Chapter Six

They sat in front of the crackling fire, the white bandage around Nesryns thigh stood out stark against her mud and blood covered clothes. Nesryn leaned on Flynns shoulder, his arm was around her, her eyes were closed and her breaths deep. She had fallen asleep about and hour ago, Flynn hadn't had the heart to wake her when a young man had brought food, her face looked so peaceful when she slept, it didn't have that permanent frown on it, like it did when she was awake. Her injured led jerked as if she had missed a step while going down stairs and her breath quickened. She sat up straight with a jolt. "Ravi!" She cried out. Flynn pulled her closer.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her hair, she didn't say a word as she let him hold her, they sat there in silence until Nesryn let out a small sniffle, she drew a shuddering breath and a tear slipped out the corner of her eye, the room was silent and dark the only source of light was the flickering fire, they were alone. She took another trembling breath as her shoulder began to shake and she let out all her sorrow that she had shoved deep down after the battle.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." Flynn whispered over and over as he held her close, she leaned into his warm embrace and continued to weep quietly, mourning her brother and those they had lost.

~

Two months. Two whole months. Thats how long she had been rotting in this damned dungeon. Her hair was dirty and limp, she combed it as best she could with her fingers, she didn't do it because she care about what it looked like but because her mother had always combed through her hair to comfort Yuana when she was little, it calmed her when she felt her magic rise or when she was having a particularly bad day, her usually darker tanned skin had turned pale from lack of sunlight, her freckles stood out on her hollow face, she didn't care, being vain wouldn't help her. The bruises from Samael beating had faded after the first few weeks. Even though Jay usually slipped her a bit of extra food whenever he could her ribs still showed and her shirt that had once been white was now a greyish-brown and hung limply from her hunched shoulders, Jay had stuffed a black pair of socks through the bars when the guards weren't looking, it wasn't much but it made a difference. She kept her body as fit as she could, doing sit-ups, push-ups and going through her fighting stances when the guards were doing their rounds and she was alone. There were other prisoners in other cells but she didn't know any of them, she didn't know if any of her friends were still alive, she knew the elf had made it out before the demon was killed but how many others had got out? Had Kallos found Falia? Or was she dead? Jay wouldn't say a word to her, he refused to even look her in the eyes. Not that she cared but she wouldn't have minded hearing a voice other than those of the deranged prisoners mumbling in their sleep. The guards never said a word, not to her, not to any of the prisoners, not even to each other. She preferred to stay in the back of her cell, in the shadows, unseen and unheard, invisible. All she had to keep warm was one blanket that was just as filthy as her shirt and the pair of socks Jay had given her, it was better then nothing though. She couldn't use her magic, the copper bracelet she couldn't take off no matter how hard she tried made sure of that, there was a dark circle around her wrist under the bracelet where the copper had stained her skin a dark greenish-blue. Some days were worse than others, the worst times were when her magic fought to get out, it felt as if there were thousands of needle under her skin pushing out as if they were about to explode out of her, on days like these all she could do was sit and do her best not to cry out as the pain grew worse minute by minute, hour by hour. She hadn't spoken since she was knocked unconscious in that courtyard, she didn't know if she could talk any more, she had forgotten what her own voice sounded like. There was a small window at the end of the dungeon corridor high up, it was narrow so there was no way she could use it as an escape route if she by some miracle get out of her cell, sunlight would occasionally spill through lighting up part of the corridor, but the light never reached her cell. Day after day the same routine, waking up as the guards and occasionally Jay brought her food, then eating, waiting for the guards to continue on their rounds after giving the rest of the prisoners their measly breakfast, it was the only meal they were given each day, it was only enough to stop them from starving to death but far from enough. Then she would train while the guards were absent, then sleep and repeat. She had gotten used to the smell of the dungeons after the first week, the smell of unwashed bodies and human filth, all the prisoners were given a bucket for their business that was emptied every three or four days. She had gotten used to the ache in her shoulders she got from sleeping on the cold hard floor, there was straw strewn across the floor but that didn't help at all.

