Indebted

42

Two months before Esti's perilous boat trip, Atticus found himself bundled into a meticulously clean, nondescript black van with no passenger windows. The interior was comfortable, and the van even smelled like it was actually new. The cabin climate control was excellent, while it wasn't exactly comfortable to have almost every seat in the vehicle that held eight filled, it was at least not unpleasant. As far as forced kidnapping went.

It had been a very quiet and gentle kidnapping. Clearly heading to the nearest airport by the most direct path from where he had been picked up. A leader and tail car completing their convoy. They had put a shield around him to cut him off from his magic and restrain his dragon from being able to shift. Said his full name, and demanded he come with them. Leaving the implied threat of the five other well prepared guards surrounding him.

Atticus had still been recovering from the unfair attack that had allowed him to escape while he had still been chained. Yes he had come out on top and escaped, that hadn't stopped the cheap shots from the crowd from landing as he defended himself against the prime threats to his person.

This group had the air of training and skill surrounding them. A fight with them would be a significant increase in challenge. Atticus was in no mood for another beating if it could be helped. So imagining that this would be a short intermission on his trip to Esti, Atticus went along gently. As they approached the airport, in absolute silence he needed answers. "Uhh? Where we going guys?" Nonchalant. Kidnapping was normal. Everything was fine.

Looks were exchanged all around the van, all around Atticus without including him. "Atticus Wyatt Fireraven Fitzmagnuson minor thrice removed," Again with the full title that Atticus had only ever seen written down once on some paperwork from his father. "The Council has requested a meeting, we are simply fulfilling our duty to The Council." The driver announced, as though no additional questions could be asked after such a decree.

According to the father Atticus had rarely seen, the only place worse than the dragon court would be The Council that ruled over Earth. Keeping every supernatural in line and the humans unaware of the wider world around them. Save the insular dragon courts of the Sovran dragons. It had been almost a year since the magic had all shifted. Not everyone seemed to have noticed the fracture Atticus had learned. For humans, those without magic, and not paying attention almost nothing had changed.

For those who noticed, everything had changed. Late afternoon one summer day, magic burned brighter, dozens of human companies found executives had died suddenly. Atticus had known everything had changed, but he had at the time been too caught up in caring for his mother to think about anything outside of their apartment.

None at the dragon court seemed to know or care much that the biggest shift since the last breaking of the worlds had occurred. It had been enough to nearly drive Atticus mad. But now, here he was, under the control of the enemy, in uncertain times. Growing farther and farther away from his mate every second. This was torture. Pain. Enough to make him feel like he was going insane.

Though after seeing The Dragon Court, Atticus wasn't sure that The Council could be any worse. This abduction had been polite enough. The travel more than comfortable. He had not been mistreated in any physical way. It wasn't until the distance from Esti grew far enough that it began to hurt that Atticus regretted trying to avoid another simple beating. He probably could have fought his way free. Continued to seek Esti. He might have even reached her by now.

In the dark of night they arrived in a city. The pilot of the private charter plane did not announce where they had arrived before landing. Leaving Atticus in the dark regarding his current location. Only able to tell he was far too far from Esti now for comfort or peace.