Page 78 of Mad Dragon of Chaos

Shey broke the tense silence that had fallen. “They’ll be okay. Haru is smart, and Tyche is sneaky as fuck.”

Adrian huffed a soft laugh. “Yeah, but will we be okay?”

His companion nodded. “Sure. I’m smart, and you’re sneaky as fuck.”

“Shit!” Adrian hissed the curse between clenched teeth as he skidded, attempting to slow enough to make a sharp left turn. His boots slipped through the dirt and grime that covered the sidewalk, causing him to slide into a brick wall. Pain exploded in his right shoulder and arm, but he ignored it as he shoved off the wall and raced through the dark alley, Shey barely more than three steps behind him.

He leaped over fallen trash cans and sagging boxes, heading deeper into the shadows in hopes of losing their pursuers. Shey’s pounding footsteps echoed his own, keeping a steady rhythm that matched the pace of Adrian’s heart.

They’d gotten within Bellcairn’s city limits when they’d picked up a tail. Six blocks after that, the following had become active pursuit. They’d cut through buildings and down filthy alleys, anything to break their pursuers’ line of sight. Adrian had lost track of where they were long ago, but the bigger concern for the moment was not getting caught. As long as they escaped, they could figure out where they were later.

“Fuck!” Shey snarled. “I have the worst feeling of déjà vu.”

Adrian’s hopes soared. “Been through this part of town before?”

“Nope. Been chased like this before.”

Adrian swallowed a groan as his hopes crashed. So much for Shey knowing a place they could hide. The last time he had been chased like this through Bellcairn was probably the night he’d gotten caught and tossed into that secret prison in Milway. That was just one of the many fates Adrian was hoping to avoid.

A shot rang out, and the bullet slammed into the brick close to Adrian’s head, sending out little shards of rock. Adrian ducked and Shey swore, but neither of them slowed.

“So much for taking us alive,” Adrian growled.

“Dead or alive doesn’t matter. If they know who we are, they can use our presence here to make more problems,” Shey panted. “Go right!”

Adrian didn’t question it. As they came to the end of the alley, he turned right only to find a black van less than a block away. It was waiting with the rear doors open and three men in the process of climbing out.

“Nope!” Adrian slid, trying to suddenly stop all his body’s momentum. This time Shey grabbed him hard on the elbow and pulled him up. Men shouted. Guns belched out countless rounds. Glass shattered, and more bullets pinged off signs and buildings. There was more shouting, someone belting out orders, but Adrian couldn’t make sense of it over all the other noises. They just kept running.

“Fence!” Shey called out.

In the distance was a tall, chain link fence that surrounded a parking lot filled with box trucks and other container trucks, creating an intricate maze. That was potentially a place to lose their tail. Adrian picked up his pace, sprinting straight for the fence. Pain cut through his side, and every ragged breath was like razor blades down his throat. Sweat coated his body, making his clothes stick to him in uncomfortable ways, but he didn’t stop, didn’t slow. Getting caught meant never getting to see Haru again. No one was keeping him from his dragon.

As he reached the fence, he leaped and caught the slender metal wire. He scrabbled over with Shey behind him. This was too much like his younger years, running from the police and the palace guards. Who would have guessed that those early exploits would help him so much?

He landed hard on the other side of the fence. Adrian paused long enough to help Shey to his feet as the prince seemed to slow up. They darted behind the trucks as the other men reached the fence with a series of curses. Adrian chanced a glance over his shoulder to find that they had four men after them, and all of them appeared to be thoroughly winded as they climbed the fence far more slowly.

They headed into the lot of the shipping company, hurrying forward on quiet footsteps, trying to find a way out. Adrian spotted the rear door of the business and headed toward it, but Shey caught his wrist and stopped him. Without a word, he pointed at a metal grill in the middle of the lot for the storm drain. It held zero appeal, but it was also likely to be disregarded when it was far easier to go through the building or even climb another part of the fence.

Not a word was spoken between them as they quickly and quietly pulled up the grate, slid into the water drainage system, and set the grate over the hole. Shey caught Adrian’s arm and helped him to retreat into the shadows of the large pipe, careful not to make a sound. Overhead, they could hear the muffled voices of the men running about and shouting, but there was no hint that they thought to look down into the storm drain that was half hidden behind the tire of one of the trucks.

Adrian leaned against the cold cement wall, panting as he fought to catch his breath. Shey stood next to him, their shoulders touching. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself. Why did this remind him so much of being on the run with Drayce, Caelan, Rayne, and Eno? After they’d taken out New Rosanthe and Zyros, Adrian had thought his wild days of running and hiding were finished. He’d been sure his life would be meetings in the palace and boring ceremonies for the rest of his days.

Not even close.

Dodging killers in Damardor. Dragons. Gods. Impulsive princes.

His life would never be normal. Meetings and boring ceremonies sounded like a dream considering how tired he was and the noxious odor filling the pipe.

“So…you’re going all in with the dragon, huh?” Shey whispered between panting breaths.

Adrian grinned. Okay, maybe it wasn’t all bad. And it didn’t hurt that Shey was turning into another member of his strange extended family.

“Kind of like how you’re having a fling with a god?”

“It’s not a fling.”

Adrian blinked, his brain locking up. That sounded serious. Very serious. Like overprotective, possessive dragon serious.