Fire in our veins

I'm worse than you think

In the room she found a bucket full of warm water and some rags. Viggo left her alone, closing the door with a quiet slam. She washed her hands first and wiped the dried blood from the leather bodice. She could see a few stains on the dark skirt, which she partially washed off with water. When she had finished, she took a deep breath and sat down in front of her desk. She usually handled these situations much better, but this one surprised her. She hid her face in her hands. She tried to put together in her head everything that had happened. Viggo had taken her with him for some reason. He had activated the Dragon's Eye, so he didn't need her, he hadn't asked her any question that involved her brother or the dragons. She wasn't a prisoner either, to a point. She was free to walk around the ship, got good food and even had a comfortable place to sleep. At the mention of the leader of the Dragon Hunters in just his trousers lying a few inches away from her, she felt a burning sensation on her cheeks. She had to concentrate. They would reach the port soon, which might be her last chance to escape.

She didn't have much information that could help her. Standing on the deck earlier, she spotted a second ship sailing a considerable distance away. More hunters meant more trouble, and she didn't know how long they would stay on the island or if she would go ashore at all. However, if Viggo decided to lock her on the ship, she would have no chance to escape. Frustrated, she decided to leave the stuffy room. The main deck was almost empty, apart from a few hunters who did not particularly pay attention to her. She approached the side where she and Viggo had stood earlier. The North Markets were no longer a dot on the horizon, she could clearly see boats moored in the harbour and few people walking around.

The ship entered the harbour where a group of dragon hunters were waiting. One of them took Eira and led her away from the cages of dragons that had been taken out of the hold. It was getting dark when they reached the end of the path. Only then did the man let go of her forearm, which he had held tightly the entire time. In a small clearing surrounded by trees, the hunters were finishing setting up their tents. There was a large bonfire burning in the middle, which gave off a lot of light. Eira looked around subtly, she could see sentries walking around the camp. She was pushed towards the largest tent, there was a dragon skull hanging over the entrance that she couldn't recognise. Inside, Viggo was waiting for her, sitting at his desk, looking through the parchments scattered around him.

- I have to admit, you know how to arrange things. - She looked meaningfully at the dragon skins from which the tent was made. One skin, one dragon, she couldn't help but count. One, two, three..,

- Practicality is key in these situations. - Her thoughts were stopped by Viggo. - Dragon skin is water proof and keeps you warm very well.

- Practicality, of course. - She felt a little sick involuntarily. - So while we're here, and you don't have plans to go shopping together, can you finally tell me what I'm doing here? - She crossed her arms and sat down opposite the man. Viggo gathered all the parchments together and put them in a small box that stood next to the desk.

- You are currently keeping me company, but I assume that is not what you want. I can' t tell you the reason why you are here, but I can assure you that it has nothing to do with your brother or his dragons.

She wanted to ask something else, but was interrupted by a hunter entering the tent. Without a word, he handed Viggo the folded parchment and left. Reading the message, he frowned slightly, which did not escape Eira's attention. She was even more surprised when he got up and walked quickly to the exit of the tent. However, he stopped before he left.

- Make yourself comfortable, someone will bring you dinner soon. - He looked at her over his shoulder with a suggestive smile. - And if you are planning to escape, I would advise you to rethink your plan, considering the fact that the tent is surrounded by guards on all sides.