Today the small slip of sky she could see was a bright blue like a midsummer day, she knew it was spring as she no longer shivered all night and day. The tramp of boots had her bolting upright from where she had been slouching against the back wall of her cell. Her body was tense, there should have been only two guards patrolling but by the sound of it there were at least four or five of them. She kept her head down as they came closer, she tried to appear as small and harmless as she could, hoping against hope they would keep going, the footsteps came to a halt and she raised her eyes, four guards stood before her cell leering down at her, one of them pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked her cell door. She slowly stood, her back pressed against the wall as if it could offer her protection. Three of the guards entered her cell while the fourth stood holding the door open, they were all armed to the teeth, she knew better then to try and grad a weapon, though she had kept training she was still underfed and they were all at least a head taller then she was and would overpower her in less then a second. One of the guards motioned her to go out the cell, she took a deep breath and took a few steps towards the cell door, then paused looking at the guard who stood there. He smiled at her, though the smile wasn't menacing or cruel it wasn't warm either, she swallowed and took a step back only to bump into the guard who stood behind her. She swallowed again and tried to speak, no sound came, she tried again and this time she could whisper, her voice was rough and cracked but she could speak.

"K-kill m-me." She rasped, she didn't know where they were taking her but she was sure they weren't letting her go, so what did they want? They didn't want to torment her like Ben had or they would have done it here in her cell instead of taking her somewhere. So what did they want? The guard behind her chuckled and shoved her forward into the arms of the guard at the cell door, the man drew a dagger and held it to her throat, he leaned down and whispered tauntingly in her ear. "No." Then he removed the blade and shoved her forward just like the other guard had done, this time there was no one to catch her and she fell to her knees, tears sprang to her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She cursed at herself, she wouldn't cry! She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she dug her nails into the palms of her hands hard enough to draw blood, using the pain as an anchor. The guards chuckled, the grabbed her upper arms and began to drag her up the corridor, her knees scraped against the rough stone before she got her feet under her and stumbled along. They turned corner after corner until they reached a set of double doors, Two of the guards pushed open the doors open while the other two held her arms so tight the blood flow into her lower arms was nearly cut off. The doors swung open and she was blinded by sunlight, they dragged her into a large room by the sound of it as their footsteps echoed around them. She squinted through her lashes and saw the room, her jaw dropped, her eyes widened despite the bright light and she let out a small gasp, the high ceiling was made out of huge domed windows, she could see the clear blue sky beyond, plants hung over the edge of the wall high above, some of the vine-like ones had begun to creep down the wall and their pink and white blossoms smelled sweet. The walls were carved with elegant golden, red and blue dragons that crept up the walls all the way to the skylight ceiling, pillars rose up and they too were covered in carvings of different creatures and plants, the floor was polished white marble, veins of gold crept their way through it. Water cascaded down the wall at the far end of the room, into a channel that ran all the way around the room, the clear turquoise water ran in the little rivulets. The golden sunlight made the water sparkle and reflect shimmering, dancing light onto the dragons making them look as if they were alive and breathing. The dragons emerald, ruby and sapphire eyes seemed to follow her as she was walked slowly across the room. They stopped in the middle of the chamber. when she looked down at the floor a light blue lines creating a lotus flower spread out from where she stood, her dirt covered feet looked so out of place against the beautiful white marble, she stared at the gold veins spider webbing through the white, entwined with the blue, the marble was cool beneath her