I'm The Dragon King's Slave

Chapter Eight: Alone In The Dark

    After ripping my collar off, Celeste shoves me out of Alarik's quarters.
    "Let's see how you do without your precious Master's collar to protect you." She grins as she closes the door, "With that bare neck of yours, you're fair game for anyone who crosses your path. Good luck. I think you'll find dragons have quite... imaginative appetites."
    "No–" I run back to the door, but Celeste slams it in my face. Searching desperately, I dive behind a heavy curtain. Maybe if I just wait here for the night, I'll– But several dragons crack their doors open and step out into the hall, searching for the source of all the noise. Nope. Can't stay here. Before anyone gets a closer look at me, I sprint down another corridor.

    I pad carefully down the dark, silent hallways, trying not to make any noise. I have no idea where I am anymore. I pass an open room where a dragon dines on a cow's heart. I pass another doing– I think I'm going to be sick. Before anyone notices me, I take off down a flight of stairs... and slam into someone at full speed. Jumping back, I hold up my fists.
    "Touch me and I'll kill you." I say quickly.
    "Please don't!" The voice that answers is soft and weak, trembling in terror. As my eyes ajust to the low light, I discover a girl, no older than me, shaking and shuffling away from me. She's missing her collar too. The girl's too-thin body is riddled with bruises and bitemarks. She doubles over with the pain of the venom cursing through her.
    "It hurts." She sobs, "It hurts so much." Oh my god.
    "Listen you need to try to be quiet." I whisper.
    "There's no point." She cries, "Quiet or loud, they always find us." Sharp laughter cuts through the corridor and my heart leaps in my throat.
    "Where'd our little mouse go? Running off in such a hurry?"
    "Our feelings are hurt. You'll have to make it up to us." Before the dragons can round the corner, I know who they are. The same dragons who tried to kidnap me. The two goons that tortured Theo at the hunt. I try to drag the wounded girl into a hiding spot behind a suit of armor on display.
    "Leave me." She gasps, "Save yourself."
    "Not a chance." I pull with all my might, knocking a spear from the suit of armor. The clatter is deafening. The dragons round the corner, their eyes widening at the sight of me.
    "Well well well. Look who our little mouse brought for us to play with." One laughs. I jump in front of the girl, glaring at the dragons before me.
    "We haven't had a chance to pay you back. For embarrassing us in front of our king." The other says.
    "You morons did that all on your own when you tried to take me." I reply.
    "Looks like we'll get to have our fin with you at last." They laugh. The biggest dragon reaches for me and I grab his arm, biting down hard on it.
    "Agh!" He yells, "Bitch!" He flings me off and I tumble back down the stairs.
    "Please!" The girl cries, "Leave her alone!" The most vicious dragon grabs the young girl by her wrist, hoisting her up into the air.
    "You want to take her place?" He asks. A wave of nausea washes over me as he digs a finger into one of the girl's bite wounds, making her scream.
    "God, I love that sound." He laughs.
    "I'll catch this one for us." The other dragon says, advancing on me.
    "RUN!" The girl screams, eyes pleading as they meet mine. I whisper a prayer for her as I turn on my heel and run.

    I need to find Alarik. Maybe he's on the roof again? If I just– I race past a wall of portraits when something catches my eye. It's a painting of Alarik as a young boy. But standing next to him in the portrait is another, identical boy. Alarik's a twin? Why didn't he tell me? Suddenly, a piercing scream rings out in the corridor. A scream I recognize. Lillian?! I race down in the direction of the scream, my heart pounding. She's supposed to be in the infirmary recovering. Why is she–? I round the corner and freeze when I see Lillian's slender frame crumpled on the floor in the middle of the deserted corridor. I sprint over to her, lifting her into my arms.
    "Lillian, I'm here. Are you all right? What happened?" I ask quickly. She slowly opens her eyes, blinking up at me.
    "Lavena? No... no, you have to run." She gasps.
    "What?" I ask.
    "RUN!" But it's too late. A strong arm snakes around my neck and cold lips touch my ear.
    "Celeste war right. There was a sweet uncollared snack out here just for me."
    "Xander, let go of me before you lose this arm." I demand.
    "Big words for someone without a weapon." He shoots back, "You fell for my trap too easily. Thanks to the bait I chose." He rakes his other hand through Lillians hair and she grimaces.
    "I'm so sorry Lavena." She cries, "I shouldn't have screamed."
    "It's okay. This isn't your fault." I say as Xander locks my arms behind my back and hauls me to my feet.
    "Open the door, slave." On his command, Lillian struggles to her feet. She limps to a vase and turns it clockwise. The painting on the wall shifts and turns, creating a door. Xander pulls me into it.