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“Trust me.” I lift my head, careful not to look him directly in the eye. “You’re going to be free.”

Slowly, the heat of his anger subsides. The dragon begins to relax.

He chuffs.

And then I feel it.

Overwhelming gratitude flowing through the bond.

The dragon’s eyes, once pained and distant, now lock onto mine with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine. I can feel the depth of his loneliness, a crushing weight he has carried for far too long. My heart clenches, and tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

“Hey there.” I reach out a hand, palm up, much like I’ve seen Sterling do with a spooked alicorn.

He hesitates, then lowers his massive head.

I stroke his scaly face as a plume of steam rises from his nostrils.

Extreme hunger cramps my stomach.

Not my hunger. His.

“I’m so sorry. I’m going to free the others, and then you can eat something other than the shit they’ve been feeding you.”

Cautiously, I unbolt the door to the next cell.

The female dragon lies sprawled on the ground, her eyes glazed over with that unnatural docility.

My heart aches for her, knowing she’s been trapped within her own mind, isolated from her kind while only a few feet away.

Close enough to touch.

Too weak to care.

Reaching out to touch the female dragon’s mind, I hesitate, then grasp the link for the male’s as well. He meets me halfway, and as soon as I ask for help with the female, he bolsters my connection.

“We’re here. Wake up. Feel us,” I whisper into her mind, willing my magic to break through the eyril-induced haze. It takes more effort this time, but finally, I sense her spirit stirring, awakening from its long slumber.

She roars and thrashes, fire igniting around her in a wild display of power.

Before I can react, the ground rumbles as the first dragon enters the cell. He moves between us, letting out a low growl that reverberates through the air.

As if sensing his presence, the female dragon stills, her breathing heavy, her gaze shifting between us.

Confusion and loneliness slam into me.

My chest aches for her. For all of these majestic creatures forced to live in the worst sort of prison. A prison for both the body and the mind.

I keep my distance, not wanting another close call with a snapping dragon.

Finally, much like with the first dragon, the bond solidifies. This time, there’s no resistance. No furious roar. Only relief and tentative hope.

That’s when I spot the lines of scars all up and down their legs.

No, not lines.

Trails.

That’s where the main vein runs down their legs. Leesa’s and my suspicions and what Elijah told us are true. Xenon is bleeding these dragons to fertilize the eyril.