The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 11: Broken

Cole

What use was a slave if she didn't obey my orders? She'd warned me of her history of disobedience. I thought it would take more than a few days for her to grow so defiant.

I stalked through the palace corridor, my bootheels clicking on the marble floor. No one in the palace disobeyed me. Her refusal to answer was a challenge I couldn't ignore.

Talon, where are you?

In the gardens by the fish pond.

I changed direction and went out to the gardens. The large, red-scaled beast lounged on the sunny rocks around the fish pond. His body curled around the curve of the water, one hand hanging lazily into the glassy surface.

Colorful fish with scales of blue, green, red, and orange nibbled at Talon's black claws. Their bodies swayed and curled elegantly as their translucent, feathery fins disrupted the pond's surface.

He looked so relaxed. Given that we just burned the wheat fields of a neighboring territory, leaving thousands to starve if they didn't enter a trade agreement with Telasia, he had an uncanny way of letting it all go.

I headed to a nearby shed and grabbed a bucket, scrub brush, and bottle of sweet oils.

Talon lazily raised one eyelid, his slitted pupil following me. He huffed a curling tendril of smoke when he saw the grooming supplies.

I poured the oil into the bucket and dipped the brush in. Talon had some loose scales on his haunches. I started there, scrubbing the oil into his hide, knocking loose the old scales, and nourishing the leathery skin beneath so new ones would grow.

Talon grumbled and rolled his leg away.

Not so hard. You'll scrub my skin right off.

Sorry.

The great dragon huffed again. He craned his long neck around until his head was right in front of me. He rested his head on a rock blinking large, reptilian eyes in my direction.

You're annoyed.

I scoffed. You noticed, did you?

I don't understand. Sabine survived, didn't she? Why are you so upset?

I paused, the brush coming to a standstill on Talon's side. Narrowing my eyes, I studied the dragon's face closely. It was hard to determine a dragon's thoughts or emotions through tone and expression. I could feel a lot of what Talon felt but sometimes it was hard to know if those were his feelings or mine reflected back at me through him.

Sabine, is it?

She has a nice name.

I rolled my eyes and got back to scrubbing. Since when did Talon use anyone's name, other than mine and other dragons?

She wouldn't answer my question. I gave her an order and she refused. What good is a slave that refuses to do what their master asks?

You said you didn't want a slave. Talon rumbled. The ground trembled beneath my feet and the water in the fish pond vibrated. The fish panicked, swishing back and forth before finally submerging deeper.

Whether I want her or not, she is still my slave and should act like one! I tossed the brush in the bucket. Huffing, I sat on a rock and leaned my back against Talon's side. His warmth enveloped me and the steady rise and fall of his great breaths helped me relax.

You're angry about what was done to her. Talon pointed out. Is that because you care for her?

What? No! She has her uses, and she's here by your request, remember?