Page 4 of Song of the Dragon Rider
The threat was not lost on me. These people weren’t my family. Hell, I wasn’t even close to any of them besides Maeve and Garrick. But I couldn’t live with the guilt if I was responsible for their deaths. The memory would haunt me the rest of my life. Besides that, I’d also promised Maeve to protect her as long as I was here. Leaving her to be killed by a crazy-hot dragon would certainly break my promise.
“I won’t leave,” I sighed. “I promise.”
Damien ran a hand down my arm in a gentle caress. “Good girl.”
2
DAMIEN
After safely depositing Cat back inside her room at the Ryder residence, my journey back to Obsidian Reach Island was weighted with conflicting emotions. The stormy sea mirrored my inner turbulence as I pushed my dragon wings against the damp, salty air. I landed on the volcanic rock and shifted back to my human form at the entrance of the cavernous home I shared with my uncle. The familiar scent of sulfur and the volcano’s eerie silence welcomed me—a abrupt contrast to my chaotic human emotions.
The interior had been shaped by centuries of dormant volcanic activity, which made it the perfect place to imprison a son you never wanted to see – or so my father felt. The natural luminescence of lava-frozen walls provided a perpetual, ghostly reminder of the fiery forces contained within. As I entered the living room, the sharp, mineral scent of sulfur was more pronounced, mingling with a faint, smoky aroma that seemed to seep from the very walls.
“Uncle,” I greeted, my voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber. I approached where Uncle Bai sat, looking weary but unharmed on one of the stone loungers that dotted the room.The furniture, carved directly from the volcanic rock, bore the cool, smooth texture of polished stone, providing a simple but oddly comforting place to rest. When he didn’t answer, I edged closer and studied his calm demeanor in our shadow-filled living room. “Are you okay?”
Uncle Bai nodded, finally managing a tired smile. “I’m fine; I just got back. They didn’t suspect a thing,” he assured me, his voice steady but carrying the weight of our recent endeavors – most recently, his foray as a secret agent to infiltrate his fellow nobles in an underground fighting ring. He shifted slightly and the stone beneath him released a faint grinding sound. “But you were right about the paintings. It’s how the underground fights are viewed by the elite, many of whom are directly involved.” My uncle shook his head, flummoxed. “This could spell disaster if I brought it to the emperor now. It might be best if we just cut off the vampires instead of getting the ministers involved.”
I nodded and paced, the soles of my boots scraping against the gritty stone floor. “Thorne might not agree.” The mention of my brother reminded me of the broader implications of our discoveries. “I think he wants to get rid of the corrupt ministers serving the emperor.”
Uncle Bai sighed, a deep, resonant sound that filled the room. “This is bigger than any of us might have imagined,” he mused, looking up at the ceiling where stalactites hung like ancient watchers. “Collusion between the emperor’s ministers and the vampires could mean possible rebellion. What is this money funding, and to whom is it funneling?”
I bit my lower lip, considering his words. “That’s what Thorne wants to know,” I muttered.
“It’s best to cut off their money source,” Uncle Bai suggested, his tone becoming more decisive. “That way we can smoke out the true culprit, but not involve all the ministers and royal familymembers in the process. There are too many of them, and many may not even be fully aware of what they’re involved in.”
“You really think they don’t know?” I quirked a brow, skeptical of the supposed innocence of the highest echelons of our society.
“I think many of them are simply there to gamble and foolish as they are, they are oblivious to what’s happening behind the scenes,” Uncle Bai carefully explained. His expression was thoughtful, his eyes reflecting the soft, eerie glow of the lava walls.
I folded my arms across my chest. “Again…Thorne might not see it that way. But you’re right. The root of the problem is the vampires, along with whomever is behind them orchestrating this. We need to cut off their money source, and fast.”
Uncle Bai nodded in agreement. “The next fight is next Saturday night. We have one week to figure it out.”
“Do you know if anyone lives in that estate where the noblemen meet to watch the fights?” The beginning of a plan was already stirring.
“I believe it’s empty, other than a few vampires that walk the property and maintain the grounds,” he replied, his voice echoing slightly in the cool air of the chamber.
“Good. Then this might work.” I settled into the lounger opposite him. “What better way to cut off their money source than to burn it all to the ground?”
Uncle Bai’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You mean the estate?”
“The estateandthe underground fighting ring,” I clarified, my eyes alight with the spark of rebellion. “Let’s burn it all.”
Uncle Bai rubbed his chin thoughtfully, the motion slow and deliberate. “It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to believe that the money is being stored at the estate. Our winnings were handed out then and there, so they must have a lot of coin on hand.”
“Excellent!” I rubbed my hands together with a determined gleam in my eyes. “One little fire will get rid of it all.”
“But how do we smoke out the ringleader?” my uncle asked, his gaze intense as he considered the full scope of our plan.
I leaned forward, the cool stone beneath me grounding my thoughts. “We set the trap and watch. Once the fire starts, they’ll come running. And we’ll be waiting.”
Uncle Bai nodded slowly, the creases on his face deepening as he settled back against the contours of the rough-hewn stone chair, which, despite its austere appearance, had been smoothed over centuries of use. The ambient glow from the lava-frozen walls cast a dim, orange light across his features, softening the usual sternness.
“Very well.” His voice carried a hint of resignation. He paused, eyeing me with a mix of concern and curiosity. “Oh, how did it go with Lady Arya? Is she okay?”
The room seemed to contract slightly at the mention of Cat. The air grew dense—or perhaps it was just the weight of my guilt pressing down. I looked away and focused on the faint patterns of heat that danced across the walls, the slight hiss and pop of residual geothermal activity a soft soundtrack to my turmoil. My uncle was not aware that Cat was from another realm and was only pretending to be Lady Arya, while the real Lady Arya was currently missing. During our earlier…conversation, I hadn’t gotten around to asking Cat if she’d learned anything about the lady’s whereabouts.
“She’s well.” My murmured voice barely stirred the sulfurous air. I hesitated, my fingers tracing the cool, smooth surface of the volcanic stone beside me. “She…” The words faltered on my lips. I was accustomed to sharing everything with my uncle, but this deception—this tangled web I had found myself in with Cat—was a secret I held close. Too close. I was afraid if I told him thetruth, he might agree with Cat and make me send her back to her world. And I refused to let that happen.
