A Beautiful Nightmare {Book1-}

Chapter Five

"Hmm, let's see: we've got an IceWing, he looks handsome...and a hybrid! Wow, I haven't seen one of those since the war began. You two would make fantastic competitors in my arena. Oh, how thrilling."

Queen Scarlet, Moondrift thought, turning around to see the beautiful SkyWing.

She had an evil look on her face, with rubies studded into her scales and golden jewellery hung from her horns and head area. Her unmistakable orange scales gleamed in the moonlight as her beady yellow eyes glowered with amusement down at both Moondrift and Snowstorm.

"Guards," Scarlet ordered, "take these two to the Sky Kingdom." She turned to the prince and assassin, who both scowled at her. "Well? Aren't you going to bow?"

"I bow to no one," Moondrift spat, wrinkling her snout at the SkyWing.

"I'm royalty myself, thank you," hissed Snowstorm, turning his head the other way, but keeping his eyes on the queen.

Queen Scarlet shook her head disapprovingly. A spark of hatred glittered one her eyes, a spark that only Moondrift could spot.

"What a pity," the queen said, shaking her head. "Anywho, take these two away,"

Moondrift hissed at an approaching guard, the dagger in her talon with her teeth at the ready. She snapped at another guard that tried to get the weapon out of her grip, but he failed.

The IceWing flicked his tail at one of the other SkyWings, making him jump back. He gave another guard a cold stare, which made them feel intimidated.

"Dear me, my soldiers are a bunch of cowards," Scarlet sneered. "Ah, well, I'll just have to take you in myself; you are now in SkyWing territory after all."

Moondrift reacted first, kicking the swords out of each of the SkyWing's talons, which went flying into the air as the assassin caught them, pointing them to each soldier.

Snowstorm was slowly backing away.

"My, my, you are a feisty one," Scarlet said to Moondrift. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to do this the hard way."

The hybrid gave her a puzzled look.

"Wha—?"

Something slammed across the back of her head with a force so mighty that it knocked her out cold. Before all she saw a blackness, the corner of her eye caught Snowstorm lying on the ground next to her.

***

"Wake up, whatever your name is," said a gentle voice. "Three moons, I don't even know your name. Hey wake up. Can you tell me your name? Hello?"

She felt warm talons shaking her vigorously, which jolted her awake and grumpy.

"What do you want?" She moaned, wanting the darkness to swallow her up again. "Would it be cool if you, like, go away? I'm just asking one simple favour."

The voice grumbled.

"Well, if I wasn't in chains and in a prison cave with a dangerous assassin, I'd be far away from you right now."

Moondrift muffled something, then sat up and rubbed her eyes. She saw Snowstorm fiddling with his claws, his wrists were in chains, as he was chained to the floor.

"Good morning," he said. "Had a good dream, sleeping beauty?"

Moondrift couldn't tell whether he was saying that in a teasing kind of way, a bored way, or a...what's the word they use?

"Glad you're concerned," she mused instead, making him frown.

"I am not," he folded his arms. "Now, can you please tell me your name? I find it rude to just keep calling you assassin."