The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 104

The cell was dirty, uncomfortable, and cold. A bench along the wall was the only comfort available, though its wood was splintering in places. There was nowhere to stretch out to sleep, not that Elysia would have been able to anyway. Exhausted as she was, she was too fearful and alert to find rest. Jordan had told her she only had one evening left before she either became his wife or died. The choice was up to her parents. Neither option was particularly appealing.

Elysia hoped her parents would choose to fight. Regardless of her demise, she wanted what was best for her kingdom. Besides, a life tied to Jordan was not a life worth living. Thankfully, Jordan had announced he would be leaving until then. Apparently he had much to oversee. Once he left, she felt as though she could breathe again.

A single guard was posted at the door, although Elysia knew there were at least three more beyond that. She could hear them talking amongst themselves every so often.

She had already attempted flattering her guard and was shut down almost immediately. It seemed Jordan had switched her guard to someone impervious to her flirtations. That left no other options for her to escape. Not unless she was able to dig herself out. After all, the floor was made of dirt. But it would be impossible with the man always watching her from the corner.

Elysia didn't know what time it was, but she knew the hour was late when the outer door burst open and there was a brief commotion. Her heart leapt, thinking it was Shade. But it was only another prisoner, their hands tied together.

In the darkness, Elysia couldn't tell who it was or what this person looked like. Her own cell door opened just long enough for the guard to kick the person inside before slamming it shut again, turning the key to lock it once more.

For a moment Elysia thought perhaps it was Phillip, that maybe he wasn't dead after all. But then she thought better. The form was too small to be Phillip. In fact, it was too small to be any adult. The other prisoner was a child.

"David?" Elysia asked, hoping she was wrong.

The young boy coughed weakly and Elysia rushed to his side. In the faint moonlight she could see his swollen right eye, his split lip, and several cuts along his arms. They had roughed him up to get him here and suddenly Elysia felt murderous. It was one thing to abduct her and hold her hostage, it was another to hurt a child.

"Are you okay?" She knelt down beside him as he curled up into a ball in the corner of the cell.

At last he seemed to recognize her. "Princess Elysia?"

She nodded and gently stroked the hair away from his eyes. He was crying softly, small whimpers of fear.

"What happened?"

His voice was shaky as he responded. "They broke into our house and tied us all up, asking one by one which of us was dragon bonded. I spoke up before they could hurt any of my siblings. Then they took me but I fought them once we were far enough away from my house."

"And your family? Are they okay?"

He nodded. "I think so."

She breathed a sigh of relief. It was a small victory; she was grateful no one else in his family was harmed.

"They spent hours making sure I wasn't good with magic. They beat it out of me." His voice was barely a whisper.

Again Elysia found herself enraged. There wasn't anything she could say to comfort him, so instead she gathered him close to her until she was practically cradling the poor boy in her lap. With gentle strokes, she brushed through his hair, hoping to provide any comfort she could.