A Pet for the Dragons

160.

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I stared at Arika, who looked disoriented from everything. I couldn't tell if it was because of the spell or if it was due to sleeping for 3 days straight, but it made me nervous.

I didn't want to leave her in this state, but we had no other option if Ivret failed to convince Mavie today.

Realising that today might be my last day with her deeply troubled me. I hadn't claimed her yet, and it was starting to pain my soul. My dragon was so restless.

In addition, it didn't help that she was in heat. Although the heat was fake, it was still heat, and heat tends to do terrible things to everyone.

"We're leaving for the frontline tomorrow," I told her. For a moment, she froze before her eyes went wide.

"What?" she asked, and finally, I started to see the effects of the heat-subduing potion on her. With every passing second, she became less feverish, more aware, and more awake, which relieved me.

"We are leaving for the frontlines tomorrow, Arika. We were supposed to leave today, but it has been postponed until tomorrow because of some logistical issues. Nonetheless, we would have to go if Ivret failed today," Zorge explained, but I could only watch Arika and take in every bit of her because this was the last time.

It hurt me that I couldn't unite with her the way Ivret and Zorge had, but that didn't mean she wasn't mine. My venom was still running through her veins. She still had a part of me with her. But this wasn't enough for me. It was still hard to accept.

For a moment, I regretted not fucking her when I had the chance. I should've knotted her. I should've fucked her until the only thing on her lips was my name.

I clenched my jaw as all these thoughts started running through my head. It was beginning to fuck with me. She was already in heat, ready. She could never be more ready, yet I couldn't do this. She was still weak because of the damn spell.

"No, this can't be," Arika said, shaking her head before she plopped back into the bed. "This is a dream. This is a fucking dream," She chanted to herself, but this wasn't going to help.

However, there was something else that needed to be taken care of.

"Arika," I called for her, stepping closer and looking down at her. Her cheeks looked hollow, and there were circles under her eyes even though she had been asleep for days. She looked thinner and paler. Yet despite all this, I wanted her. "Do you remember who did this to you?" I asked.

We'd been trying to figure out who did this to her while she'd been asleep all this time. Not that we didn't know. We knew exactly who did this, or rather, who orchestrated this— Mavie. But we couldn't blame her openly.

We were trying to figure out which pawn of her did this to her. Ivret would take care of the rest.

"I don't remember anything," She said, a hint of desperation in her voice. I watched her closely. For a moment, a painful look dawned on her face before she shot up from the bed and bent down before throwing up all the potion I had given her a few moments ago.

Zorge panicked and moved quickly, lifting and taking her to the bath. I ground my teeth and went back to fetch some more of the potion to ensure that her heat wouldn't get worse. It would cause a lot more problems for her.

Humans weren't supposed to have heat like this.

When I returned with more portion, I found Arika in the tub full of cold water, resting her head on the side while Zorge rubbed her back. She looked more tired.

"Here," I said, kneeling beside her and holding the portion to her lips for her to drink. She refused at first, but I forced her to drink it.

"When are you two leaving tomorrow?" Arika asked. Her voice was weak but firm.

"At Night," I answered, taking her hand in mine. She was burning hot, which immediately triggered my dragon to attend to her—to give her what her body was burning for—but I suppressed him. I reminded him repeatedly that this wasn't it as I tried to soothe her the best I could.

At this point, I was more worried about her health than leaving and never seeing her again. I just wanted to make sure that she was alright.

"We'll be by your side until—"

"I'm going to see Mavie today," She interrupted Zorge. My brother and I froze and stared at her.

"I'm not letting you near her again—"

"I'm going to talk this out with her," She said. "This is the only way left now."

"Ivret is already there. He'll handle that. You're not going—"

"She's not going to listen to him, Zorge," Arika said, lifting her head. She looked paler, and her eyes seemed unnaturally bright. With her wet hair, she almost reminded me of the sirens that would drag you underwater after lulling you with their songs. "If she were to listen, she would've listened to him already,"

"What makes you think she'd listen to you?" I asked. In response, Arika gave me a look. She looked weak, but her eyes were filled with determination. However, they softened as soon as she started tracing my scars with her eyes. I didn't miss how her eyes flickered to my lips for a split second.

I almost gave in and kissed her, but I held myself back. If I broke down now, there would be no going back. The leaving would become tougher, and I would be forever broken.

"I will make her listen. She wants something from me, and I will negotiate with her," Arika said fiercely, and for a moment, she reminded me of the time when she came first to the Gallow Castle, trying to trick us all. A part of me liked this. It was still a reminder that this place hadn't claimed her yet.

"Negotiate with what?" I asked. I wasn't hopeful about anything, but I needed to hear what she was cooking in her head. As much as I loathed her scheming side, I had to give it to her for being witty. She had been a pirate, after all, and scaled dangerous seas.

However, she looked uncertain at my question and swallowed hard.

"I don't know, but I will see what can be done. But I'm going to talk to her today. You two aren't going anywhere," She told us fiercely, eliciting a tiny spark of hope in me. But I didn't want to be hopeful. I'd been optimistic before, and it had never served me well. Being cynical was my way of being.

But there was something in her voice, in her face, that made me dare to hope. This would be the last time I hoped for anything.

~

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