Page 34 of Devil's Doom

“An upir, ah? Where do you work?”

“I fix boats, sir,” Lech says easily, his voice subservient.

I clench my teeth. This is news to me, but I don’t react and no one else does, either. The dragon turns to another guard, this one orange-and-yellow.

“Why don’t you ask the upir some questions? If he fixes boats, he should know a fair bit about what goes on by the river.”

The other dragon nods with a snort, waving Lech to follow him to another room. The upir squeezes Rada’s shoulder, his knuckles white, and lets go, his face frozen into a mask of indifference. Rada bites down a whimper, her hands shaking so badly, Dar starts to fuss through his sleep.

“Now, now, there’s no reason to be afraid, is there?” the dragon asks, his voice turning unctuous. He comes closer yet, glancing at the boy’s face. When he sees the scales, he huffs with amusement. “Come now. Tell me your name.”

“R-Rada.”

He strokes down her trembling cheek with his knuckle. Dar whines through his sleep. She holds him so tight now, as if she expects the guard to take him away. By her side, I stand utterly still. It takes everything in my might not to blast him into pieces, but I know I can’t. If I attack a guard openly, I won’t be the only one punished. They will raze the entire milk bar to the ground and slaughter everyone in here.

So I stay still and think frantically.Do something!my instincts scream.

Yes, but what? I can’t use magic. I can’t attack them. Can I offer myself in her place? No, because no one in their right mind will choose me over Rada.

There is nothing I can do, and it terrifies me.

“What a pretty name,” the dragon says, his voice tender in a way that makes me want to gag. It sounds so fake. “Just like you.”

A mamuna standing next to me sniffs, her hands clenching into fists. By the other wall, Zlotomira folds her arms on her chest, her naked breasts spilling over. Her voice is polite but firm.

“Sir, this isn’t that kind of establishment. If you need relief, go to the Wila Garden. She is a guest.”

The dragon doesn’t even look at her, more smoke curling out of his nostrils. He knows she won’t do anything. No one will. Dragons rule us all.

“Rada, why don’t you give the child to your friend there and come up to show me your room? We need to make sure no rebels hide under your bed.”

He grins again, his orange eyes twinkling with anticipation. Rada shakes her head jerkily.

“Th-thank you, b-but I’m sure your f-friends already checked.”

Even as she says this, she turns to me, her eyes wild with terror. I take Dar when she hands him to me, my teeth clenched so hard, they hurt. We exchange a single pain-filled look, and Rada turns toward the stairs.

My blood runs cold when the dragon puts a possessive hand on the small of her back. He looks very pleased with himself, throwing Zlotomira a triumphant look, and I can just imagine he thinks himself so generous.

He could rape her right here and make us all watch. What a kind man, to take his victim somewhere private.

I wish his dick fell off.

And suddenly, just like that, I know how to save her.

“Wait!” I shout, pressing Dar to my chest.

Sleep, I think, infusing my hands with just a little bit of magic so he doesn’t wake.Be calm. Let me do this.

The dragon turns to me, his nostrils flaring. “What?” he bites out, far less jovial than before.

My heart hammers wildly as I gather magic inside me, clearing my head, forcing my fear deep down. I need to do this right. Nothing else matters. Only that I focus. If I fail… No. I can’t think about it. Success is my only option.

“Sir, she’s too scared to tell you herself, but she has… She has…” I break off, pretending to be ashamed.Blush, I tell my cheeks.

“What?” the dragon asks again, taking one step closer. He grows taller, anger making him change shape.

“The rot, sir!” I exclaim, twisting my face into a mask of embarrassment. “She has the rot!”

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