feet. She looked towards the doors they had come through, it was a dark reddish wood, it too was beautifully carved, on the right door a woman was depicted, her dress swirled around her, a shining crowns of golden stars encircled her head and her long hair flowed down her shoulders all the way to her waist, on the left door was yet another dragon, it was different from the ones on the wall, where the dragons on the walls held their heads high and proud, the dragon carved on the door was bowing to the woman opposite it, one of its claw tipped hands was open palm up offering the woman what appeared to be a shining gold ball of light, its rays streaking across the doors, to three of the corners, there was no fourth streak so the woman would not be cut in half. She had never seen anything like this room before, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She was so engrossed studying the artworks that she didn't hear the other people enter the room. Until one of them spoke. She spun around so fast she nearly lost her balance. It had been two months since she'd heard that voice but she hadn't forgotten it. Her gaze fell on the owner of the voice, Samael. Her breaths were shallow as if she was trying to make as little sound as possible. Samael had often visited her in her nightmares, though the man himself hadn't bothered to stop by her cell the past two months, not that she minded, she was better off without him. He grinned at her. The scars on his face pulled the right side of his mouth down slightly when he smiled, the smile was menacing and twisted, it sent shivers of terror through her.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked, she pulled all her bravery together as she shrugged and lifted her hands slightly as if to say, Who knows. She glanced at the other people who had entered, riders mostly, but here and there she saw a gaunt face she recognized, other shifters from the resistance, they were being held by guards. Their faces were just as pale as she suspected her own was from lack of sunshine. Samael jerked his head at the four guards who had stepped away from her while Samael had been talking. They grabbed her arms and forced her to her knees, she embraced the feeling of the cold marble under her knees, it kept her grounded and reminded her not to speak out. Samael snapped his fingers and a serving girl carrying a glass of lilac liquid hurried over to Yuana and held the glass to her lips, Yuana looked into the girls eyes her own wide, the wordless question was clear, what is in that glass? The girl shook her head. "Just drink it or they'll force it down your throat." She whispered quietly, Samael smirked at her over the girls shoulder, she opened her mouth and let the serving girl tip the glass, the liquid trickled into her mouth, so she drank the liquid, she'd rather drink it herself then have Samael force her to drink it, she knew he would be unnecessarily rough and her body was broken enough as it was, she didn't need the beating that would come if she didn't drink the stuff. She scrunched her face at the bitter taste of the liquid, it's effect was almost immediate, the guards let her go as soon as the serving girl backed away, Yuana dropped to the floor curled around her chest, she gasped and tears slid down her face, it felt as if someone was ramming needles between her ribs repeatedly, she let out a strangled sob as her body cramped and seized. Magic. It was going to kill her if it didn’t get out, she began to claw at the copper bracelet, she didn't care if she had to hack her hand off to get the damned bracelet off but her magic needed to get out, she sobbed again as her fingernails gouged deep into the soft flesh of her wrist, blood coated her fingers and pushed itself under her fingernails as she continued to claw at her wrist, not caring if it maimed her for life, someone pulled her hands away from each other and pinned her to the ground, she struggled, clawing and kicking, then she screamed as the pain grew worse, the sound echoed around the room. Then there was a clatter as the bracelet fell from her wrist, the guard who had pinned her down leapt back drawing his sword, she rolled onto her side heaving and spewed the meager contents of her stomach all over the beautiful floor, the pain gradually got worse. She lifted herself onto her knees with her remaining strength and turned her face to Samael, he still stood where he had been before, a look of amusement on his face, she bared her teeth at him, panting as something rose in her.

