Page 112 of Her Tortured Beasts

“For once, we are of the same mind.”

At full, terrible speed, it only takes me one hour before the white eaves of Katerina Crocodylus’ house come into view.

So much fucking white. I will make it black today.

I announce my arrival with a furious roar. The crocodiles and alligators in the rivers surrounding the property look up before diving under the water for protection. Even so, I sweep low and spew fire above them.

Find her first, find her first, find her first, I remind myself.

Aurelia will have protected herself with her powerful Boneweaver magic, and what condition she’s in, I cannot even guess. She’s alive, that is the only guaranteed thing.

I land on the now-smouldering roof of the central building, lean down and grip a part of the roof in my mouth before wrenching it right off. It comes away with a terrible metallicshriek. I shrink into human form and jump down into the top floor. Everyone is scattering as I charge through them.

“Where is she!” I roar. “Where is Aurelia?”

Those of her servants who don’t run freeze in place like prey.

“You!” I cry, pointing to a young woman, staring with eyes wide, the whites visible all the way around. She has a port wine stain above her steel collar. “Poultry. Where is she?” She doesn’t answer, merely stares at me with a terror unique to prey in headlights. I take her by the shoulders and shake her. In a quieter voice, I say. “Tell me where she’s keeping the Boneweaver.”

She swallows. “Downstairs.”

“Show me,” I command.

I have to give her a little push to get going, but she ends up stumbling down one set of stairs and then another until we’re on the ground floor.

The rumble of engines sound out the front, followed by many car doors slamming. “Hold on,” I tell the girl.

Striding quickly, I open the front door on its useless modern swivel hinge and am met by a group of four crocs armed with rifles, cocked and ready.

They are resistant to most types of magic, because that is their order’s power, but I’m a motherfucking dragon.

With a flick of my wrists, their guns clatter to the floor. I lash out with my hands and four ropes of fire whip out of each one, securing around each of their necks. They grunt under the heat but don’t fall. I have to yank at the ropes to get them to tumble.

I curse under my breath because the fire isn’t burning through their skin. Rolling my eyes, I stride outside, dragging them with me. Fixing the four ropes under my bare foot, I push at the marble crocodile statue. It groans and grumbles in protest, but it eventually gives way and I roll it on top of the four ropes.

That should keep them from interfering for a while, at least.

Making sure the guns are out of their reach, I then run inside, where the chicken is waiting for me, hugging herself in fright. I follow her once again into a big room that’s supposed to be a throne room. Steam leaves my nose in a haze of black, but I frown when she leads me to a very ordinary-looking fish tank in the corner next to the throne.

“What is this?” I snap.

“It’s not a joke,” she says, finally finding her voice. She points to something in the tank. “She’s that one.”

With my heart pounding, I peer through the glass. She’s pointing to a starfish, a pale blue thing, as if leeched of all its colour. It only has four arms, its fifth is but a horrid stub.

Even without the tiny golden ring around its topmost limb, I would know that shade of sapphire in any lifetime. Even sickly and pale. Even if I were blind and powerless. Even with a severed bond, I would know her.

“Get me a container,” I command. “A small one with a lid.”

She runs off at full speed. Holding my breath, I reach into the tank. She twitches when I touch her, and it makes me want to destroy the entire house. But my hands are gentle as I lift her out of the water and behold her.

“You are safe now,” I whisper. “You are safe with me, Aurelia.”

I wonder if she will believe that.

The chicken comes back with a tupperware container. I take it from her and fill it with water from the tank before placing Aurelia inside of it.

Then I look around the room.

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