I'm The Dragon King's Slave

Chapter Sixteen: Together In The Dark

Hundreds of dragons and human slaves gasp at the sight of me.
    "Yes." Killian's voice booms, "Look. Look at what your pathetic false king has done with this disgusting creature." Alarik, frozen in place, shakes with rage as Killian drags a cold finger down my arm with a taunting grin.
    "Get off of me!" I yell, trying to rip myself from Killian's grasp, but he's too strong. He squeezes so tight I fear my bones might break.
    "Nice try, but you're still just a weak, pathetic human." He laughs as he forces me down onto my knees, "A pathetic human that my brother mate bonded with!" Alarik grits his teeth, his hands balling into shaking fists. Dragons all around him whisper and glare.
    "Please, it's not what you think!" I exclaim, "This was on me before I met Alarik!"
    "Don't insult us with more lies, little girl." Killian scoffs, "Alarik is the only dragon who's laid a finger on you."
    "That's– that's not true–" I stutter as the dragons shout, spewing spiteful insults and the humans gape in horror.
    "I always knew you were a traitor, Alarik." Celeste says at the head of the crowd while shaking her head in disgust, "Deep down I knew it." She steps forward, milking her performance for all it's worth.
    "You're nothing more than a pathetic bastard king, Alarik. Mating with a human for god's sake." Celeste continues.
    "Celeste, you are the real traitor. You only wanted to marry Alarik to become queen and kidnap more innocent humans to use for your own sadistic pleasures." I spit back. Celeste barks back a theatrical, harsh laugh at my accusation.
    "As though anyone would believe that, you little slut." She scoffs and leans down into my face, "It's one thing for him to name you his little mistress, but to think he took you as his secret mate? It makes my stomach turn." She spits at me, and Alarik rises to his full height, furious.
    "Don't you–"
    "Careful brother." Killian says, stepping between Alarik's approach, "Do you really want to defend her after everything you've done?" Killian walks up to Alarik, his red eyes blazing.
    "After all, you not only marked this vile slave... you hid it from your people as well."

The whispers rise, growing colder and harsher, churning into a cyclone of hatred.
"Look at her arm." Killian grabs me again, brandishing my flesh for all to see, "This mark is well inlaid into her skin. It has been hidden beneath that bandage for weeks. Your so-called king deceived you all." Alarik stumbles back, his throat rising and falling as his worst fear materializes as he desperately looks from me, to his brother, to his people. His subjects spit venomous words at him, throwing things and half-shifting in their wrath. Alarik turns away, his whole body shaking with shame.
"You know what? Killian would be a better king." I announce. Everyone, including Alarik, turns to me in shock.
"It's true." I continue, "Because Killian is as revolting and heartless as the rest of you. That makes him the perfect candidate. He's precisely what you all deserve. Once he's finished terrorizing humans, he'll come for you, too." Killian shoves a guard at me and I'm grabbed. Four more descend on Alarik.
"I want them in the darkest pit this castle has to offer." Killian growls. With a hateful cry, Alarik moves to attack Killian, but a dozen more guards pile on and haul him away before he can.

The cell they shove me into is lit only by a few dim candles. The air is thick with the pain that its walls have witnessed. A single guard keeps an arm on me, but I don't dare to move.
"Get off me!" Then, the guards practically drag Alarik into the cell. Alarik thrashes like a feral animal as his captors clamp metal cuffs around his wrists, chaining him to the wall. When the metal hits his wrists, he slumps, as though all of his strength is suddenly sapped from him.
"You look good like that, Alarik." Killian says as he steps into the cell, "Chained up like the dog you are." Killian's smile is darker than the prison he's put us in.
"Doesn't he look good like that, Lavena? Almost like you. A dirty little human. His sexual fantasy come to life." Killian threads his hands through my hair and Alarik snarls.
"Don't fucking touch her!" Alarik's voice booms, shaking the stone walls.
"It's all right, Alarik. He can't hurt me." I say, trying to keep my voice steady. Killian looks from me to Alarik, a wide, wicked smile spreading across his face.
"Let's test that theory. I'll show you just how many screams I can wring out of you." Killian laughs.
"Threaten her again and I'll–" But Alarik is cut off as Killian suddenly jerks my head forward.
"You'll do what? Kill me?" Killian practically throws me to the ground as he rounds on Alarik, grabbing him by the throat, and drawing blood with his nails.
"Look around, little brother. You've lost." Killian says as he snarls in his brother's face, "You heard your people. They want nothing to do with you."
"That's because they're blind." I say, pulling myself up again, "Blind to how much of a monster you are. How you'll destroy them with your lust for power." Killian's head whips around at me and his eyes flash a dangerous red.
"Keep talking. I dare you." He growls, "Right now, I'm feeling generous, but that could easily change." He releases Alarik and moves to tower over me.
"See, come morning, at my coronation... you will both be executed." No.
"You bastard." Alarik's jaw works as Killian tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.
"And I plan for you to die first, Lavena. I like the idea of my brother writhing in the pain of your loss." Killian drags his thumb over my bottom lip. I fight angry tears from falling.
"But keep running that pretty little mouth of yours and I'll keep you alive. For longer than you'd like to be." To make his point, Killian lifts his hand... the same way he did when he used dark magic on me.
"Do your worst." I taunt him.
"No, don't–" Alarik's voice is drowned out the moment Killian flicks his wrist. My whole body seizes with the brutal sensation of being skinned alive, and I can't help but cry out in pain. Killian's towering body covers my view of Alarik as I collapse to the ground, but I hear Alarik's cries and the sound of shaking chains as he tries to free himself. Just as quickly as it started, the pain disappears. Looking almost bored, Killian rises and walks to the cell door, slamming it shut behind him.
"Enjoy your last night together. If you thought that was bad..." Killian's voice rings out, "You have no idea what I have planned for you come dawn."