The Siege Of Drakkon: Book Three Of The Drakkon Series

Chapter Fourteen

Talon Drako

Commander of the Queen's Guard

My lady had assigned me an important task, one I would not return before completing. Which was why I was sneaking through the Anneth estate late at night, blended in with shadows so that no one could see me. I enter Lady Anneth's younger sister's room, she had been a recluse ever since her older sister had taken over their father's estate, she had to know something and if she didn't I would take her to meet my Queen as requested.

I watch her sitting before her dressing table, slowly running a comb through her shimmering gray hair, I take a step forward and she freezes, dropping the brush she turns her head and looks straight at me. "Who's there?" She was blind, her eyes were white with blindness, though even if she could see she wouldn't have been able to spot me. Her skin was pale and even though her hair was gray she wasn't old, which also meant that there was no way her blindness was natural, not with our current ability for healing injuries. "I can hear you breathing. You might as well tell me if you're here to kill me, I've been waiting for my sister to take the final step for ages." Kill her? She thought I was here to kill her, she didn't even seem worried, more resigned to her fate, what had she been through all these years to get to this state?

"I am not here to kill you." My voice was rough, gravelly from having not spoken in so long, though my words were meant to comfort her, they seemed to do the opposite, she tensed up even further, her face a stiff mask, she was beautiful, so unlike anyone I had seen before, her blindness didn't detract from her beauty, it only highlighted it, I am sure if she had eyes that could see, with iris that were coloured, she would be one of the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but that did not change my mission, if my Queen needed something from her, she would have to give it to me or I would take it.

"I assume you are here to take my tongue then? After all, if my sister can't bear me to see the truth, why should she allow me to speak it." This was Lady Anneth's sister, so resigned to mutilation that she expected it if she wasn't going to die, what kind of monster was her sister.

"I do not work for your sister." I wanted to comfort her, to promise that I would take her out of this hell hole, but that was not something I could give my word on, not if my Queen decided otherwise.

"Who do you work for then, if not my sister? I will tell you now if you intend to use me as a bargaining chip to sway my sister, it won't work. I mean nothing to her, I am merely a bird in a cage for her amusement." Surely my Queen wouldn't be against me rescuing another slave from imprisonment, just as she had done to us.

"The Queen, I am her sworn guard." She stiffened upon hearing my words, her face seeming to take on a desperation that had been so well hidden before.

"Why did she send you here? Why are you speaking to me and not my noble sister?" Her words were bitter, no doubt wondering if I had accidently wandered into her room and upon finding out that she wasn't the Anneth daughter I was looking for, would leave her to her fate.

"I am here to find proof that your sister killed your father for his position. That she killed him before he could change his will and leave his position to you." It always helped to make sure someone knew exactly what someone else took away from them.

"Father was going to leave me the estate?" She closes her sightless eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them again and seeming to look straight at me, even if she couldn't actually see me. "What is your name?"

"Talon Drako, my lady." It was so strange to be able to say a last name, as a slave I was only permitted a first name, and most often was referred to as a number, but after my Queen had freed me, I had adopted the name Drako in order to honor her, to show my loyalty, I knew for a fact that many of the other spliced she had freed had down the same, we were the Drako guard, we would stand between her majesty and all threats.

We would gladly sacrifice our lives for our Queen, even if I knew for a fact being the commander of her personal guard that she would never ask us to, I was commander of all of her soldiers temporarily with Damien having chosen to stay on Solveig, but it was not a title I would claim unless it was truly mine. I was a warrior, and I valued my honor, I would not break it by lying, unless it was for a mission, but I was not undercover now, I could be honest with the youngest Lady Anneth.

"My Queen would like to meet you, she has asked that I arrange a meeting between the two of you." Her face brightened, she even looked excited at the prospect of meeting my Queen, knowing it for the honor it was no doubt, but then she abruptly deflated.

"There is no way I can leave the manor, my sister will not allow it. She is too scared of what I might tell people, I knew she killed my father, but I thought it was only to get the position earlier, not to keep it from me. Talon, if I can help you find the proof of my sister's crimes can you take me away from here?" Her tone was already resigned, like she knew I would say no, but she couldn't stop herself from asking anyways.

"I can make no promises, my lady, but I know that with proof my Queen will make sure that your sister sees justice for her crimes." I wanted to free her from this place, she was in the same position I was not that long ago, I wanted someone to help me escape as well and, in the end, I got it through my Queen, I wasn't sure that I could just leave her behind.

"Call me Sari please, I despise being associated with my sister in anyway, even if it is just in name or title. I know where the proof that our Queen needs, but I beg you to take me with you if I tell you its location, if I stay and my sister finds out what I told you, she will torture me for the rest of her days." I wasn't going to make any promises but her vow of loyalty to my Queen with her words, having never met her, but already knowing her as her Queen, I wouldn't leave a loyal subject behind.

"If you can show me where definitive proof of your sister's crimes are, I will take you away from this place." If my Queen decided that I had made a mistake freeing Sari, then I would pay the price, but I could not bear to leave her behind to suffer for helping me.

"Thank you, Talon. Long may our Queen reign. The proof you're looking for, my sister keeps it close at all times, there is a secret compartment underneath her bed, inside it is the weapon she used to kill my father, along with a lock of his hair, finding it is what made my sister blind me." I frown at her, not liking what she was saying.

"But if you found it, she must have moved it. There is no way it is still there." I would keep my word and get her out of here even if I couldn't find the proof my Queen needed, I am sure Sari could serve as a witness somehow if we couldn't find the proof.

"You don't understand, my sister is completely deranged and paranoid, she trusts no one, she built that secret compartment herself when we were younger, now that she always has servants with her as the Lady of the manor, there is no way she would be able to build a new one, she wouldn't risk it. The proof you need will be there, I swear it." I took honor seriously, I know not many did anymore, that was for a more medieval time, but I still did, so I would take her at her word until she broke it and then she would never have my trust again.

"Either my sister or a maid will be in the room at all times, the maid though is barely trusted and restricted to the sitting room which is the only entrance to her bedroom, she doesn't even have any windows. If you want to get in there you will need to get past the maid, I trust that since you were able to sneak into the manor undetected that you can manage this?" I glance down at my barely there form, still blended in with the shadows, I would be able to walk right past the maid and she wouldn't even see me, but even a shadow can't slip through a door without it being open a crack, I would need to come up with a reason for the maid to check inside the bedroom.

"I will get the proof Sari, and then I will return for you." She gave me a bitter smile, no hope in her expression.

"I have nothing to do but wait for you to return, and if you choose not to, I will still be here." So sure, that I would leave now that I had gotten the information I needed and not return, I would prove her wrong, but right now I needed to go get the proof my Queen needed.

"I will return, I promise you Sari, on my Queen's life, I will get you out of this house." She didn't even answer, merely turned back around to the mirror and resumed combing her hair, as if I had never even been there. I would not break my word, I would return for her, even if I had to go through all of the guards Anneth manor had.