Page 41 of Exquisite Monster

They tilted their head and observed the dragon. I blinked. She broke eye contact first. In all the time I’d spent here, I’d never seen Gleym look remotely uncomfortable. Right now she looked like she’d rather throw herself into the roiling water than stand here for another moment.

Idroal smirked. “That could be arranged.”

Gleym scoffed but stayed silent.

“Ready to go, Princess?”

I nodded. “Yes.” Then I turned to Gleym. “After all you’ve done, you owe me nothing.”

“And yet?”

“And yet I have one thing to ask of you.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she waited for me to speak.

“You cannot release the binding on Endre’s power. I know that. But my mates were commanded not to resist. By Aeghi. I do not imagine any of them will have thought to undo it. If there’s any chance for them to get out?—”

Gleym waved a hand. There was no sensation of magic in the air or sign she’d used any power. Just a simple gesture. “Done.”

My mouth opened, and I closed it again. Nerves danced along my spine. “You’re sure?”

“I am. There is no way to prove it until you reach them, so you must decide if you trust me or not.”

“Haven’t I already proven that?” I asked.

The dragon raised a single eyebrow. “You have proven you can adapt and survive. But you do not trust me. Nor should you. Do not trust anyone but those with whom you share a soul.”

My mates.

I had no choice but to trust her. Exactly like every day since I was thrown down here. So I would.

Idroal transformed without warning, the large body of their vibrant green dragon overwhelming in the space.Climb on.

My feet slipped on their scales as I climbed up to the dip between their shoulder blades. Gleym watched with no expression on her face. Still unreadable, even now.

“Thank you for saving my life,” I said.

Do not waste it. She spoke directly into my mind.

Idroal launched, making my stomach swoop. And for the briefest moment, I thought I saw an expression of longing on Gleym’s face before we were rocketing upward.

Straight up, fighting gravity, back to the surface of the world.

Finally.

CHAPTER TWENTY

________

ENDRE

The door to my cell burst open with such force it hit the wall, revealing Andaros striding toward me with a blade in his hand. He gripped my hair and tilted my head back. My neck strained, and it was hard to breathe.

With my hands encased in iron and my ankles cuffed, they’d allowed enough length in the chains for me to sit. Not much. Which was why I had nowhere to go as Andaros forced my head back into the stone wall.

The tip of his knife pressed against my throat. “How did you do it?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, Your Majesty. You and your soldiers make it very difficult to do anything.”