A Pet for the Dragons

67.

IVRET

"I don't get it," I said, looking at the scroll. After being left alone for almost three decades, we were summoned back to the Cardinal House. This was unprecedented.

"Get what?" Zorge asked while Radrox gave me a stern look. Both were unhappy about the summoning and so was I. I had worked hard to leave the Cardinal House and didn't want to return there anymore. I was done with the politics of that place altogether.

"Why now?" I asked. "We didn't get any summons when they were at war with the elves, but they want us back now? I don't get it. Why do they want us back now?" I asked even though deep down I knew the answer. Still, I wanted to pretend that this was something else, not the Empress demanding me back to further her political interests.

"You really don't get it, Ivret?" Radrox asked darkly. I swallowed hard.

"Look... I gave up everything before coming here. I'm not going back," I told the brothers clearly, but if anything, they looked more unconvinced.

"You think you have a choice? And she has also mentioned Arika. How did she know about her?" Zorge frowned while Radrox ground his teeth.

"That doesn't matter." He said. "We've all been summoned,"

"It won't be safe to take her there, especially when she isn't marked and her eyes don't glow," I told them. Silence followed my words because we were still mad at Arika and needed time to figure things out with her.

As much as I craved her, I found it hard to give my mark to her at this moment, and I could see the same hesitance in the brothers' eyes. They were angry at her because Arika had lied about Radrox hurting her. She tried to divide us so she could get away. There was no guarantee she won't do this again.

We were still highly unsure if we could trust her or not.

Things were such a mess here, and on top of that, the summoning order had complicated things even more. We didn't have any choice here. Either we'd have to report to the Cardinal House, or the Empress would send the Cardinal guards after us.

The latter wouldn't be favourable for us, especially Arika. I clenched my jaw, thinking about Arika. As much as I was mad at her, I was concerned about her safety, and so were the others.

We'd have visited the Cardinal House if Arika wasn't with us, but her mention in the summoning command complicated things. I was still shocked to find that she was mentioned there by name. I wondered how the Empress even got to know about her. But then Radrox mentioned the interloper. I was starting to put the puzzle pieces together. Still, how did the interloper know about Arika? We ensured to keep him away from the Gallow Castle.

He must've lurked too close while we were busy dealing with Arika. This was most likely the case.

"What do we do now?" Zorge asked with a defeated sigh.

"We report to the Cardinal House with Arika," Radrox said grimly. "Or the Empress will send her guards."

"We're fucked, "Zorge hissed, and I somewhat agreed with him. We were fucked whether we reported to the Cardinal House or not. If we didn't show up, the Cardinal guards would be sent after us, and if we reported to the Cardinal House, then Arika would be in huge danger, especially in this unmarked state. Whatever the case may be, Arika was in huge danger.

"How much time do we have?" I muttered, searching the scroll for more information.

"A week," Radrox said, making it even worse.

"We need to mark her," Zorge said.

"She's a human, not a dragon," I reminded him before he could get carried away. "We don't know how her body will react to our venom."

I'd been considering this for a while— ever since Arika showed interest in me, and despite all things, this has been bothering me for the longest. Dragon venom was said to be lethal for humans... and venom from three dragons would be indeed more than lethal for Arika.

I could tell that the brothers were thinking about the same thing.

"Give her the nard," Radrox suggested. "That should help,"

"Again, I'm not sure how she'll react to that. No human has ever taken the nard," I said, his eyes red glowing eyes.

"We need to do something, "Zorge hissed, rubbing his face with frustration. "Can we disguise Arika as a dragon? We disguised ourselves as human when we went to that side." Zorge suggested, and I scoffed.

"You're asking for more trouble. The Cardinal mages would see right through the disguise and report to the Empress. You can imagine how that would end." I said, and he fell silent.

"We don't need to disguise her. We will show up with her as our pet. That's it. The Empress won't have a say on it," Radrox said, and Zorge whistled at me.

"I'd like to see how it plays out when Mavie learns Ivret has taken a pet... a human one at that," Zorge said, giving me an amused look.

"I don't care whatever she thinks. I never did." I shrugged, trying to dismiss the matter before Zorge could take it further. However, I knew it wouldn't be easy because of the way the brothers were staring at me.

"He's always so clueless," Zorge shook his head, and I clenched my jaw. I knew what he was trying to suggest but I didn't want to discuss that. I know that this was merely one of his way to make me talk about it. "Or maybe he's not," Zorge smirked, reading my emotions.

"The Empress has always had her eyes on you." Radrox was more straightforward, and I hated that even more. At least with Zorge, I could play around with the topic and find an excuse without direct mentions. Radrox wasn't like that. "She was majorly unhappy when you didn't court her. She still holds a grudge on you,"

"She did that to gain the support of my family, and I've left it. I don't have anything she'd want anymore," I told the brothers, but they didn't believe a single word of mine.

"He's cluelessness is at the Silge level," Zorge commented, and I let out a growl. Radrox shook his head.

"We need a plan," Radrox said. "We haven't got any time to waste."

"What's the plan?" I asked. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Zorge will get the fresh nard, you prepare the venom and I will deal with Arika," Radrox said. "We leave for Cerdosa in five days,"

~

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