Page 82 of Consumed By Fire
“I’ll think of you often. Every day.”
“I’ll think of you, too. All the time.” She chews on her lip.
I’m not sure if I throw myself into her arms or if she launches herself at me, but in the next instant, we’re hugging and then kissing.
It doesn’t last long before she pulls away. “You need to go.” She cups my face, completely at odds with what she is saying.
I pull in a deep breath. “Last chance to change your mind. We could—”
She smiles, putting her fingers over my mouth. “Don’t tempt me; it might just work this time, Draiger.”
I smile. “In that case—”
“Go! I’ll be fine. You need to leave while—” She’s pushing me away.
“Guards, seize them!” someone shouts.
And then a whole army of uniformed men descends on us. They stream in from all sides. Over the fence, through the gate, which does not have a padlock on it. When did that happen? They’re dressed in black armor, their faces masked. They move swiftly, surrounding us in a matter of moments.
“She had nothing to do with it!” I shout, my heart racing as I see Trinity’s eyes widen in fear. “Arrest me, but leave her out of it.”
“Sorry, but we have our orders,” one of the guards says, brandishing a sword. “Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your back. Both of you.”
Trinity swallows hard, and I can tell she’s trying to keep her cool, but the fear is there in her eyes. “What do you want from us?” she asks, her voice shaking. “We’ve done nothing wrong.”
Someone hits me between my shoulder blades from behind, and I drop to my knees on the ground.
Trinity starts screaming, but two guards flank her, forcing her to her knees as well.
“No!” I shout. “She’s pregnant. Don’t!”
“We haven’t done anything wrong!” Trinity yells again.
One of the guards has a gold crest on the front of his armor, setting him apart from the rest. He grabs my shirt and rips it. “Just as I suspected. He’s a Draiger.”
Five swords are aimed at my chest moments later.
Trinity is screaming, trying to break free but the guards hold her tight.
“We received intel that someone has been using the tunnels. Looks like we found the culprits,” the golden-crested guard says. His eyes are a bright blue through the holes in the mask, but that’s all I can make out. They narrow on me with hate and loathing. “Put shackles on them,” he says.
I’m in big trouble. I only hope I don’t take Trinity down with me.
26
Octane
I catch Trinity’s eyes as we are frog-marched away. I give a quick shake of my head. I don’t want her to tell them anything that might implicate her. I hope we are jailed together so that we can get our stories straight. I know that I am being overly optimistic to think along those lines. The chances of it happening are small.
I would separate us and question us separately, too. I’d look for inconsistencies. For holes, and then drill down from there. Perhaps they will put me to death before any of that happens. I can’t be sure of anything.
With our hands tightly shackled behind our backs, we are led along a winding dirt path, the crunch of gravel and dust under our feet gradually giving way to paving and then to the smoothness of a cobbled road. Houses of various shapes and sizes line the street, their windows filled with curious onlookers as we pass by. I am taken aback by how well-dressed they are, adorned in the latest human fashions that would make any designer proud. I only see the very odd naked person, I assume they have just shifted, or are about to shift. No one is feral or out of control. I note that there are many more males than females. Just as Trinity said there would be. Everyone looks calm and civilized. A few come out to take a closer look, gawping at me like I’m an animal in the zoo.
They point and stare. I’m sure they can see exactly what I am…a Draig Dragon.
The enemy.
I hold my head up high.