The overall effect was grotesque. The designers had clearly been drunk.
The murky sea wrapped around the island fortress, the sandy shore we’d landed on turning rocky and then jagged as the land rose. At the other side of the castle would be cliffs, something I remembered from the maps I’d studied and descriptions I’d read. The only way in or out would be this heavily guarded shore. That or flying.
“It’s enormous,” I said in a level tone.
He puffed up a bit, his smirk turning to a grin.
I finished my thought: “It looks like you’re compensating for something…”
His grin dripped off his face and his eyes sparkled with menace. “Welcome to your nightmare, highness.”
“Cheers!” I said with a smile, raising my hand. “Actually, I need a drink for that toast, I believe. Fancy getting me one? You’ve left my butler behind. Oh, and I’m not anyone’s highness. I’m a commoner. I thought someone would’ve told you…”
“You are the true mate to the dragon prince, or didn’t he mention it?”
Nyfain’s letter felt heavy in my back pocket. I didn’t comment. Dolion was a cunning bastard who would use my weaknesses against me. One of them being that I was a blunt bitch who sucked at keeping secrets. But I would keep quiet about the important things, like how much I knew regarding Nyfain, his kingdom, his people, and breaking the demons’ curse.
“But no, you’re right,” Dolion said. “You will never be royalty. You will die in my dungeon or at the hands of my court. Eventually, your dragon prince will also die. Your death will be his ruin.”
“He’s already ruined. We both are. But I admire your spunk.” I winked at him.
His eyes narrowed as he stared down at me. He wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. I supposed it wouldn’t make much sense to him. He hadn’t had everything stripped from him, like Nyfain had. He hadn’t spent sixteen years watching his beloved kingdom crumble around him. And he certainly hadn’t grown up poor and trapped like I had. Unable to reach the magic I was born with, fighting a curse that was slowly stealing the lives of those I loved.
No, he didn’t know what ruin looked like. And he didn’t know how to rise from the ashes. I’d make sure he never did.
Because I would be the bitch that burned down his whole world.
He pursed his lips and glanced at his minions behind him. “Take them to the dungeons. Around the side, mind. We’ll need to do something about the stench clinging to her before any of the court can see her.” He turned his attention back to me. “Clever of the dragon, to coat you in his scent. He is a conquered beast, but he still has his alpha legacy, it seems. But it won’t protect you for long.” Dolion studied me a moment. “Instruct the guards not to mar her face. I want my court to watch Beauty as she breaks.”
“What about her arms?” asked the demon looming over Jedrek. “What skin will be visible?”
“Yes, good point. Do not mar the arms, no. No neck, even though we will want to cover that ridiculous bite mark on her shoulder. Shifters,” he spat. “So barbaric, marking their mates. Disgusting.”
“And this?” The demon stepped forward again, kicking at Jedrek’s legs. Jedrek curled up a little tighter.
“That one is somewhat handsome for a shifter, no?” Dolion said, assessing Jedrek now. “I can think of a few ladies who might like him as a pet. Tell the guards to go easy on him if he cooperates.”
“But not the princess?”
Dolion sneered. “She won’t cooperate. Her dragon will forbid it.”
He’s not wrong, my dragon thought.
Dolion made a signal, and the demons around him moved forward. Two grabbed Jedrek and hauled him up, hustling him toward the castle. Two others grabbed my arms and yanked me to my feet, one tweaking my shoulder painfully.
Dolion’s gaze traveled my face, and he reached out. I struggled not to jerk my head away as he lightly fingered the hair draping my cheek and then ran his manicured nails along my jaw and down to my chin. He applied pressure to tilt my face up a bit.
“So pretty, even disheveled as you are. I wouldn’t mind using you as a pet myself. One mighty dragon on my leash, and his mate at my beck and call.” A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and my dragon thrashed in my hold, wanting to break free and crush some bones. “As soon as we can get that stench off you, it will be so. I promise. You will beg for my cock. I’ll let your dragon prince watch as you do so…right before I kill you. It’ll finally break him. I know it will.”
“Hmm. What an offer,” I said, winking. “Very tempting. I’ll need to pass, though. I’m partial to dragon-sized cocks. I don’t beg for appetizers.”