Page 17 of Creatures of War

“We did nothing wrong,” I said, feeling like I wasn’t going to like King Laskis’s solution. I talked slowly, trying to remain grounded in the conversation and not in my emotions like the guys suggested. “We told you that we were mates. You’re the one who decided to ignore that. Why should we be punished because you’re too old and obstinate to think of the possibility that I can have more than one mate?”

Okay, maybe some of my emotions broke through. Gasps broke out in the room, but I refused to look away from the king.

‘Rayna! Stop!’ Philit’s voice snapped through my head.

I bit back a grimace at the harshness of his command. I wanted to listen to him—I really did—but sometimes my mouth had a mind of its own. Unfortunately, it decided that now it was going to take over and ignore my thoughts.

Instead of becoming even angrier and hopefully having a heart attack, the king laughed. He laughed. And continued to do so as he closed the distance between us and rested his hand on my cheek. I grimaced, trying to pull away from him, but the guards at my back kept me from moving away.

“Old and obstinate is it?” the king asked in a lower voice, his creepy smile finally stretching across his face. “Will you think that once I have you in my bed?”

“What?” I gaped at him like an idiot, trying to figure out if my brain was playing a nasty trick on me.

But he still kept talking. “My captain says I shouldn’t kill you guys, and he does prove a point. This war takes precedence, and we need all the bodies we can get. But I cannot let your defiance go unpunished. I can’t let people think I’m a kind, forgiving, and understanding king. That I’m weak. So what shall I do?” He stroked my cheek. “There are things worse than death, and since you guys are so keen to fly away, maybe it’s time to clip some wings.”

“Wha—?”

“For defying their duties as descendants of the Ancient Dragons, I, King Laskis the Third, announce that they shall be land bound till further notice!”

His demand echoed through the throne room and took a moment to settle into my thoughts. I had to pick it apart over and over again to make sure I understood it.

Clip some wings.

Land bound.

Whispers broke out around me as guards began moving. They surrounded the guys. My dragons fought back as they were forced on their knees. But they didn’t have much room, as the bindings prevented their movements.

“No. Let them go,” I said in a desperate voice.

“Watch, Rayna,” the king said in a low voice, his hot breath sour against my skin. “Watch as they suffer for your choices.”

Pain shot through the bond between me and them. I grunted, my legs unable to hold my weight. I crumpled to the ground as my back burned.

Screams broke out, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if they were mine or theirs. It felt like all of ours, mixing together as we shared the pain.

My hair was firmly grasped and pulled back, forcing me to look up at the king. “This can stop, Rayna,” he said in a low voice. “All you have to do is promise me one thing. I can stop this if you bond yourself to me. That’s all you have to do. Easy solution. Or would you rather have your guys walk the path into hell?”

“You want what?” I gasped. His grip on my hair caused my skull to burn.

“Bond yourself to me. That’s what I want.”

His words registered, but I couldn’t respond. His so-called request was so out of left field that I could only stare at him. King Laskis smiled cruelly and let my hair go.

“Take them back to their dorms and lock them up. They are not allowed to see each other.”

“No!” I said and tried to get to my feet, but my legs still didn’t want to hold my weight. My back burned as it absorbed the pain the guys felt. Desperation swirled through me as someone grabbed me and began dragging me away. “No! Don’t do this!” I tried to kick free.

“Stop it,” Tanja snapped into my ear. She yanked me out the door and down the hall, never stopping. Still I could hear the echoes of their screams in my head and I screamed for them back.

‘Philit! Zilon! Landers!’

Something hot pulsed through me as desperation clawed at my insides. It pulsed over and over again as I yelled out their names. But they never responded, lost in their own pain.

“Enough, Rayna. I warned you. You had your chance. Why didn’t you leave when we worked so hard to give you guys the chance?”

My mouth snapped shut and through blurry tears could barely see Tanja’s firm expression.

What?