Page 7 of The Dragon King's Curse
Upon reaching the bottom step of the platform, the guards threw Miranda and I to our knees. I sucked in a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm. Showing fear would only give them more power over me.
The king sighed, as if he tired of such displays. Like this was all a total bore to him. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for us to rise.
“Stand up,” he commanded. “Let us have a good look at you.”
Together we rose. I hated the way their gazes felt upon me, like they poked and prodded me with their stares. What were they looking for?
“Tell me, princess, what makes the daughter of the Elf King decide to abandon her royal post and become a warrior for the people?” Atlas leaned forward in his chair, lips pressed together.
Hoping my voice didn’t quiver, I said, “I didn’t abandon my post, Your Highness. I followed my calling. It was my choice to join those who fight to protect my realm.”
Atlas nodded, tilting his head to one side as he appraised me. “I see. I suppose that’s respectable. What did your father think of such a decision? I imagine he would rather have marriedyou off to some powerful ruler. Someone able to help protect your lands and people.”
This line of questioning felt incredibly invasive. No doubt, Atlas only wanted to learn more about my father and his intentions. I had nothing to say to him.
“I don’t believe that is any business of yours. What does my personal life and my father’s opinion matter?”
The moment the words left my lips, the guard standing closest to me hit me hard across the back of my legs with his club. My knees buckled, and I fell to the floor with a gasp.
Atlas sat back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “I see why you chose to abandon your post as princess. You have a rebellious streak. Such an attitude is punishable here. Perhaps your father would allow such talk, but in my kingdom, you will respect me. Otherwise, I would be happy to allow my son to teach you some respect.”
I glanced up to find Lyre grinning at his father’s words. His sinister smile revealed a gold tooth. A fanged tooth on the top. The presence of fangs in his mouth told me that he was more than likely a shapeshifter. Something predatory and dangerous. A wolf I’d guess.
Atlas continued, unperturbed by my silence. “Tell me, princess, has your father allied with any of the other realms?”
He had not. Alliances between the realms had always been fragile and often ended in betrayal.
“My father does not speak of such things to me. I’m sorry. I cannot answer your question.” That was a complete lie. My mother and father often discussed such things with me. If Atlas thought I would spill my family’s secrets simply because I was his prisoner, he was sorely mistaken.
“Why don’t you give me some time alone with her, father?” Lyre smirked, winking when he caught my eye. “I’m sure I can coax some answers from her.”
Atlas raised a hand, shaking his head. “We’ll give her some time to sit in the prison and think about whether or not she would like to share what she knows. I have a feeling she’s not exactly forthcoming.” To me he added, “Your father will soon learn that I have you. When he sends his best people to retrieve you, it will leave your land vulnerable. Open to attack. Should he be foolish enough to come himself, he will never leave my realm alive.”
“What about her companion? She’s one of the elf warriors. Maybe some torture will loosen her tongue.” Lyre nodded to Miranda who stood silently beside me.
Miranda paled at his words. Even though I knew she would happily accept torture on my behalf, I would never allow that to happen.
“In good time, son. Princess, should you refuse to share information about your lands and your father with me, I will gladly give you to Lyre to do with as he wishes. He’s not known for being gentle or kind. I suggest you think hard about how you would like to proceed. Is there anything you would like to share before you return to the prison?”
Doing my best to avoid making eye contact with Lyre, who gleefully grinned in my direction, I shook my head. “I’m afraid there is nothing I can tell you.”
“So be it then. We’ll revisit this conversation when you’ve had some time to consider your choices.” The king waved us away, and the guards promptly manhandled us from the room.
It hadn’t been much of a conversation. Clearly, the king wasn’t interested in our presence unless we offered him something he could use against my father. No matter how long he made me sit in that prison, I would not tell him a damn thing.
We arrived back at the dank, depressing prison. The guards slid open the barred wall and shoved us through the opening. As they did so, one of the vampires sprang forward.In his grasp, he held a bone from the pig that he’d managed to break into a pointed end.
Slashing wildly with the makeshift weapon, he plunged the sharp bone into the face of one of the guards. Blood spurted from his wound. The vampire made as if to swing again. Another guard had already grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back until there was an audible snap.
“That will be the last mistake you make here.” The injured guard dragged the vampire from the cell as another guard slid the door closed.
Together they held the vampire down. One of them used a paralyzing magick to shock him, like a lightning bolt, making his spine bend unnaturally. Like the elves, the fae shared earth and elemental magicks but also possessed magicks unique to each individual. The injured guard pulled a dagger from his belt, stabbing it into the vampire’s heart. Then he was ashes.
“Let that be a lesson to the rest of you,” snapped the injured guard. “There will be no mercy for any prisoner who assaults a guard. There is only death.”
Miranda and I returned to our place against the wall. I didn’t doubt that the king would have me killed as well if I proved of no use to him. As Miranda finally fell into a fitful slumber beside me, I toyed with the idea of feeding the fae king lies about my father and my homeland.
The time would soon come when I would have to give him something or risk the wrath of Lyre Rein.
