Page 50 of Dragon Unhinged

You have to hold on. Brianna’s got a friend who can help.I know my words don’t mean much, without anything to back them up, but I don’t think I could bear it if Ewan and Kayden don’t live through this. I may not know much about either of them, either of their stories, but I feel as though we’re bonded. Spending this long in a dungeon with other shifters suffering the same fates, they’re as close to me as my brothers and my sister, the family I haven’t seen for months. Haven’t been able to contact. Haven’t even been able to tell if more of my family has died by the hand of Grey and his thralled victims.

You’re projecting your fear again, dragon.Ewan’s voice sounds almost bored, but I can sense the underlying irritation.Besides, why should your mate, or any of her friends for that matter, care about a bear and a wolf they aren’t mated to? Why do you think she’s going to do anything to get us out, when you’re the one she cares for?

I sigh, considering just ignoring them both and focusing on perfecting my drawings before Brianna comes home.

Fuck that. I doubt I can do anything more to these drawings, and there’s no way I could possibly get to the ones carved into my skin, and I’m not about to let Ewan disparage my mate.She brought you food. She offers to bring you creature comforts.Why on earth would you believe she wouldn’t want you to be freed as well?

Kayden’s snort surprises me.What’s to say your mate isn’t just down here to keep your morale up? I’m sure as a rare beast, you bring in the crowds for your battles. And having something to fight for keeps you winning in the ring. This could just be a ruse, something to make you believe you have a chance of freedom again.

I want to argue with him, to deny his claims. My dragon wants to break free of his chains and rip both Ewan and Kayden to shreds, to deny that my Brianna could be involved in anything so nefarious. But I’ve studied enough tactics of war to know that his words could hold a grain of truth.

I don’t know if Brianna is truly mine. I don’t know if my heartstone would light up if she wears it. I don’t know if she would betray her family, turn away from everyone she knows, to be with a dragon she’s just met.

She wants to help us all.

I try to project my conviction, my faith in her, but I don’t know if it comes across at all well.

With a sigh, I lay down and try to distract myself, waiting for the chance to see her again.

I don’t knowhow long I manage to sleep before a blaring alarm wakes me and a jolt of electricity burns through my side.

“Get up, dragon. We have something special for you tonight.” One of the guards barks, throwing a threadbare towel at me.

Great. Another fight. Another night of risking my life and taking another. I don’t deserve Brianna for all the life I’ve taken.Even the ones I’ve taken for their sake. It’s an unforgivable offense. Even my family will probably disown me.

“Fuck off.” I snarl it, and I am rewarded with another, stronger jolt of electricity.

That takes the last of the fight out of me for now. I don’t want to be too weak the next time I see Brianna.

With a groan, I stand, doing my best to remain upright as my nervous system twitches and my muscles contract against the electrocution. I won’t give these men the satisfaction of seeing my pain. Of seeing any weakness on my part.

“Don’t you want to know what we’ve got planned?” He’s grinning, and my dragon aches to burst free from my skin and turn him into ribbons of blood and sinew.

“Would it matter? I doubt you’d tell me, even if I cared. I know the rules. Fight, kill, and repeat, assuming I survive.” I trudge toward the shower they’ve rigged up for us, something reminiscent of old high school locker rooms in movies and see Ewan already soaping up.

It’s not just me, then.

No sign of Kayden, though.

“Tonight, we’re doing something a little different.” The guard grins again, and the malice in his tone makes me beyond uneasy. “The two of you are going to put on a show of strength and power. A sort of exhibition.”

I don’t know whether I should be relieved or worried. None of this sounds like a good idea, and whoever’s got me, whatever they intend for me to do, it sounds like I won’t get to see Brianna tonight.

I hope it doesn’t mean they intend to sell us off to some other monster, where I might not see Brianna ever again.

If I get taken from here, I don’t know if she or her friend will be able to find me, let alone rescue me.

“Shower, dragon. You have ten minutes.”

Ewan gives me a look, and then projects,What fresh hell is this?

I don’t know. But if they’re giving us ten minutes to shower, they must think it’s important for us to look clean, cared for. I don’t like it at all.

He frowns, his concern for what’s coming seemingly just as strong as mine.

Is your mate here? I don’t suppose it’s too much to hope that she could spare us from this new fate.Ewan turns away from me, looking back down the hallway where our cells are.And what will happen to the bear, if we’re taken from here tonight?

I’ve been worrying about Kayden’s wounds more and more, and the longer he remains injured, the longer I fear he won’t heal at all. I close my eyes as I stand under the hot water, letting the spray rinse off the first layer of dirt, and focus on connecting with Brianna.

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