A Pet for the Dragons

70.

ARIKA

The dragon man struggled hard under me, but I pinned one of his shoulders down with my knee while I hit him on the head with the rod repeatedly until he drowned in pain. I was about to hit him again when I heard a familiar voice boom through the dark hallway, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Callath!" Radrox growled. I saw his red glowing eyes before I saw his scarred face as the darkness curled away. Even though I disliked him after what he did to me the last time, my heart still stuttered as if I'd seen my high school crush. I clenched my jaw at the reaction my body was having to him. I'd rather swallow lava than care for him.

However, soon, the reason for my heart's stutter turned to a completely different one when Radrox barred his teeth, flashing his sharp canines.

"I was wandering in the castle and saw him sneaking in!" I shouted before Radrox could blame me. I was expecting him to accuse me of trying to run away because, for a second, I saw the terrifying anger on his scarred face before his red eyes shifted to the dragon man under me.

If I had thought he looked angry at the thought of me running away, then the dragon man under me would've already been dead because of the look Radrox gave him. It made me shudder, but not in a good way.

"So it was you all this time," Radrox spoke with a sneer on his face, and for a moment, his glowing red eyes seemed to have turned a glowing bloodthirsty red. "I should've guessed it earlier,"

"Who is she?" The dragon man under me asked.

"Let him go," Radrox said. I cocked an eyebrow at him. He flashed me the same sneer. I let go of the dragon man, but not before giving him a warning bonk with the rod. He groaned, and Radrox's sneer deepened, but I didn't care.

I'd been sitting in that room alone all this time and needed a way to let my built-up frustration out. For the moment, hitting the trespasser helped, especially when I imagined him to be Radrox.

"Why are you here, Callath," Radrox asked as the man rubbed his head and slowly got up. He swayed on his feet for a moment before he turned to face me with such sharp and swift action that it took me back.

"How dare you touch me," Callath growled at me, taking a menacing step closer to me. His pitch-black eyes looked terrifying, and my blood ran cold for a moment. I'd almost forgotten that he was a dragon man, not just a man.

"How dare you sneak into our house," Radrox growled back, and his growl was deeper and more guttural, reverberating through the dim hallway. There was enough warning in Radrox's words and voice that stopped Callath from whatever he planned to do with me.

I shuddered when he scanned me from head to toe with a dark look— the kind that clearly meant he wanted me dead instantly.

"I'm here to meet the Kalaz brat," Callath said.

"You must be getting used to sneaking around since it's too shameful as a member of the Cardinal House to be seen in public," Radrox said, and Callath turned to face him.

"You're forgetting that you got this place on a lease from me. I'm free to come and go as I please. Now, tell me who this human is. Is it the one named Arika?" Callath said, and for a moment, my blood ran cold.

How did he know my name?

Radrox let out another growl. It was more powerful and guttural. I felt it reverberating through the whole hallway.

"I don't remember the lease having your name anywhere on it. Mavie gave us the lease for 500 hundred years. All you did was deliver it." Radrox said, and for a moment, the two glared at each other murderously. It felt like they had forgotten about me at the moment.

"Where's the Kalaz brat? I'm here for him. I hope you got the scroll," Callath said coldly, swiping his eyes at me again. I didn't know what scroll Callath was referring to, but it pissed Radrox off even more. I heard him grinding his teeth.

"We did," Radrox gritted, and for a moment, Callath looked smug. I wondered what was going on.

"Then you must know what it means," Callath said smugly.

"I didn't know you were demoted to a meagre messenger who has to get beaten by a human while he sneaks around. It seems like times are tough at the Cardinal House." Radrox returned, and for a moment, I almost giggled. I didn't know Radrox was good at comebacks.

His words seemed to have triggered Callath, and for a moment, it looked like Callath was about to attack Radrox. Radrox looked ready to fight back. The air in the hallway sizzled with tension. I sucked in a breath, waiting for one of them to move first.

"Let's talk this out," Callath seemed to have given up first and sighed. "I've been out there for a while, and the last thing I wish to do is fight."

"You know you're going to get beaten up like last time," Radrox shot back, and for a moment, Callath looked ready to fight again.

"I was here to talk," Callath said. "But you're making the situation worse. You wish to fight, red dragon? I'll fight you," Callath said, slowly turning towards me. My heart stopped beating for a second as I realized what he would do.

I clenched the rod, ready to swing it in his face if he touched me. Instead, I saw a flash of blinding light, and in the next moment, I was on the ground, blinking tears. I heard the two scuffle somewhere behind me. I listened to the noise of crushed stone, followed by a pained moan.

"How dare you touch my bond!" I heard Radrox growl before the world started swirling around me, and I slipped into darkness.

~

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