I stare into the fire in an empty room, the flames of which lick my sodden clothes. Shame washes over me for my actions in the pit, but I did what I had to do to secure Rior’s safety. Now I take a large gulp of the spirit clutched in my hand. It burns my throat as I drink it in, but for each gulp I take, the shame I feel lessens.
The door behind me creaks open and I can’t help but prepare myself to fight once more. It is Trovell, his aged, pointed face engraved with a crooked smile. He enters the room accompanied by one of his thugs, his nose lifted as though greeted by an offensive smell.
“Well, well, well,” Trovell starts, “you have put on quite the show.”
I grip the neck of the bottle tightly in my hand as the urge to smash it across his smug face nearly consumes me. It is only the thoughts of the consequences for Rior that prevent me from following through with the temptation.
“Will you honour your word?” I ask.
“The boy and his keeper will see no harm from the Wyverns. For now.” His grin widens.
I take a step towards him, fist clenched, but his thug steps in front of him, blocking my path.
“Now, now, Dragon.” Trovell waves a finger at me. “That is precisely the kind of reaction that will get the boy you seek to protect an early meeting with the afterlife.”
I grit my teeth. “Do not call me that.”
“My men will call you whatever they see fit,” Trovell sneers. “This is Grush, by the way. He will be keeping tabs on you. I suggest you follow his direction.”
I stare the two of them down. It’s one thing to be bested by someone better than you in combat. It is another to manipulate someone to do your bidding, the ultimate cowardice.
“Grush has some errands to run for me. When I speak with him tomorrow, I had best hear of nothing other than compliance. Do you understand, Dragon?”
My muscles tense and the bottle that I grasp shatters. Some of the contents spray into the fireplace, igniting the flames.
“Come on,” Grush says, “we have much to do.” Grush stops in front of me and looks me up and down. “Take off your scarf, I want people to see you for what you are. Hideous.”
I stare into his unflinching eyes, my jaw clenched tightly. I hide my face behind my scarf so that I don’t have to deal with the gasps of people when they see my face.
“Is there a problem?” he asks me, all the while puffing his chest out as if he hopes to intimidate me.
Raising my hand to my face, I lower my scarf and glower at the brute. “Just remember that it is only circumstance that binds my hands behind my back,” I growl. “If that was to change –”
“Is that a threat?” Grush enters my space and stands nose-to-nose with me. He is a giant of a man and his putrid breath offends me.
“I seek only to let you know that for now, my hands are tied.”
“Don’t be getting into a brawl before we have even started,” Trovell scolds as he pulls a cloak over his shoulders, rolling his eyes at the two of us.
Trovell heads off towards what I presume are his chambers whilst I follow Grush out into the streets of Eltera.
It is the dead of night, the air is still, and there is little noise other than the last of the drunkards making their way home.
“This way, Dragon.”
I stand still.
“Dragon, you heard Trovell. If I report back that you haven’t followed every single order that I have given you, your little rat friend will meet a grim end. Stop acting so fucking virtuous all the time.” He sets off down the street. “This way, you ugly bastard.”
He struts down the street like a prized horse. I follow him reluctantly, keeping myself a few paces behind to avoid the temptation to smash his head into the dirt. I find myself stumbling as the alcohol seeps into my system. Looking up at the night sky, I see there is no moon in sight, with only the stars offering sparkling light from above.
We carry on for a few streets before Grush eventually stops outside a house that looks as if it has seen better days. I wonder what he would want with such a building or why he would be here.
“Kick the door in,” he says.
I hesitate, but there are worse things that he could be asking me to do than break into what looks like an empty, derelict building. I move in front of the door and plant a full boot just below the handle. The door splinters as it is ripped from its hinges from the force.
I instantly regret it when children’s screams ring out from the darkness within.
“What in the blazes!” A full-bearded man even larger than Grush stands before us, a night shirt covering his modesty. His wife joins his side, and her eyes widen as she takes in the monster that stands before them. She screams, staggering back, and Grush rushes past me. In this moment it is clear why Grush had me remove my scarf, he wants people to fear the monster that was hidden underneath. He wants me to be the monster that he sees, what they all see.
“Keep that whore wife of yours under control, Heath!”
Heath turns to his wife. “Go and sit with the children. Stay in there, no matter what you hear.”
She does as she is told. Heath’s eyes follow her until the door creaks shut. He then trails his eyes to stare down at the two of us. “What is it you want?”
Grush plucks an apple off the kitchen table and inspects it. “I heard a rumour, Heath, that you are involved in a little group. One that intends to overthrow the Wyverns.” He takes a bite of the apple whilst leaning against the table. “You’ve hurt Breyton’s feelings.”
“You people make me sick,” Heath says. “There is no honour about you. You rule this place with fear, for your own gain. You mention Breyton but no one has met this man. We seek only to make our kingdom prosper, for the people of Eltera to be able to make a good, honest living.” He stands defiantly, unintimidated by Grush’s smaller stature.
“So, you admit your contempt?”
Heath clenches his fists. “I admit nothing, this is a fool’s court!”
“Careful, Heath, you would not want to antagonise this situation.” Grush seems to relish every moment, chewing his apple.
“Antagonise!” Heath roars. “You come here in the dead of night and kick my door through, take fruit from my table. In front my children, my wife!” He lunges for Grush, and the two clash together as Grush bowls over the table with Heath on top of him. As they crash to the floor, the table falls over beside them, sending the fruit across the room. An orange rolls to my foot as I watch Heath throw punches at Grush.
Grush grins wildly, savouring every blow that is rained down on him. Then he throws Heath to his side and stands, dusting himself off before offering Heath another chance to fight him.
Heath attempts to spear him again, but this time Grush is unmoving when Heath dives into him. He drops his elbow onto Heath’s back over and over again until he pushes himself away. Without hesitation, Heath throws another punch, but Grush blocks him before volleying his own blow. Heath’s nose explodes and his head snaps back. He drops to his knees whilst Grush takes hold of his hair and pulls his head backwards, landing another strike. Heath slumps to the floor, bordering unconsciousness.
“Well, don’t think you will just be standing there.” Grush looks at me, then grabs Heath’s ankle and drags him to the table. He places his leg over the leg of the table before standing up and dusting himself off.
“Break it,” he demands.
“Break what?”
“The table,” he answers sarcastically. “His fucking leg! Break it.”
This man may have wronged the Wyverns somehow, but he has not wronged me. “You have bested him, Grush. What honour is there in maiming him further?”
Grush’s face reddens. “It has nothing to do with honour, Dragon! We need to send a message. Now, break his leg!”
As I step towards Heath, he mumbles words under his swollen face, spitting blood over himself in the process.
“Please don’t do this.”
I hesitate, but I know what will happen to Rior if I do not follow Grush’s order. At least Heath will keep his life. Rior probably won’t be afforded the same privilege.
I stamp down on Heath’s shin and a sickening crack is followed by his scream of pain.
“There’s a good little dog!”
I feel sickened by my actions, and I look away.
Grush kneels by Heath’s head. “If I hear you’re meeting with others about any form of revolt, it will be your family that we come back for.” He slams Heath’s head into the floor where he slips into unconsciousness.
“Let this be a lesson to them. Let them know of the dragon who will come in the night!” Grush grins. “Come, Dragon,”
“Where are we going now?”
“We have another couple of visits before we call it a night.”
I deplore this man, who seems to savour the pain that he gives out to the people of Eltera, a pain that I am forced to be complicit with. All at the command of a man that no one seems to have seen, a man who holds all the power to this city.
I have to put an end to this.