CHAPTER NINE
AMELIA SANDERS
I was so angry that I could barely see straight. How dare Ravinn accuse me of lying about Talia? He wouldn't even listen to me. He was the only one that could talk her out of whatever the hell she was doing, and he wouldn't even take me seriously. I had to admit that it really bothered me. Not just because Talia was a danger, but because I did not like the fact of Ravinn seeing me in that way. I did not like thinking that he thought I would lie about such a thing just for attention. That was what really, really bothered me. I did not want to admit that to myself, but I knew that was what it was.
After he yelled and scolded me, I needed to let off some steam. I went for a walk. I needed to be alone. I needed to be with my thoughts and figure out what the hell was going on with me. I would have to figure out another plan to deal with Talia. I would have to go to Ravinn’s father because he was the only one in a position of power that I could talk to. I was stuck.
As I stomped through the jungle path, I was not paying attention at all. I was in such a heated rage over what Ravinn thought about me that I did not notice anything amiss until a large gush of wind hit my face.
“What the hell?” I said, looking around expecting that it would start raining at any second and I was caught in a windy storm. But then I saw a large and dark shadow on the ground. I had seen this shadow before. It was when I was in the ocean after crashing in the ship. It was when I saw the dragon take Michelle.
I froze. I looked up in the air, and sure enough, there was a red dragon coming down on me. Its clawed feet were spread out, ready to grab me. I started to run as fast as I could, dodging underneath giant tree limbs. Perhaps if I could put the limbs between the dragon and I, then I could crawl to safety. I crawled underneath a very large limb with vines growing all over it. The rocky surface hurt the palms of my hands and knees, but I did not care. I needed to find safety. But then I felt something latch onto arms. I screamed. I realized that the red dragon had me just like it had Michelle during the battle.
“Let me go! Let me go!” I shouted as loud as I could. I looked down and saw a Draqua warrior staring up with his mouth open. I screamed. “Help! It is taking me! Help! Help me!” I continued to yell and scream as much as I could as the dragon flew higher and higher.
I wanted to get anyone's attention. Someone would report this. I had no doubt that the message would get to Ravinn. I suddenly wished that he was at my side now. Even though he was a pain in the ass and did not trust me, I did feel very safe with him. I knew that he was a very skilled warrior because I had already seen him in battle. I had already seen him go out alone on that island when we were in the cave simply to find out more about the opposition base camp. He made it a point to be brave and courageous. I needed him now. I needed him to rescue me.
“I don't know who you are but I know that you are working for Talia! But she has her information wrong. This is all wrong!” I shouted, trying to change the mind of the red dragon that was taking me. But it was of no use. The dragon continued to fly off the island and out to sea.
The view was very familiar to me as I saw the sun beginning to fall on the horizon. This was exactly what I had seen the first time that I had gone in this direction with Ravinn. That let me know that we were going to the opposition base camp. That was a good thing, at least. Ravinn would know where to look and the king would send backup. I just hoped that they would get to me in time. I remembered the words that Talia used. She wanted me gone. She didn't just want me to be taken; she wanted me dead. I hoped that this dragon would not kill me. But I did not know exactly what it was going to happen; I could only hope for the best and for my safety.
As the island came into view, I felt some relief. At least the dragon was not going to drop me into the middle of the ocean. The dragon was going to take me to the base camp. At least there I could hopefully buy some time until Ravinn came for me. I knew that he would. Even though I knew that he was angry at me and was in a complex love triangle, I knew that deep down he cared about me. I knew because of the way he took me that night in the cave. It was obvious to me then. Just then, the cave came into sight as the dragon flew straight up over it on top of the mountain ridge. When I saw it, the sensations that I felt when Ravinn was touching my body came flooding back to me. I wished that I could be in that moment again.
“Another human female?” a voice said as the red dragon landed in the base camp. I fell to my knees as he let go of the grip on my arms. My arms were scratched and bruised from him carrying me. I turned back to the red dragon. He shifted into man form. His hair was black, and so were his eyes. There was something very familiar about his face. I guessed I had just seen him around the village at some point because I could not place why he was so familiar.
