I’d never run so fast, my dragon pushing against my skin hard, my claws and fangs elongating. I yanked the draping toga from my body, no longer able to maintain control. Lela was in danger, and I couldn’t keep the beast back if I wanted to.
My wings broke from my skin as I came into the clearing, watching as two guards walked toward the palace, one with Lela over his shoulder. She struggled but obviously couldn’t get her nails to reach his skin to get his blood. Otherwise, they’d be dead.
With a running start, I took flight over the pit, noting the white dragon chained down below, her crimson eyes following me as I flew across her prison. The guards were laughing, both of them holding wine goblets, having been enjoying the celebration.
Good thing, for they didn’t sense or hear me as I landed on the one not holding Lela, clamping on his jugular and opening his throat. The other guard tossed Lela to the ground and turned, his eyes glowing green as he began to shift into half-skin.
Before he could, I lunged and sliced across his upper chest, raking my claws through his tunic and flesh. He cried out and lurched back. Lela was on her feet and charging him, leaping through the air.
Dumbfounded, I watched as she swiped her palm over his wound and fell to the side when he blocked her. She licked her palm, the presence of her magic swirling through the air.
The guard snarled and jerked his head toward her, bursting from his clothes into half-skin, his green scales glinting under the moonlight. He marched toward her, growling, “You’re gonna die.”
I ran forward to intercept him, but it wasn’t necessary.
Lela shoved to her feet and shouted, “Stop!”
The guard instantly froze. It was almost comical, he was so still. Breathing hard, her voice shaking with fury, she told him, “No. You are going to die.” She pointed to the giant hole in the ground. “Leap into the pit. Feed yourself to the white dragon.”
Without hesitation, the guard walked to the edge and jumped inside. Cross-hatching bars layered the pit, but the gaps were big enough for a man to fall through. There was a sickening thud then the chirping call of Camilla before the crunch of bones and scream of the guard.
I didn’t waste another second, sprinting and scooping Lela into my arms.
“No! We have to set her free!” She struggled against me.
I pushed the dragon back and shifted back into a man, grabbing hold of her wrists as she beat against me to get away.
“Stop, Lela!”
She did, finally meeting my gaze.
“We have no time. Those bars and chains that keep her there can only be unlocked by the keys Caesar keeps himself.”
Her face was contorted with rage as she hissed, “The master must always hold the keys, mustn’t he.”
“We can’t free her.” I cupped her face. “We must save ourselves now or we’ll die.”
She gripped my wrists. “I can’t leave her like that.”
“We have to. I’m sorry.”
I grabbed her hand and ran back through the woods in the direction of Kato’s house. Thankfully, she didn’t fight me, but she sniffled as she ran close at my heels.
We made it through the woodlands quickly, coming out on the main road. Patricians hurried away from the palace to their homes. Some of them abandoned their litters and chose to run on foot, forgetting civility. No one wanted to be there when Caesar returned tohis palace. Fortunately, everyone was so distressed, they didn’t take note of me, now nude, or the woman at my side.
“What happened?” she asked.
“I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to get to the docks.”
Dodging two litters, we wove around them and down the alley beside Kato’s home.
“Trajan!” Grandfather called from a niche along a wall.
We ran to him alongside Jovian and Lupus, Jovian watching up and down the road.
“Here.” Grandfather unwrapped the sash of blue he wore over a white tunic.
I draped it around my middle and over one shoulder. Lela quickly took the end and tucked it so that I looked remotely presentable and not like I was on the run.
