Chapter 28

Octane

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Trinity is going to talk.

Dammit!

I'd thought maybe I'd somehow managed to convince her not to do it. I had hoped I did. I wasn't lying when I said that I can take the pain. I will admit that the thought of having my skin peeled back, and my limbs sawed from my body does not appeal to me, but I would have handled it. I would have endured.

I'm pacing back and forth inside my small jail cell.

If they find everything out, they're going to be pissed with her. She went over to Draig and got herself captured. That's how they'll see it. Then she gave me intel that she shouldn't have. We had sex. Moreover, we have feelings for one another. None of these things will be accepted. I'm sure she'll tell them about Igor…that she killed him. They'll probably have found the bodies by now. This is all kinds of fucked up.

I am sure that there will be recourse. I'm sure it will be harsh. I don't want that for Trinity. I want them to let her go and to let her get on with her life. To be a mom. I know she'll make a great mother. If she ends up jailed, will they let her keep the baby? Will they kill her for this? Surely not! I can't think about it right now since it's making me crazy.

I run a hand through my hair and exhale harshly.

Fuuuuuck!

I keep pacing. Up and down and up and down. It doesn't deter me when I hear booted feet along the corridor. I keep pacing.

One of the guards outside my cell lets out a loud gasp. "Sire." He bows.

The other two do the same in quick succession.

A well-dressed male points at the door. "Let me in," he says. "I want to have a word with the prisoner." His eyes lock with mine, and he smiles. "Hello, Draiger. My name is Ice. I'm the prince. One of two. I'm the second in line to the throne after Frost, to be exact. You will have met him, the esteemed general." He chuckles. "And you must be Octane." He looks around. "Why is no one opening this cage?" He tuts as he smooths a lapel on his suit, which is sharp and tailored, with smooth lines and crisp edges. He looks so starkly out of place down here it is frightening.

"You should step back, Sire. With all due respect." The guard gives another sweeping bow, going so deep that the edge of his scabbard scrapes on the tiled floor.

"Why would I step back?" Ice asks.

"So that we can enter first and shackle the prisoner," the other guard says, also giving a low bow. "It would be safer that way…with all due respect…Sire."

It's almost comical to watch them bowing like that the whole time.

"Not necessary. The prisoner won't lay so much as a finger on me. Isn't that right, Octane?" He turns his bright blue gaze onto me.

"Sure." I shrug. "Come on in."

The guard's eyes go wide behind the mask. "But, Sire. I would—"

"Unless you think I'm not capable of handling myself, that is. What is your name, young man?" He narrows his eyes, picking a nonexistent piece of lint from his tie.

I can't see the male behind the mask, but I'm pretty sure he has just turned pale. I can practically hear him backpedal. "Ummmm… My apologies…um…Sire. Yes, of course I'll open for you. That's no problem." He puts a code into a keypad, and then his thumb on a sensor, and the cage door clicks open.

"Thank you."

"Of course, Your Grace. I am here to serve." He bows. It's making me tired just watching all the antics. Then, the guard opens the door, gesturing for the prince to enter. "Your Grace." He bows yet again.

Holy shit!

I now have a headache. I think I might prefer being tortured to this.

Ice walks into my cell. The door clicks closed behind him. I can tell why his mother called him Ice. His hair is a white shock on his head. It's neatly trimmed, as is his beard, which is also white. The color is not the white of an elderly man but more of a platinum that shines under the harsh lights. His eyes are a bright blue. I've seen a pair just like that before through a slitted mask and quite recently.

"This is lovely. It's just darned dandy." He smiles at me. "I always wanted to meet a Draiger, and here you are."

"Yes. I would say that it's good to meet you, but I would have preferred to do so under different circumstances."

He laughs. "I can quite imagine. What can you tell me about Draig?"

I shrug. "It's much the same as Mistveil, except there is no castle and no royalty, either. I must say, this is…interesting. It's…nice." It's a little over the top, but…I suppose that I can see the appeal.

