Crown of horns

Chapter twenty two

The screaming began shortly after I was carried from the keep. I do not think I was fully aware of the agonized noise escaping my throat so much as the pain of my vocal cords being ripped to shreds.

Arriving at the dragons keep I am numb. Void of any feeling as Opaskai sets me down on the dark rocks beside the storm of healing waters. Or maybe it is Rendroktheil who sets me down. I can not see more than shapes and colors before my face. The thunderous sound of water echoes through my skull.

"Alys. Alys, stop." One of them insists. Their hands cling to my armor, attempting to make me stop screaming, but if I stop I fear I will stop breathing, stop living. Stop existing.

"Alys!" Someone cries in distress. My head rattled painfully around, my neck aches and strains but I let myself be shaken like a rag doll. It's not going to stop the pain.

I give in, drawing the noise back down into my gut where if can't fester and grow until it's to painful. I sit blankly, waiting to hear what they say to me next.

"Thank you." Opaskai whispers. I tip my head up in his direction. I can see his outline now. The small hints of colour hidden in his mane of hair.

"Let's get this off. Then we'll get you into the water." He suggests tugging on the buckles that hold my chest armor over my black tunic. I hold my arms up allowing him to remove it from my side, one buckle strikes the wound in my side but the pain that radiates from the wound is a welcome change from the tingling numb of exhaustion.

Once I feel the armor plate being dragged over my head I reach up again, wiping the tears from my eyes, clearing my foggy vision.

Opaskai sits in front of me on his knees. His bright eyes are dark, clouded with pain and sadness. Dark circles pool under his eyes, his skin is ashen with soot. His stolen guards armor is slick with fresh and dried blood. A deep wound between his ribs, possibly another reason he is so pale.

I watch the wound drizzle blood without an ounce of regret or guilt. I led Rendroktheil and Opaskai into a trap. I am the reason he is injured but I do not care. I should care. That scares me. I feel nothing for him, nothing for anyone that was injured, or killed.

"Alys." I find my gaze still locked on his wound, my nails dug deep into my palms as a strange twisting sensation runs up my arm, the ache to hold a blade again... it's seductive.

"I'm fine." I answer him shortly. Opaskai nods his head distantly. He offers his palms for me to take and helps me to my feet before helping me carefully into the healing water. I don't like feeling fragile, weak. I am stronger than Ysme. Ysme was weak, cowardly. Ysme is dead now, there is no use in comparing myself to her.

What will mother think? Has she found Ysme? Is she cradling her youngest megalomaniac daughter to her chest knowing and hating her oldest for driving the blade through her body? Or is she dancing, celebrating the loss of her daughters. Having now temporarily taken control of the kingdom.

"Opaskai may I speak to Alys?" I feel opaskai's hands leave my shoulders, I don't care, I quickly drop my head below the waters surface and sink towards the bottom of the river, falling past the sweeping wings of water dragons soft touch as I pass them.

"Alys!" The distorted call echos through the water. I ignore the call and continue to sink, reveling in the pressure that builds around my ears, my hair floats around my head, becoming darker as light dwindles.

Finally I am forced to surface when the lack of air in my lungs becomes to painful to bare.

"Alys. I must speak with you." I do not look up at Rendroktheil to know he is concerned, it radiates from his scales, down my skin making me shiver. The cold touch of the scales hanging from my hair makes me feel unclean, unwelcome. I climb from the river, waiting for Rendroktheil to continue without my vocal acknowledgement.

"I have explained you many times about our sanguinem vinculum. Blood bond. How what I feel you feel and what you feel I feel, but I am concerned you are forcing to much upon yourself. I have lost your feeling, lost your presence in my actions since we returned. Alys. Respice ad me. Look at me."

I pull the dagger from my soggy boots, flipping it into my palm towards my body as I look up lazily at Rendroktheil. His green eyes always so full of concern, full of soft hearted kindness unknown by anyone who came across such a large creature.

"Mea onera portarent mea suus. My burdens are my own. You care to much." I mutter bringing the blade up to eye level and quickly without a second thought I slice through the fine strands of hair close to my face, allowing the red and black blood dragon scale and braid to fall into the river and vanish from sight, I repeat the action watching the purple and pink scale fall after its leaders, like always. Opaskai will lay down his life blindly for his king. It will never change, they will always be pathetic dogs chasing scraps from their master.

I refuse to follow their blind faith and command.