The Dragon Prince

Chapter 2

Heir Prince Felix Andry

Unknown

The familiar jangle of keys came within hearing distance. They were coming. I looked to Jaymie, who was asleep on the makeshift bed across the room. This was our chance. Either we get out now, or we never will. I have seen the way our captor has been looking at Jaymie. He is starting to suspect, or at least I refuse to think of the alternative as to why he was looking at her. He would be coming back in a week or so. It had to be now. I got up and ran over to Jaymie, my shackles bouncing across the stone. I shook her lightly awake. "Hold your hands over your ears, little one." I said, trying to scare her. "I don't want you to hear this. Please, do as I say." She hesitated, but then placed her hands over her ears tightly. "Can you hear me?" I asked, but she didn't respond back. She could see me, and now she couldn't hear me. Good. I walked over to my hiding spot and grabbed the rod, lying in wait. Time seemed to slow, as I waited. The sound of the keys and the owner's footsteps drew closer.

Finally, the sound of the keys in the lock hit my ears, and I gripped the pipe hard, preparing to strike. The door opened, making the familiar creak, and as the guard stepped in, I hit him hard with the metal rod. He fell to the ground with an almost sickening sound, and I wondered for a moment if I had just killed him, but then I saw his chest rising and falling. I quickly looked him over, and grabbed the keys from his hand. I knelt down and began trying the keys in the lock, finally finding the right one, and just in time. Another set of footsteps came within hearing distance. Reinforcements. I grabbed the pipe again and ran behind the door. Another figure appeared, and became alarmed seeing the other guard lying on the ground, unmoving. When I prepared to strike, he saw me, and counter attacked, drawing his sword. He tried to disarm me, but my grip was too hard on the rod. I fought back hard, remembering training from years before, and found myself thanking my father for putting me threw it. I sent a strike his way, knocking him to the ground, his helmet falling away.

He was younger than me, with light hair and blue eyes. I couldn't escape the feeling of knowing him, but I shook the feeling away, coming back to the issue at hand. Did I have the heart to kill him? It wasn't his fault, was it? The guards never did us wrong. They were manipulated by him more than anyone. "What is your name, boy?"

"Jack." He stuttered back, in slight fear, whether it was because I got the drop on him, or the fact of knowing he would be in deep trouble for our escape, I wasn't sure.

"And the other one?" I questioned.

"That is Tobias." He glanced to his fellow guard. "Did you kill him?" I picked up on the sadness in his voice. He truly believed I had.

"No. He will be knocked out for a few hours, and will have a nasty head ache when he awakens."

"You are not going to kill us?"

I hesitated for a second, knowing the risks. "No. I am not going to kill you. But you should know that if either of you, or any of you, come after us, you won't have just me to deal with. I have been patient, sitting here waiting, listening. You know who I am, don't you."

"I suspect you are the missing Sarkin Prince." He swallowed hard.

I nodded. "You are right. So you know what that means? You know what I can do?"

His eyes grew wide in fear. "Your dragon."

"That is right. If I hear or see any one following me, I will summon him, and he will kill you all before you can even catch sight of him. Do you understand?" He nodded. "You could have killed us, if you wanted to, but you didn't. This is me, making that same choice. You are not a bad kid, in fact you remind me of someone, thinking about it now. It isn't your fault. But I suggest you find a new employer." I dropped the metal rod and I saw him relax a bit. He still thought I was going to kill him. "I'm sorry, but I will have to tie you up now. Your friend can untie you when he awakens, but if you so much as try to come after us, remember my warning. I could have summoned the dragon, if I wanted to, but I waited. I may not have killed you this time, but I won't make that same decision again if you give me another chance. Understood?" I asked, and he nodded.