Page 45 of The Dragon Queen
His terror momentarily lapsed when he heard the request. “The dragons?”
“Yes,” she said. “Open the door so we can release them.”
Now that the sword wasn’t directly against his neck, his panic showed through his breaths, through drops of perspiration on his forehead were highlighted by the light of the torches. “They can’t be freed.”
“Yes, they can.” She spun her sword around her wrist before she returned it to his neck. “I said you can get out of this alive, but it seems like you prefer the other option.”
“You don’t understand.”
She pressed the blade into his throat and made him straighten against the wall. “Then make me understand.”
“The dragons…dragons are controlled by Astaroth.”
“I’m aware.”
“He resides inside the cliff with the others. No one is allowed inside besides the Offering.”
“The Offering?” Queen Eldinar asked.
I felt a tightness in my stomach that slowly morphed into pure disgust. Whatever it was, it would disturb me, and we were probably better off not knowing.
“The Offering is the humans sacrificed to Astaroth and the dragons.”
I felt the bile right away.
“The dark elves eat people.” Queen Eldinar didn’t ask it as a question, just said the words out loud to let their truth sink in like rainwater into the soil. “The people of the Southern Isles are captives…because they’re livestock. And you and your family are excused from this practice because you serve him.”
He continued to pant with the sword to his neck, a drop of sweat streaking down his temple. “I’m—I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me.” She withdrew her sword. “Your job is to protect the people of the Southern Isles. They’re the ones who deserve your apology.” She sheathed her blade at her hip then stepped back, exchanging a quick look with me. “How many dark elves reside in the cliff?”
“Many.” Once the sword was gone from his neck, he relaxed slightly.
“I need a number,” Queen Eldinar demanded. “Not a vague approximation.”
“A few hundred.”
“And they all guard the dragons?” Queen Eldinar asked.
“Essentially,” he said. “The dark elves are the owners of the dragons?—”
“A dragon cannot be owned by another.” Whether she was angry or calm, her beauty was powerful. And now it was terrifying. “They’re not a sword that changes hands. They’re not coin in exchange for goods. They’re some of the most beautiful creatures to roam this land.”
The soldier avoided her gaze.
Queen Eldinar seemed to overcome to speak further, too angry to form words.
I took over. “What about Constantine and the others that are fused with the royal family to grant them immortality?”
“They reside in the vault as well.”
“So the dragon that Barron shares his soul with is also trapped in here?” I asked incredulously. “That’s how he treats the being that’s granted him life unending?”
Whether that was known information or a revelation was unclear because the soldier didn’t respond.
“What is the layout?” Queen Eldinar asked.
“I’ve never been inside,” the soldier said. “Nor have the others…the ones you haven’t killed.”