Page 33 of Ensnared (The Dragon Captured #1)

Axel nods, and then he heads down the stairs and disappears without another word. That’s not the action of someone who’s going to modify his behavior for me.

“What’s this convocation?” Gideon asks.

“It’s a big dragon meeting,” I say. “I guess they’re all gathering so Azar can yell at them.”

“Where?” Gideon’s eyes light up.

I shrug. “Probably the George R. Brown Convention Center. That’s where the electro dragons have taken up residence, anyway.”

Gideon glances left, and then he glances right. Sammy, Coral, and Jade are all playing some kind of card game in the family room. He drops his voice. “There were flares just before dawn,” he says. “They’re going to deploy the nukes at noon today.”

“But you said?—”

“That’s the signal, and if I can tell them where to send them, they could get them all with the first strike.”

He’s right. It’s their best shot. “It’s got to be at the convention center,” I say.

“How do you know?”

“The only other place I’ve seen any of them go is the—” I was about to say the Chase Tower, but really only Azar lives there as far as I can tell. For some reason, I’m hesitant to tell him that. The only reason I know at all is that he was saving my life.

“Downtown Houston should be close enough in any case. We need to leave in the next hour,” he says. “And to get out, I need you to set us a task that gets us close to the perimeter. Maybe send a few of your automaton humans as well.”

That’s not a bad idea. Maybe they could even get out, too. “Let me jot a letter down for my dad.”

“I can probably get it to him,” he says. “But hurry.”

I don’t spend a long time on the letter, and I pass it to Gideon on my way out the door.

“Where are you going?” Jade asks. “Training?”

I shrug. “Sure, and I’ve got to ask Gordon some questions.”

“He’s digging for grubs,” Sammy says.

I freeze. “He’s what ?”

Sammy turns around, smiling. “He loves them. Those nasty, crawly things that wriggle in the earth?” He nods. “He said they’re his favorite thing about earth.”

I can’t even imagine—is he serious? “Where does he do that?”

“He usually goes to that park across the water.” Sammy points. “He said lots of ‘em live in the ground there, like under the grass.” The gwound. My heart twists hearing it. I’m going to miss him so much. But I don’t have time to get all weepy.

I follow the line of his arm, but I see nothing. Until, suddenly, a sinuous brown snake-creature pops up and curls over. . .and then disappears again. “He must be wrecking that entire park, digging around like that.”

Sammy shrugs. “He said they’re always at the top of the soil, but he can spew through a lot of soil because he’s an earth dragon.”

Good heavens. “I can’t reach him without a boat.”

“I can call him over,” Sammy says. “He told me he’ll always listen for me.”

Gordon’s dragon form is nasty. He looks like the biggest snake to ever terrorize the world. Or a huge, scaly earthworm. I shudder.

But he’s been surprisingly kind to Sammy, and he keeps watch over us often. I’ll be sad if he dies today.

That surprises me.

I don’t have enough time to wallow in regret or sorrow. I have too much to do. “Hey, guys.” I wave the kids over. “I need some help with something.” Just the thought of sending them away makes my eyes threaten to fill with tears.

“What?” Coral looks ready.

“Are you alright?” Jade asks.

“I’m fine,” I say. “But I think it’s important that we all have some basic first aid supplies.” That feels like a decent cover story. “I’m sending Gideon out to find them, and I thought you could help.”

Sammy blinks. “Like band-aids?”

“Exactly.” I nod. “You should be in charge of band-aids, actually. And your sisters are supposed to get Tylenol and ibuprofen. We’ve been running low.”

“What’s Gideon getting?” Sammy asks.

He must’ve walked up while I was distracted, because his voice comes from right behind me. “Antibiotics, suture kits, casting supplies, and anything else we can find.”

“I’ll send a few of my men with you,” I say.

“Or your women,” Coral says. “They can be tough, too.”

This time, my eyes do well with tears. “They sure can.”

“What’s wrong?” Jade steps closer. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I fight my hardest to restrain myself from crying. “I’m really good, actually. But I might need a big hug this morning, okay?”

I love these little guys so much. They don’t pry with questions—they just pile on and hug me. One of the best things about small children is their acceptance. It’s the reason they have to be protected so vigilantly, but it also makes them adaptable.

After I finally release them, I say, “I love you guys. You know that, right?”

Jade frowns. “You’re being weird.”

“Mom loves you, too.”

“Jade’s right,” Coral says. “What’s going on?”

“I saw Mom yesterday.” Now I’m full-on crying. “She’s—her dragon isn’t very nice, and she’s forcing Mom to be really mean, too.”

