. Even during her prosecution and hanging, she hadn’t said a word. She had protected Naveen, and what had Naveen done? Let her die? Not try to stop the hanging?
Naveen hung her head low, mentally kicking herself for all the things she’d failed to do to save her best friend. Though, what could she have truly done to save her? There were three dragonriders, which meant three hard-trained weapon masters, and three large dragons. She was nothing compared to them, even when considering her talent.
She brushed her auburn hair from her eyes as she strode to the center of the village. Everyone else was already awake and about. The dragonriders had left to who knows where. Probably to torment another village. Now, the villagers were left with the job of burying the dead.
Graves were being dug, and bodies were carried over to them. Naveen turned away when she saw her dead friend. Her eyes clenched shut. She couldn’t face her dead friend today. She could barely face the other villagers. Something had to change. Naveen planned to leave.
When she turned around, she nearly ran into Leland. Naveen smiled at him. He’d always been kind to her.
“Good morning, Leland.”
“Morning, Naveen. Are you leaving so soon?”
“I can’t be here. This … this is too much.”
“I know. It seems ... unjust in a way.”
“It is unjust. I knew all these people, and some I may not have known well, but others I did. They were not traitors.”
“Keep your voice down. This is no time to stir the pot. The Dragonia Empire is looking for any reason for a hanging lately,” he whispered.
“And why do you think that is?”
“I heard a rumor. Mind you, I don’t know if it’s true, but the rumor is the resistance won a battle,” he whispered.
“They actually won a battle against the empire?” Naveen gasped.
“As I said, I don’t know if it’s true. And if it is, I doubt the empire was prepared for the battle. Might have caught them by surprise.”
Her eyes gleamed. “Still, that is something.”
“No, Naveen.” He shook his head. “Don’t you be getting any wild ideas.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Too late.”
Naveen strode past him, into the center of the crowd. She glanced around and climbed to the top of one of the large dirt piles. Everyone turned to face her as she cleared her throat.
“Today is a sad day. We have lost loved ones and we have lost friends. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we know they were not the traitors they were made out to be.”
“Naveen,” Leland whispered to her through clenched teeth.
“No. I will not be silent. We knew these people. They were not traitors. They were friends. They were family. It seems clear to me the Dragonia Empire is attacking villages, hanging easy targets.
All to scare us.” She took a deep breath. “Why would they want to scare us?”
Everyone kept silent.
“Can’t you see? They’re scared. For the first time, the Dragonia Empire is scared. They are scared of the resistance. That’s why they’re trying to scare us from joining. Listen, I’m not a part of the resistance. I am not one they deem traitor. But, after seeing them slaughter innocents yesterday, I will not stay idly by for them to continuing killing whoever they choose. I am leaving. I will search for the resistance. I will join them. And somehow, we will stop the Dragonia Empire. Think about what side you’re on.”
A few people in the crowd nodded. Others looked at her with disgust or hatred. She didn’t care. She’d said what she needed to say. Who took the message to heart was on them.
Naveen clutched her satchel as she climbed down the pile of dirt to a separating crowd. Leland stomped over to her.
“You shouldn’t say such things. They may come for you next.”
“I don’t care.” She scowled. “Let them. I’m not going to live the rest of my life in fear that they may want to murder me one day for doing nothing wrong. I’m not going to hide. I’m going to do something to try and stop them. I cannot let the empire get away with slaughtering innocents. Will you join me?”
He shook his head. “I will not.”
She nodded in understanding. “Will you pray to the Creator for me?”
He nodded. “That, I can do. Honestly, I wish you the best. I hope you succeed.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Leland.”
Naveen turned around and made her way out of the village. She wasn’t alone.
5
Zaviana peered through the bushes at the village. It was small, as small as the village near the farm she’d grown up on. She glanced down at her hands. The chains were gone. Derkas put some trust in her. She wondered how long it would last. Still, he didn’t leave her out of his sight. He stood behind her, watching over her as if she were a child.
She stepped forward, out of the bushes, and walked toward the village. Several buildings had been burned, but they were no longer on fire. Some were charred, while others were ashes. People in the village dragged bodies across the ground to a cemetery. Fresh graves were being dug.
No one even noticed when Zaviana and Derkas blended into the crowd. A gloom filled the air. People were distraught. Zaviana had a suspicion of what happened the night before. She didn’t want her suspicions to be the truth, but once a woman climbed to the top of a dirt pile and began speaking, her fears were confirmed.
The people watched the speaker with interest. Some seemed angry, but many others were intrigued. Her speech was flawless. Zaviana had to give the woman credit. However, what she planned to do was dangerous. To seek the resistance was dangerous enough, but to openly seek them, that was signing your own death warrant. Zaviana knew if the resistance had spies in villages to recruit people, so would the empire.
Zaviana watched the crowd carefully, trying to locate who might be a spy for the empire. It was hard to focus, and Zaviana knew she didn’t have too much time. She stepped back, closed her eyes, and focused. An image of a single flame in an expanse of darkness came to her mind. She focused on it, trying to get it to grow. Zaviana could feel the energy all around her, the life-source of every living creature. Every single being had energy inside of them. The energy came from food, water, and sunlight. She could steal their energy, a power she’d discovered when she was a child. An ability she had told no one about except her brother. Yet, the empire had discovered her ability after she escaped from the dragonrider who’d captured her from her farm. The one that Derkas had found, and killed, in order to free her. She was indebted to him for that, but when she was traveling with Derkas, she had accidentally let her power slip in order to save the two of them. It was that moment of desperation that the empire—or rather, one of its spies—had seen. That’s when the empire came for her and stole her from Derkas.
