The manacles around her throat and wrists chafed, but when she asked their captors to loosen them, they only laughed. Her fires roared inside of her, but she was certain that she’d hurt herself badly if she tried to shift while locked up like this. Still, she considered doing it anyway and trying to roast all these guys, until Gilbert woke up.
Then, seeing him alive and well, the worst of her anger died away. She was still furious for being kidnapped like this, but there was a good sliver of fear as well. She had only just gotten her dragon; what was going to happen now? Her hands clenched and she breathed evenly, forcing herself to stay calm. There was no point in panicking.
She was going to find a way out of this. She had a good idea who was responsible for this, and she knew what he wanted—to live. To be given his dragon back. If he hadn’t kidnapped her, she would have felt sorry for the king when they were brought before him.
His hair was dark, his back straight, but there was a deep weariness in his face that made him look utterly ancient. He sat on a throne, draped in brightly colored cloth. Despite the age in his face, his body was heavily muscled, and Polly could see that he was a very handsome man. Intelligent eyes peered at her and he smiled.
“Welcome, young Patil.”
Patil. It was the name that her father had called her. Her hands clenched tighter. Not only had her mother stolen her away from her family and her heritage, she’d changed her name as well. She pushed the thought away—she could understand why her mother had done what she had, and now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
She nodded at him. “Hello. I assume you’re Claire’s mate who was recently cursed.”
The king inclined his head. “I am Eztli. My scouts say that you are now able to shift… I wonder, did you somehow transfer your curse to me?”
“No.” Polly’s brows rose. “I—”
She couldn’t tell him about Thunder. She shut her mouth and glanced at Gilbert for help. His eyes burned as he glowered at Eztli. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Eztli waved a hand. With just that gesture, one of his men slapped a hand on Gilbert’s shoulder. Warning him not to speak.
“You are not royalty; you cannot address me,” the king said lazily. He glanced back at Polly. “As for you… I am glad that you have broken your curse. I hope this means my curse will be broken, too, when I drink your blood.”
A tremor ran through her limbs and she drew back instinctively.
Eztli cocked his head to one side, studying her, then shook his head. “I don’t want to kill you. If this works, then you will be free to go. If not… Well, that’s what he is for. We know that your king sent you to study human medicines to try to remove this curse. Perhaps it will do some good…”
Polly lifted her chin. There was a dangerous glint in the king’s eyes, but she wasn’t about to allow herself to be intimidated into silence. “You are aware that your mate was captured, right?”
The half-smile on Eztli’s face disappeared. His hands clenched at the arms of his chair. “Claire?”
“She was captured,” Polly repeated. “You had better take that into consideration when you are thinking about what to do with us. Because I’m pretty sure that she’ll rot in prison if we are harmed in any way.”
Eztli’s eyes narrowed. His teeth bared. One hand slammed to the arm of his throne. “Take them out of here!”
Polly yelped as they were bustled out. Her heart beat hard in her chest, but she was certain of one thing; she’d found a chink in his armor. One that, hopefully, would allow them to get out of this in one piece.
***
The room that the king put them in was surprisingly comfortable. Polly stood at a window, staring out at the Belize jungle. Thoughts that this should have been the home she grew up in, with her own kind, kept crowding her mind, even though she tried to shove them away. There was no changing the past and it wasn’t like her mother hadn’t suffered for what she did.
She glanced at Gilbert, who was looking over a bunch of papers that they had been given. A frown creased his brow and a rush of heat filled her. What would it be like to be separated from him for even a year, let alone all the ones that her mother had lived without her mate? She had never dated, never so much as went for coffee with a man. Faithful to her father all these years.
With a sigh, she shook that thought from her head, too. She moved to Gilbert’s side, putting her hand in his.
“Anything interesting?”
“Yeah. For one thing, this curse? Has nothing to do with Eztli being related to you. Look at this.” He showed her a page covered with writing she didn’t understand. “These are old tales talking about your family’s curse; you were cursed because your distant ancestor betrayed the Emperor.”
Polly’s eyes widened. “That’s what he meant… when Thunder healed me. He said that the debt was forgiven. So Eztli is cursed because—”
“Because he and Claire tried to kill Thunder and his mother when she was pregnant with him. There were others, too… look, they’ve got reports here stating that every one of their allies in the attempt to prevent the Emperor from being born have not been seen shifting.”