“Oh, no,” Jade says. “That must be horrible for her.”

I hadn’t even thought about that, how Mom must be feeling right now after trying to kill her own daughter. “Yes, I think you’re right.”

It must be pretty hard on Jade too, being an empath in the world we’re living in. I squeeze her hand. “You’re such a sweetheart. Try your hardest to let go of other people’s pain. Okay?”

“Are you about to do something?” Coral asks. “Because you’re still saying weird stuff.”

“No, she’s just having trouble with seeing your mom,” Gideon says. “Here. Stand up.” He taps my shoulder.

It’s the reminder I need. They can’t know what’s going on. I wish they could just stay here, but we have very little time before that nuke hits. “Alright, I’m going to run and talk to Gordon, so you guys grab bags and get ready to go with Gideon. Okay?”

“Bags?” Coral frowns. “Why?”

“To carry the medicine, duh.” Gideon smiles. “Actually, I’ll go grab your bags. You go make sure that you fed Fluff Dog.”

My head whips toward his, and I shake my head. They can’t take her. It would be too obvious.

He nods slowly. He already knows.

Once the kids are out of earshot, he says, “Please reconsider coming. If Axel’s busy with the convocation, he won’t come after you right away. We could get away before the bomb hits.”

“If it kills them, I’ll die in front of the kids. And if it doesn’t kill them, Axel will come after me, and we’ll all die.” I shake my head. “No. I have to stay either way.”

Gideon steps closer, so close that his mouth is bare inches away from mine. “Liz, if I don’t see you again—you need to hear it.”

I shake my head. “I can’t.”

“I love you.” His eyes are intent on mine. “I’ve loved you for years, and I always thought we had time. I wish I’d quit before. Way before.” His finger touches my lips. “I wish so many things. Maybe you wouldn’t have been at that carnival.”

“My siblings would have died without me there,” I say.

“Maybe—I don’t know anything, except that this is all wrong.” He closes his eyes and sighs. “I want the world to go back to the time when I was the scariest thing out there. I want all this to go away.”

“Maybe it will in a few hours.”

His eyes look so pained, so conflicted. “But if that happens, then. . .I don’t know which is worse.”

“I hope it works,” I say. “And I hope the world is free of the ravages of the blessed soon.”

“I’d let them stay if it meant you were free,” he says. “I know that sounds awful, but the rest of the world can die, as long as you live.”

I can’t help smiling at his sentiment, misguided though it is.

He might say it, but I know full well that neither of us would ever act on something like that.

“Take the kids to safety. Tell your superiors to hit the convention center. Give the world its best chance at a return to normal. That’s what I want more than anything else. ”

Gideon balls his hands into fists. “Maybe I tell them to wait. I could ask them to delay until tomorrow?—”

“When we won’t have any idea where all the dragons will be.” I shake my head. “You’re a warrior, and a warrior listens to his companions. I’m telling you to take the shot.”

“I know you can’t come with us—you won’t endanger your siblings’ chance at escape. But you have to promise me that the second we leave, you’ll get away from here. I don’t care which direction you go as long as it’s away from the convention center.”

“I can take one of the cars and drive,” I say. “At least to the edge of their occupation. All the blessed will be answering to Azar, so no one can stop me.”

“Yes.” Gideon nods. “Do that.” He breathes a huge sigh of relief. “Then once it’s done, you can circle up north and look for any military personnel. Tell them you need to talk to me.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can’t go with you, but I can get clear.”

I can’t even watch as they drive away. I’m forced to call Gordon over and distract him while they depart, so he won’t notice that all three of my siblings and Gideon are leaving. “I need a favor,” I say.

Gordon always changes into his human form to talk to me, even though we can communicate telepathically. I used to think it was to practice, but now I think he might be attempting courtesy. “What is it?” He looks nervous. “I have to leave soon.”

There’s a grub on his neck. I can’t focus on anything with that thing wriggling on him, all white and disgusting. “Um. There’s. . .” I point. “I think you missed one.”

“Oh.” He plucks it carefully from his shoulder and pops it in his mouth.

I choke.

“They taste better in my other form,” he says. “But they’re not bad like this. I can bring you some if you want to try them. They get better every time.”

“Ah, an acquired taste.” I can’t get that image of him popping that squirmy, dirty whitish thing in his mouth. “That’s a hard pass from me, but thanks.”

“Oh good,” he says. “I didn’t really want to share, but Sammy says I’m supposed to.”

Sammy says. Do not cry, you stupid idiot.

