22. Davon

Chapter 22

Davon

I bolted upright at the sound of the door crashing open, my heart pounding like the thunder of mundrek hooves on hard desert soil. Maggie gasped and clutched the sheet to her chest, her eyes wide with fear. I snarled out a curse. I should’ve left her room hours ago, but I'd let my need for her cloud my judgment. I'd fallen asleep with her in my arms, and now we were both in danger. Instead of protecting her, I'd put her in grave danger.

Guards flooded into the room, their scaly skin glistening in the dim light, their weapons drawn. Oolah strode in with them, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. I leaped from the bed, placing myself between Maggie and the Veerenads. I grabbed my pants and stabbed my legs into them, fastening them at my waist.

“You fool,” Oolah snapped, her lips curling back over her jagged teeth. “It's over, Zuldruxian. The king will have your head for defiling his pet. ”

I flung my tunic over my head and my arms through the sleeves.

“Take him to the basement,” Oolah told the guards. “Lock him up with the others.”

“No, Davon!” Maggie cried.

The guards advanced, their claws clicking on the stone floor. I clenched my fists, tensing my body for fight. I wouldn't go down without a battle. Not when my mate’s safety was at stake. Once they took me from her, it would be over.

With a roar, I lunged at the closest guard. I grabbed his wrist, twisting it until he dropped his weapon. I followed up with a swift punch to his throat, sending him reeling backward, crashing to the floor. The other guards circled me, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. They thought this was a game, a chance to prove their strength. I'd show them just how strong a Zuldruxian warrior could be.

The next guard attacked, his claws swinging out in a wide arc. I ducked and weaved, avoiding having my throat ripped out, and grabbed his arm, using his momentum to throw him over my shoulder. He landed with a thud on his back on the floor, groaning but not getting up.

Another guard charged with his head lowered, aiming for my belly. I sidestepped, latched onto his arm, and wrenched it from the shoulder socket. His snarling groan rang out.

“Take him,” Oolah shouted. “Stop playing or the king will have your heads. ”

The rest of them rushed me all at once.

I fought like a cornered beast, all fists and tusks, roaring my defiance. Maggie's screams echoed behind me, a reminder of what I was fighting for. I took down two more guards, my fists connecting with their scaled flesh, their grunts of pain filling the air. But they kept coming, a relentless wave of power determined to make me pay for daring to reach for something I should never have tried to claim.

A guard slammed into me from the side, sending me crashing to the floor. I rolled, kicking out and sending him sprawling. I leaped to my feet, but another guard tackled me from behind. I hit the floor hard on my chest, the impact jarring my jaws together and knocking the wind from my lungs. Maggie screamed again; her voice filled with terror.

I fought on, bucking and thrashing, trying to dislodge the guards piling onto me. I landed a solid punch on one, sending him reeling back, but another took his place. A heavy blow landed on my back, driving the air from my lungs again. I roared, refusing to yield.

“Davon.” Maggie's cry cut through the snarls and grunts of the guards. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, standing with a sheet clutched to her chest, fear etched onto her face.

A guard grabbed my arm, wrenching it behind my back. I bellowed and twisted, slamming my elbow into his snout. He howled, releasing me, but another guard drove his knee into my spine .

I fought until the very end, until a sharp blow to the back of my head sent darkness crashing over me.

Maggie's screams followed me into blackness . . .

I woke to my cheek pressed against cold stone and the tang of blood in my mouth. Groaning, I pushed myself onto my hands and knees, the world spinning around me. I blinked, waiting for my vision to clear, and lifted my head, taking in my surroundings.

The walls of the small room were made of rough stone. A single, barred window had been set into the door, letting in a meager amount of light from a hallway beyond. Damp mustiness hung in the air, the scent of old straw and unwashed bodies filling my nostrils.

A soft rustling sound caught my attention. Three Veerenads sat in the corner of my room, their gazes on me. They weren't guards; what little clothing they wore hung in tattered shreds. Dirty, from the dull sheen of their scales. I'd bet anything they and their clothing hadn't been washed for a very long time. Prisoners, like me.