"What? Thats it?" He said calmly looking her dead in the eyes. "I think you need a little nudge to do what you know you should, to do what your body wants." He beckoned the serving girl over to stand next to him. She walked to him, trembling from head to toe, she was even younger then Yuana. Then almost quicken then Yuana could see Samael slashed his knife that she hadn't seen him draw across the girls throat, blood sprayed and the girl clutched at her neck trying in vain to stop the blood gushing from the wound, she fell to her knees her eyes wide, their eyes met then the girl slumped forward her bright red blood slowly spilling over white marble, her hands limp beside her face, her eyes dulled as the life left her. A single tear rolled down her still face that was turned towards Yuana.

"You sick bastard!" Yuana roared, but the roar that came from her human mouth didn't sound human, not one bit, she fell onto her hands her hair hanging around her face as a different pain rose deep inside her, her back arched as her shirt began to rip at the seam as she grew bigger, she trembled and panted through the pain, when as she looked up her pupils were huge almost engulfing her whole iris only the smallest line of blue was to be seen. She looked at Samael without seeing him, her face twisted in a snarl. She shuddered and even Samaels eyes widened as he saw that it was no longer a scared girl who knelt before him but a dark blood red Autumn crawler dragon, the remaining shreds of a shirt falling from her scaly body. The dragon snarled its deep blue eyes fixed on Samael, the dragon roared, the sound was deafening and made the skylights rattle. She stalked towards Samael savouring the slight look of fear on his face, did he really think she wouldn't kill him? Her claws scraped against the floors, they left small but jagged marks on the hard marble. She could smell the fear of the guards behind her and of the others gathered by the water channel. She let her mouth open slightly putting her ivory razor-sharp teeth on display, her tail whipped back and forth behind her, she knew she could finish Samael in mere seconds but she took her time prowling towards him, let him feel real fear before he died, let him regret killing the serving girl, let him regret being born. She heard footsteps rush towards them and she spun to face them, she let out a low growl as she saw who it was. Jay. Why did he have to be here? She didn't want to kill him, she owed him for the food and socks. Jay placed himself between her and Samael, she slammed her tail onto the floor in annoyance, frustration and anger. She stopped in front of Jay her face inches from his, then she roared, spittle flying onto Jays face and his hair fluttered in the breeze of her breath, but he didn't back away, he didn't step away from Samael. She snapped her maw shut and he jumped as her teeth nearly grazed his face. She circled Samael but Jay moved with her always staying between them. She couldn't keep this up much longer, she could feel her strength fading, she hadn't known she could shift into a dragon, she had just let her magic take over, not caring what it did as long as she got it out. The liquid had made her magic stronger, more desperate to get out. But she was weak and tired, the magic began to fade and she fought to stay in her dragon form, when she was any other animal she could stay in their form as long as she wished but the dragon was different, more powerful, it seemed to have a mind of its own as if she was but borrowing its body, it had been her magic not her that had chosen this form, it was her magic not her that knew how to stay in this form. Fine! she thought to herself, if she couldn't kill Samael she would kill the guards who had backed away to the doors instead, or she would force them to kill her, she hadn't decided yet. She spun away from Jay and as if he knew what she meant to do, he shouted a warning, the guards scattered and three of them escaped through the doors, she surged forward and slammed into the fourth guard, he fell forward onto his back on the ground and she tore through his stomach without hesitating, the mans blood dripped down her jaws as she raced through the doors after the remaining three guards, she could hear them fleeing her approach, she skidded round a corner digging her claws into the stone floor of the corridor that was so much softer then the marble, her claws left deep gauges in the ground, she forced herself to a stop as she was met by the sight of the guards waiting for her swords drawn and pointed them at her, as if the feeble blades could do anything to harm her. She let out what would have been a low laugh had she been human. The remaining colour drained out of the guards faces. She nimbly jumped over the gap between them and swatted the guards blades away, they clattered across the floor. There was a moment of silence and a dark spot spread down the pants of the guard in the middle. She grinned as the guards scattered, then leapt after them, she raked her claws down the first guards back, splitting it open, the man fell with a scream, she left him to bleed out and slunk after the other two men, they headed deeper underground towards the dungeons, she could hear the alarmed cries of the prisoners as she stalked down the corridor after the fleeing men, she didn't bother to try and break them out, they wouldn't make it out the castle alive even if she did. The next man died with a blow to the head from her spike tipped tail, splattering blood all over her. Her scales were flecked with the blood but she couldn't quite tell where the blood ended and her scales began, as her scales were almost the exact same shade of red as the blood. The last man begged for her not to kill him, his nose running through a flood of tears, he was sorry he said, he was sorry for whatever he had done. She made it quick, the young man didn't know what had struck him and he never would.

His head rolled before it came to rest at her clawed feet, the mans blood covered her forearm and face. She felt her body shrink and the scales receded into her skin, her claws shrunk back into fingernails her hair cascaded down he shoulders. She shivered and collapsed her naked body covered in blood, she didn't have the energy to look away from the mans head that lay an arms reach from her. Her eyes drooped. And thats how Jay found her, lying covered in blood next to a decapitated corpse, her eyes only open a slit, open but unseeing, she didn't react when he stood before her, she didn't react when he slid his arms under her and lifted her into his arms, he began to walk back to the hall of dragons. He hadn't gone ten steps when she began to whisper.

