Dragons' Future: Her Royal Dragon Pack by Alex Lidell

Author:Alex Lidell [Lidell, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Kit

Ishudder at the deep grieving pain that pierces my mating bond and know at once what’s happened. My next thought is the impossibility of it. Ettienne is Ettienne. He is many things—ruthless, powerful, manipulating. But dead? Killed by the priests of Orion’s poison? That’s… I shake my head as if I can erase the truth and the fear. If the priests can get to Ettienne, they can do anything. I didn’t quite believe that until this moment, but now the reality is too vivid to deny.

The eggs shake, either from fear of their own or because they sense my distress. I curl up around them, guarding them with my body. I can’t bring myself to lie and tell them that all is well.

The trap door through which the priests had dragged out Cyril and Ettienne is locked shut. So is the door we’d entered through. I’ve tried both. If there is another entrance to the chamber, I’ve been unable to find it. I’ve no chance of reaching the skylight.

I’ve had to be careful about how I walk through the circular chamber. Every time I step too close to the broken pieces of the crate, the eggs howl in fear. I can’t bring myself to even pretend to be rebuilding their prison. Which leaves me out of options entirely.

Lying with the eggs I stroke them lightly, which they seem to find soothing. Then I sing the lullaby. I hope they can’t tell that I’m singing through tears. Hours pass. The day turns to night, the constellation of a dragon’s flight shimmering through the skylight. Then the night fades toward dawn and thirst twists my belly, keeping company with the fear and grief. At one point I feel a new flavor of agony through the bond and know they’ve started hurting Cyril.

Tavias, I call into the void. Tavias where are you? What happened to you?

Stars, the pack should have been here by now. That they aren’t means… means they can’t. They are alive but something has happened to them. Something terrible.

The sun is bright in the sky when the door opens and Emric walks in, a bowl in his hand. For a moment I think that he’s brought me drinking water, but then I smell the truth.

The priest takes in my utter lack of progress, and sighs with disappointment. "Stalling does no one any good, little dame. Fortunately, I have time to wait. Your lover on the other hand… Well, I think time is passing more slowly for him. Here, let me show you what he’s been doing while we all wait on you.”

Emric drops the bowl down by my feet, and I really don’t want to look inside. But I know I have to.

I lose what little I have left in my belly when I see the red soup-like substance inside, with blue scales floating in coagulated blood.

A roar rises inside my soul and I launch myself at Emric.

The tattoo on my back grips me, burning through my back until I collapse to the floor in a heap of whimpers.

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