I'm The Dragon King's Slave

Chapter Seven: Run For Your Life

In the dead of night, I wake to a dark figure pressing a sharp blade to my throat. Who is this? I reach for Alarik, sleeping soundly next to me on the bed, but the man presses the knife deeper.
    "Don't." I freeze, putting my hands up. In one swift motion, the mak takes my wrist and pulls me from the bed, shoving me through the door. Once we're out in the hallway, the candlelight reveals my attacker's face.
    "Theo?" I gasp, "What are you doing?"
    "Sorry about the knife." He says, "I couldn't risk you waking the king."
    "That doesn't answer my question." I say, "What are you doing?" Theo flashes me a hopeful smile.
    "I'm getting us out of here. We're escaping."
    "What?" I gasp, "But how?"
    "I heard your voice in the hall last night." He says, "I was... in one of the other rooms." Theo hides his face and my heart twists in my chest. I can't imagine what he's gone through.
    "Xander had me brought down here." Theo sighs, "My punishment for shoving him off of you."
    "Theo, I'm so sorry." I gasp. Theo shakes his head.
    "It's okay. In the end, it was a good thing." He holds up the knife again.
    "I was able to swipe this off of one of my Masters when he was sleeping. I picked the lock and found my way to you. Now, if we're careful, we'll be able to get out of here." He takes my hand, tugging me toward the exit.
    "Come on. This is a brothel. No one's asleep for long." He says, but I hesitate, looking back at the room where Alarik sleeps.
    "What are you waiting for?" Theo demands, "We have to go now." I think back on all the kindness Alarik has shown me, and turn to Theo.
    "I can't. I feel guilty leaving him here."
    "Lavena." Theo steps into my line of sight, pulling down his shirt. There, on his shoulder, is a horrible brand freshly burned into his flesh.
    "This is what they do to us." He says furiously, "They hold us down, mutilate us, and claim us as their property."
    "Theo..." I glance at Alarik and mine's room over his shoulder.
    "You were the one who stood up to them first. You showed me that we don't have to die like this." He says quickly. He's right. If we stay here, it's only a matter of time before we're killed. Or worse.
    "Are you with me?" He asks, hope in his eyes. I nod and together we rush down the hall. I whisper a silent apology to the man I've left behind.

    We sneak from corridor to corridor, moving in the darkness until we make it to the front door. Twenty feet ahead, the large door to the castle awaits.
    "This is it. Our way out." I gasp.
    "Let's go." Theo nods. Together, we sprint for the door. I quickly grab the latch, ready to throw the door open, but a feel a giant shadow wash over me.
    "What do we have here? Two little slaves out of their cages?" Shit. I turn and look up at the hulking guard. He cracks his knuckled dangerously as Theo trembles at my side.
    "What do we do, Lavena?" He asks quickly. Blind panic grips me as the guard advances.
    "Run." I reply. Fear gripping my heart, I fling the door open and take off at a dead run.
    "Lavena!" I hear Theo's voice and then a heavy thud. I look over my shoulder in horror as the guard pins Theo to the ground, then begins to haul him back into the castle.
    "Theo!" I cry, watching the light hope die from his eyes, replaced with fear as the castle doors are slammed shut.

    My heart hammers in my chest at long last, I reach my town, running in the direction of my house. I'll get help. I'll go back for Theo and– Suddenly, a fierce dragon's roar cuts through the mountains. My Dragon's Mark burns. Alarik's confusion, betrayal, and anger rush through me and I blink back tears. I'm sorry, Alarik. I had no choice.

    The sun rises as I arrive back at my house. Catching my breath, I burst in through the front door.
    "Mom? Dad? Gemma?" I call out. I sprint into the room until I come to the study. There, I find my family staring at me in utter shock.
    "Lavena?" Gemma gasps, jumping to feet, "Is that really you?"
    "Yes, I can hardly believe it either." I gasp for breath.
    "Oh my god, Lavena." My mother claps her hand over her mouth, her whole body trembling. Wait. is she actually... happy to see me? I want nothing more than to fall into her arms, but years of abuse tells me to keep my guard up.
    "I didn't think it was possible, but I-I made it back." I say as tears blur my vision. My mother walks to me and grips my shoulders. Shocked and overjoyed, I reach for her.
    "Mom?" I gasp.        
    "Lavena... you..." Her eyes narrow as she pushes me back, "You stink of dragon!" Pushing me as hard as she can, I stumble backwards. My mother grabs Gemma and backs away from me.
    "What did you do to get away?" Gemma demands, "Fuck every last one of them?"
    "N-no, I–" I gasp as my father grabs me by the back of my beck, forcing me to look at him.
    "Look at you. Stumbling in here in nothing but undergarments, dripping with sweat and dirt and god knows what else." He squeezes my neck hard, "Have you no shame? Dragon whore." My mother spits in my face.
    "You should have been the one who died, not your brother." My family's words shatter something inside me. In its place, a boiling rage rises. After everything I've gone through, this is how they treat me?
    "Disgusting." My father scoffs, squeezing my neck so hard I'm sure he'll break it.
    "You know what's worse?" He asks, "I bet you loved every minute of it." He throws me across the room and I hit the ground, trembling.
    "Forget you guys. I have people I still need to save." I say, struggling to my feet. Then, I turn and run out into the center of town.