With a groan, I shifted across the floor, my back scraping against the stone wall when I dropped to sit upright. Every part of my body ached, my muscles sore and bruised from the fight. I probed at the back of my head, wincing at the tenderness there.

The Veerenads watched me, their expressions unreadable. They didn’t appear hostile, but they weren’t grinning with welcome either. They observed me, their tails flicking across the floor beside them.

I took a deep breath, the cool air sending a shiver through my tortured body. I was alive, but for how long? I had no idea what they'd done with Maggie. Fear gripped my heart, squeezing tight. I had to find a way out of here. I had to save her.

I closed my eyes, listening to the soft rustlings of the Veerenads, the distant drip of water echoing through the stone room. I was a prisoner, but they had not defeated me yet.

I would find a way out. I had to.

For Maggie.

For us.

I stirred, realizing I must’ve passed out again. A heavy groan escaped my lips as the world rushed back into focus. The room spun before my vision cleared, revealing the same cold stone walls and damp mustiness that had greeted me earlier. The Veerenads now paced the small space, their tails lashing behind them. One kept glancing at the door, his eyes filled with unease.

I pushed myself up onto my elbow, my head pounding from this simple movement. The bang of metal on metal echoed through the hallway outside our cell, followed by a gruff voice shouting, “Get back or lose your limbs.”

The Veerenads shuffled away from the door, pressing against the stone wall along the back. I sat up, rubbing my head, my fingers tracing the tender lump that had grown bigger .

The door to our cell creaked open, and two guards strode in, spears clutched in their hands. They jabbed the weapons towards the Veerenads standing stiffly nearby, jeering and sneering. “Look at you, pathetic creatures. Once mighty warriors, now nothing but drettires in a cage.”

The Veerenads said nothing, their eyes cold as they glared at the guards. More guards filed into the room, carrying a large tray holding food and a jug that I assumed contained water. They placed it on the floor without a word and left, the other guards following close behind them. The door slammed shut, and the lock clicked into place.

The youngest of the three Veerenads turned to me, his voice surprisingly gentle. “Are you thirsty or hungry?”

I blinked, taken aback by the kindness in his voice. I’d expected these prisoners to be harsh, every male looking out for himself.

“No, thank you.” My voice came out rough through my throat tight with worry for Maggie.

The three of them sat down around the tray, their manners polite as they began to eat. Each took a small portion, ensuring there was enough for everyone. They ate in silence for a few moments before the youngest looked at me again.

“I’m Valdar.” He waved to the other two who dipped their heads my way. “This is Krekk and Torinar.”

“I'm Davon.”

Valdar tilted his head, studying me with curious eyes. “ You’re Zuldruxian. You’re not from here. What brought you to this place?”

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But there was something about these Veerenads, a kindness and nobility that made me want to trust them. “I came here with my mate. We were forced to come here. She . . . dances for the king—”

Valdar snarled. “Some king.”

“We were told not to be near each other but . . . I love her. We were caught together.”

Valdar's eyes widened.

“I have to save her,” I said.

Krekk grunted. “At this point, we can't even save ourselves.”

Valdar . . . I'd heard that name before. Frowning, I studied his face, though I'd never met . . .

The Veerenads exchanged glances, their expressions turning grim.

“The king is not kind to his pets,” Torinar said. “They don't last long, especially if they displease him.”

Terror gripped my heart, but I pushed it aside. I couldn't afford to dwell on the what-ifs. I had to focus on finding a way out of this place and rescuing Maggie.

I studied Valdar more closely, his name still tickling the back of my mind. “Are you the prince of the Veerenad kingdom who supposedly died?”

Valdar smiled sadly. “As you can see, I’m very much alive. My uncle staged a coup to take the throne for himself. My father grabbed me, and we ran. We were caught, and my father, the true king, was murdered by my uncle. He told everyone we were both dead, which leaves him as the only surviving heir to the throne. Krekk and Torinar are my loyal friends. They were caught with me.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. If what he said was true, then these Veerenads could be valuable allies. Together, we might stand a chance of escaping this place and rescuing Maggie.

But first, we had to find a way out of this cell.

And that wouldn't be easy.