Page 52 of Claimed By the Sinful Dragon
We’re not here for them,I reminded my dragon as I locked eyes onto Uther.Focus.
A bellow erupted from my throat, and I didn’t bother to try to hold it back. Pure rage burned through every cell of my body, and the only thing that would quench it was blood. Uther’s blood.
The would-be king sneered, but I saw the shadows darting in his golden eyes. Yeah, he knew I was here for him…and we both knew I could take him in single combat.
“Kill him!” he shouted, gesturing to his guards. “Kill the traitor who would dare threaten your king!”
I shifted before they could, reclaiming my human form and sweeping my gaze over them.
“Leave, now,” I told them, my voice icy in contrast to the hot fury pumping through my veins. “This isn’t your fight. I’ve come to reclaim my stolen Tribute, and I don’t give a fuck about any of you.”
“Our king has the right to take anything he desires, including your Tribute,” one of the guards spat, curling his lip at me.
“I don’t give a fuck what miserable creatures your ‘king’ hoards, but that woman belongs to me, and me alone.” I turned in a circle again, letting all ten remaining guards see the resolution burning in my eyes. “Anyone who leaves now gets to live, but come between me and her, and it will be the last thing you do.”
The same guard laughed. “You’re a little outnumbered. And delusional if you think we’re going to abandon our king because some nobody says so.”
I let my dragon’s voice meld with my own. “I am Rook Camlann, Lord Commander of the Western Flank, and I bow to no-one.”
Fear flashed through the guard’s eyes, but before he could open his mouth, Gaheris slipped from the shadows behind him, and plunged a dagger up and into his heart, killing him instantly.
Gasps of shock ran through the guards and I saw more than one readying themselves to shift. I raised my voice.
“I will not ask again. This man is a coward, not a king, and he will die today. Whether you join him is up to you.”
“Leave now,” Gaheris shouted, “and you can leave unharmed. Remain, and you will die alongside your imposter king.”
Movement caught my eye…one guard toward the rear slowly backing away, step by step. And then a second backed up, dragging a broken leg.
Uther screeched in anger, pointing a finger at their retreating forms. “You’re dead, both of you!”
“That implies you’re going to be alive to carry out any kind of sentence,” I said calmly, locking eyes with him. “Those who take what’s mine don’t live long. And make no mistake: that female ismine.”
In every sense of the word. My gaze cut to her, and I met her wide eyes. Fury bubbled in me again at the sight of the injuries on her, and I wished I hadn’t killed Landon’s pack so quickly.It was more merciful than they deserved. I wouldn’t make the same mistake with Uther.
My attention moved to the walking corpse holding her leash, and I rolled out my shoulders. He flinched under my stare, and I curved my lips into a feral smile. His hands trembled on the chain, like he wanted to drop it and run. Let him try. He’d forfeited his right to clemency the moment he’d laid a hand on Kaylee.
I swept my gaze round the courtyard one final time. Another two guards had fled, leaving six guards, and Uther. Against me and Gaheris. It didn’t matter. I’d go through a whole fucking army if that was what it took. Kaylee was coming home with me.
…Whether she’d want to stay, however… I forced the thought away. Now wasn’t the tie for distractions. Now was the time to fight.
I sent a curt nod to Gaheris. He knew his role, and I knew mine. I’d had my eyes shut for far too long. Today, that changed. I locked eyes on Uther, and shifted.
Chapter 27
Kaylee
Mine.
Rook’s declarationran through my head on repeat, despite the fact it was the absolute last thing I should be focusing on right now, what with the collar around my neck, the asshole holding my leash, and the sadistic king—not to mention his entire royal guard. Well, what was left of it after Rook and his friend had finished scaring them away.
I couldn’t help being awestruck. Not just because Rook was here, but because he was here forme.Not to expand his territory, or sate his bloodlust. He’d come for me. He’d put in enough forethought to have his friend come inside, posing as one of Uther’s guards, and lure him out.
The ground thudded as he fell forward onto four limbs in his dragon form, and let out a bellow of pure rage. He was going to tear this place apart.
…but he was still outnumbered. Badly. And this wasn’t a wolf pack he was facing down. Every man here was a dragon, and they were Uther’s personal guard. I didn’t think his love of broken things extended to the men who guarded him. He was a bully and a coward, and he’d have found the best guards he could.
I swallowed as my eyes moved around the cluster of shifters, all advancing on him, readying themselves to shift.
