Page 37 of The Ruby Dragon Prince
Even though we’d run in different directions, Tovey leading the farmers to safety and me distracting the guards to enable him to do so, I continued to feel my feisty omega through our bond. I could feel the excitement in his heart as his part of the chase continued, and I could feel when he’d given himself up in order to save the farmers, though the exact reason for the mix of emotions that came from him wasn’t clear at first.
Disposing of the guards who had chased after me was simple. A few agile turns and sprints down narrow alleys, not to mention a hint of magic, and I had them so confused that they would likely spend the rest of the day wandering the streets, trying to find their way back to the market square.
By the time I was finished with the guards, Tovey had already been caught. I hurried back through the town, following our bond, to find him at a house that must have belonged to anobleman or a prosperous merchant. I could have barged in and snatched him away from his father and Lord Groswick, but for once I thought things through before acting.
Causing a scene would cause immense trouble for Tovey and his brothers. Waiting and following as Lord Groswick took Tovey out of the city gave me the perfect opportunity to rescue my amazing omega in perfect style.
“Dragon!”
The groom likely couldn’t see the vicious grin that spread across my dragon’s muzzle as I swooped and soared in the air, mostly showing off. His call did precisely what I hoped it would do. Lord Groswick stumbled out of his carriage to investigate, and Tovey scrambled out after him.
“Idiot!” Lord Groswick shouted at his groom. Then, instead of shouting at him some more or beating him, which he looked like he wanted to do, he glanced up and saw me.
I roared, blowing fire toward the men on the ground as I twisted in the air, then zoomed straight toward them. I was much too far away for my fire to come anywhere close to them, but it was enough to have Lord Groswick, his groom, and his driver screaming and cowering. The bastard Groswick even dove under the carriage.
If not for the horses that were fastened to the carriage, I would have lunged for the vehicle, grasping it in my claws and tearing it away to expose the nasty coward. The horses were innocent, though, and I didn’t want to risk accidentally hurting Tovey in my efforts to teach Groswick a lesson.
Tovey was the only one on the ground who wasn’t trembling with fear. “Rufus!” he shouted, awe and delight painting his face.
I sent a burst of pride and fun toward him through our bond, winking one large dragon eye as I did. Tovey returned the feelings with amusement and gratitude.
He did more than that. As the others panicked and did their best to hide, he rushed forward. I did a few more swoops, diving close to the carriage, which moved and rolled as the horses danced and startled, exposing Lord Groswick again, then landed several yards away.
“You came,” Tovey gasped as he ran toward me. “You found me and you rescued me.”
He reached me and threw his arms around my neck, which was at its thickest, since I’d made myself as large as possible for full effect, and rested his cheek against my scales.
“Did you doubt me?” I asked him in my low, rumbling, dragon voice.
“No,” Tovey said, leaning back and smiling at me. He blushed and went on with, “Well, perhaps for a moment. I’ve never been able to rely on anyone to come rescue me before.”
Those words pierced my heart and made me angry at men like Lord Groswick and King Freslik all over again. It was a great injustice that my Tovey and his brothers had been treated so badly in their young lives.
No more. Tovey would never lack for a champion to come to his defense ever again.
“Climb on,” I told him, lowering one shoulder so that he could step up onto my back. “And hold on tight.”
Tovey laughed and muscled his way onto me so that he could sit astride my shoulders, his arms wrapped around my neck. “I’ve never ridden a dragon before,” he said breathlessly.
I laughed heatedly as I ascended slowly into the air. “Next time you’re in heat, I’ll lie on my back and you can ride me until we’re both soaring.”
Tovey laughed as well, then gasped as I sped up my ascent. I used just a touch of magic to keep him fastened to me so that when I wheeled back to roar and spit fire at Lord Groswick again, he stayed firmly in place.
I could feel Tovey’s heart beat in time with mine, both of us filled with a sense of triumph and justice, as I turned then dove for Lord Groswick once more. The driver had attempted to settle the horses while Tovey and I had been talking, but instead of accomplishing that, he’d climbed back into the seat, the groom joining him, and the two of them had let the horses run freely, carrying the carriage away as fast as they could run.
Lord Groswick tried to run after them, calling out, “You curs! Come back! I order you to come back!”
I dove down to block him from running, letting a jet of fire nearly singe him. Groswick screamed, then backpedaled, falling over. He scrambled to get away, turning to his hands and knees and crawling for a few paces before standing and running again.
“I’ve always wanted to see him crawl,” Tovey laughed from my back.
“Whatever you desire, my love,” I said, then swooped low again, pushing Groswick back to his hands and knees.
Groswick crawled, shaking and weeping as he did. “Go away!” he shouted. “Leave me alone! I’ve done nothing wrong!”
“You’ve attempted to steal a dragon’s mate,” I bellowed at him as I swished around to land in front of him.
Groswick screamed and wheeled back. The front of his breeches were wet and an awful smell emanated from him. “You can have the bloody omega! I don’t want him anyhow. He’s a whore.”
