Silver and Evergreen

Chapter 20

Drakon sees his movement and holds the blade closer to my neck as a warning. "Stop or I will do it!"

"Don't you dare fucking touch her!" Seb hisses at him.

Taking the threat lightly, Drakon digs the tip of the blade into my shoulder far enough for blood to drain out.

Pain seethes through my clenched teeth. The warm liquid slowly runs down the length of my arm and drops to the floor. Drakon chuckles as Vernon glares back at us. No one moves, they all just stand in a small circle in front of us. If anyone breathes wrong, Drakon won't hesitate to drag his sharp blade across my throat if he doesn't get what he wants.

Sebastia lunges forward unexpectedly but the two remaining guards standing near him grabs his arm on each side. Oh no. My barriers are gone... Seb struggles to break free from their grip but one punches him in the stomach. His sword clatters to the ground. It's useless...

The man holding me starts to laugh at the failed attempt. "Or what 'My King' have me executed? Call your guards to come after me, they've all turned on you." Drakon sneers at Sebastian then holds me tighter, the dagger digs into my skin but not cutting through it yet this time. "Now, Vernon, Lord Hearthgrim whoever you are, just give me my money so I can be on my merry way." He says spinning us toward him.

They stare each other down for a moment then Vernon sighs running a hand through his dark hair while he stands up. "You useless imbecile. Don't you realize you were never going to get the money? I tipped the bandits off that your carriage was going to be on the road so that they could steal her." Vernon glares at me. "But then you had to escape and find your way here to Adelaide, to the King, before we could get to you. You were supposed to be mine long ago. But damned fate intervened, where this idiot happened to come across when you were just a wee babe."

Drakon unconsciously loosens his grip on me as Vernon continues on, and I notice Vernon's ring has a dim glow just as he moves his hands behind his back. What is he going to do? Vernon is distracting us and is going to attack but who. We are all in danger, Sebastian and I need to get out of here. Drakon can take care of himself. I glance at Sebastian, the one guard still has a hold on him but they are both busy listening to Hearthgrim's story, how he gained money and land through Vernon, through the Royal Treasury. He starts walking away from the guard, towards the doors but I watch him closely.

"For 20 years I tried looking for you, to come up with a plan to get my kingdom back. To take back what was supposed to be mine and carry out Oryn's dream... I'll admit I had to make some tough decisions and sacrifices in order to further my success. Like your mother," His gaze shifts back to his nephew. Seb's face is set in a hard frown but Vernon's grin widens when he turns back around to me. "I loved Amelia, never wanted to kill her but she was catching on to my plan and I couldn't have that."

"I can't have anyone getting in the way of my destiny." Vernon's eyes dart to Sebastian then at me and a flash of lightning shoots towards us.

Drakon did not see it coming. It was so quick that I had just enough time to lean out of the way as the bolt of bright blue fire hits Drakon. The magic strikes him so hard that Drakon's body flies across the room and smacks into the stone wall behind me. It drops with an echoing thud to the floor and a trail of smoke rises from his body.

As fast as that lightning was, Vernon is on me and holds me against his body. I can't see Drakon's face but just the way his limp body hit the ground, I know he is dead or on the verge of death.

"Nothing will ruin my destiny." Vernon says again into my ear. "You are mine girl."

"Her name is Cam and she's not yours." Sebastian snarls at Vernon.