Polly let out a shaky breath. “How much you want to bet that he already knows that, and also knows that drinking my blood will do nothing?” She glanced at her arm. The small pinprick that had indicated where the needle was inserted in her arm to draw out blood had all but vanished by this time. “Gil, if he already knows this, then—”
“I won’t let him hurt you.” Gilbert’s voice was full of anger and fire. “I’ve made huge strides in my research. I will give it all to him. I won’t let him hurt you.”
She nodded. Before she could fling her arms around him and cling to him, though, the door opened. The guards that had brought them here came in. One of them clamped a hand around her upper arm while the other grabbed Gilbert. They were dragged from the room, and all too soon found themselves standing before Eztli again. His expression bordered on murderous.
“I have spoken with the fools who think they can keep me from my Claire.”
Polly swallowed. That didn’t sound good.
“They are refusing to return her to me, unless I hand over the two of you.” He paused, then shook his head. “This, I cannot do. Drinking your blood didn’t work; I can’t let you go until I am healed.”
“But Claire—” Gilbert started.
“Claire is pregnant!” The huge dragon rumbled. “She carries my child. And that child carries this curse. I will not give up the chance to cure my bloodline. Even if it means I will never see my mate again; my child is far more important than my happiness.”
“But you know why you’re cursed!” Gilbert shouted. “You know it’s because you betrayed the Emperor. Polly was cured because he released her. You’re not going to get anywhere by—”
“Cutting her heart out and eating it?”
Polly’s blood ran cold.
Eztli leaned forward, hands clasped over his knees. “There is the possibility that it will work, we’ve seen plenty of research on the matter. But, as I said before, I have no wish to harm her… I will do what is necessary, though. So. Gilbert West,” he said the name like an insult, “will you continue your research as my servant, or will I have to find other treatments?”
Polly snarled, her fires roaring, but Gilbert remained calm.
“You don’t have to threaten her. I will give you all of my research and—”
“And continue until you have found a cure. Otherwise, she dies. Everything you have will belong to me. You will hand all research to me alone and not give it to anybody else.”
Gilbert’s jaw twitched, but he nodded slowly. Polly could see how much it hurt; everything he did, he did it for the betterment of others. It was never just about his clan. She could see how much it meant to him when he told her about all the lives he improved. Her rage built to a fevered pitch and Polly couldn’t bear to stand here and watch as his dreams were crushed.
As she lunged forward, the stone walls around them shattered. A startled cry burst from her as half a dozen dragons raced in; she stumbled, until she recognized one. Shane. A grin crossed her face, and she picked herself back up and charged at the king. He didn’t see her blow until it was too late; her knuckles collided with his face, causing pain to lance up her arm, but she didn’t care. He stumbled backwards, falling back into his throne.
Polly snarled as she grasped the king by the throat and started to shake him. “You will never get your hands on my mate’s research!”
He punched her in the stomach, causing all breath to whoosh from her lungs. The king shoved her away, and suddenly Gilbert was there. He gave the king no mercy, driving his fist into him over and over again. Polly sprang to her feet and grabbed his arm; he’d never forgive himself if he did permanent damage.
All around them, the few guards that had risen to their king’s defense were taken down by her guards. A green dragon shifted, taking the form of Thunder’s father. With a single shout, his dragons brought the guards to their knees. Soon they were all in their human form again, panting and defeated. Polly dragged Gilbert off the king; he immediately turned to her, cupping her face in his hands.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
Polly nodded. “Yes. I’m okay. Are you?’
He nodded.
Thunder’s father strode forward and looked in disgust down at Eztli. “You and your men will be held by the loyal clans of the area, until your trial is held. Do not expect mercy from me or my mate, Eztli. Take him away.”
He watched with fury as Eztli and his men were dragged out. Shane rushed over to Polly and wrapped his arms around her. Even though they were both naked, they weren’t embarrassed. They were like siblings, and nudity wasn’t a big deal among dragons, after all. Shane pulled back and grinned at her.
“Let’s get you home.”
A wave of longing washed over her as she thought of the little castle by the sea, her father, and the people who loved her without even knowing her. “Yes,” she agreed. “Let’s.”