Purple Dragon [REPUBLISHED]

Chapter 21: The Order

Xaria made good on her promise. She snuck Everett out from the cells and bribed Amasya's guards. Amasya waited until nightfall and then slithered through the camp and down to the beach.

The moon shimmered above them as a thousand stars lit up the sky. The bitter wind finally stood still as soft fat flakes started to fall.

Everett and Xaria were talking in low voices when she arrived.

"I'm here," she gasped. "Sorry, I got lost a few times."

"It's fine," Xaria dismissed. "I was just telling Everett about my theory."

"Your theory?"

"When Cass and I were traveling back to Icina, we were met by someone peculiar."

"Peculiar? Peculiar how? Three-legged-bright-purple-disowned-daughter-of-a-chief peculiar?" Amasya asked wryly.

"Almost," Xaria shrugged. "The weirdest thing, the stranger didn't have a symbol at all..."

...

"Cass?" Xaria whispered. It was dark except for the soft, golden glowing lantern in the corner of their tent. Five rows of cots were set up, each holding a sleeping dragonet. Some were crying softly, others yelling. One tiny dragonet sat up in her sleep and screamed hysterically. The guards came in and silenced her. After that, Xaria couldn't sleep.

"Yeah?" her sister whispered.

"I'm thirsty," she croaked. Her throat was parched, her eyes bloodshot, and she was scared far beyond what she thought she could be.

"They might kill us," Cass squeaked. "I'm scared!"

"I am too," Xaria said. "But I'm also thirsty." Before Cass could react, she slipped out of her hard cot and tiptoed to the tent entrance. Carefully, she reached her paws outside the flap to scoop up snow. Sighing, she stuffed it into her mouth and drank as it melted.

She slipped her paws outside again. Suddenly, something grabbed her as a jolt of fear ran through her. She nearly screamed as the strange paws that held her slowly dragged her out of the tent. She squeaked in terror.

A dragon, shrouded by darkness stood before her. She whimpered as the fear turned her knees to jelly. "P-please d-don't hurt m-me," she stuttered. Her heart pouded, and the panic threatened to overtake her. "I didn't mean to g-get out of bed. Honest."

"Go get your sister," the creature demanded. "Now." The voice was hard, but it wasn't the voice of one of their guards. It was the voice of a she dragon, hopefully one not loyal to Chief Eira.

"Cass," Xaria whispered, prodding her sister. The dragon was probably impatient, and it would do no good if they dwadled. "We have to go."

Dragging her sister along, Xaria slipped out of the tent again. The dragon didn't appear to have moved, and panic surged through Xaria's veins. What if this was a test of some sort? To see if they'd follow the instructions to stay in bed. She was not thirsty anymore. What if she was their executioner? Maybe the Chief had decided that she had not wanted Xaria and her sister after all...

"Follow me," the creature said as she snapped into animation. She snuck behind tents and into the vast fields of snow behind the camp.

Maybe she wanted them away from camp so no one would be disturbed by their death screams...

Xaria shook harder.

The dragon stopped by a small igloo, hidden by the slope of the land. A freshly killed seal lay at her feet.

"I know they haven't fed you very well," the strange dragon rumbled. "Just dried meat. Here. I killed this seal for you." She gestured toward the fat animal signaling them to dig in.