"Jay?" She asked, as if to make sure it was him, he made a small sound in his throat. "Please kill me, Jay. Please! I can't take it any more, if you put me back in that cell I don't know what I'll do." Her voice was cracked and when he looked down at her, her eyes met his shining with unshed tears and desperation. His gaze softened.

"I can't." His voice was just as silent as hers. She closed her eyes for a moment before she spoke again.

"I'm broken Jay." Her voice shook and the tears now flowed freely down her bloody face.

"Then let me fix you, when the time is right I will, I promise." He didn't now why he said it but he knew he meant it. "I can't kill you."

"Why not?" She sounded so defeated it pulled at his heart. Her head was resting on his chest, so when he spoke his voice rumbled in her ear.

"I don't know how to tell you." She remained silent waiting for him to go on but he just kept walking. "When you are on Karkasa get to lake Anoui, there's an island in the middle, its small but no one will look for you there, you'll be safe." The words burst out of him.

"What are you talking about?" She whispered, but before he could answer her head lolled as she fainted, turning into a dragon had clearly taken it's toll. He held her close as he entered the hall of dragons, he stepped around the pool of blood on the floor where one of the guards had died, the man still lay there, his body already cooling. Jay swallowed, he hadn't known the man but he still felt sorry for him. Samael looked up from where he stood in front of one of the other prisoners, a flask of the same lilac liquid in his hands, he raised an eyebrow at Jay.

"Dead, they're all dead." Jay said, Samael nodded slowly and jerked his head at the copper bracelet that lay next to the puddle of vomit, another guard picked it up and clasped it around Yuanas wrist, right on top of the dark stain where it had been before, locking it in place with the tiny key they had used to open it. Jay continued through the second set of doors, still carrying Yuanas limp body. He wasn't sure what had driven him to jump between her and Samael, deep down he had known, known that she would not hurt him, but why? He had broken her leg and tormented her, yet she hadn't killed him. Then she had trusted him enough to tell him that being in that cell had broken her more then she let on. He walked through the silent corridors, he knew where he was going, they had to take the prisoners to the ships that would sail for Karkasa in the evening, where they would be given two days head start, on the third morning thats when the Hunt would really begin, after the Hunt had begun and the prisoners would have not one moment of peace, hunted by the riders and other dark creatures that lurked in the shadows at every turn.

They would find the queen of dragons this time, Jay was sure of it, he had a feeling in his gut. He was so relieved when he saw that Yuanas dragon was blood red and not white and gold. That was one of the few things they knew about the dragon queen. That her dragon was white and gold, the dragon queen herself could rarely shift into a dragon herself but when he did she was a pure gold creature, but if you found the white dragon, the queens companion, the dragon queen wasn't far off. He set Yuana down in a wagon that stood waiting in the courtyard. He ordered one of the stable boys to get some clothes, he sat down next to Yuana, she didn't move still out cold, sleeping. He looked up to see Samael walking out of the door he had come through moments ago and he watched as Samael walked over to him. Jay stood to meet him, he stepped slightly in front of Yuana, Samael didn't miss the movement.

"Jay, don't do this!" Samael said. "I see the way you look at her, she will only make you weak. I made the mistake of loving someone and I pay for it almost every day, don't make the same mistake."

Jay remembered, he had only been eleven but he remembered Nesryn, Yuanas mother, Samael had fallen in love with Yuanas mother, then she had been taken to Verdnosa and never heard from again. No one had said she was dead, but they all knew those who went into Verdnosa were never the same once they came out, if they even made it out in the first place. Jay didn't say a word, he knew that loving Yuana would end badly for both of them but he couldn't help himself. The stable boy hurried over a pile of clothes in his arms, he slowly began to dress her, watching Samael out the corner of his eye. Samael leaned forward.

"I'm watching you Jay. Don't let yourself love her, if I hear so much as whisper I will kill her, slowly, and make you watch, or maybe I will make you do it. Do you understand?" Samael hissed in his ear. A shiver ran down his spine, he turned but Samael was gone and the sun shining down on him no longer felt warm.