31 Finding The Curlpit

Soon the sun started to rise in the east and the royal castle started to buzz with preparations.

But in the corners and empty corridor, curious souls kept talking about the weird attack of yesterday night.

Donovan woke up early in the morning. Last night he spent trying to find out what was the reason behind the dragon going rogue.

Even though he had got just one or two hours of sleep it didn't affect him at all.

Because the only thing that has occupied his mind was to find out the culprit who targeted their soldiers.

It was early in the morning and the whole barrack was filled with activities. Soldiers have barely taken a rest from the last day.

"What is the situation?" Don asked as soon as he entered the main gate of the barracks.

"Healers are trying to get the venom out of their system, but it will still take some time to nurse them back," Samuel (the third prince) replied.

They started to move towards a big building as Samuel reported about the condition of other Dragons.

"Total eleven people were gravely injured and including two new deaths, we lost six of our soldiers." Sam's voice was heavy and expression grave.

They address all the dragons as deviants who can not shift in their original dragon form.

Their Dragon core has ceased and that's Why they can not shift.

After hearing about death Don stayed calm, not even a single muscle moved on Don's face.

They entered the iron gate and walked into a very big open area.

From the outside, no one can imagine that the place was that big from the inside.

As big as the place was, it was filled with groans and painful moans of the dragons and soldiers.

Deviants were regular soldiers who generally used for regular safety purpose. They were strong but not strong enough to fight actual dragons who can shift.

Don took a quick look at the deviants who were being treated with many healers and then went to the area where the deranged Dragons were.

There were a total of seventeen dragons who had gone mad. Some of them were too weak so they didn't cause much trouble but the comparatively strong ones have wreaked havoc. It was a blessing that none of them went in the direction of the city, otherwise, there would be unimaginable consequences.

Few of them were hurt and were hard to deal with. Some become stable and thus they turn back in their human form.

"What's the situation?" Donovan asked, looking at three small dragons who were laying in an open area, their limbs bound with heavy iron chains.

"The dose wasn't heavy but enough to make them weak. Plus they are hurt so it will take some time for them to shift back." The main healer gave an analysis.

"Did you find out what was the source of the poison?" Donovan walked forward and caressed the back of one of the little ones.

At first, the dragon tried to snap but when he recognized the strong aura and familiar scent he bowed his head in defeat.

"Good boy," Don patted his head.

"It was an Eerie Mist, very little mixed in their food," the healer replied.

"So the purpose was to hurt us and not to kill," Donovan concluded. Sam, who was standing beside them, pursed his lips in a thin line.

"They took revenge for Dinnar," he muttered slowly.

Donovan nodded his head and then walked ahead, the second Dragon was unconscious. But the biggest problem was the last one.

The little guy was injured badly and was not in his san mind to let anyone come near him. Dragons were generally friendly and easy to go creature but once they are hurt they turned hostile to everything and everyone.

"Theo.." Don walked near the small one and called him out in his strong voice.

The little guy saw him entering his boundaries and bared his teeth in front of Don.

"Calm down boy, you are safe now." Donovan tried not to be intimidating. But the kid wasn't in the mood to listen. Theo was a new dragon and maybe young among all. He had just started to turn a few days ago but his strength was getting better and better every day speedily.

Listening to Don's voice he became more out of control and tried to break free which was useless.

Looking at his behavior Donovan pressed his lips in a thin line. The scene from last night came to his mind. When for a few seconds this boy showed patience and was tamed just by a few words. Donovan remembered those hazel eyes staring right at him and the scent of oasis.

His thoughts drifted back to that scene but suddenly groaning from the little Theo brought him back to the present.

Don sighed and decided to give them some time.

After leaving the healing area their next destination was the barrack's kitchen.

With so much high security it was hard to sneak in but they did and it was an open challenge.

"Brother…," Zivan was already in the kitchen interrogating the maids and other helpers.

Don looked at him and Zivan shook his head saying there was no useful information found.

"None of them found anything suspicious. All the dragons who were on night patrol decided to eat something for midnight snacks which was poisoned." Zivan informed. His usual smiling and mischievous face was now holding a grave expression. A low cut can be seen near his lower lip. He has received that from one of the angry dragons.

"Put all the staff, whoever is on the night duty in the prison, and whip them until they spill out the truth. Interrogate all the deranged soldiers as soon as they are in condition to speak." Don gave the order in his cold voice.

His red eyes were taking in the expression off all the servants present there. Just by hearing his cold order many of them started to fall on the floor but none of them could speak anything because of his dark aura.

Zivan could tell even though his brother was acting like calm water but there was a storm that was bubbling in him. And if they don't catch the culprit soon he will be the one going deranged.

Zivan gulped at his own thoughts.

Big brother was scarry…

"Samuel, handle the investigation here. Zivan walked with me." After dropping the order he turned around and started to walk out of the kitchen.

Samuel looked at him and pursed his lips in a thin line. His eyes couldn't help but glare at the back of his elder brother.

"Good luck with that," Zivan patted his shoulder with a smile and Sam glared at him before turning around to start work.

Zivan was quick to follow his brother.

"So who do you think initiated the attack?" Zivan asked as he jogged beside Don.

"You tell me," instead of an answer came a question.

Zivan put his fingers on his lips as he spoke.

"Hmm, who else can it be if not the Witches of the South." He said with a passive look on his face which was rare.

"You are forgetting there is one more enemy that we have," Don gave a hint, glancing at him from the side-eye.

"One more? ...you mean those Dwarfs of the east?" Zivan lifted one of his eyebrows.