章 6: Part 6

A small slap whipped Tori's head to the side. The fogginess cleared slowly from her mind as she blinked her eyes open. Twisting her head side to side she caught sight of a figure looming to the right of her. A narrow light came from over its shoulders.

"I was wondering when you were gonna wake up cailin dathuil. You were screaming like a mad woman in your sleep." Snarling she made to jump from the bed but met resistance. Looking down her wrists and her ankles were cuffed to the bed she laid on. Tugging at her arms she also kicked her legs and growled like an animal. She was trying her best to release her inner dragoness, but met with a resistance that nearly crippled her. A violent tremble starting from her head and traveling down her spine all the way to her toes. Wiggling her finger Fadan gave her a look of reproach.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The chains are spell bound and are quite nasty to anyone lucky enough to be in when trying to use any kind of energy. I'm sorry to have to hurt you again but I was under orders this time. I know it doesn't make you feel any better at all but I'll try to make you as comfortable as possible my dear. If you're hungry or thirsty then let me know. Until we are summoned you are staying with me in my room. Think of me as your special servant cailin dathuil." Fadan tried to tenderly run a finger along her bicep but was met with a menacing growl.

"Fuck off you bastard! I don't want you as my servant. I don't want to be in your room. And I most certainly don't want to be chained in here. Let me out of these damn things!" She once again took a shock to her system as she tried to free herself from the restraints.

"I've already told you that the high council requested you. It pleased me greatly that you took my invitation. I wasn't entirely sure you would." Plopping down on the edge of the bed by her feet he grabbed ahold of her right ankle and started rubbing it under the cuff. She tried twisting it out of his hand but couldn't take another hit. "I'm sorry I didn't think to have these lined for comfort. I didn't know how long they were going to make us wait." Wincing as he caressed the bruised skin she refocused her mind.

"I'm not understanding why they had you bring me here. I was told to meet with the council in a week's' time anyways to discuss my findings about your encampment. They were the ones who arranged it. Hell even the king is involved. So there's a bit more to your story isn't there?" Fadan only stumbled for a second in his touch but Autora caught it. "I'm right. Whatever is going on I won't be a part of it. I'm pretty sure anyways that my brother and family as well as the possibility of the king are looking for me as we sit here." She sneered bravely as she looked up into Fadans eyes hoping to catch a glimmer of doubt, but was met with triumphant glee instead instantly wilting her.

"Oh believe me my cailin dathuil, it's what we are hoping for. Perhaps not your family, but I will assure their safety in all this. The king will see a different outcome. Especially for coating you in his scent. On any other it would be like you are a walking bakery but to me it's offensive. It's too bad we don't have the springs nearby and I can't release you to enjoy them anyways." He offered her an apologetic smile that she responded back with a stare. Rolling her eyes she drug her tongue along her teeth and flexed her jaw before she looked at him in aggravation.

"You won't find me arguing about the smell. I don't appreciate it any more than you do. Unlike you though I chose to be diplomatic about how I handle certain affairs. Have you even met the monarch?" Tori arched a brow and looked at him pointedly. "You haven't, have you? And yet you want to, what, kill him. Remove him from the throne? Please, even with whatever support you have here this plan will not come to fruition." Snorting in disgust she threw up her hands as far as the shackles would let her. Wiggling her toes she yawned and felt a sharp pull in her back. Arching her chest up her wiggled until the pain lessened. She stretched out her torso hearing a small pop. Not stretching after a full shift was extremely taxing on a shifters body. She definitely wasn't known for her workout routine. Trying to relieve the pressure on her muscles and spinal cord she didn't notice as his hands slid farther up her calf, working muscles and flesh under his warm palms.

"Watch how far you go Fadan. I might be your captive but I'm not your slave girl." She spoke with enough venom in her voice it made him flinch back.

"I wouldn't do that, especially in your condition. I would rather you or any female come to me willingly. You don't trust me and I doubt I'll ever get it, but you can trust that I wouldn't ever take more than you would give. I'm quite fond of you cailin dathuil. You are something special and deserve the best." A gagging noise made him stop and look at her with pursed lips.

"Please just stop. Geez I'd rather drown in my own puke than listen to another declaration of love or what an amazing woman I am. I want to just sit here in quiet until they come get us." Sighing Fadan patted her leg and mimicked zipping his lips before standing and leaning against a bed pole facing the door. Releasing a slow breath Tori closed her eyes and pleaded in her head for her family to hurry.

