Chapter 30

Octane

I grip the male a little tighter. "I'm not interested in a deal. I need to see Trinity, and then the two of us are leaving Mistveil. You're not going to try to stop me. In fact, you are our ticket out of here."

"That's risky. Have you thought this through?"

No!

Using the prince is the only thing I can think of, though. It's the only thing that just might work. I need to get Trinity off this island as a matter of urgency. We'll figure the rest out. If we stay, it won't end well for either of us. I'm sure I'll end up dead, and I just have no way of knowing what kind of recourse there will be for Trinity. I can't risk it. I won't!

"It's the only way out of this that I can see," I tell the Red. "If you cooperate, you—"

"Here's the thing. Your plan… Well…it's a big risk for all three of us. There's a good chance I could get killed in the crossfire. I can't have that." He shakes his head.

"Tough shit! I'm sure you're used to having your every wish obeyed, seeing that you're a prince and all, but unfortunately, that's not going to happen this time. If your people follow my every instruction, you will get out of this unscathed."

"My brother – the general – he can be a loose cannon and a hothead. I don't fully trust him to handle this with the care and the finesse required. We don't have too much time; hear me out. I'll give you another option. One that is far less risky. One that will make better sense."

I sigh. "Fine, I'm all ears." He's wasting his breath, but we may as well pass the time.

"We could do with someone like you on our team," he says.

What?

It's the last thing I expected to hear from him. It puts my back right up.

"Go on," I say when he doesn't do so of his own accord.

"My brother, the king, wants to forge peace with your people. It is his vision for the future. It's his dream to see all dragon shifters reunited and living in harmony."

His vision.

His dream.

His!

I note that he doesn't include himself as being a part of this vision.

"But you don't agree?" I ask.

"Can we talk about this face to face?" he asks me in a smooth-as-silk voice.

"No!" I growl. "Stay right where you are."

"Okay…okay…fine." He keeps his hands up. "It's not that I don't agree with him; it's just that I think it's probably a fanciful dream. I don't see how it can ever become a reality, but perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps it will work after all." He starts to sound excited.

"So, you are in agreement with your brother? You want peace as well?" I ask.

"Yes, of course." It sounds like he is smiling.

After a few seconds, I roll my eyes. "Go on! Give me the proposal," I bark.

"You work for us. You stay and live here on Mistveil. You can tell us more about the Draigers to start…enlighten us. We want to know—"

Does he think I'm that stupid?

"So that we will be more easily conquered." I'm not falling for this bullshit.

He snorts. "Not at all. You think so little of us. We want peace. It will be easier to forge peace with a people we know and understand."

Suddenly, it's "we."

It sounds hollow, even though he is saying all the right things.

"So you keep saying," I rasp.

"It's true. I am the king's advisor. I will talk to Arctic about bringing you on board. We can learn about the Draigers. You can be our go-between when it comes to peace talks with your HQ and the rest of your people. It will work perfectly. I am sure that Arctic will love it. It's right up his alley. We can all finally live in peace." Once again, he sounds animated, talking quickly.

In principle, the idea makes sense, but I have this little niggle. I'm not sure what it is. I always trust my gut, and right now is no exception. "I'm not sure I can trust you to make good on your word. I don't know you."

He chuckles. "Of course you can trust me."

That's what they all say.

"You will have to," he goes on. "The alternative is risking all three of our lives. The general won't let you escape. I know him. He can be like a dog with a bone. I suggest you try doing it my way." He has a forked tongue. He's too smooth. Too damned confident. I don't like it.

"What will happen if the king declines? What if he doesn't want me on his team?" I think it's a crazy notion. "Surely the people of Mistveil would have something to say about it? They wouldn't be happy with a Draiger staying here." The niggle turns into a scratch. I can't see it working.

"Arctic might lose some ground for a while, but I am sure that you would prove yourself to be useful in the long run. You seem like a resourceful fellow. As to what would happen to you if I were unable to convince Arctic… Well, I give you my word that you would be permitted to return to Draig unhindered."

His word isn't worth much to me.

"What about Trinity?"

"Her too. You can take the female." It feels a little like he is telling me what I want to hear. I don't like it. I don't trust him.

"No! I think that we will take our chances. We have more chance of making it out if I use you to do it. If we all die, then so be it. The way I see it, we're probably dead already. I have nothing to lose, Red. The bottom line is that I can't trust you. It sounds to me like you're telling me what I want to hear. That you would say just about anything. I don't believe you. I think you're lying."

"You can trust me. I swear it. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?"

There it is again.

"Nothing. Sorry! It was a nice try. You almost convinced me there for a second, but only because I, too, have a vision of peace between our people." I sigh. "I hope it happens one day."

"This is your chance, Octane." His voice has an excited edge. "You should—"

"You can stop there. Didn't you hear me? I don't trust you. It all seems a little too…I don't know…convenient." There's that word again. The word has popped into my head several times since we were captured.

It's convenient that they got an anonymous tip-off. Convenient that I managed to overpower the prince, who practically offered himself to me on a silver platter. Now, his offer is also convenient.

I don't trust him.

"Unless you have something else to offer, I'm not interested."

He sighs. "You got me. I'm going to come clean with you, Draiger, but you need to know that if you tell a soul of what I am about to tell you, I will deny it all."

