Page 72 of Fated to the Dragon Warlord

Across from me, Deus twitches violently, coughing out a flame before his eyes open and he glares at me in a way he hasn’t before.

I push myself back against the rough rock, feeling the wet moss which grows there leeching into my clothing once again.

Could it be murder?

He heaves himself to his feet, his claws fully outstretched, the tips making a clinking sound on the rock. I do my best not to cringe as I expect him to stalk towards me. There’s nowhere to run. He knows it, I know it.

Whatever happens now, it is the end of everything.

I pull in a breath, about to speak, about to reason with him, to use the one thing I have as a weapon, my voice.

But, with a suppressed snarl, Deus’ head flicks towards the entrance of the cave.

Wings swirl from his back, and his tail lashes out, the spiked tip nearly hitting me, even though I’m way back.

When he growls, the acoustics of the cave mean the sound reverberates, getting louder and louder.

“You do not get to take her again,” he says, fangs hampering his words.

I stare out into the dim light. Now my eyes are used to the starlight, I can see the outlines of the vegetation outside, the lumps of rock in the floor of the cave, although not much else.

I can’t see anyone else. I unfold myself from the ledge and get to my feet, wrapping my arms around my body to stop the shivering. I keep as quiet as I can, taking a few paces forward,straining to see if there is anything out there other than the creatures who make all the noises.

Could it be Darax? Could it be a figment of Deus’ imagination? From what I’ve seen and heard so far, his mind is clouded with grief and more. There’s no saying what else it’s doing to him.

“Stay back,” Deus says with a snarl.

It’s then I see it. Thethingwhich scuttles over the floor near the opening. It’s like a cockroach but far, far too big.

The movement captures Deus’s attention. He hiccups a flame.

It briefly illuminates the entire cave.

A cave which is now filled with cockroaches.

Unable to help myself, I release a short, sharp shriek, backing away to the rock wall behind me.

Deus is a mere still silhouette against the limited light before he lets rip with a huge flame, and it sears across the cave. Things pop and whine.

The flame goes out. I can’t see anything in the darkness which follows, the shape of the fire dancing over my eyeballs, effectively blinding me.

I am, therefore, not ready for the bright white light which floods the cave. Nor for the laser blast which hits Deus square in the chest. The first one doesn’t seem to do much, but the second knocks him off his feet. I’m so shocked, I don’t see the surge of creatures until it’s too late.

I’m pinned to the wall by a set of pincers. The stench from the things makes me gag. I get a brief glance at Deus, his chest smoking and not in the usual Sarkarnii fashion.

I think they might have killed him.

But that’s the least of my worries. I’m being held by an enormous cockroach, its mouthparts clacking over my face.

“This is another one.”

I hear the words, but I don’t hear them. It makes my brain hurt.

“It is the one which was left.”

I really, really don’t like it.

“Take it.”

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