Dragon Blood (Completed)

The Escape

Chapter 5

He didn't wait to see if she got the hint because he had to dodge the sharp spikes flying toward him as Drake's tail swept across the room, smashing everything in its path. Zane blasted Drake with a long breath of fire. Drake screeched in pain as Zane's fire scorched over the guard's wing, crippling him, and effectively eliminating his means of escape. Drake's fury made him stronger and faster than Zane anticipated, but he was not a royal, so the advantage Zane had over him made the fight short. Drake's speed didn't compare to that of Zane's.

The other dragon managed to get in a few good swipes in before Zane was able to kill him. Zane sank his sharp teeth into Drake's thick hide, tearing at him until pools of blood ran from his long neck like a fountain.

Drake surprised Zane when he returned to his weak mortal form, making a last desperate attempt to heal his gaping wounds while Zane watched. He made no attempt to assist the dragon that had tried to kill him. The odor of burnt flesh filled his nostrils as he watched Drake's clumsy movements fail to stop his bleeding.

Zane returned to his mortal form to step up next to Drake. Though he still made no effort to heal the treacherous dragon, he couldn't bring himself to leave until he knew the Bluescale commander was dead. He'd seen a few bodies in his lifetime. He'd even watched one dragon kill another during a skirmish he'd found himself in a year ago, but he'd never killed another dragon before. He felt now what he'd felt then, and that was nothing. This was a war—kill or be killed. Drake's life for that of the Bluescale heirs.

Drake stopped fighting to save himself. Looking up at Zane, his dying words confirmed the girl's fears that Drake was not working alone. "It's too late for her. Only the boy can go, and he won't see the alignment. My master will see to that."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zane demanded, but Drake drew his last breath without answering. Worried about the two Bluescales, Zane blew some healing fire into his hand, then pressed it over the gash in his side. He sighed with relief as the magic fire burned away his mortal injuries, and the flesh healed over.

He ran out to the hall, hoping he would be able to find the girl before she decided to escape the castle. Despite her fears, she really was safer here.

Her arm must have been bleeding more than he realized, as she left a trail behind her; a few drops every twenty feet or so. He jogged down a long corridor and two flights of stairs—she had defiantly been heading outside—when he heard a ruckus that sent him flying.

"Where is the prince?" He heard a familiar, deep voice boom.

"I told you he's back there, fighting Drake." The girl's voice was strained with anger. Then he heard the horrific sound of a fist hitting flesh and bone.

"Leave her alone! She's telling the truth!" Dean shouted, his little voice sounding frightened.

"Get the boy." Zane flew around the corner to see his personal guard throw a violent fist in the boy's direction. The girl stepped into the blow while pushing the boy out of harm's way and doubled over on the spot, then dropped to her knees.

"Stop!" Zane shouted to his guard before they could continue their assault on her. "What do you think you're doing? How dare you raise a hand to her!"

They all turned at the sound of his voice, jaws dropping. They must have truly believed he was dead.

"Sir, we thought—" Zane held up his hand to silence the men. He didn't want to hear it.