I glance up at the camera. Perhaps it doesn't record sound. Maybe the esteemed prince has forgotten about it. It's not my problem. In fact, I'm pretty sure that whatever he tells me will be more bullshit and that my answer will be the same. A resounding no.

"Okay…fine. This had better be the truth, and it had better be good," I growl. "You'd better hurry, because when Trinity gets here, we're leaving. Your window of opportunity will be closed."

"It is the truth, and it will be good. You and I are about to become friends."

I frown because I highly doubt it. I am going to use the prince as a way for Trinity and me to escape. There is literally nothing he can tell me that will make me change my mind.

Trinity

"How did this happen?" the general screams as he rips off his mask. "How did the Draiger get to him?"

"The prince insisted on being let into his cell. He insisted we move away. He said that there was something he wanted to discuss with the Draiger. The next moment, all hell broke loose." The guard looks down at the floor.

"Of course it did. What else did you expect?" the general spits.

"He insisted, my Lord." The guard bows. "We had no choice but to comply. Prince Ice threatened to take our names."

"Bloody idiot!" the general snarls. "What the hell was that imbecile thinking? He's normally more intelligent than that." He frowns.

"May I unlock the female?" The guard winces. "I need to take her to the Draiger. He is insisting that he will harm the prince otherwise."

"I heard you the first time." It looks like the general is thinking things through. Sweat beads on his forehead. He rubs his chin. "Fuck!" he snarls. "What choice do I have? Fine." He sighs. "Release her and take her to him. I will lead the way."

The guard's shoulders slump a little with relief, which isn't long-lasting. He unlocks me, then shackles my hands in front of my body. I note that he doesn't make them as tight as they were before.

"I want you to talk some sense to the Draiger, Trinity," the general tells me, using my name for once. "It would be in your best interests. We will go easier on you if you do the right thing. Talk him down. Get him to surrender. Do not follow this course of action, or you will be sorry."

I don't say anything. I don't plan on doing it. If Octane has the prince hostage, there is a good chance that we will make it off this island. I trust him. I will follow him. Maybe, despite all odds, we will be able to build a life somehow. We have to lie low long enough for me to have this baby. We can raise him on Draig as a Draiger. We have to find a way to make this work. The way I see it, we have no hope if we stay here. Octane will most certainly lose his life. I can't have that happen. I can't!

"Do you hear me, female? You need to do the right thing." He grabs my arm, squeezing to just about the point of pain.

"Of course," I say, nodding. Except my idea of the right thing and his idea of the right thing are different. I need him to take me to Octane, so I don't argue.

We start walking. We go down several hallways, turning a number of times. My heart rate seems to increase with each turn.

Will this work? It has to.

Please!

As we reach the cell, the general whispers, "Remember what I said. Do the right thing here."

Octane's gaze flashes to us. His eyes are filled with horror. His mouth is gaping like he's in shock or something, and then he does something completely unexpected. He shoves the prince away from him, taking a few steps back. He is no longer holding him hostage.

Wait what?

Why is he letting him go?

Prince Ice was our ticket out of here.

Was.

No longer.

The prince smiles and smooths his suit. "It's okay. I have the situation in hand. Everything is fully under control. Open the cell. Do not detain the prisoner. We've had a rather interesting discussion and have come to an agreement. One that will be beneficial to both islands."

"What are you talking about, Ice?" The general sounds frustrated. "What now?" He sighs. "Open it," he tells a guard, who does as he says.

"The—" the prince starts to say.

Octane butts in. "I need to speak to the king and right away. I have something important to tell him," he says to the general before his gaze darts to Prince Ice.

The prince frowns. He turns and looks at Octane. "What are you doing?"

"Please," Octane implores the general. "I have important information that the king will want to hear." He gives Ice a dirty look.

"Think very carefully about how you tread," the prince says in a clipped tone. "This could end badly for you."

Several guards enter the cell. They force Octane onto his knees. Two unsheathe their swords, putting the blades to his throat.

"I need to speak with the king. You might be interested in the feed from that camera," he says to the general. His eyes move to a CCTV camera in the corner of the cell. "You're going to want to hear about the offer the prince just made me."

The prince starts laughing. It's jovial and yet…cruel, lifting gooseflesh on my arms. "I'm afraid that camera has been glitchy as of late. It probably didn't record the conversation we just had. I'd be surprised if it did. It makes no difference to me either way because there is nothing incriminating on that tape." He glares at Octane.

"I need to speak with your king," Octane asks the general again. "Please!"

Prince Ice snorts. "You will not be permitted to get anywhere near our beloved king. No! Let's put him in solitary confinement. He tried to kill me." The prince is pointing at Octane. "For that, the penalty is death."

"No!" I scream.

What just happened? One minute, we were getting out, and the next, Octane surrendered. Why? There has to be a reason. There's none that I can see.

"I need to see the king!" Octane yells at the general, who has said nothing through this entire exchange. "Please."

"What? So that you can turn your claws on him, too? I don't think so, Draiger," the prince shouts. "Guards, take him. Lock him up. Tomorrow at dawn, I will behead him myself." He smiles.

This can't be happening.

I am hauled away before I can say anything.

I hear Octane begging to see the king, but someone silences him with a kick or a punch. I hear the thud and his answering grunt.

I can't believe this is happening. I feel helpless to stop it. I wish I knew what was going through Octane's mind.