She opened her eyes and began examining people. Their own energy was being used against them. Zaviana didn’t use much of their energy, only a little bit from each person. She absorbed it, then channeled it out through her eyesight to see what she wanted to see. Colorful hues surrounded each person. The woman giving her speech on the mound of dirt was outlined in a glowing green, as were dozens more who surrounded her. Some were blue, indifferent about her speech. Others were yellow, angry with her words, but otherwise innocent.
Then, she saw it. After the woman finished her speech, she climbed off the mound and talked to a man. He was a burly man, round and tall, with thick shoulders. He wore a black leather apron and his face was covered in soot. From all appearances, he seemed to be a blacksmith. His aura was different than the rest. He was outlined in red.
“We need to go. This is not a good place for us to be,” Derkas whispered.
She spun to face him. “No. There is a traitor here.”
“Yeah … that woman. The rest of her companions burned because of their beliefs. She’ll be next.”
“Everything she said is right. The empire must be stopped. If you’d get your head out of your behind, you’d see it too!”
“So, you’re not talking about the resistance. Wait, are you using your power again?”
She turned away.
“Don’t use your power. If someone finds out ... If they know what you can do … Please. I don’t want any more reason for the empire to come searching for you. We need to lay low for a while.”
“I am done hiding.”
His eyes widened. “Don’t say that.”
She slid through the crowd. Derkas stayed on her heels. The woman who gave the speech strode toward them. Zaviana froze as the woman walked in front of her, glancing to Zaviana for only an instant before continuing on her way out of the village. Zaviana watched as a hundred people from the village followed her. Some ran back into their homes to pack, others left with little more than the clothes on their backs. Zaviana could hardly believe her eyes. She hadn’t expected so many to follow the woman. No wonder the empire was so scared of the resistance. People were finally fed up.
Zaviana almost lost the blacksmith. He slipped through the crowd, not looking back. He had acted like a friend to the woman, but Zaviana saw his aura. He was working directly for the empire. She saw him slip into a small cottage. He wasn’t going back to work.
She stormed to the door of the cottage and focused again. The walls of the cottage became transparent as she focused. Her energy was fading. She’d have to siphon energy from the villagers again soon, or from plants. Inside, the man sat at a desk, a parchment in front of him and a quill in his hand. Zaviana clenched her teeth as she focused on him. Her vision zoomed in so she could make out his letter.
Village of Anius
Leland, Blacksmith
Naveen, a local seamstress, has taken hard the loss of her friend, one of the traitors of the empire. She has rallied many to her cause. They leave, south, searching for the resistance.
Zaviana’s fingernails dug into her palms. She broke down the door, depleting the rest of her energy. The door glowed green for an instant as it shattered inward. Derkas cursed behind her. She didn’t care. The man jumped from his desk, a dagger unsheathed from his boot.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“The question is … what are you doing?”
“Nothing. I’m tired after last night’s events.” He stepped in front of his desk, his body hiding the parchment.
“You are going to betray that woman. You’ve probably known her all her life, and you’re going to betray her. Why?”
“I don’t know wha—”
Derkas stepped next to her, a scimitar in his hand.
“What are you going to do?”
“Give me the parchment.”
He shook his head. “No.”
Zaviana’s teeth clenched. She focused her power again, but she didn’t have enough energy. The blacksmith was full of energy. Her hands quivered as
she sucked energy from him to use. His entire body shook. Wrinkles formed on his face.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked in a shaky voice.
“Why are you betraying her?” she repeated.
“She’s a traitor!” he yelled. “She doesn’t deserve life. The emperor won’t tolerate traitors.”
“So you work directly for the emperor?”
“I ... I ...”
Her fingernails dug so far into her palms that her hands began to bleed. She lost control of her power. The blacksmith cried out as the rest of his life source left him. He shriveled as he took his last breath, falling to the floor. She didn’t stop. His body deteriorated until all his flesh was gone. Derkas touched her shoulder. She jerked, but released her mental hold. Her hands relaxed as she spun to face the mercenary.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She glanced to the blacksmith crumbled on the ground. He was no longer flesh. All that remained were his bones inside loose clothing. She hadn’t known she could do that. No wonder the emperor had wanted her so much. She needed to control her anger.
“Sorry. I lost control.”
“I can see that. I hope you never get that mad at me.”
She smirked. “Don’t give me a reason to.”
“So, you’re really serious about helping this resistance?”
She walked over to the desk, grabbed the parchment, held it over the candle on the desk, then dropped it back on the desk. It burned. Several other parchments on the desk caught fire. Zaviana didn’t care. She walked toward the shattered door of the cottage.
She glanced back to Derkas and smiled. “Yes. You’re not planning on getting in my way, are you?”
He shook his head.
6
Naveen rubbed her hands against her arms. She wore thick cotton to protect her from the winter winds, but it was growing colder with each passing day. It wasn’t going to get any better as they traveled south.
They entered the next village south. Anaiah seemed to be in as much disarray as her village. Smoke rose from several burnt buildings. Villagers worked together to bring dead men and women to a graveyard. Naveen saw the bruised necks. Her eyes clenched shut. They’d had their friends and family hung as well.
Dragonia- Dragonia Empire series Box Set Page 21