Forty Eight
Alara
“The results for the fourth game, Spike of Descent, are as follows!” the king begins and the man is already up the ladder for the dreaded board.
So many markings are on there now.
So many deaths.
“First place, clan Blackscale.” The relief punches out of me as Tofa grabs my arms. “We’re in first place, Alara!”
“We need to place well in the next game and we can win,” Beau says on my right. “We can do this.”
But one will still die.
The crowd continues to cheer as Halen announces second place. “Clan Rivertail!”
The man scratches a mark on the board.
“Third place, Highwing! Fourth place, Greenclaw, and lastly, clan Firehorn for fifth place!”
The crowd whistles and waves their colored ribbons in the air as I look over at the stage of the Dragonbonds, my hand holding Tofa’s tightening.
“Now, guards, choose who will be facing death this eve,” the king says, and guards from the sides go into the clans.
My breathing comes out ragged, and Tofa holds me closer, pressing her head to the side of mine.
“This is so fucked up,” she says, shaking a little.
I always thought Tofa was brave, but feeling her shake has me squeezing my eyes shut as screams echo throughout the Enclave, some outraged but I know it’s no use.
The guards will still choose who will be taken.
There is no stopping it.
The crowd cheers and I peel my eyes open, turning to see all of them lined up ahead. Right in front of the stage. All fifteen people who will die.
I look for a black ribbon, and see it at the beginning of the line.
It’s attached to a woman. I think she helps Agnis with food.
Her chin is lifted, eyes hard.
Sadness wraps around me, but also admiration surges through me.
She isn’t letting them see fear with her death.
She is showing who she is.
A warrior.
A Dragorie.
“Now then, how should they die…” the king asks, and the crowd goes wild, shouting suggestions, chanting horrid things.
“Now, now, settle down,” the king says, smiling as he walks the stage, steering clear of the Dragonbonds lined up at the left.
“Come,” Declan says as he nears.
I look nervously at the stage and then I walk with Declan, looking back at Rohan, who’s head is turned my way.
“Hurry the fuck up,” Declan says.
I rush to him, not realizing he’s so far ahead and just as we pass through a gate, the king laughs.
“A heels hanging it is!”
“We are winning The Games right now, but we have already lost so many,” I tell the hanging dragon, her eyes watchful and she growls at me. “If we win the next game, Blackscale is first place and Halen will grant him a single boon. But Rohan doesn’t think he will.”
I move closer to the bars, watching the woman disappear to where Sparks is. The door shuts with a resounding click.
I want to go in there, but I don’t know what that robed woman will do.
“We have a plan,” I tell her. “To break out on the backs of dragons. Can you believe some are riding them? I’m still in shock but if that works, we can come for you all and get you out of here.”
Growl.
“If Halen isn’t happy with your production of Nighturn, he…” I shake my head. “Well, I don’t know what he would do, but we have to try. We—”
The door behind me opens, and Halen walks in, his eyes immediately going to us.
“I see you are doing your task,” he says, striding over.
I put some distance between us as he nears, eyeing the dragon.
“I am.”
“We will see how well you are doing. Come here!” he shouts, and I jump before a door opens, and Verson enters.
“Yes, my king?”
Halen points to the dragon.
“Go and get Nighturn, and be quick about it, I have a hanging to watch.”
I swallow.
“You, go and get a dragon ready in a harness.”
I nod, moving to grab the harness, nerves rattling through me.
I make my way to a dragons cell, opening it and then placing myself inside as he purrs at me.
“It’s okay,” I tell the dragon. “It’s just me.”
I look at the guards talking with Halen. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but nerves rattle through me.
The hanging dragon is growling as usual, and I tense when Verson picks up a spear.
“It’s okay,” I repeat to the green dragon, stroking his side as he comes over. “Just, don’t look.”
I hear a pained grunt, and I clench my eyes shut, feeling a flash of pain as I prepare the saddle under Halen’s orders.
The hanging dragon roars again.
“Again! A little more,” Halen shouts, and I do look then.
