Page 11 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
I don’t give them time to act. I leap into the room, talons outstretched, lightning crackling along the curve of my horns. My claws rip through the first two kobolds before they can even turn, their bodies falling in a lifeless heap. But then the swarm comes.
Two dozen, at least, maybe more. They pour from the shadows, scrambling over each other in a frenzy. The room is a storm of steel, scales, and snarls. My talons slash in a wide arc, and the heads of two kobolds thud onto the wooden floor. I freeze, their ichor slick on my claws. The others do too, their eyes wide, reflecting the faint blue glow of my lightning. A deep, guttural roar tears from my throat, echoing through the room. It’s enough. They hesitate, then retreat, backing away into the shadows, their courage drained.
The last of them flees, leaving me alone in the silence. My chest rises and falls, the metallic scent of kobold blood thick in the air. My scalesitch, a deep discomfort crawling under my skin. Killing dragon kin—even lesser ones—feels wrong, but they didn’t share my hesitation.
I shake it off and scan the room again, eyes sharp for any lingering threat. Nothing stirs. My claws click softly against each other as I cross to the next section. The following room feels almost anticlimactic after the chaos—empty, quiet, too mundane.
I don’t trust it.
The next room feels too plain. It’s almost unnerving. My eyes sweep the space, landing on a dark stain—a blood smear on one of the floor planks. There’s nothing nearby that could have caused it, no struggle, no weapon, nothing. I lean into the doorway, craning my neck to take a better look. The walls catch my attention next, the faint outlines of recessed panels barely visible in the dim light.
It’s a trap. My gut twists.
Stepping back, I head to the room behind me where the kobolds swarmed earlier. One of their mangled bodies lies crumpled against the wall. Grimacing, I grab it by the arm and haul it back. With a grunt, I toss the limp form into the room, aiming for the bloodstain.
A whisper of sound, then a sharp hiss—four arrows slice through the air from all directions, meeting in a deadly crossfire. The kobold’s body jerks midair, pierced through before it even touches the ground.
I watch from the doorway, the tension humming in my muscles as I study the room. The trap doesn’t need footsteps to trigger. That’s... inconvenient.
There has to be a pattern, a way through without ending up like that kobold. Returning to the other room, I drag three more of the bodies back with me. This time, I crouch low, rolling one of the bodies acrossthe floor like a bowling ball. Two arrows streak down from above, embedding themselves with a sickening thunk.
Progress.
Grabbing another body, I throw it toward the far side of the room, aiming close to the floor where the hatch lies in wait. A single arrow fires close to my target. My lips curl into a grim smile.
I make an educated guess. No time to overthink. Grabbing the last two bodies, I fling them into the room with all the force I can muster, then leap for the wall. My talons dig into the wood as I scale it, muscles straining, until I reach the ceiling. From here, I can see them—crossbows, perfectly aimed, ready to shred anything that moves below.
My talons anchor me to a wooden beam, and I dangle upside down, suspended. Inch by inch, I worm my way across the room, thighs burning as I clamp the beam between my knees. The rough wood scrapes at my skin through the leathers, but I keep moving. The hatch is close now, just a little farther. I reach out and punch upward, hard. The hatch bursts open, and the cool night air rushes in, a stark contrast to the suffocating heat inside.
I haul myself through the opening, muscles screaming in protest, and roll onto the roof of the gauntlet. For a moment, I lie there, gasping for breath, staring up at the stars scattered across the dark sky. My lungs fill with clean air, and I finally sit up, pulling myself to my feet.
Walking to the edge of the roof, I look down at everyone below, their faces a mix of awe and disbelief. Two-time, back-to-back gauntlet winner, two years running. My lips curl into a bitter smile. If I didn’t hate my father so much right now, I know he’d be proud of this. Proud of me. The thought twists in my chest like a blade. Instead of pride, allI feel is the cold emptiness of spite. The upside, I have three mates that love me and I know they are proud as fuck of me right now.
Before I can figure out how I’m getting down, Callan’s gryphon lands beside me, its golden eye bright with recognition. Relief floods through me, and I step closer, wrapping my arms around its muscular neck. The soft, whistling sound it makes when it’s happy soothes something raw inside me.
“You have no idea how glad I am you came to get me,” I murmur into the gryphon’s feathers, breathing in its wild, earthy scent. “I’m exhausted.”
Callan’s gryphon lowers itself to the ground, making it easier for me to climb onto its back. I move slowly, my muscles sore and heavy from the gauntlet. Between getting bitten yesterday and surviving today’s endless trial, I could really use a nap. As I settle in, the gryphon rocks gently, rising to its feet before striding to the edge of the gauntlet platform. Then it leaps, wings spreading wide, catching the thermals effortlessly. The wind rushes past, cool against my skin, and for a moment, I feel weightless.
We glide smoothly to the ground, touching down on the soft soil below. The moment we land, Abraxis is there, his hands on me, checking me over for injuries. His stormy eyes scan every inch of me, sharp and relentless.
“I’m fine,” I say, giving him a small, reassuring smile. “I promise, not even a splinter.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but I take the egg carrier from him anyway, cradling it close. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Vaughn’s faint smile, and I give him a quick wave.
“Callan and I have to stay behind as senior staff,” Abraxis says, his fingers brushing against my cheek. There’s a softness in his touch that makes my heart ache. “Can Vaughn take you home?”
He leans in and kisses me gently, the warmth of his lips laced with worry. I know what this is really about—he’s afraid the bond between Vaughn and me will fray the way mine and Callan’s once did.
“Of course,” I whisper, brushing my lips against his again before turning to Callan. I kiss him too, lingering for a moment. “See you soon,” I say softly, glancing at Balor as he approaches. His eyes lock on mine, and for the briefest second, I swear I see jealousy flicker there. It’s gone as quickly as it came, leaving me questioning if it was ever there at all.
Shaking my head, I let Vaughn’s gargoyle scoop me up, his muscular arms cradling me as we take to the sky. I lean my head against Vaughn’s shoulder, my eyes drifting shut. The wind hums around us, but exhaustion pulls me under.
A quick nap sounds like heaven.
CHAPTER 7
Vaughn
