A Pet for the Dragons

175.

MAVIE

"Ivret—" The red dragon tried to intervene, but he was too shocked to say anything. As far as I could remember, his name was Radrox. A returnee from Dacva. The sight of him irked me, but I focused on Ivret.

It had been a while since I had seen him use his powers to their full potential. He was a skilled healer and well-versed in the dark remedies. I watched the Mage struggle under Ivret as the latter drained him of his life force.

I saw the pain in his eyes, coupled with the realisation of what was happening to him and that no one could stop it.

...how pathetic he looked...

'Not as pathetic as you,' The demoness smiled at me. I tried to ignore her, but I couldn't. Her voice was the loudest today. She laughed at me, noticing my annoyance.

'You're enjoying yourself too much today.'

'Why shouldn't I? I love to see you fail gloriously.' She responded, triggering me. I ignored everything and everyone around me and headed towards Arika.

She can't die. I told myself while the demoness laughed. However, she looked very much... dead when I got to have a closer look at her.

"If you wish to suffer the fate of the Mage, then go on and touch her," Ivret spoke behind me. I didn't think he would notice me so quickly. I assumed he was too lost in his rage to see me.

"You threaten me?" I asked, turning to face him, only to gasp and stumble back when I found him right behind me. I wasn't expecting this. Ivret's eyes were swirling with red and bloodthirst.

I wasn't scared of him. I was simply... surprised. I had never seen him in such a dangerously aroused state, not up this close.

"Yes," He growled, stalking towards me. "And I mean it. I can kill you in this instant and you will—"

"Another word, and I will have all of your ne—"

"YOU WILL SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME," Ivret roared, his voice echoing throughout the garden. A shiver ran down my spine, but I ignored it. Even the demoness was listening to him. Of course, she was.

"ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOUR IGNORANCE AND YOUR GREED!"

'He's right,'

"YOU KILLED HER AND WERE GOING TO MAKE US ROT IN THE DUNGEONS FOR WHAT!"

'Why so quiet? Answer him,' The demoness mused. I stared at Ivret's red eyes. I understood his pain. I understood his rage. I understood everything... but it didn't matter. All my plans failed.

You set me up for it.

I glanced at Arika's body in the water. Her skin looked pale white, but some colour was still in her face and lips. She could be saved.

"She's alive," I replied, sounding pathetic. That was all I could manage to say in this situation. Not that I didn't have anything to say. No. I had a lot to explain to him, but I doubted he would listen to me in this state and even if he were to listen to me, he wouldn't believe a single word.

'That's the price you've got to pay, remember?'

The red dragon was already lifting Arika's body from the fountain while the grey one checked for her pulse. Kazzirth was there as well. Watching, like he always did. Meanwhile, I noticed the burnt body of my other son, Yvune. I sighed to myself.

It was going to be a long day.

"Tell me, Mavie. Why did you do this?" Ivret asked. For once, I heard the desperation in his voice. It reminded me of our friendship, and I missed it so much. A day didn't go by when I wished I could be... normal again.

The demoness laughed at me. She was the reason behind all this. I was doing this... for her... through her... due to her. It had been so long with her that now, she was me and... I was her. She was an old curse I inherited.

"I thought I already discussed it with you," I replied, feigning ignorance and arrogance even though I felt guilty for taking it this far... but I had my reasons. My words triggered him even more, and he took a threatening step towards me.

I didn't react, but locked my eyes with his. I waited for him to speak, but he didn't. Instead, he glared at me. However, I could read everything going on inside his head. I could see all his emotions raging into a storm that threatened to swallow him.

"You're truly heartless," He commented. I couldn't help but smile at him... because he was too close to my truth. I had a heart...it had stopped working because of her.

"You know me well," I replied, cringing at myself internally.

"That I do definitely," He said. "But you cannot say the same about me," He added. I tilted my head, trying to see where he was going with this. He read the slight confusion on my face and added quickly. "Because you wouldn't have risked it,"

"What are you going to do?" I asked. "She will be all right in no time in the care of—"

"We're leaving," He announced. "And you wouldn't be able to stop us this time,"

"How so?" I asked. I had no intention of stopping them. After some time, I understood that keeping them here would only breed agitation among them. The more agitated they were, the less likely they were to do what they were supposed to do.

In response, he took another menacing step towards me. "You wish to meet Rondothir sooner?" He asked. Whatever guilt I felt before instantly faded away, replaced by rage.

'He got you!'

"What about him?" I asked, masking the sudden change in my mood. But Ivret knew he'd struck a chord in me. I'd tried my best to remove Rondothir from all the records, to erase her from existence, yet... the ghost of her presence seemed to follow me like a shadow.

"Her," He corrected me. "I know she's alive and I've talked to her. What? You wish to know more about her? You can ask Ceikalyn about your sister—"

"ENOUGH!" I snapped at him. "You are overstepping—"

"I'll step on your face if I could," Ivret spat at me.

"You dare..."

"Listen to me, Mavie. We're leaving with Arika. I know no matter where we go, you'll find us. I'll make peace with that. But... you'll be facing Rondothir if you try to interfere in our matters,"

"Is that a threat?" I asked, crossing my arms on my chest. "Or an incentive?" My words seemed to have surprised him for a moment. I had my qualms with Rondothir, but that didn't mean I was scared of her. I had faced her before. I'd face her again if the situation arose.

"How were you expecting me to react to that? Do you want me to be scared of a lowly dragon?"

"She's your—"

"I'm letting you all leave the palace this time," I commanded, taking back control of the situation. I needed to act before this could get further out of my hands. "You're right in assuming that my gaze will follow you no matter where you go, but you're mistaken in thinking that I wouldn't intervene when I feel necessary,"

"I will raise hell, Mavie," Ivret promised. "I will—"

"You all are dismissed," I said and left before things could get uglier than this.

'Running as usual.' She laughed at me, but I ignored her. I had a lot on my plate now, but first, I needed to see Ceikalyn. There was no one I hated more than a traitor.

~

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