Another guard moves to the mouth of the dragon as she hangs limply, and I make a distressed noise that has the green dragon pressing up against me.
The guard lifts a sphere, mask in place and guides it to the vapor, trying to get as much in as possible.
“Three spheres, my king,” Verson says. “It’s better than it has been.”
“Hmph.” The king grabs the lever and pulls her up a little. “We may be getting a little more but it’s far from enough.”
The words haunt me as the threat of what Halen said hangs over me.
I turn to the green dragon once more.
“Okay, we will go slow, but we have to show him progress, remember. He won’t hurt you then.”
The dragon purrs softly, and I hum gently under my breath as I place the saddle on his back.
He tenses, shifting his weight, clearly uncomfortable.
“I know, I know,” I say softly.
I move the straps of the harness to the front, buckling them in place and still when I hear footsteps.
Looking out the corner of my eye, the guards are collecting as much Nighturn as they can, but it is King Halen who now walks toward us.
Gods.
“Stay still, just for a little while, okay? You need to stay still,” I beg the dragon, and then straighten when the door to his cage opens.
“Well?” the king asks.
I buckle the last strap and move to the side of the dragon, but not too far away.
“We made great progress,” I say, and the dragon shakes a little. “He’s just not used to the weight, but we can increase it.”
“He’s keeping it on,” the king says, coming forward and I discreetly press my hand to the dragon for comfort.
“He is.”
The king grabs the muzzle suddenly, roughly and I hold my breath when the dragon gives a scared growl.
He turns the dragon's face from side to side, looking over the harness and saddle.
“He will grow into it well enough.” He drops the muzzle and walks out. “Keep putting them on the rest of them.”
“Okay,” I say, moving in front of the dragon as if I could protect him.
“Oh, and we have some Nighturn,” the king says, eyeing the hanging dragon. “But I need more. Talk with her, but if this progress continues, maybe you won’t need to go back down to the dungeon.”
I swallow over the lump in my throat. “I will do my best.”
His eyes meet mine. “See that you do, elf. I would like to keep you for a time. Long after The Games are completed, but if you are no use…”
I’m not staying here after the games if I survive, I won’t.
“I will do my best,” I lie.
“The last game is upon us.” Something evil gleams in his eyes. “Are you excited?”
Excited?
“I…”
“Not to worry,” he leans closer. “I’m excited for the both of us. It’s going to be the best one yet.”
He leaves without another word and as soon as the door shuts, I turn and unbuckle the dragon.
“Good job,” I breathe, hands shaking at the king's words. “I’ll get it off now, just hold on.”
He still shakes, but when the saddle is off and I’ve put it on the floor, he turns to the back, making himself small.
“I’m sorry,” I say, moving to leave the cell. “I’m so sorry.”
“Elf!”
The word is barked at me, and I jump.
“Y-yes?”
“Work with her more, we are on dinner,” Verson says, moving back to their quarters.
I leave the cell, riddled with guilt over the dragon and grab some meat for the hanging one.
Approaching her, seeing her barely conscious, I step into the cell and place the meat on the ground.
“I’m sorry they did that.” I take a seat against the bars. “The last game is soon, just hold on until then. Until we can get you out of here. Like I said before, we have a plan.”
I look to the door of the room with the eggs in it, where the hooded woman is currently, so I can’t go there.
“I will make sure the eggs leave too, and Sparks, he’s in there.”
Purr.
I turn to her, shocked.
She’s never purred at me before.
“He’s from The Glade. His mother died, and we took him with us to the Wilds, to be part of clan Blackscale.”
Her eyes slowly open, but I continue talking.
“He has many dragon friends there, and Escor and him are two terrors to Drogonah. He’s bonded to Rohan, but he loves that little dragon,” I say softly. “We will get you all out.”
Her eyes blink at me, the purple duller than I have ever seen it and my heart breaks.
“Just stay with us long enough,” I croak out, and then I rise on unsteady legs and move toward her. “Just hold on. Just find one thing. Please.”