Page 59 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons
He’s looking at me the way he did at the dam.
‘Can’t get him to shut up now,’ he breathes.
The Commander’s surprised expression falls to me, and he finally seems to look at me properly, his eyes coming to rest on me for several long moments.
‘Why her?’ he finally asks. ‘She doesn’t look like much.’
For some reason, his assessment bothers me, but I push the feeling away. What do I care what this dragon man asshole thinks of me?
‘Maybe our dragons are just sick and tired of Aziel getting everything he wants,’ Brax mutters.
Drey snorts and then goes behind his desk, sinking down in his chair with a sigh. ‘You know what has to happen next, right?’
‘Yep,’ Brax says, and I frown.
What’s he going to decide?
‘So, what’s it to be, boss?’ Brax asks with a rueful grin. ‘Half our hoards? Hunting duty for the next decade?’
‘You two are my oldest friends and I love you both, but if you think that a token slap on the wrist is going to be enough to assuage Aziel and his allies after you’ve taken the Tribute out from under him, you’ve been under a rock for the past forty years. He’ll see this as a blow to his political machinations. He was planning to parade her around, show the other factions how we subjugate her kind at the meeting in a few months.’
‘But things are changing,’ Tor argues. ‘We need treaties with the humans if we want to survive.’
Dreythos snorts. ‘That’s true, but there’s another movement growing that would have every human in this world on their knees before us or burning. That’s what Aziel wants.’
I shiver at his words, but I stay quiet, listening to everything and committing it all to memory for later.
‘So, if the punishment is going to fit the crime, Drey, what’s it to be?’
Drey sits back in his chair and regards his two friends. ‘I’m sending you to the Borderlands. There’s been trouble there with rogues. Probably incited by another faction, but I can’t prove it. But regardless, the humans won’t trade with us anymore and there are dragons turning up dead.’
Brax’s jaw drops and my heart thuds. ‘But that’ll be weeks! I can’t just?—’
‘Both of you, Brax. With Tor’s dragon back, there won’t be any more skulking in the background.’
‘Drey.’ Brax’s tone turns almost pleading. ‘You can’t?—’
‘I can!’ Drey snarls and then lets out a sigh. ‘I have,’ he adds more quietly.
Tor’s fist comes down hard on the desk, making me jump though Drey’s lips twitch as if he’s fighting a smile.
‘You can’t do that, Drey. The Nesting Law?—’
‘Is a stretch,’ he interrupts. ‘While paramount in our species, it says nothing about humans at all, which could be argued both ways and you know it. I’m allowing it because your dragon has returned and that means something. Whether that has to do with the human or not remains to be seen. And Aziel doesn’t know the law well enough to make a case that the Tribute can’t be counted, but we both know that it always had more to do with begetting offspring than the safety of a female, which is what you’re using it for.’
Neither of the other two speak, but Tor’s fists clench and Brax’s playful demeanor has all but vanished.
‘Believe what you like,’ Brax finally grates out, ‘but Mari is ours.’
‘Mari,’ Drey says softly, looking at me for a moment before turning back to the others. ‘I’m not disputing your claims, Brax. And if any of the others question it, I’ll fight your corner. But you will both go to the Borderlands. You’ll untangle the problems, and you’ll get your heads on straight. Aziel knows he can’t win if he challenges me, but it’s only a matter of time until he tries something else. I’ll need you both with me when that happens. It’s only a few weeks. Your human will be safe here.’
‘The hell she will!’ Brax scoffs. ‘One of the human girls was just raped in front of you and you did nothing but tell Bron to do it elsewhere!’
Drey looks away. ‘What else could I do?’ he hisses. ‘Bron is one of his. The equilibrium we have is tenuous. If I had my way, the humans wouldn’t be here at all. We wouldn’t even interactwith them except through trade. But they are and we do. Aziel’s supporters grow while mine dwindle. If it keeps going this way, my claim to leadership of this faction will be moot. Aziel will have it by default, and then he’ll have me and anyone who follows me slain.’
He closes his tired eyes for a moment.
‘I will keep your human safe. You have my word.’
