Chapter Nine
Brighid
Her hands were tied tightly in front of her. No rough leather or energy shackles for her. She was bound by a silk rope. A dainty restraint. One that sounded like it should be easy to rip off. And yet she was utterly unable to make her hands budge an inch. Brighid’s heart pounded as bile crept up her throat. It wasn't just the rope holding her still. Jyah’s arm latched around her, tucking her into his side. If she had a knife, or any weapon, he wouldn't be smiling like he was.
She had no weapon, though, nothing to fight back with.
Before them, all the women of the harem were bound in place by bands of energy wrapping around their shoulders and waists. Each one was lashed to a pole while dry kindling stacked around them. The wood was soaked with a pungent-smelling liquid.
“Even a Viles will burn when the fire is hot enough.” Jyah glanced at her. “Aren't you happy you are being avenged, little Brighid? They will have the sin burnt from their flesh and you will witness their screams. Certainly, this pleases you.”
“Please,” she begged. “Please don't harm them. They were all good to me. They protected me. What will you gain by killing them? You will only earn the ire of the dragons.”
Jyah whispered in her ear. “He steals my woman, I steal all of his. It’s just a shame I can't give them the safe treatment he gave you. But then again, why would I want a Viles’ seconds?”
His eyes glittered and her heart sunk. If she hadn't slept with Eirrick would she be able to bargain away her virginity for their lives? Or was his mind made up so completely that not even evidence would change it?
“As for you,” he continued. “As an Atlantican virgin who broke her vows, you will be drowned. If you are innocent, the goddess will spare you so that you can be my wife.”
Brighid's nostrils flared and she jerked away. His grip tightened. “I hope she kills me if you are the reward for living!”
Jyah’s eyes glittered. He released her, then backhanded her across the face. The pain of his knuckles cracking into her teeth made her cry out as her head twisted around. She fell to the ground, unable to catch herself. Her face throbbed, lip already swelling. And she knew it was only the start of the torment he would unleash on her for daring to have desires of her own–especially when they didn't include him.
“Light the fire,” he ordered and the red-robed priests started forward with their torches as the harem girls fought and spat against their bonds.
Suddenly, a dragon fell from the sky. The sun flashed off his black scales as he swooped in at the priests with their torches. Using tooth and claw, he seized them all and flung them back into a wall while their torches clattered harmlessly to the ground.
“Eirrick!” one of the women cried and the rest began to chant his name. He landed before the pyres, cat-like eyes focused on Jyah.
The priest smiled as he was handed his spear, a mighty thing named Dragonslayer. Brighid managed to inch a few feet away. She struggled against the rope. If she could give herself half an inch to get one hand free...
Eirrick shifted to his human form. “Only a coward would go after women instead of his true quarry.”
“And only a fool would come alone.” Jyah sneered. “Do you think you can save them by yourself? I don't think I have ever met such an arrogant Viles.”
Eirrick’s jaw clenched. “I am not here to fight. I am here to give you an offer. Let the women go and I will let you live, as well as give you their weight in gold from my personal stores.”
Brighid let out a slow breath, forcing herself to calm as she glanced at her wrists. The ropes weren't budging. Maybe if she chewed through them? He began to gnaw at the knot. Strings of fiber got caught between her teeth.
“You insult me,” Jyah said, hefting up his spear. “As a priest, I took a vow of poverty. And had I not, I would never sully myself with your blood money.”
Eirrick snarled. Before he could shift, though, a streak flew from behind him. Brighid and several other girls screamed but it was too late. An arrow blossomed into Eirrick's shoulder. It sunk deep into his muscle but did not penetrate the other side. Brighid recognized the green feathers that fletched it. She and the other College girls would spend hours upon hours making such arrows and dipping them in a deadly poison. Once a girl had cut herself on the arrowhead and had been dead in five minutes.
But Eirrick was a dragon. He was strong. It wouldn't…
He gripped his shoulder and fell to his knees. Sweat popped out over his brow and he made a keening, moaning sound. Her heart stopped as Jyah began to laugh.
“Take him to Altantica’s fall. Drown him in her.”
“No!”
Several priests came forward. They kept their weapons ready as two of their number grasped Eirrick by the shoulders. He moaned again as they dragged him towards the falls on the other side of the courtroom, where she would no doubt meet her fate as well. Brighid threw herself at Jyah’s feet. She grasped at his knees.
“Please, no. Don't kill him. Please. I will do whatever you wish of me. Just please—"
“You have already made yourself a whore. No need to pile more humiliations on yourself.” Jyah stepped back from her. “Put him under!”
Brighid screamed again. Before the priests could toss Eirrick to his death, though, the dragon had one last burst of strength. His muscles bulged as he tossed one of the priests into another. He let loose a fireball into the waterfall. A great plume of steam rose into the air, misting around him and blocking him from view. A roar shattered the air, causing even Jyah to flinch back. Great wings beat away the mist and Eirrick in his beast's form emerged with a feral scream.
More dragons dropped from the sky, materializing like raindrops. Many of them dropped into the midst of the priests while others fell among the women and tore at the bonds holding them in place. Eirrick snapped the arrow off in his shoulder and lunged for Jyah. Dragons closed in on priests, priests dodged and wove between them. As they were freed, the women grabbed sticks, discarded spears, whatever they could get their hands on and charged at the priests. Brighid scrambled backward, chewing harder on the ropes that held her bound.
Once all the women were free from the pyres, a dragon let loose a breath of fire, lighting it in a giant blaze. Smoke billowed black and thick from it, obscuring everything.
A woman jumped from the black cloud and landed lightly near her and sliced the ropes off in one quick motion before thrusting the knife into her hand. Brighid didn't see who it was, she was gone so quickly.
The smoke cleared slightly. Jyah and Eirrick faced off with one another. Eirrick dodged the spear as Jyah danced around. He brought the heavy back end of the spear down on Eirrick's shoulder and the dragon cried out with pain. His movement was jerky, his steps stumbling. Confused, dazed. The poison was taking a heavy toll on him.
Brighid didn't stop to think about consequences. A fire ignited inside of her. Her fingers curled tight against the hilt of the knife and she charged forward, her eyes on Jyah's back. Neither he nor Eirrick saw her coming. Not until she was there, standing behind the priest that had made her life a living hell for so long. She brought the knife down as hard as she could against him. The blade skittered over bone before finding a spot between the ribs to sink in. It twisted and Jyah wrenched away, howling. The blade snapped.
He whirled on her, the butt of the spear coming at her face. Brighid threw up her arms to deflect her blow it hit hard, sending her flying back. Her head cracked against stone and everything went black. Nausea swirled in her stomach as the sounds of battle wove in and out of the pulsing of her blood. She rolled over, the motion almost making her vomit and looked up.
Eirrick dropped Jyah's body. The priest lay utterly still as the dragon stumbled over him, towards Brighid. She couldn't get past her knees and crawled towards her dragon. When they met each other they collapsed together. Eirrick was still in his beast's form and Brighid draped herself over his head, holding him tightly. He felt cold. His eyes were starting to glaze over.
"Stay with me," she whispered. "We're free now. You and me." She kissed his scaly head. "I love you. I love, stay with me."
He shifted in her arms, slowly melting back into a man's form. Cold sweat covered his body but he gingerly wrapped himself into her arms and pressed a shaky kiss to her. "I love you, too."