Page 53 of The Dragon Queen
“It was my idea?—”
“I will torture them to torture you, Barron.” I threw Kael on the ground, where he was smart enough to remain. “Hold this one,” I ordered the dead. “The rest of you fetch anyone who remains in the castle. Any relative or friend will burn at the stake.”
Barron moved for his son on the ground.
I put my sword to his neck so damn fast. I pushed in, drawing a line of blood against his thick neck.
He stepped back.
“Who should go first?” I kept it there. “Your wife or your eldest son?”
He swallowed against the blade, giving me a look of defeat he’d never worn before.
Khazmuda dropped from the sky, cuts in his scales oozing blood.Talon! Inferno says he’s about to be killed—and Calista is next.
The blade remained against Barron’s neck, but my eyes glanced at Khazmuda.
He says he probably won’t make it…but Calista still has a chance.
I continued to stare at him as my breaths turned labored. Revenge was right in my palm, right against my blade, but it was shattered by the news.
He’s protecting her in his talons.
My blade shook as it remained against his throat, seeing the dribble of blood that rolled down into the inside of his armor. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. The high was higher than I’d ever expected. The suffering in Barron’s eyes filled me with mirth. I felt the justice for my family flow through the blood in my veins.If I leave…he’ll get away.
Khazmuda let a few seconds of silence pass.I know.
I knew once I left, this moment would never come again. Barron would fly off on his dragon and disappear somewhere far away. There would be no justice for my family. The only satisfaction I would receive was the taunts I’d just issued.
I pulled the blade from his throat and sheathed it. “Bind them to the trees and build a stake. Abandon those in the castle.” The dead I’d already ordered turned back around and moved for Barron and his sons.
I didn’t turn around to see if they scrambled for their swords and tried to fight their way out of their hold. I didn’t want to know if they would overpower the army of the dead. I didn’t want to know if they would get away.
I didn’t want to watch this moment unravel right before my eyes.
Khazmuda dropped his body so it would be easier for me to climb up. He didn’t wear expressions the way humans did, buthis presence had a tone of sadness that washed over me. He felt my disappointment. Felt my pain.
I ran up his side and dropped into the saddle. “Hurry.”
Chapter 11
Calista
Inferno’s screams were like knives against my ears and blades against my heart, but when they stopped, it was worse.Don’t do this to me.I tried to pry an opening in his talons, but the tension was too tight.Let me kill the rider.
Inferno was quiet.
Please!
His talons suddenly went slack, but I wasn’t sure if that was voluntary…or automatic. I finally slid through the grip and saw the enormous dragon on top of Inferno, his mouth bloody from ripping into the bright-red scales that matched the color of blood. I felt no ill will toward dragons, but the sight of that changed my outlook. I grabbed the dagger at my hip and threw it at his face, aiming for one of his eyes. “Stop it!” The dagger bounced off his scales and disappeared.
But he did turn to me and forget Inferno. He lowered his head slightly to look at me, releasing a quiet growl.
I should be dead scared right now, but the anger masked the fear. I readied my sword, prepared to battle a dragon that couldeat me in a single bite. I’d promised Talon I would stay out of the fight, but I couldn’t abandon Inferno to his fate. “Come on, that’s all you’ve got?”
The rider became visible when he dropped down on top of Inferno’s body. In armor that matched his dragon’s scales, he looked at me from where he stood on Inferno’s side. The dragon finally left Inferno’s body to move behind his rider like he’d been commanded to step away.
That was when I noticed the rider rise slightly in the air…because Inferno took a breath.