"Indeed, indeed, it is." He nods a few times.

"We have more females than you," I tell him. "But I'm sure you were aware of that."

"That must be…nice, too." He scratches his beard. "Do you still need silly humans to ride your dragons in order to keep them calm?" He smiles.

"We do." I suck in a breath. "Are we going to cut the shit now so that you can tell me why you're here?"

He chokes out a guffaw. I'd love to say it's a laugh, but it isn't one, so I can't. I wait until he is done. It takes a good few seconds.

His eyes are glinting a little. "That's a good one, Draiger. I like you already." He points at me. I note that he's wearing a gold ring with the Reds' crest on it. Then he looks outside the cage. "Guards, can you move away and give us some privacy?" He waves his hand as if to shoo them away.

"That would not be wise, Your Royal Highness. We would not be able to—"

"Move away immediately. I command it," Ice growls, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, Sire." They do as instructed, albeit reluctantly.

"You're still too close," the prince tells them. "Go! Now! Down the hallway with you. I want to have a private conversation with Octane."

I look up at the camera in the cell. Hardly private, but I don't say anything.

"Of course, Sire."

"Your Grace." There's a multitude of bows, and the guards file down the hallway in a pitter-patter of booted footfalls as they scurry away.

He sighs. "It's so hard to find good help these days. Right, I wanted to—"

I don't wait to hear. Instead, I take my chance. I might not get one again. I partially shift, which I don't think he expects. Not that many Draig Dragons can manage a partial under these conditions. Especially without a rider to keep them in check.

I can!

Fuck the prince!

I headbutt him, hearing cartilage crack beneath my forehead. He staggers back, both hands going to his nose. I see a glint of green scales beneath his skin.

I don't give him a chance to regroup; I punch him square in the face with a hard right. His head snaps back. I grab his arm and twist it behind his back, getting behind him so that I can put my claws to his throat. One move, and I will sever his windpipe.

"Stay very still," I tell him. "I don't want to hurt you…but I will if I am forced to."

My first thought is that it was too easy. Then again, he is a soft royal, and the Mistveil dragons clearly don't receive the same training we do. The guards return; their panic is almost comical.

"My Lord!" one of the guards screams. He pulls out his cellphone and promptly drops it.

"No!" another one yells.

"Unhand him!" a third one yells.

As if!

Not happening.

The other three guards run around like headless chickens, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay," the prince says. He puts both his hands up, palms facing forward. "It's all okay," he says in a placating voice. "I'm fine." His voice sounds nasally. "This blood is from a superficial injury. Stay calm."

"I want you to bring the Red female here. Bring Trinity. Go now!" I snarl.

The guard who dropped his phone has picked it up. He looks to the prince for answers.

"Do it," he says. "Bring the female. My brother will refuse but ignore him. Bring her here." His voice is a little high-pitched, but I am amazed at how relaxed he is.

"Listen to your superior," I growl. "Bring her. Unless, of course, you want the Prince to earn himself a new smile."

The guard frowns. "A new smile?"

Holy fuck!

I roll my eyes. Are they for real?

"Really?" the prince asks. "He will slit my throat unless you bring the female," he says, sounding slightly panicked at this point.

The guard's eyes go wide, and he scampers off.

"Move back!" the prince instructs the other guards. "For the love of scales, move back!" he yells.

The guards do as he says.

"More! Move further away," he adds. "Can't you see that my life is in danger?" he shouts, sounding far more together.

All of the guards dash off a little ways down the hall, where they all start talking together at once in panicked, hushed tones.

"Stay calm," the prince tells me. "I'm not going to try anything. I don't want to die."

"I am perfectly calm."

"I have to say that I'm impressed," he says, swallowing thickly.

I don't say anything. What he thinks of me is of no concern. I couldn't care less.

"Can we talk? I have a proposal." His voice has gone back to being like silk.

"No!" I growl.

"I think you're going to want to hear this."

I frown because I think he might be smiling.