“Yes, I found this one on one of the outer islands. I don't know what she was doing there. But I figured we could place her with the other one. We could use her as leverage in a battle, or take her to be sold the next time we go to Tiok.”
"You lie. You took me from the village!” I shouted at him as I start up.
“Shut up!” he shouted at me.
“Is that true, Urtrik?” the other warrior said to the red dragon man called Urik.
“It is not. She is just trying to be taken back to the village. She was probably sent away from there. Now she is trying to use us to get back,” he said.
“Fine. Urtrik, take her and put her with the other human female,” the warrior said.
As soon as he said it, my heart rejoiced. Could it be? Could it be that Michelle was still alive and she was here? My heart was racing as the alien dragon shifter known as Urtrik push me toward the rock ledge overhang.
“Do not speak of the village, human female. Or I will have to kill you. Right now you are on borrowed time. I was supposed to kill you. But I see value in you, and I will not waste a good human female. But if you continue to tell that I took you from the village, then I will have no choice but to slit your throat. Is that clear?” he whispered to me.
“Yes. I will say nothing,” I said. I was not going to get this dragon angry at me. All that mattered was I was going to find out who this human female was that they were talking about.
He pulled open a bar door on the rock wall.
“Get in there,” he said. I walked in, and he locked the bar door behind me. I was surprised by what I saw. There was a very long ledge overlooking the ocean. It was actually a beautiful overlook. Then I saw the entrance to a small cave. I walked inside of it. There was a woman sleeping on a soft mattress on the ground. She had a blanket on her. In one area, there was a table with food and drink. This was not the prison cell that I was expecting.
“Michelle?” I whispered.
The woman stirred and then she sat up.
“Michelle, is that you? It is Amelia,” I said walking over to her not wanting to startle her. She sat up and looked at me. There was a big smile on her face; it was Michelle.
“Oh my God! Amelia! I am so happy to see you!” she said as she ran to me and gave me a big hug. There were tears coming out of her eyes.
“Oh, Michelle. I am so sorry that you have been here so long. I have been trying to get the others to come get you for a while now. They have been scouting the island and gathering as much information as they could in order to come get you and defeat the dragons that are here. How are you? Are you all right? Are you hurt? Please tell me if you are okay?” I said hitting her with as many questions as I could.
“I am actually fine. Surprisingly. They have left me to myself. Yes, they feed me and give me water and such. But I have just been living and this little cave apartment by myself. As you can see, right outside the cave is a very large terrace,” she joked.
“Yes, I did see it. It has a very lovely view,” I said smiling with her. I was happy that she had just been living here in this place and it was not a dump. It was actually quite beautiful. I was glad that they had left her alone, though she must have been very lonely all this time.
“Yes, and this cave here has some light coming in through the small holes and a fire over in the corner for night time. It is a good shelter from the rain and harsh sun.”
“Yes, I can see it. I have stayed in a similar cave, and it was quite comfortable,” I said still hugging her.
“So you are here to rescue me then. Am I rescued? When can we leave? Where are we going?” she asked.
“No, unfortunately, that is not the case. I was captured as well by the same red dragon that captured you. It brought me here just now. There are reasons for it, and it is a very long story,” I said to her.
“But Amelia, you said that the others knew about this place and had been planning my rescue. Are they coming?” she asked.
I grabbed her and set her down on the mattress. I needed to whisper to her.
“Yes, they are coming. I promise you that. We must be ready for it. I don't know exactly when they're coming, but they saw that I had been taken. They already know where this place is now and they know what to expect. They are going to come for us, Michelle, and then you will be free, just as you should have been all along,” I said to her.
“Good. I am so happy to hear it. I am so happy to see you. Although I have been treated well and this place is nice, I have been very lonely. I have been so confused, not knowing what is going on. Seeing you makes me so happy, and I feel safer already,” she said hugging me.
