Page 49 of Sunken Empire

“There’s much to discuss,” Aukai replies, “but I’m here to uphold my promise.”

The stunned expression on the fae’s face says it all, but then his lids drop low in warning as his lips curl back. “Is this a trick? Your father send you down here to see if I’d be stupid enough to attempt another escape?”

He spits on the ground at Aukai’s feet. “Leave, traitor, before I wake the dragon. You and I both know none of us want that.”

“It’s no trick,” Zale says, stepping around my shoulder.

If the fae’s eyes could’ve gotten any bigger, I’m sure they would’ve, but my brother doesn’t notice as he keeps going. “Our brother was bitten by one of the dark creatures. We need your help to save him.”

“I’m here to keep my oath and call in one of my favors,” Aukai adds.

“You brought them here?” the fae snarls, jerking against his restraints and rattling his chains again. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

A hot huff of air fills the cavern just as we all begin to realize the dragon is no longer sleeping. The entire floor threatens to crumble away as he begins to rise to his feet.

“Mother help us all,” the fae murmurs. “Get us out of these chains. We’ve got to get out of here before it’s too late.”

I’m tempted to tell him that we’ve already pushed that button as the dragon lets out a roar loud enough to have my head aching instantly.

Aukai jumps into motion, wrapping his hand around the anklet chaining the fae down. It releases with a click and drops to the floor with a rattle that echoes. Raising to his feet, he’s gone to turn when the fae sinks his fingernails into his arm.

“I’m not leaving him here,” he barks. “You want my help, then we take him too.”

Fear forces Aukai’s back rigid as he tells him, “We can’t. He may not even shift back.”

“Package deal, friend,” the fae quips.

Easton and Caelan have slowly inserted themselves between my brother and I and the threats in the room. I sense the few others we brought with us closing ranks as well. Intelligence is hidden in the deep pools of the dragon’s eyes, but whatever they’ve done to him down here makes that glass over real quick. He lets out another roar, giving us plenty of time to understand he’s done with the show. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d rather not be dragon food today.

“Aukai,” I command, “open the chains.”

Without hesitation, he jumps to obey my order. The fae waves his arms at the dragon like a mad man to draw his attention there instead of his friend running straight towards its leg that looks big enough to crush him against the stone wall.

There’s another clink and the sound of a chain hitting the floor. Just in time too, because the dragon had just opened his mouth to let out another roar or get himself a meal. Guess we’ll never know and that’s not a bad thing.

The dragon’s eyes roll back in his head until there’s nothing but white showing. Then he sways once before dropping into a heap on the floor. Immediately, he shifts down into human form. Unconscious but definitely less conspicuous.

Aukai moves to carry him, but the fae beats him to it. Heaving the dragon shifter over his shoulder like he weighs nothing proves all the old myths about the fae right. I could’ve sworn by the state he’s in that he’d barely be able to carry himself out of here. Let alone a body twice his size.

“We’ve got to hurry,” Aukai says, pulling up point again in front of everyone to lead us back. We’re what feels about halfway there when several of the doors screech open.

“Weapons!” I yell at the same time Aukai slams into me from the front. We both hit the cavern floor with a snarling beast on top of us. The only reason it wasn’t able to instantly bite our heads off is because my trident got lodged in his throat when I went to stab on my way down. It howls in fury and pain, but this is a matter of our lives or it. Using all my strength, I shove forward, digging the trident all the way in. It goes lack on the top of us, covering us both in black goo.

Grunts and groans around us say the rest are still fighting. The sight of these things is subpar to the stench, which seems to be getting worse as more of them die. Kicking the carcass off my lower half allows me to free myself and get back to my feet. Easton and Zale are running a sword and trident through another one of the creatures. All around us bodies are dropping and thankfully they’re none of ours.

“We’ve got to move before they let out more of them,” the fae barks. “We can’t take them all on.”

Doing a once over to make sure we’re still together, Aukai takes the lead again with the fae. I swear I can feel the tingling on my skin as we get closer to the portal. Never in my life have I ever been happier to know that I’ll be going through one.

We’re within a few steps when more doors open.

“Run!” Aukai barks. “Follow Dain! He’ll get you home!”

Then he dead stops and spins on his heel to face the creatures behind us.

“NOOO!” Zale yells as he’s forced forward by Caelan and Easton at his back.

They’re so distracted pushing him, they aren’t able to make a grab for me as I sidestep. The fae and dragon disappear first then my brother and our guards.

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