A Pet for the Dragons

170.

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"How did you even find us here?" I asked Kazzirth. We were all surprised to see him here. "And weren't you supposed to leave for the commission?"

He sighed deeply as he led us out of the dungeon through a secret passageway. I walked alongside him, lighting the dark passageways.

Meanwhile, my brother carried Ivret's unconscious body behind us. Ivret was too low on energy and passed out soon after Kazzirth found us and freed us.

"Well, my mother caught onto it. I'm grounded now," He answered.

"She'll kill you once she learns you freed us," I told him, patting his back. He sighed but said nothing because that was probably the truth. For once I felt bad for the boy. I could almost see myself in him.

"But how did you find us? And how did you get the keys?" I asked again because Kazzirth seemed too focused on the way to have missed my other question.

... or he was avoiding answering that. I would find out either way. I wondered if this was some trap. If it were, I wouldn't spare this prince.

"My brother told me to get you," He answered, sounding out of breath.

"Which one?"

"Yvune. He said Mother put you all in the dungeon,"

"Why? Where is he now?" I probed. I needed to know everything. This was the only way I could fully control the situation. Kazzirth hesitated a bit and I couldn't help but eye him.

He seemed to be hiding something. Or maybe, he was nervous about getting us out of here. He was defying the Empress, and the punishment for that was always very severe, regardless of the Empress's relation to the dragon being punished.

"Speak," I pressed when he wouldn't say anything.

"I'm just doing as I was told," Kazzirth blurted and started walking faster. We followed him through several twists and turns I couldn't have guessed were in the nooks and crannies of this place. It was a labyrinth. I wondered how Kazzirth knew the way.

I wanted to ask him that, but he already seemed to be walking on eggshells, so I didn't feel the need to make him more anxious. I checked on Zorge behind me. He had Ivret's body draped across his shoulders as he carried him through the narrow and dense passages of the dungeon.

We all walked in silence for a while. I was focused on getting out of here as soon as possible and seeing Arika.

"Does your brother have our human?" I asked Kazzirth. I didn't like the idea of Arika being anywhere near the Golden Prince. Everything about him screamed danger. He was as much a danger to Arika as Mavie.

"I... I don't know. He just told me to get you two to his vault," Kazzirth replied reluctantly.

"His vault? Why there?" I asked and the prince shrugged.

"It's the last place they'll look for you. It'll give you some time to plan," he said, but I couldn't help but feel suspicious about the whole thing. It all seemed too good to be true.

Why was the Golden Prince suddenly helping us? What personal interests might he have in this? His involvement made the situation much more unpredictable, dangerous and confusing.

I'd die before I let them harm us again.

I grabbed Kazzirth's cloak's hood and tugged him back. He gasped and staggered but was quick to gain his balance back.

"What are yo—"

"— listen here you, rodent prince. If this turns out to be some scheme to get us in more trouble, I will find you and skin you alive. I'm sure your mother would appreciate having you out of the way," I warned him. Kazzirth bared his teeth at me in response, challenging me.

"There's no scheming. I'm doing what I've been told to do. And don't think it would be too easy for you to walk away after killing me. They'll have your head on a pike for killing a pr—"

"— start walking again, kid. We don't have time for your tantrum. Just remember my words. I didn't get these scars, dilly-dallying around the court like a princeling like you,"

"You think I dilly-dally—"

"I said lead the way!" I snapped at him before he could waste any more time. He huffed angrily and started walking but much faster this time.

"He's not lying, brother," Zorge spoke behind me. "He's telling the truth— at least what he thinks is the truth,"

"I can trust Kazzirth but not his brother," I grunted.

"Me neither, but we don't have other options now," Zorge reminded me. I hated that, but we had to do with what we had.

It seemed like forever until we finally exited the claustrophobic dungeon tunnels and entered the Cardinal House main building. I immediately recognised the place—it was close to the court.

Kazzirth led us away from the court. We dodged a handful of guards here and there before finally reaching a random hallway.

"Where are you even—" My question died in my throat as soon as Kazzirth opened a door in the wall I had never seen before. Beyond the door was pitch black darkness.

"Get in, quick! " he said before getting in. We followed him and shut the door behind us.

"Where are we?" I asked, lighting a small flame. The stairs seemed to go on forever.

"We're almost there," Kazzirth said, descending the stairs. I exchanged a look with Zorge to ensure that Kassirth wasn't lying before we followed him downstairs.

We kept on going forever before finally reaching the bottom, where a heavy door was slightly ajar. A thick cloud of cold, dense air covered the floor.

"Why is this open?" Kazzirth mumbled as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. I followed him inside and was met with a bone-chilling cold.

"What is this pla—" the rest of the words died in my throat as my flame lit the room and I finally saw what was there. My stomach churned with sickness but I somehow kept it down.

The room was filled with bodies... of the Golden Prince.

"Where did he go?" Kazzirth asked, looking around. He didn't seem bothered by anything in the room, which bothered me the most.

"What in the hellfire fury—" Zorge cursed behind me as he entered the room and looked around.

"Hey! Tell me what is this place and where is your... brother?" I was at a loss for words and somehow managed to ask him the question.

"He was supposed to be here but I don't—" He stopped abruptly as he turned around a corner and fell silent. I dared to follow him and see what had made him speechless.

I couldn't help but bend and puke immediately. There were some of the bodies, destroyed and rotting.

"The trail leads out of the other door. The Mage was here. Fuck!" Kazzirth panicked, clutching his head. He wasn't bothered about the same thing as I. "Come, we need to be quick. We need to catch them,"

I didn't know what Kazzirth was saying, but I followed him as he bolted out another door. I noticed a trail of blood that didn't smell like the blood of a dragon.

I ran faster after the prince. 

~

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