Page 17 of Ensnared

We’re nearly there.

“Good, because if Sam gets tired and falls off and breaks his ankle, I’ll break mine, too. I hope that hurts you a lot.”

Is he. . .shaking? I can almost hear the laughter in my head. It won’t hurt me, so don’t do anything that stupid.

“Don’t tell me you care whether I’m injured.” As if.

We were told earth blessed couldn’t ensnare a human. Somehow I have, but that will make you a curiosity. While I’m the Prince of the Earth Blessed, we’re the weakest of the blessed.

Hunch confirmed. I’m the vassal of the Prince of the Rat Dragons. Great. “Will I be in danger just for existing?”

No reply. That’s not very comforting.

“At least arm me, if that’s the case.”

You’ll be given weapons and training as well. I can keep you safe, as long as you don’t do anything stupid.

My idiocy puts him at risk. If I’m killed, he’ll be incapacitated for days. That’s what they said. For the first time today, I feel a little bit in control. I have the teensiest bit of leverage with him, but if I push it too hard, or if I overplay my hand, I’m done. “I won’t. I’m a warrior among my people.”

You did best Gordon.

That I did.

We’re here.

As if they’re arriving to welcome us, a trio of fighter jets fly overhead.

I need to coordinate our defense. Get out and hide in there.

We’ve stopped in front of a furniture store—Star Furniture. They seemed excited about going inside a human home earlier, so why did they choose a furniture store as their den?

Probably because a home wouldn’t accommodate them in their dragon form, but a store with a massive entry would. At least this place has bathrooms and plenty of beds, I assume.

“Alright, guys,” I say. “We’re here.” I slide down from Axel’s back and land pretty hard on my feet. That prompts me to jog toward Sammy and catch him just as Gordon stretches upward, dumping him straight down.

Rufus is nicer, waiting for me to reach his side before shifting to dislodge the girls. They seem shell-shocked, and they’re definitely all exhausted, but they look alright otherwise.

Go inside and don’t come out until I return. Axel, Rufus, and Gordon disappear as quickly as they arrived, not even waiting to see whether we listen.

“Okay, so we’re in the dragon base camp,” I say. “We should get inside quickly.”

“Hey!” Coral’s looking up at the sky and waving. “There are jets up there. Maybe they’ll see us.”

A split second later, a massive red dragon launches from somewhere to our left and hurtles upward, flames spewing from his mouth. A plane goes down, careening into the bay. The other two circle around and open fire.

“Get inside,” I yell.

Sammy and the girls start for the store, but it’s too late. Those warheads are going to hit—the red dragon whips around and swallows them. They just disappear into his body. A moment later, there’s a loud boom, but the red dragon merely shudders.

Then he roars in fury and accelerates.

“Go, now,” I say.

The kids start to run, and I’m only a step behind them. I’m too slow to miss seeing the red beast reduce the two US fighter jets to piles of slag that sink into the bay next to their fallen companion. In the space between heartbeats as I’m about to duck into the furniture store, I swear that the red dragon turns toward me.

And smiles.

It chills me to the very bone.