The Dragon

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The jungle was a nightmare.

The air was thick and humid, almost like wading through water itself. Everything was overgrown and twisted and tangled. Vines hung from trees and grew into bushes and flowers, flowers that were bright red and menacing. The insects were terrible, buzzing and hissing everywhere. The birds overhead chirped and screeched as they watched us make our way through the trees.

Bait didn't struggle to keep up, because we were already going slow due to the state of the forest. He did, however, trip and stumble a lot. He would get caught on vines and branches, bump into me and almost knock me over. He wasn't exactly graceful, but I couldn't blame him with his leg like that.

In front of me, Six walked carefully with his eyes on everything around us from the tree tops to the bushes. Three was in front of him with Four on his back now.

We hiked through the woods, making our way as quickly as we could to where Three had seen the security breach.

"So you don't know the name of the guy who attacked Four?" I asked Six as we walked. Six shook his head.

"I never caught his name."

"His name is Mikhail," Bait said, making Six and I turn to look at him and he frowned, "He said his name several times. He liked it when Four said his name." Six looked at me.

"I think I was trying to block it out," he admitted, looking embarrassed, "I just... It was so loud. It lasted forever. The guy never stopped. He just..."

"You were scared," I said, making Six grimace, "It's okay. You couldn't have done anything for him anyway. He was in another cell and you were locked in yours... Ah, so who is this Mikhail?" I looked at Bait now, who cocked his head as if he were thinking about it.

"He must be one of the Mother's favorites," he replied, "Being allowed to spend as much time down in the dungeons with Four as he wants, and when he did bring people, they did exactly what he said at all times, so he has power over people to an extent." I frowned.

"He brought other people down there with him?" I asked. Bait stared at me and Six swallowed thickly, looking down at the ground as he hurried to keep up with Three, who was silent the entire time aside from grumbling under his breath about the terrain.

"Only two other people," Bait answered me emotionlessly, "I think their names were Eilon and Cyrus. They also helped Mikhail with the things he was doing to Four." I pressed my lips together firmly and glanced over at where Four dangled on Three's back, then back at Bait, who just watched me.

"Did it scare you?" I asked. Bait frowned.

"I've seen it happen before. It doesn't bother me."

"It doesn't bother you? That someone else is being...?"

"Like I said. It happens a lot," Bait replied, heading past me and following behind Three and I hurried to keep up, "Four isn't the first and he isn't going to be the last. He was just Mikhail's favorite. Has been for a long time."

"How do you mean?" I asked. Bait shrugged.

"Mikhail's been following Four around since he was a teenager. He's been trying to get in his pants for years, but Four kept shooting him down. Literally. He used to turn on Mikhail in the middle of training all the time. He's busted the guy's face open a couple times and sent him to urgent care a couple more. He's not Mikhail's fan," he explained. I grimaced at that. What did that mean? That Mikhail wanted revenge perhaps? Maybe he just wanted Four that badly? I couldn't say. I didn't want to say. I didn't want this situation to be happening right now. I didn't want to be here, and I had a feeling Four definitely did not want to be here. My heart broke for him, this person I'd never met before, this person I'd only heard stories about.