Page 2 of Marked Dragon

Ironically, I’d tried to save her and made a worse mess of things. Acid roiled in my stomach.

The guard in front of me with yellow eyes removed a collar from his back pocket. He lifted his arms to place it around my neck.

They were going to cage my dragon. That was probably why Vlad and Cassidy didn’t look well—there was no telling how long it had been since they’d shifted.

My dragon roared so loudly that my ears rang. I whimpered, “Please. No.”

“Aw, see,” Drake cooed, strolling toward me. His dark irises twinkled, and it wasn’t from the moonlight. “She’s going to behave, so that’s not needed.”

My skin crawled as he stroked my cheek, and I yearned for the jolt of the fated-mate connection with Thorn.

What’s wrong?Thorn asked, sensing my distress.

I had to learn to lock down my emotions, or Thorn would do something irrational. I could feel his urgent desire to come get me, and I didn’t need to fuel it.Eva’s upset, and Drake is disgusting.

Eva whimpered, and my vision spotted. I had to get us moving to the chateau. Maybe there, she’d settle down.

Drake tilted his head, watching me, and sneered, “You’re talking tohim, aren’t you?”

Refusing to cower in fear, I straightened my shoulders.

He chuckled, and a sinister smile spread across his face. “Perfect. Keep doing that.”

I gritted my teeth. I was giving him what he wanted—fear and disgust, two emotions that would make Thorn more desperate to reach me. I’d cowered and given in to my stepdad my entire life to stay close to my twin half siblings and fulfill my promise to my mother to protect them. But this unhealthy cycle ended now…starting with Drake.

Thorn, he’s toying with me to get you to come here without a solid plan.I had to keep Thorn from rushing in.You have to fight him strategically, not with anger and fear clouding your judgment.

Sort of like what you did,he bit back.

I flinched, a pang of regret shooting through my chest. My eyes burned, but I managed to swallow and hold my tears at bay.I thought I was doing the right thing. Saphira told me I could trust his word. If it had worked, I would’ve saved four people.

His regret wafted through.I’m sorry, babe. That wasn’t fair. Saphira still has her blinders on when it comes to the royal family. You can’t listen to her. Just knowing you’re there with him is driving me insane.

No, I deserve your anger. I was foolish, but I truly thought this was the best solution. The only good thing is that I’m with Eva.I always strove to be smart. That was why I had a perfect GPA despite the challenges of completing a premed degree. But my intelligence hadn’t stopped me from making a stupid decision. I’d trusted Drake’s word when I knew he was a bad person.

I had to focus on the two most important things I had influence over: getting Eva and me to the chateau and getting Thorn to stop and think. “Are we going to stand out here all night?”

Drake nodded. “Good point. It’ll be harder for him to reach you in the chateau with all our security measures.”

That hadn’t been my point, but whatever.

“Go,” Drake commanded again and shoved my sister in the back.

She stumbled and fell, barely able to hold out her hands in time to catch herself. Though she was eighteen and technically an adult, she was still very young.

I started toward her, but Drake clutched my shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going?”

My dragon roared, and my right hand fisted. I wanted to punch the prick in the face, but that would only make this situation more volatile and worse for Eva. “To help my sister.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “She can get up on her own. She may not be a dragon, but dammit, she will learn her place.” He turned to her and snarled, “Get on your feet and move.”

Eva’s shoulders shook with quiet sobs as she slowly climbed to her feet. Her eyes were bloodshot from tears, and I held out my hand to her. I said soothingly, as if she were a child, “Come on. We can walk together.”

Nodding, she hurried toward me.

Falkor arched a brow. He glanced at Drake and asked, “Sir?”

I growled, unable to hide my disdain as my dragon surged forward.

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