“I am so glad that you are alive and well. I have not stopped begging everyone that would listen that I was not giving up on you. I knew you were out here. I could feel it. I am so glad that they took me just so that I know that you are okay,” I said to her.
“Thank you, Amelia. Thank you so much. Here, have some water. Let me clean out the scratches on your arms. I had the same when I was first brought here. Here is some salt water; it is good for cleaning the scratches so that it does not make an infection. Your drink this glass of water,” she said as she handed me a cup of water. My mouth and throat were very dry after screaming and taking a long flight dangling from a dragon’s claws. She took a rag and poured the salt water on the scratches. It stung a little, but it was worth it. A couple of hours passed and we sat outside of the cave on the ledge with a nice view. It was good to get some fresh air, and I began to tell her the long story of everything that had happened to me. She was astonished. I did not tell her that I had been intimate with Ravinn. But I did tell her that things were very complex and that I had been assigned to him as a wife.
Then she held up her hand and stop to me. “Be quiet. They are coming at any minute now,” she said.
“Who is coming?” I whisper to her.
“They will come to bring dinner and more water,” she said. “But do not be scared. They open the bar door and set the food and drink on the ground and then close the door again. Once they are gone, then I grab it. They say nothing to me usually,” she said.
“Yes, I guess it is about that time,” I said, looking at the evening sky. The Draqua ate dinner about the same time every night, and I guess that included the Draqua had branched off into the opposition. We sat quietly and then, just as she said, the bar door opened. A warrior stepped in and placed the food and drink down; there were two trays for both of us. Then the warrior was ready to step away, but as it did, it was interrupted.
“Do not close that door,” a deep voice said, and I recognize two it was immediately. It was the red dragon known as Urtrik. The warrior stepped aside and let Urtrik into the cell.
Michelle and I clung onto each other. He walked over to me and looked at me up-and-down. He scared me.
“You, with the red hair. Do you know what kind of torment you have caused my sister?” he said.
I looked at him in shock. I could not believe it. The dragon that Talia had given orders to was her brother. She had asked her brother to get rid of me. No wonder she was able to ask such a thing of him.
“Your sister? Talia is your sister?” I asked.
“She is my younger sister, and the only one I have. I would do anything for her. I should have known that Ravinn was not good enough for her. That he was scum. But he fooled me. He had always refused to be with the human females, so I thought that he was opposition at heart. Just as I am. Just as my sister is. But I was wrong about him. All it took was one small human female with flaming red hair, and he forgot that he had refused to be with human females and only wanted to be with my sister. What could be so damn special about you? You are not strong like my sister. You are not Draqua,” he sneered at me.
“I do not know. But I did not choose Ravinn. The king gave me to him and wanted me to be his wife. I had no choice in the matter. I am sure that you know that about the Draqua in the village. It is not up to me. I was taken from my own home planet. You have no reason to be angry with me,” I said trying to talk my way out of it.
“Yes, I do. You broke my sister's heart. That is enough. Even if you did not do it on purpose and it is out of your control. She asked me to remove you from her life, and that is what I have done. You will never go back there. You will never see the village again, or Earth. But I just wanted to let you know that this was why you were being punished. Because you messed with my sister, and nobody messes with my sister. You will be punished for breaking her heart for the rest of your life. I need you to know that. I needed to tell you that,” he said with a growl.
Then he walked out, and the other warrior locked the bars behind him. As soon as the door was locked, I let out a sigh of relief.
“I really thought he was going to kill me. I thought he was going to throw me off the ledge,” I said to Michelle.
“No. Do not worry about it. I have overheard them talk. We are too valuable to them because they can sell us for money. They use that money to buy weapons. We are more valuable alive. Now forget about what he said. Let's get our food and have a dinner together as though we are on Earth,” she said with a weak smile.
I remembered that Michelle had been through so much more than what I was complaining about. I owed her some happiness.
“Yes, you are right. Let's eat dinner and talk about things on Earth. We are going to have a great night together,” I said as I walked with her to grab the trays and then we took it inside and sat around the table next to the fire. We ate and told stories, and I almost forgot my predicament. It was just what we both needed.