“There are others here like you, isn’t there?” It was a question, but I already knew the answer.
“Not exactly.”
“I don’t mean other dragonlords,” I countered, “but other prisoners. Others who have been trapped here. Others who have done something wrong.”
He growled and pushed up from the ground with a speed that made my breath catch. “I have donenothingwrong. Unlike you, little métoikos.”
I bristled at his words. A very small part of me had a logical reaction to this tall, towering, powerful beast of a male who could probably break me in half if he wanted. But another part of me—the part that was all Galatas, through and through—hauled back my foot and kicked Yuto in the shin as hard as I could. I winced when my boot made contact with his leg. He was as immovable as a rock. And well…my foot wasn’t.
Yuto’s upper lip curled, and he yanked me hard against his chest. “You really don’t know when to stop, do you?”
“I don’t like your stupid nickname for me,” I snapped back. “My name is Aradia. Not little métoikos. I’m more than just a little mortal.”
“No one on this godforsaken island cares what your name is, and you best remember that.” He shook his head, curled a finger around a loose strand of my midnight hair, and then tapped me on the forehead. “Think before you act. The next time you kick someone, make certain he won’t kick you back.”
“Youdidn’t kick me back,” I said through gritted teeth.
“No, I didn’t,” he murmured. “And I’m not the worst this forest has to offer.”
There it was. The truth I’d known but he hadn’t confirmed. There were others out there in the trees, just like Yuto. And if he were to be believed, they were far worse than he was. An unsettling thought. He’d captured me to become a pawn in his own game. If any of the others found me, what would they do?
Kill me? Or something far worse?
“Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” I muttered beneath my breath.
My stomach let out a growl in response to my words. It had been a very long time since I’d had more than scraps. Gnawing hunger had become a constant companion, almost to the point where I’d been able to ignore it. But the hunger became insistent now, demanding to be fed.
Yuto frowned and glanced down at my belly. “When was the last time you ate?”
“A proper meal?” I asked. “Three days ago.”
His lips flatlined. “Mortals cannot survive without food. We must remedy this immediately.”
More questions sprang to my lips, but this time, I swallowed them down. If he planned on getting me some food, I didn’t want to antagonize him. Just in case he decided to use my hunger as a weapon. For some food, I could be quiet. I mean, temporarily, of course.
“How many nuts do you have left?” I asked, glancing at the pack he’d dumped onto the ground.
His lips stretched into an eerie smile. “You’ll be eating far more than nuts tonight.”
I opened my mouth to make a retort, but no sound came out. For once, I couldn’t conjure any words. Yuto took the rope and placed it gently in Cleatus’s mouth, and then disappeared into the woods without another word. My gaze stayed locked on the winding path as the darkness crept in around me.
Narrowing my eyes, I glanced at Cleatus. “He just left me here.”
No answer, not that I expected one.
“Listen, I know you’re not a horse, but you’re very horse-like, right? Fancy giving me a way out of here?” I asked. “We could go galloping off into the sunset? Go somewhere far away from here?”
Silence.
With a shrug, I reached out to grab the rope out of the horse’s mouth, but he jerked away from me before my fingers could make contact. Frowning, I tried grabbing the saddle. The horse trotted backward and dragged me along with him. My feet tumbled out from beneath me, and I plopped heavily onto the dirt. Ouch.
“So, you’re smarter than a regular horse, huh?” I asked. “Think we could make a deal then? I’ll do something for you. Whatever you want. All you have to do is get me away from the dragonlord.”
The horse snorted, and then turned away, putting his rear end right in front of my eyes. His golden tail flicked into my face, stinging my cheek.
“Alright.” I said, swatting him away. “Point taken. You’re not helping me get out of here.”
Cleatus neighed, stomped his foot, and then settled into silence. Without any other options, I spread out on the ground to stare up at the sunset sky, and waited for Yuto’s return. My stomach rumbled once more. At least I would get to eat?
