Drakonis

Rescue

Light snores filled the room as I moved quietly toward the front door. Tonight was the night I was going to break Frostbone out and get him to safety. I packed everything I thought I'd need, double-checking to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything important. With a deep breath, I slowly opened the door and slipped outside, careful not to make a sound.

"Loran!" I heard Eli whisper-shout, making me freeze in my tracks. I turned to see him following behind me, a determined look on his face.

"Eli, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice low but sharp. I noticed he had a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Helping you," he said with a knowing smile as we began to walk away from the house.

I sighed, already feeling the beginnings of a headache. "You think we haven't noticed you sneaking out every night to the forest? And I bet that dragon we saw earlier—you know him, don't you?" He continued, her tone teasing as if she'd uncovered some grand secret.

"We?" I asked, just as Ashley emerged from the shadows of the house.

"More like me," she joked with a playful grin.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed at how easily she pieced it all together. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that?"

She just grinned, clearly enjoying the fact that she'd caught on. "And you're not as sneaky as you think."

"Great, now you're going to lecture me?" I muttered, though I couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for how quick she was and to bring Eli was worse.

"No, no lecture. As just want to help," she insisted, her voice more serious now.

I glanced at them, trying to gauge how much they really understood. "You realize this isn't a game, right? If we get caught..."

"I know," she cut me off, her expression hardening. "But you're not doing this alone."

I didn't have the energy to argue, especially since time was running out. "Fine, but stick close to me, and don't do anything reckless," I warned, mainly looking at Eli. Leading the way we made our way through the dark streets.

The castle loomed ahead, its shadowy silhouette against the night sky making it seem even more foreboding. We slipped through a side entrance, avoiding the usual patrols. The corridors were eerily quiet, our footsteps the only sound as we navigated the labyrinth of hallways.

Ashley seemed to know exactly where we were going, which only annoyed me more. She was always too smart, always one step ahead, even when I tried to keep things from her. But right now, I had bigger concerns than my cousin outsmarting me.

Finally, we reached a heavy door at the end of a dimly lit corridor. The dungeon. I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest, before pushing it open. The musty air hit us as we descended the stone steps, the torches flickering weakly against the damp walls.

"Are you sure about this?" Eli whispered, his earlier confidence wavering as the reality of what we were doing sank in.

"I don't have a choice," I whispered back, my resolve hardening. "They'll kill him by daylight."

As we reached the bottom of the stairs, the faint sound of chains clinking echoed through the dark. My heart tightened as we turned the corner and saw Frostbone, lying in the shadows of his cell, his scales dull and his eyes closed. I had to get him out, no matter the cost.

Ashley and Eli stayed close, their earlier bravado gone as she took in the sight of the captive dragon. "What do we do now?" Eli asked, his voice barely a whisper.

I steeled myself, stepping forward. "We set him free."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. The sight of Frostbone chained up in the dungeon was almost too much to bear. His once-brilliant scales were now dull, and the sadness in his eyes made my heart ache. I had to act fast.