The Dragon's Mate

Chapter 58

Just then the door is opened as two guards enter as one of them says, "well, if it isn't the false King and his human whore." The other one says, "afraid time's up for you both, Lord Cole has.... quite a lot planned for you." Hunter says, "Emerald, when they get close, I want you to run for that crack in the wall, you can make it." Emerald replies, "no, you are powerless in those chains, remember? You can't-." Hunter says, "I don't care, just do it." The guard comes over saying, "I wonder... with your power drained, what will Dragon's venom feel like in your veins, slave breeder?." Emerald's eyes flicker to the candles on the wall, the power within her simmering just beneath the surface waiting to be called forth. Hunter says angrily, "you son of a-." The guard grabs Hunter by his hair yanking his head back, but right before his fangs pierce Hunter's skin, Emerald moves as she says, "Don't fucking touch him!," as easy as breathing, she pulls a rope of fire from the candles overhead, lashing it like a whip. The guard is stunned saying, "what in God's name?!." Hunter says, "Emerald!." The two enemy guards leap back as she cracks the fire whip at them as Hunter looks in awe before thinking, 'Dragons can't be burned by this fire, but they can be stopped by Hunter.' Thinking fast, she slings the fire in Hunter's direction melting the chains from his wrists as she says, "Take them down, Hunter." 

Hunter says, "with pleasure," then with an earth-shattering roar, Hunter leaps on the guards knocking them out could without breaking a sweat. Emerald says, "you did it!," Hunter turns to her saying, "No... you did it, Emerald... you did not give up on me, even though I'd completely given up on myself." Emerald asks, "does this mean you will trust me now?." Hunter replies, "yes, I will trust you from here on out." Emerald says, "you'd better." With a smirk, Hunter and Emerald pull the guards clothes off and dress themselves in it. Hunter says, "wait." Emerald asks, "what is it?." Hunter points at the thin gold chain around Emerald's neck as he says, "it is time you take that off, we don't need to hide you anymore, you don't need to masquerade as a slave for one more second of your life." Emerald thinks, 'it really was a disguise to him this whole time, nothing more.' Emerald says, "Hunter, can you take it off for me?," Hunter nods as Emerald turns around and allows him to slowly unclasp the golden collar from her throat, it falls to the ground as she feels her neck light as air and soon faces Hunter with a restored senses of freedom asking, "how do I look, Hunter?." Hunter answers, "you look ready for anything that could come your way." They soon head out and come into the corridor as Hunter stop as Emerald senses something is bothering him; she asks, "what's the matter?." Hunter replies, "what I just said earlier, you look ready for anything that could come your way and I am afraid 'anything' is likely." He turns to face her again, his eyes like deep like a storm filled with darkness as he says, "just promise me you will stay safe, no matter what you will defend yourself first." Emerald says, "Hunter, I promise you." Hunter smiles saying, "good, now let's go, stay close to me, we need to act like Cole's guards." A heaviness hangs in the air, a sense of foreboding; Dragons and humans alike make their preparations for the wedding, all the while keeping heads low as Emerald and Hunter stare at them with Emerald saying, "their fear, I can feel it." Hunter says, "I can, too," suddenly the doors to the throne room are blown open and bells are rung. Hunter says, "it's starting." Emerald follows Hunter up into the throne room, her heart pounding in her chest as she sees what is happening inside and her heart nearly fails to beat. 

Cole is with Annabelle dressed fancy as he says, "it's time, my Queen." Annabelle says, "at long last," and below them... are several chained, trembling slaves as the slaves weakly says, "N-No....p-please... we are innocent and have done nothing wrong...spare...s-spare us." Cole says, "my gift to you, my Queen, to honour our union and my coronation... I will sacrifice these offerings to the fire." Emerald feels something hard and horrible rising in her throat as she shakes with anger beside Hunter saying, "that's barbaric and cruel! he would sacrifice them? like they are nothing?." Hunter says, "he doesn't believe humans are people, he sees them as toys, to torture for his enjoyment." Hunter's words almost sound similar to Rowan as she remembers his warning, 'Cole wants to kill all humans, he wants to wipe us from the earth.' Annabelle says, "what a thoughtful gift, thank you, my Lord." Cole takes Annabelle's hand and kisses it saying, "anything for my bride." Annabelle then raises a brilliant gold crown high over Cole's head as Emerald and Hunter stare on with Hunter saying in shock, "if he puts that on... it's all over." Emerald says, "then he won't put on that fucking crown." Hunter says, "what?!." Emerald says, "he won't be King...." She swings her sword with all her might, the blade cuts straight through the crown, splitting in half. Everyone looks on in shocked as Emerald comes on stage as Annabelle angrily says, "HOW DARE YOU!." Cole says, "what the hell do you think you're-." He stops, his eyes narrowing as he suddenly recognises Emerald.