Page 46 of Dragon Revealed (Dragon Kings 1)
Chapter Twenty-three
The instant Varek heard the dragon’s roar, he rushed from the grove and shifted. His wings flapped, taking him higher over the city. He looked down and saw the mortals rushing about, screaming in terror.
But not away from him. Their attention was focused toward the dungeons. Varek remained silent, searching for the bolt thrower he knew the guards would bring out. When he finally saw the Red struggling to stay in the air, he knew his mate and friends had been successful. Now, they all had to get out of the city unharmed.
He spotted guards heading toward the arena. Varek flew over the amphitheater and spotted Cael, Erith, and Jeyra holding a pink dragon. He could hardly believe his eyes. Though he wanted to go to them, he had to help the Red who had suffered such pain he couldn’t gain altitude. And warriors were trying to capture him again.
Varek let out a roar and flew over the warriors, using his power of energy-draining shadows to halt their attack. With a tip of his wing, he swung around and swooped back toward the Red, who had gained some momentum. The fear sweeping through the city was enough to bring back memories of the war with the mortals on Earth.
“Head home,” Varek told the dragon.
The Red looked at Varek and said, “We go as one.”
Varek smiled because he knew Guy would be proud of his clan member. As Varek flew over the arena, he saw Cael and Erith easily defending themselves and Jeyra. The Red landed behind Cael and Erith while Varek touched down behind his mate. Their arrival caused the warriors to pause. They looked at each other and started forward again.
Varek growled low in his throat as a warning. When it was ignored, and someone threw a spear at Jeyra and the Pink, he drew in a deep breath and released fire. It was their second warning—and the last they’d get before he breathed more dragon fire or used his energy-draining shadows once more. He didn’t want to kill them, but he would if they continued to try and harm his mate.
A brute of a warrior shoved his way through the others to get in front. He glared at Erith and Cael. “Who are you?”
“Someone you don’t want as an enemy,” Erith replied.
The warrior snorted. “You know nothing.”
Cael held out his hand, palm up, and allowed a bubble of magic to form as purple swirled within it. “Oh, we know much more than you.”
Varek glanced at Jeyra to find her looking at him. Her expression gave nothing away. His gaze swept the arena that held the warriors, guards, and others who wanted a look at what was going on. The tension was so thick, he could’ve sliced it with his talon.
“None of you know the truth,” Jeyra stated in a loud, clear voice.
He dropped the magic he had been using to alter her looks so others could see who she was. Several of the warriors audibly gasped. She looked at each of them as she gently held the Pink, stroking its scales. It clung to her, even though its eyes were filled with fear. It made Varek want to hurt whoever was responsible.
The big warrior glared at her. “And we’re supposed to believe you?”
“If you want to stay alive, you will,” Jeyra stated. “The red and pink dragons were chained in the dungeons, far below the city. Tortured.”
“Liar!” someone shouted.
Death pointed her black sword in the direction of the person who had spoken. “Go look now. You’ll find your council leader dead.”
“Arn was the one responsible for hurting the dragons. More than that, he had magic,” Jeyra said.
Others began to murmur in disbelief. Varek wished he had been there to witness everything.
“The warriors captured the dragons for Arn,” Cael announced as he allowed the bubble to disappear. “The dragons attacked because they were looking for their kin, those that had been captured and held as prisoners.”
“The dragons kill our people!” someone shouted angrily.
The crowd’s temper flared. Just as Varek thought that he might have to let out a roar to regain control and quiet, the crowd parted and began to hush on their own. He watched as none other than Sateen slowly made her way toward them with her head held high and her cane in hand.
She didn’t stop until she stood before Varek. The old woman held his gaze for several moments before she quirked a brow. Varek returned to his human form, calling his clothes to him as he did. The crowd gasped for a second time.
To his surprise, Sateen dipped into a wobbly curtsy. Varek stretched out a hand to help her straighten. “I’m no’ your King. You doona need to bow before me.”
“Don’t I?” she asked with a grin, her voice loud enough to carry. “You’re a Dragon King, something many believe is nothing but a myth. You can walk in our world and that of the dragons. You have the power to wipe us out.”
He understood then what she was trying to do—save her people. Varek admired her cunning. He slid his gaze to Jeyra, who smiled at him. He returned it before he looked around at those in the arena. “All of you were too intent on doing us harm to realize that we have no’ harmed any of you.”
“Except for Arn,” the brute of a warrior stated.
Sateen snapped her head in his direction. “You know how corrupt Arn was, Bayard. You were one of the warriors who helped him capture the dragons. Don’t dare say otherwise.”
Bayard bared his teeth and faced the councilwoman. Cael threw a bubble of magic to land in front of the warrior before he could think to attack.
“That’ll be the only warning you get,” Cael informed him.
Varek shook his head. “With one breath of fire, I could incinerate all of you. I’ve no’, and I willna unless you give me no other choice. You’ve been lied to, repeatedly. It’s time you learned the truth of things. Then, perhaps there’s a chance you’ll be able to live with the dragons. If no’, then you’ll have to go find another home.”
“Varek is right,” Sateen stated as she faced those in the arena. “I’ve known about the lies and the dragons for many, many years. I tried to do something about both once, and my husband was killed. I learned then that if I was going to change things, I had to do it another way. It took much longer than anticipated before I found someone willing to do it.”
Varek saw Sateen look at Jeyra, who frowned in response.
“Yes,” the councilwoman replied. “I was the one who manipulated you into going over the border. I have been in contact with the crone for some time. I was confident in her ability—and yours—to bring a Dragon King here. I didn’t realize he wouldn’t be from our world, however.”
