Her head lowered and cast a shadow over the man as she purred, “From the moment you discovered Tiamat the Mighty’s cave, you’ve been doing my bidding.Helping me to achieve my goal.Did you think you found the scroll with the location of the eggs by happenstance?”
“Eggs that would still be just dormant rocks if I’d not acquired the patent for exploding those volcanoes.”
“And where do you think you got the idea to do that?”Nessie stated.“From me.”
“We only met recently.”
“So you were led to believe.In actuality, you’ve been here several times.I just never allowed you to remember.”
“You have not been controlling me,” Malone blustered.
“Oh really?”Nessie taunted.“Kneel.”
The man hit the floor hard on his knees.
“Bow to me.”
I could see the strain on Malone’s face as he fought the command, but in the end, he complied.His forehead pressed against the stone.
“Look at you, finally mustering up the nerve to fight,” Nessie crooned.“To think you used to be eager to serve.”
“Not serve,” Malone huffed.“Working together because I thought our interests were aligned.”
“As if I care what you wanted.You were simply a tool to me.Alas, you proved to be a disappointment.Despite every clue I gave, you failed to capture a single hatchling, hence why I had to enlist Shamash’s aid.”
“I’m not helping you with anything,” Alistair spat.“And if you don’t release me from this cage, I won’t be gentle with my vengeance.”
“I am not so stupid as to release you, seeing as how the cage is the only thing keeping me safe.And before you even think of trying, you won’t be able to use your dragon to bust it open.Well, technically, you could try, but the bars are made of tungsten, and as such, any attempt to shift will result in you dying because we both know the cage won’t break.”
I could picture the threat.Him trying to expand into his dragon shape and ending up squeezing through the immovable bars, like a potato put through a French fry slicer.
Alistair’s lips pinched.“You know I’ll find a way to escape, and when I do…”
“You won’t lift a claw to hurt me because I was smart and acquired your most precious possession.”
“I have nothing I value enough to keep me from killing you.”
“Oh really?”Nessie crooned.“So you’re telling me you care nothing for the human female?”Nessie’s head swung, and she fixed me with an evil stare.
Alistair snorted.“What makes you think I give a rat’s ass what happens to Davina?”
Expected response, but it still hurt to hear.
“For one, my seer.Fiona predicted the female would draw you to my loch.Second, the smell of you is all over her.You’ve claimed the human.”
Claimed me?Wait, she could tell we had sex?Kind of embarrassing.
“We copulated.It means nothing,” was his harsh rebuttal.Again, kind of hurtful, but logically, he couldn’t admit he cared, not knowing Nessie planned to use me as a tool for his good behavior.
“If that’s the case, you won’t mind then if I give her to my Caps to play with.”Without making a movement or giving a command, a Red Cap stomped in my direction.
Alistair’s gaze finally met mine, blazing with fury and despair but also defeat.“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”Nessie teased.
“Don’t hurt Davina,” he whispered, hanging his head.
“You always were weak.”
