Page 16 of Exquisite Monster
But they would grow lax. Humans always did. Dragons did too, but it took us longer. If I obeyed them and kept my head down they would think I was beaten—their arrogance was too strong to believe otherwise. Until this command was reversed or we could find a way around it.
I don’t, Sirrus said.Maybe a week? It feels like longer.
I cast my thoughts to Lena, wondering where she was and what she was doing. Not knowing was almost as bad as what they did to us, forcing our bodies to perform against our will. It was painful, but not as painful as they could make it. For the moment, I would be grateful.
I’ve been watching whenever I can,and I believe I could direct my wind down with my flames to do some damage. At the very least I could take down those who were in the cell with me. If we’re lucky, I could set something below on fire and create a distraction.
Not a bad idea.Not until we know how to actually break free of these.
The chains they had on us were too strong to break. If we had any leverage, perhaps we could force them open, but they were smarter than that.
I could slice through them,Sirrus insisted. Anger laced his words. Familiar desperation.
It felt like a reversal to be the calm one in a situation between the two of us. Perhaps it was the sheer exhaustion that felt welded to my soul. Still, I understood it.
We’re not ready. I wish we were.
Fuck. The single word shook with rage.I can’t?—
Sirrus. Endre sounded bad. Each time he spoke it felt worse.
A dragon’s magic would protect them as much as it could. And it would replenish us. With Endre’s power bound as it was, every time they dosed him it was harder to recover. I didn’t think it would kill him, but he was weak.
Remember when Lena came to us in the mating robes,he said, voice quiet.She looked like she was on fire, and the only thing any of us thought or felt was how we wanted to taste her and pleasure her, even though she had no idea what it meant.
A snarl echoed in the connection between our minds.What’s your point? I was just as angry then as I am now.
Rememberher.Endre said.Think about the way the gold looked on her skin. Or that scrap of silver we were able to pull her out of. Her laugh. The green of her eyes.
Why?
I was the one who answered.Because it’s the only thing we can do to keep going. We’re not ready. Don’t mistake my calmness for lack of anger, Sirrus. For Lena, we have to take our time. If we find a way around the command, try, and we’re not ready? We may never have another chance. So think about our mate.
His turmoil spilled through with a groan, but I also felt his acknowledgment that we were right.
Instead, I wanted to ask what I hadn’t been able to figure out.Where would he have taken her that he thinks she’s dead? Because if he only thinks it, and we know otherwise, he didn’t put a blade in her heart. He either assigned it to someone who failed, or did something he wassurewould finish the job for him.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside the cell. It seemed like we were underground. The walls that contained me were carved stone—not built. The floor too. We were in Craisos, likely Caelora. That was halfway across the continent from where we’d been, and we had no idea how long we’d been unconscious. Anything could have happened between Doro Eche and here.
I’ve been trying to figure it out. Endre let a burst of his own frustration through.It’s too much distance. Too many possibilities.
It might be to our advantage to find out what story he’s been telling Gleira. I’m sure he told King Rhole he intended to rescue Lena. By that same token, he might have sold the idea that the dragons really did kill her to stoke the tensions.
The hinges on the door squeaked as it opened, and the man inquestion strode into the cell. In this case, we didn’t have much to lose, and it wouldn’t take me much to feign devastation.Why don’t we just ask?
I glared at Andaros, locking eyes with him forcefully enough that he smirked. “Something to say, dragon?”
The muzzle made it difficult to speak, but I made a sound of assent. It wasn’t clear enough to be understood.
Andaros nodded to the guards with him, and they released the mask, my jaw aching as they pulled it free. “What did you do to her?” I snarled it at him, putting every bit of my pain and grief into the words.
“To who?” He asked lightly.
“MY MATE.” My roar shook the walls. “She’s gone, and I want to know what the fuck you did to her.”
Be careful, Z, Sirrus said.
“Why should I tell you?”
