Page 1 of Marked Dragon

CHAPTERONE

Fear strangledme as my sister, Eva, sobbed while a gigantic six-and-a-half-foot burly guard hovered over her.

Her steel blue eyes glistened from the tears that streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto her heather-gray pajama top, which askedOMG aRe YoU a GIRL GaMeR?in purple lettering with a purple remote underneath it and matching purple plaid bottoms. Her long, dark brown hair was messy, and strands stuck to her wet face.

“Move your ass,now,” Falkor threatened. His cobalt eyes narrowed, and every muscle in his arm bulged as he pointed toward our new prison, the royal dragon chateau. He was bulkier than anyone here, and his every word dripped with malice. He and Ladon were Drake’s favored guards.

Drake’s onyx eyes were locked on me. More than seven feet tall, he towered over my five-foot-two-inch body. His white button-down shirt hugged his muscles, and his black trousers showed not one wrinkle, despite the time being nearly five in the morning. His brownish black hair remained perfectly styled in short, upward spikes, making him look every inch the regal prince he was. At one point, I’d found him handsome, but now, all I saw was the face of a monster.

Five guards I’d never seen before surrounded Saphira, my loyal friend, and Thorn’s parents, Vlad and Cassidy. Drake had instructed the guards to take them back to theirhiding spot, giving no indication of where that was.

He must have known I would tell Thorn—my fated mate.

Everly, what’s going on?Thorn connected, using our bond.I’m halfway there. I won’t be much longer.

I tried to swallow around the lump in my throat, but my mouth was so dry that it was impossible. I’d messed up by coming here. Okay,messed upwas an understatement.Fucked upwas way more accurate but still didn’t quite capture the awfulness of my decision. Drake had promised that, if I came within two hours of my phone call with Eva, he would let Eva, Saphira, and Thorn’s parents go. According to dragon law, a spoken agreement was binding, but apparently, since Drake was the dragon prince, his position superseded that.They’re taking Saphira and your parents back to their hiding spot, and Eva and me to the chateau.But that wasn’t the worst of it.Thorn…I’m so sorry. I should never have come here. I should’ve told you everything.

Yes, you should have,he replied.But I understand why you didn’t. I just need you to hold on until I get there.

You can’t come.My heart clenched.You’ll walk right into the trap, and there won’t be a way for any of us to escape.I wanted him here. I wanted to be in his arms again, but it wouldn’t happen if he didn’t think logically.

Ev,he connected, his turmoil building through our bond.

I’d never liked nicknames. Well, not since Mom died. Mom had called me her little da Vinci because I shared her love of painting, and because I’d sold more paintings during my high school years than many artists did in their entire life. After her death, I’d wanted to be called by my full name…untilhim.Thorn, I needyou, so we need to figure out a way to save us and for you not to die.

Saphira’s mocha eyes homed in on mine. “So you want us to head back—”

A low growl sounded, and a thick hand punched her in the face.

My friend’s head snapped back, and Ladon fisted her long, curly, dark brown hair at the base of her skull. Her bronze skin blanched, but otherwise, you wouldn’t have known she’d been affected since her face remained a mask of indifference.

“Don’t eventhinkabout hinting at where you’re located,” Ladon seethed, his ice-green irises colder. He was huge, only slightly smaller than Falkor in height. Both could easily be MMA fighters.

Vlad hissed and stepped forward. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” His cornflower-blue irises darkened in disgust, and his jaw twitched. Even though he was overly pale from being held captive for so long, his greasy hair plastered to his face, he wasn’t cowering.

No wonder Thorn was such a strong man. His role model, the man who’d saved him from death, was fearless.

The female guard, Jessie, grabbed the chain that connected Vlad’s Wolfram Dwinn collar to his handcuffs and yanked him back. She sneered as her short bleach-blonde bangs fell over her cinnamon-brown eyes and brushed the shaved section of her dark brown hair. “If you’re looking for a fight, I can handle you.”

“Why don’t you focus on getting us back to thehiding spot,” Cassidy said. “Then there won’t be an issue.” She rolled her shoulders as if trying to get comfortable. She looked worse off than the other two. Her dark golden-brown hair hung limply, her hazel-green eyes were sunken, and her splotchy tan skin made her appear sickly.

“She’s right. Take the three of them away. We need to focus on the abomination’s arrival.” Drake flicked his wrists.

Abomination. No wonder Thorn couldn’t stand the royal family. Between the king trying to have Thorn—his own son—killed, and his brother’s actions, I would hate their guts, too.

The guards took Saphira and Thorn’s parents away, and I took a step after them.

Clenching my hands, I tried to keep my breathing steady. “Saphira’s dad is your father’s advisor. Shouldn’t she come with us?” I wanted Saphira by my side. She was my friend and our best chance at strategizing a way out of this.

Four guards surrounded me, cutting me off, blocking my view of Saphira and Thorn’s parents as the other five guards led them away.

“Now, Everly…” Drake snickered. “She betrayed me. She was going to help my brother, the very person who desires to take my kingdom from me. That’s unacceptable and punishable by death.”

Death.

He planned to kill all three of them.

Eva gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze begging me to get her out of this.

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