A Pet for the Dragons

48.

ARIKA

Within the next few minutes, we were downstairs in the courtyard. I felt like a penguin waddling its way to the sea with all the layers of fur that Zorge had wrapped around me.

Ivret was already waiting for us with what looked like a basket.

"What's in that?" I asked, curious.

"I packed you some food and potions since we're leaving so early," he said, and for some reason, this made my throat tighten. My eyes burned with tears, surprising me.

Why was I feeling this way? I blinked my tears away before either of them could notice. I didn't want to give away anything.

I should've felt happy that I was finally leaving this place and that my escape plan was in order. I'd mentally prepared everything, but I wasn't prepared for the strange tightness in my throat and the way my heart hurt, realising that this was the last time I might be seeing them properly.

"Have you wrapped her in the furs properly?" Ivret asked Zorge.

"Yes, I did a thorough work on her. She's secured from the weather," Zorge shot back at Ivret, sounding somewhat annoyed. "Did you check the stars? What do they say?"

"The stars say we should leave soon," Ivret replied. The tone of urgency in his voice didn't go unnoticed by me. I swallowed. "There's a storm coming. We need to leave now. I'm prepared. Are you?"

"I'm more prepared than you," Zorge snarled.

"As agreed, Arika would be flying with me," Ivret said, and Zorge made an annoyed sound.

"Let's ask her who she'd like to fly with. I want to hear it from her," Zorge pushed, and I sighed. These two had already started to bicker, but this was a good thing for me. It was a good distraction from my sudden turbulent emotions. I wasn't expecting to feel this way about leaving them, but somehow, my stomach twisted at the thought of not seeing them again.

No. This was just Stockholm syndrome.

I reminded myself that they'd been nice to me so far because they still expected me to give them the servers I'd promised. All this would change when they discovered I couldn't remember where the servers were. I wasn't even sure if I even had the servers. I'd laid in that cot for countless hours, forcing myself to recall where I'd hidden those servers, but in the end, I'd gotten nothing.

I couldn't let them know about this, or I'd be in big trouble. I'd already evaded a big enough trouble called Radrox. He'd probably seen through me. I didn't want the rest to do that as well. I'd have to thank my stars for making it this far and for being alive in the first place. However, I was sure my luck would stop favouring me soon, and I'd need to make an exit before that, or I'd be stuck with them forever... and I doubted they'd be as kind and nurturing with me once they figure out that I'd been using them and that all the sweet things I'd done and said to them were fake...

...or were they?

I shook my head before I could get lost in my thoughts and get distracted from my plan. I needed to focus.

I hissed, pretending to be in pain, and this finally got Ivret and Zorge's attention. They stopped bickering instantly and got to my sides. Zorge held my hand, assuring me that the pain would go away soon, while Ivret unscrewed a small bottle of something and held it against my lips.

I drained whatever potion he offered me because even though I pretended to be in pain, I could feel a real cramp rising through my thighs. I hoped that the potion would work before I could start cramping for real.