It felt like she had just closed her eyes, bored with just looking at the back of Fadans head. The creak of the door stirred her out of the fitful dream she was having. She shook her head back and forth to fully wake up recoiling when Fadans sleep addled face appeared beside her. She hadn't noticed till now that an arm was wrapped around her torso and a leg tossed over her left knee. A sharp shove from the foot of the bed sent him snoring and sprawling to the floor. The jarring made her wiggle in the cuffs and set off the metals defenses. Crying out she tensed up and shuddered from the pain. A sharp male voice spoke up from the end of the bed.

"Get up hatchlings. They are ready for you." The angular line of his face was thrown into sharp contrast from the meager lighting. Turning away he grunted out the word 'pathetic' as he threw open the door and stood outside waiting for them. Fadan popped his head over the edge of the bed and rubbed the back of his head throwing a nasty look his way.

Unlocking the clasps as easily as he could he scooped up Tori's body and told her to rub her wrists as they were escorted down a long corridor that emptied into a multi chambered room, a dais raised in the middle surrounded by a group of a dozen people give or take. As they got close the idle chatter died down as the faces turned to look at their guests. Tapping Fadan on his shoulder Tori whispered for him to let her down. He gave her a look to say ' Are you sure?' and she nodded straightening her dress once her feet touched the floor. Brushing her hands on her hips like a nervous tick Autora looked at the crowd and cleared her throat. "My presence was requested. If I may apologize, I am not sure who I should be speaking to so if everyone is comfortable I'll begin..." An extremely tall and lanky man held up his hand muting her with a squeak. She noted in her building anger that he had thin pointed ears sweeping out of his hair.

"Thank you Quelyn." A man as short as he was round waddled over and studied Autora like she was a bug inside a net. Tori stared back at him fearlessly as he strolled around her. He pinched at her cheeks and arms, sniffing her hair and disgustingly licked up the side of her neck after he commanded his guard to freeze her in place. Fadan had to be held back when he stepped up and growled wanting to intervene. The pudgy man shot him an aggravated look showing Fadan how close his dragon was to the surface. Turning back to the female, after he was sufficiently satisfied that the young one knew his place, he pulled her chin up with the tip of his finger.

"My my my my you are positively enticing. Eryavins report on you does not do you justice." The unholy gleam in his eyes made her shiver under his stare. Licking his lips, his tongue like a giant worm sliding over two sausages made her want to gag. "You don't have any idea how special you really are. To all of us. The entire shifter world should be kneeling at your feet and worshipping your very voice." He reverently looked her up and down, the awe in his voice matched the creepy smile glued to his face. Tori on the other hand looked at him as if she were face to face with a crazy person. She tried looking around at the people surrounding them for anyone who might see the crazy man in front of her and agree that he'd lost it. All that met her eyes were wide awed expressions and subtle whispering. His voice brought her focus back on him.

"You will bring about a new order to our people. You should be excited my pet. Quelyn you may release her voice." He snapped his fingers hurriedly and stared at her beauty. The words from her mouth seemed to break the spell her looks had put him under.

"Are you fucking crazy?! What the hell is wrong with you?! New order....kneeling at your feet....the only person I want kneeling at my feet is the woman who gives me my pedicures. What type of sicko are you and how the hell do I get out of here? I'm so sick and tired of being dragged against my will to wherever people want me. I want to be home and I want to be left alone!" She wished she could stomp her foot like a petulant child. A wild flush stole across her cheeks as she fought against the magick straining to keep her in place. A tick started in the faes cheek as he felt the power rolling under her skin rippling to burst forth. He tightened the cord around her body and watched as she turned her intense gaze on him. "Wux geou tir lae si yenta katima." her voice spoke directly into his head despite never have being a part of the clan he belonged to in subservience. The red clan of southern Australia based in Sydney never ventured outside of its home range except for when their representative was needed at the international headquarters. This girl was too young to be a part of his clan. The last hatchling was born over 120 years ago. She couldn't have seen more than 25 or so summers. He narrowed his eyes and shook off her weak compulsion while strengthening his binding into almost a choke hold. He smiled as he saw veins pulsing inside of her neck from the strain.

Fadan also watched on and grew angrier by the second as he watched her struggle. "Palturn, stop this! Do you not see how far he is hurting her?" Fadan tried begging with him barely holding onto his anger.

"Will you just shut up!?" Palturn bellowed with rage, his fat rolls moving menacingly as he waddled over to the young dragon's side, his hand leaving a resounding thwack as it made contact with Fadans face. "Get this trash out of my council chambers! Quelyn bring her with us. We are retiring to my rooms so we can officially verify her heritage and her purity. You are all dismissed."

