Dragon: A Histories of Purga Novel

Chapter Twenty-Four

Keiara woke up in a grand and richly appointed room. Her head felt dizzy and her stomach was nauseous to the point where she had to fight not to throw up. She was pretty sure the fat man with the bright clothes had drugged her sometime during the trip from the edge of her forest.

She was on a soft couch that felt like a cloud. Around her were opulent rugs, master paintings, marble, metal, and so much more. She couldn't believe that people lived in something so outlandishly rich. She glanced to her right and saw a long row of floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond those was a massive terrace with a pool, a small tub in the ground that seemed to be boiling, a metal-worked table and chair set of astounding detail and beauty, plants, a fire pit and other overly grand items. The sky shone with bright sunlight and it was a pretty blue. Marring that beauty were over a dozen thin columns of smoke that billowed into the sky.

She glanced around, trying to get her bearings and quickly gasped in shock when she saw someone staring at her. Her fingers dug into the soft cushions of the couch. In front of her was a hideous, horribly disfigured man. Patches of silver dotted his twisted and scarred scalp. His lips were burned off and showed her a skeletal-looking mouth and teeth. One eye was covered in thick, wax-like scar tissue that made it look droopy.

"You will have to excuse my appearance. Your people were not kind to me," the man said sarcastically, his voice odd. It sounded distorted and warped.

He got up and started walking toward her and Keiara stiffened in fear.

"Why am I here?" she asked, controlling her voice so that none of the emotions inside her would show. She thought she'd done a good job of it. Her voice came out smooth and strong. Confident even.

"For the most part, as bait," the burned man responded. "Or at least, that's what the incompetent fool, Lord Guilder proposed. He believes you have a somewhat unique relationship with our dear Prince Rone. And since he has proven more adept at staying alive than I would have thought, I need something to lure him to me. Namely, you."

He reached out a disfigured hand toward her and caressed locks of her dark hair.

"He won't come for me," she snarled, ripping her head to the side so that his disgusting hands wouldn't touch her.

"There is something to be said about you savages," the man mumbled, his voice so low she could barely hear him. "Your kind breeds very beautiful women."

The creepy look in the man's eyes unnerved her and she tried to get as far away from him as she could. His arm snaked out and grabbed hold of hers, however. His fingers dug painfully into her flesh.

"Rone is impetuous and often selfish but he is also very protective of people. Even if it's someone he doesn't know. If he sees them in trouble or hurting, he goes out of his way to right it. Just ask Lord Guilder what the Prince did to him. Now imagine for a minute," he paused, letting his words sink in, "what he would do for the beautiful, savage woman that saved his life? He would drag himself through Damnation and beyond to save her."

Stone cold fear raced through her.

How did they know I saved his life? she asked herself.

"I see you're confused as to where our information came from," the man went on, looking smug and happy about it. "We Rooks are very talented with making whatever suits our needs. Including drugs that can loosen a person's tongue whether they want to or not. Lord Guilder administered it to you as soon as you both arrived in Roanoke. He got everything he needed from you. And I got everything I need to exterminate the Varlamagnes once and for all. You see, he's here. In the city. Actually, beneath it, leading a raid against the prison where the non-converted are being kept. But once he hears your pretty voice, he'll come to me."