Page 93 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons

‘Jesus!’ My eyes widen. ‘There were settlements in those valleys! Thousands lived there.’

Orin has the sense to look ashamed. ‘Not anymore, sir.’

Drey shakes his head. ‘Where is he, Orin?’

‘Not here. He's rarely been here over the past two months, except to ask for our progress with,’ he looks away, ‘finding the females. They…they all left, sir.’

‘And have you found any of them?’

He cringes as if he’s sure he’s going to be in trouble. ‘No, sir.’

‘Why did they leave?’

Orin looks back up at us. ‘I don't know, sir. They just all left not long after you went to the Borderlands.’

‘Does anyone know where Aziel is?’

Orin shakes his head again and then looks beyond us as if he’s searching for someone.

‘Is Tor with you?’

I don't answer him. ‘What’s wrong with everyone?’ I ask instead.

He surveys the room. ‘They’ve been like that since last night. Almost everyone. I’ve tried everything to rouse them, but no one will come out of it.’

‘Anyone else here?’

‘Glenen has been staying in your apartments, sir. He only leaves when Aziel comes, though. No one goes in. I tried to contact him, but…’

‘Come on,’ Drey says, leaving Orin staring after us and the rest of the faction spacing out in the dining area.

‘What the fuck is wrong with everyone?’

We get to the office door and Drey swipes his card. It unlocks.

‘Still works,’ I mutter. ‘You must still be on the system.’

‘Dumb fucks,’ he mutters as he pushes it open.

The office is in disarray. The filing cabinets are open, and papers litter the floor. I spot Glenen squatting by the fireplace, casually burning papers as if he hasn’t even heard the door. He looks up and does a double take, his eyes widening and then cutting to the exit that leads to Drey’s rooms before landing on the gun on the desk.

‘Oh, fuck!’ He lurches across the room for it, but I get to him first, wrenching him back and pushing the gun across the desk with my other hand.

‘You go,’ I say to Drey. ‘Find Aziel. I'll deal with Glenen.’

I push him backward. The room is too small for us to change into our dragon forms. I'd love to rip him limb from limb, but I'll have to content myself with fighting him the human way. At least I can make him bleed.

‘Where’s our female?’ I grind out.

He seems to have the same idea, because he pulls a long, thin knife from his belt.

‘I'm not telling you shit, Brax. Your dumb little human is gone and I’m gonna fucking gut you,’ he snarls. ‘I always hated you. Always thinking you're so much better than us.’

I snort. ‘I am better than you, Glenen.’

He runs at me with an angry yell, his blade held downward to hack at me. My own knife slides against his, clanging like a tiny sword. I whirl around him, and I hit him hard on the back with the hilt, mostly just to fuck with him. He snarls angrily and runs at me again. I laugh and dodge, nicking him on his thigh through his pants. His pained yowl makes me laugh and his face turns red as a beet. His scream is unhinged and rage fueled.

This time when he runs at me, I step back intending to end this, but my foot snags on the rug that I told Drey countless times was a hazard, and I fall hard on my side. My knife skitters across the room. He's on me in an instant, trying to drive his blade into my throat. I hold him back just, but he’s putting all his weight behind it. The tip of the steel pierces my neck.