Page 58 of Exquisite Monster

Now that we’re not bound?I nearly laughed.We’ll get out. Where is Lena?

Idroal didn’t answer. Long enough that it felt like intentional hesitation.

Idroal, where is she?

Despite my objections, she is part of the distraction.

Terror rolled through my chest.What?

She is as protected as is possible. Your Highness, we need to move now. We will do our best to make the distraction obvious. Get yourselves above ground.

This time when there was silence, their presence no longer lingered.

They left. Apparently Lena is part of the distraction. This is happening right now.

She’s what?Endre’s voice held the same terror I felt. Our minds were drenched with it. But Lena’s emotions were calm. Nervous, but not fearful.

I don’t know. Idroal wouldn’t say. They did say we don’t have time. So let’s focus on what’s in front of us.

Sirrus spoke, low and grim.We are getting out, but I want to destroy as much as we can. And find the captive dragon.

Agreed. I nodded, though they couldn’t see me.

In the distance, there was a commotion. Shouts and yells that were barely distinguishable. The jangling of armor sounded from the hallway outside the cell as soldiers began running.

“Dragons.” Someone shouted. “We’re under attack.”

My guard looked at me through the window, like he thought I’d slipped past him. I made it look like I was still dazed and half-conscious, sagging against the wall and in the chains.

As soon as he saw me, he strode away, and a flurry of tinkling metal and scraping footsteps emptied toward whatever chaos Idroal had caused on the surface.

Are yours gone?

I’m already burning through the chains,Endre said.

The smile on my face couldn’t be stopped as I called my fire voluntarily for the first time since we’d been taken. My flames couldn’t hurt me. The melting metal could, but it didn’t take much to burn it now that wecould.

A thought occurred to me.Do you think the command was part of the bargain?The only reason we were still here is because we couldn’t fight back. Andaros didn’t have enough to hold us otherwise.

Growls from my brothers.It would have been part of the bargain whether they told Andaros about it or not. They were trying to get rid of us, and there’s no one who could undo that command.

Or at least that’s what they had thought.

The last of my chains fell to the ground. I shook out my hands and moved the aches out of my shoulders and legs. In a twist of fate, I was grateful to Andaros for his plan to break our minds. It made him keep us healthy.

In front of me, the trough that collected our fire was empty, and the room below sounded empty as well.

Find the dragon, I said.I’m going to burn some things.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

________

ENDRE

Most of the cells were empty.

Sirrus and Iran. We both knew that if we didn’t find the dragon, we would have to leave regardless.