Dragon Hunter by Charlene Hartnady
Chapter 26
There was a second knock on the door, more of a bang this time, of a fist on wood. It was followed by a loud crash as the door hit the wall. Storm marched in, flanked by several guards. “You went, even after I told you not to.”
Fuck!
How the hell did he know?
Who had talked?
Ice?
“You’re probably wondering how it is that I know.” Storm folded his arms.
The asshole was right, but Fog didn’t say anything.
“Cameras. We’re monitoring all of the entrances and exits to those caves and have done so since the humans were abducted. We have extra patrols in the area at night. We’re doing everything in our power to keep the humans safe. You think we’re sitting on our hands? You’re wrong!”
“It’s a good start. Not nearly enough since I think it’s wrong that you’re leaving an innocent human down there. I think our people have the right to know what is going on. I think your actions – or inaction – are just plain wrong. I don’t agree, and neither does Avalanche. I’m willing to bet that half of this tribe would disagree, if not more.”
“I don’t give a shit what you think. All I know is that you’ve sent one of our males to his death. I hope you’re proud of yourself!”
“Avalanche makes his own decisions, just as I make my own decisions. I’m going back down there to help him. I was just saying goodbye to my female when you arrived.” He picked up the blade from the table. “I came back for this.”
“No, you’re not going back there!” Storm yelled. It was the first time Fog had seen the male lose it.
“I am!” He was walking backward toward the patio. It wasn’t lost on him that he was outnumbered. He could see more guards in the hallway. He was doing the math in his head. So far, no one was moving toward him. Not yet, anyway. He wasn’t leaving his friend down there to rot. Fuck that!
“We have an agreement with the fifth tribe,” Storm growled.
“What?” Fog stopped in his tracks. “What agreement? When did you meet with them?”
“We didn’t!”
“How then?” He frowned.
“We continue to glean knowledge from the elders in the various tribes and to seek information in the great library. We’re trying to find out all we can about the fifth tribe.” This was all news to Fog. “It came to light that after the fifth tribe fled into the caves, the war didn’t end. The topside dragons would launch attacks on the cave dwellers, using fire and water. They would smoke or flood them out and kill any who tried to escape. In turn, the cave dwellers would come topside and launch similar attacks on the other four tribes. It was a time of great bloodshed and loss. It is recorded that the Fire King finally called for a ceasefire. They proposed a truce.” Storm scrubbed a hand over his face. The male looked tired. “The cave dragons grudgingly accepted, and the agreement was born. I’ve seen this document. It’s an old parchment that was recently found in the great library in the Fire dragons’ lair. It states that each tribe needs to stick to its own territories. It put an end to the war. Within the agreement, it stated that any found trespassing would be put to death.”
“The cave dwellers trespassed!” Fog snarled. “They had to have in order to reach human territory.”
“We didn’t catch them. If we had, we would be well within our rights to execute them on the spot.”
Fog thought of the implications of this new knowledge.
Fuck!
No!
“Just like they would be within their rights to execute Avalanche.” Fog shook his head. “We forgot about the fifth tribe. Maybe they forgot about us too. Then this agreement would mean nothing. You’ve all said that they are barbaric killers who barely communicate in our language. I’m sure they’re not going to honor some agreement made forever ago.” Fog was grasping at straws there. Praying he was right.
“It’s doubtful. According to Skarn, there was no love lost. They hate us. They warned him not to try to find them again. That the deeper caves were off-limits to us lower-order dragons. They referred to the agreement, which made us search for it in the first place.”
“Lower-order?”
“They consider us to be lesser.” Storm’s jaw tightened. “We’ve spent the last few months trying to secure our territories using modern technology. Using every advantage we can find. We had hopes of capturing one of them.”
“Are you saying that you want to send a message by killing a trespasser?” Fog asked.
“No, we want to capture and question one. Then we want to send him back underground with a message for the Cave King. We are not accepting their behavior or their abduction of human females. We’re trying to handle this in a way that honors the agreement. We don’t want the cave dragons coming topside.” His whole stance turned rigid. “Then you came along and fucked things up. We no longer have a leg to stand on. We’ve broken the agreement. They’ll know it as soon as they capture and kill Avalanche. There’s a bigger picture at stake here.”
“A bigger picture I had no idea about because you are keeping us all in the dark,” Fog snarled. “If I had known, I would have acted differently.” It took everything in his power to stop from going at Storm, claws bared. “This is your fault.”
“The fuck it is.” Storm bristled. “I told you numerous times to listen. You were given direct orders. You broke them all. This is on you, you insolent fuck.”
“I had no choice. You left me with no fucking choice.” Fog knew he was pushing his luck, but he didn’t care. He was beyond that point. “I’m telling you that withholding information is just plain wrong.”
“We don’t want panic…” Storm squeezed the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes for a few seconds. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
“Of course, you don’t,” Fog muttered. Why not just tell him? Why? He knew about the cave dwellers. About Ashlyn. If he had known…
Avalanche!
Fuck!
“Take him,” Storm casually commanded his guards, who instantly obeyed.
“No!” Riley shouted. “Leave him. It’s my fault.”
“You’re right. It is your fault, human. You will be sent back to your own territory. You have overstayed your welcome here.”
“No!” Fog shouted. “The human is mine. We have moved beyond testing compatibility—”
“You should have thought about that before disobeying direct orders. I’m putting you in a silver cage. You will be flayed. I will see you broken and bleeding by sundown. I will have your balls as well, asshole!”
“No!” Riley screamed. Guards were having trouble holding her since she was fighting like a wildcat. “Fog! Let me go!”
“Ow!” a guard howled, his face a mask of pain.
“Riley!” Fog roared, but more guards ran in. There were several holding him, keeping him from escaping. They were ushering him in the direction of the hallway. Fighting was as useless as dragging his feet.
“Fog!” Riley screamed. “They can’t! They—!”
“I’ll fix this!” he screamed over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of her, but the guards were pushing him. “I’ll find a way to—”
“No, you won’t!” Storm snarled. “It’s done! You did this to yourself. You have one hour to pack,” Fog heard the bastard tell Riley.
His female.
His!
This wasn’t happening. It wasn’t. To finally find his mate and to have her so cruelly ripped away. Then there was Avalanche. The male had no idea what he was walking into. What had he done?
Fog roared.
