Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“You will need soap and water. How did you get that tribute?” Oldrik pronounced the last word sarcastically.
“We met another wagon at a cross point. One of the men driving insisted we would need to supply this to any dragon that stopped us. Oh, and Eric saw him toss that into the back of our wagon.”
Eric held up a ragged piece of material. Oldrik recognized it immediately from the bright blue color as the T-shirt they’d dressed Skye in that morning. Anger flared inside him. He struggled to contain it. These men weren’t to blame. He paced forward and snatched it out of the man’s unresisting hand.
“I’m sorry. I just thought he was getting rid of trash, and I would incinerate it at home,” Eric tried to explain.
“My mate’s. That’s what her scent is coming from,” Oldrik guessed and held it up to his nose. Skye’s special aroma filled his nostrils. “Did you see her?”
“Two men drove the wagon. A large metal support extended over the bed of the wagon. We couldn’t see anything under it. I’m sorry. I would have helped her if I’d suspected anything,” the driver stated, shaking his head in disbelief. “She didn’t make a sound.”
Oldrik didn’t wonder why she hadn’t cried out for help. Skye wouldn’t have known if this other wagon held humans who were better than her captors. That, combined with her innate reluctance to speak aloud, would have kept her quiet.
He shook his head as he ran a safe distance away to shift into dragon form. In a flash, he was in the air and headed toward the other tracks. Skye had to be in that wagon.
A small whisper in his brain caught his attention. Focusing on that sound, Oldrik listened intently. It grew more distinct as he flew, and Oldrik finally made out one word.
Danger!
Ardon! I can hear Skye calling. It’s very faint. She’s in trouble. Be alert.
Pushing his strength to its maximum, Oldrik raced forward. He felt Ardon’s heartrate increase as well.
Skye! We’re coming! Hold on!
Chapter 19
Oldrik, she is here! Ardon blasted the message at the first glimpse of the stationary wagon in the clearing. The area around it was deserted except for what looked like a standing statue.
As Ardon alerted Oldrik, Keres didn’t hesitate and dived directly at the small figure tied to a tall metal pole. Seconds later, he dodged a plume of colored smoke. Enraged by the attack, the black dragon wheeled to the side and prepared to try it a second time.
Ardon swooped in to flap his wings, diverting the settling dust that hadn’t ignited to keep it from landing on Skye. Keres! My mate is in the direct line of exposure to the chemicals!
With a roar, the black dragon changed course. They have her ringed with rockets. Where are they?
Hiding like the rats they are. We need to get that hood off Skye so she can talk to us.
Ardon expanded his message to include the other rescuing dragons. Her wrists are tied with a length of rope to her ankles. She can’t lift her hands to her throat to remove the hood unless she squats to the earth. That would give her enough slack to unfasten it. Skye would have thought of that. Why issn’t she moving?
They have Tierney, Keres reminded him.
Skye wouldn’t risk having him hurt. Fury clouded Ardon’s mind, and he shook it away. He could be angry later. Now he needed to free Skye. Keres? Do you think it’s possible to blast a thin stream of flame to burn through that rope?
We’d risk setting her clothes on fire. Those rockets are placed slightly away from her. They’d make a better target. One to blast and run, the other to flap away the smoke, Keres suggested.
Be safe. Skye’s weak message reached the horde. All the dragons roared in response. Protecting themselves was not their priority.
As if the heavens answered their calls, a ragged fork of lightning split the sky, immediately followed by a vicious clap of thunder. Skye jumped in alarm before visibly forcing herself to stay in place. Ardon could tell she was so scared, but he couldn’t do anything to help her without putting her at risk.
A second streak of light raced down. It was too close to his mate. Racing against nature’s fury, he dove to intercept the bolt of pure energy. His bronze scales absorbed the electricity, preventing it from hitting Skye. Instantly, a rocket blasted off from its base, targeting her. Acting on pure instinct, Ardon channeled the extra power coursing through him and spat it toward the projectile.
With a crackling sizzle, the rocket imploded. Ardon wrapped himself around his mate and waited to feel the poison take effect. Seconds passed. Another erupted. Ardon pulled the last of the charge from his body and targeted the projectile.
This time, he was in a position to observe. The dangerous contents vaporized instantly. A shout of exhilaration filled his mind. Oldrik had arrived.