“Are you alright?” Gordon asks. “You look. . .not well.”

“Yesterday was a rough day,” I say.

“I heard.” He frowns. “But I really don’t have long to chat. I don’t have wings, so it takes me a little longer to get places.”

“That’s what it’s about,” I say. “Axel was worried about what may happen today, and after he left, I realized that he might need his swords.”

“His swords?” Gordon frowns. “Why would he?—”

“If Azar doesn’t kill Ocharta, she could challenge him.” I have no idea whether this could happen, but I need some kind of excuse. “He can’t beat her in his dragon form.” Is that true? I’m not even sure.

“But—”

“I proved yesterday that strike blessed aren’t good at dealing with blades.”

“I heard you did well against them with the daggers.”

“I can’t let him face her alone,” I say. “He needs our support.”

Gordon looks torn.

“If you let me ride over with you, I promise I’ll keep quiet and not make a peep.”

“I’m not sure Axel would want you to ride into the middle of the gathering with swords that can penetrate the scales of the blessed.”

Apparently they’ll work on any of them, not just the electro dragons. That’s good to know. . . “But it’s not like I could do any damage with all those blessed there.”

Gordon looks like he’s about to throw up. I don’t think he does well dealing with difficult decisions. He’s more of a follow-my-orders kind of dragon.

“Axel won’t blame you,” I say, “even if he’s annoyed that I’m there. I’ll tell him that I made you do it.”

He cocks his head sideways. “As if you could make me do anything.”

“Maybe not, but Axel knows how annoying I can be. He’ll understand, and he just may need my help.”

Finally, Gordon nods.

“I’ll just run grab the swords.”

I race toward the master bedroom closet, a bit nervous they won’t still be there since Gideon’s been using the room, but when I open the door, they’re still embedded in the massive stone.

I pause for a moment, struck by the strangeness of it.

Why would dragons need swords when only the lowest caste—earth dragons—are even able to shift?

Swords that apparently no one can even remove.

Except for me.

I feel stupidly special as I grip both hilts.

Sadly, no light shows up and no choirs sing when I pull on them.

Actually, they don’t even slide out. That’s a little concerning, since they came loose right away last time.

I release my grip on the left one, put both hands on the hilt of the sword on the right, and tug.

This time, it slides slowly free. I’m panting when I finally set it down.

I have to repeat the whole thing—tugging, shifting, and yanking—with the second sword as well.

I don’t have a scabbard, so I’m stuck using shirts from the closet, which really don’t look like Gideon or Axel’s style, so they probably came from this house’s prior owner.

My makeshift sword sling isn’t great, and I really hope the blades won’t slice it to ribbons as we move.

I have no idea how I’m supposed to ride Gordon while carrying them in wrapped shirts, tied to my back with the shirt sleeves.

Once I get outside, the snake dragon takes one look at me and starts laughing. A dragon’s laughter isn’t a natural sound—it’s like a hissing bark.

“Listen, it’s not like I have the tools I need to make a scabbard, alright? Since I’m trying to help your friend, you’d think?—”

Then there’s that awful sound, and Gordon shifts again. But this time when he coalesces into his human form, his ruddy face even redder than usual thanks to the laughing, he’s holding something in his hand. “Try this instead.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a baldric,” he says. “Or rather, it’s two baldrics. You can adjust them. I doubt Axel would thank me if you got sliced to ribbons on the way.”

It takes me a minute, and it’s a little embarrassing, but I finally get the sword holders all strapped on and slide the wickedly long blades into place. “How did you make that?”

He shrugs. “It’s easy to craft clothing or boots when we shift.”

“How about a saddle?” I think about his slippery smooth back. “Could you shift so that there’s something for me to hold onto?”

He’s laughing as he changes into his snake-dragon shape, but I notice that he listened. There’s a dark brown saddle thing secured tightly around his midsection.

“Gordon, you’re brilliant, and I love you.”

He ducks his head then, almost as if he’s embarrassed, but he’s very still as I climb on and grab the straps of his shiny saddle.

“Thanks for this. The ride and the saddle.”

I promised Gideon that I’d get as far away as possible, and I’m breaking that promise, but if Axel has any thoughts of not asking Azar to spare Ocharta’s life, I mean to be there to remind him. And failing that, I’ll beg Azar to spare her myself. I’m not losing anyone else if I can help it.

Although, if all goes well, everything I do in the next ninety minutes will be pointless. I really hope that two hours from now, we’re all dead from a nuclear bomb.

You know your life’s messed up when you’re hoping that soon you’ll be dead.