Sweeping his hands out he cleared the room and disappeared down a side hallway. Quelyn dutifully followed keeping a close eye on the woman as she fought him with every step. Fadans cry of outrage their exit music.

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章 7: Part 7

After placing a few calls and reassuring Crete and Tori's parents Roni on the first flight to Edinburgh, Scotland and then an airborne jump to Inverness. Neither man wanted to be on an airplane but it was required by the law to check in when entering international clan space. Even the king couldn't get out of protocol. They didn't expect to see anyone at the airport when they landed. Walking off the terminal a face greeted them that shocked the hell out of them.

How he got past security they could only guess, but he stood out like a zombie amongst the living. His body stood directly in their way clutching his side as a warm coppery pool formed at his feet. It was Christian Verail, Rharonis's first commander. Both guys looked at the man staring back at them like death warmed over and said 'shit'. The hardened warrior stumbled forward till he collapsed into Crete's body. Crete grabbed ahold of his shoulders to hold him steady. Hefting him under his shoulders Crete half carried the man out to a seat and sat him back into it with a grunt. Pushing his palm against the steadily flowing wound Roni focused his dying commander's gaze on his face.

"My god man what happened to you?" Leaning in close to his face Roni struggled to hear Christian thru his labored breathing.

"The council...Palturn...took half...went to your...chambers...attack...some new weapon...wants to take over. They, they have a...woman...not safe milord...fae and rogues..." Christian's lips bubbled over with blood as he gripped onto Rharonis's jacket with his bloodied hand, his other giving one last salute before slumping over in the chair. Roni's face turned red with anger and sadness as he let the man's body relax into the chair. "That fucking bastard! He said something about a girl and a weapon." He looked over at Crete wondering if he was thinking the same thing.

"He means Autora doesn't he?" Crete asked in a hushed tone. Rharonis nodded at Crete who flexed his jaw and swallowed. "Aw hell, you've got to be fucking kidding me. She had better be alright. They do anything to her they will certainly have a weapon cause she will eat them alive." Pulling his phone from his pocket Rharonis flipped thru his contacts and called the one male he hoped to never have to again. When the voice on the other end answered Roni switched over to his royal persona and spoke low so his voice didn't carry over, not even to Crete's ears. Shutting his phone with a sigh he looked to his fallen commander and spoke a small incantation sending his spirit free and his body to disintegrate into ash.

"To go to the council now would be what they would expect. My contact is meeting me at my hidden home. There's a much bigger plot than just kidnapping your sister. What I'm grateful for is that they did not know my intentions towards her. I only told a reserve few of what I planned to ask her. If they knew I'm afraid we'd already be too late to save her from the fate I fear they are trying to accomplish. We've done what we can for him now. Come on let's get going."

Shouldering the resentment that was building up inside him Roni carried on. He squared his shoulders and looked up at Crete as they exited out of the airport. It was certainly obvious they were going to need to make some allies out of the local lairs as well as scope out how far the corruption has seeped. At least half the council had come from Palturn's recommendations. Hell he had been the chief advisor to his father. If Palturn had chosen those that were on his side then there would be no council. They were coming after the crown.

His home away from the castle was a quaint wine covered cottage buried in the back of a grove of redbud trees with a decent sized hill overshadowing it. The stones making up the walls were thick and varied in color. It was very warm in the winter and cool in the summer. He couldn't have chosen a better hide away. It had been abandoned and in disrepair when he had found it on one of his flights. He spent five years doing the repairs himself. It was going to be a beautiful home for children to run around in and grow up. Beautiful dark haired babies crawling and flying over this enchanting land.

The two of them landed in a small clearing just as a small pop sounded in front of them, a lithe figure standing at the entrance to Rharonis's home. Chuckling Roni shifted and clapped the man's shoulder.

"Amras you sneaky fuck, you certainly know how to make an entrance." A deep lyrical chuckle stirred the air between them as the other man returned the gesture making Roni wince a little. The man's figure belied his actual strength. His grin was a little feral as he looked over his king. He took notice of the dark circles under his eyes and the weight settled along the straining muscles in his neck. "And you my liege look like shit. Let's depart into the house where you can ply me with a bit of brandy and the mess you've gotten yourself into now." Turning all three of them make their way into the warm rustic antechamber bright sunlight streaming thru the green foliage covering the windows. Heading to the study off from the main hall Roni pulled down a decanter of amber liquid and poured three snifters worth handing each man a glass. "To the crown and its continuation, may its lines be ever fruitful." Amras toasted heartily swallowing the burning drink in one gulp. The other two raised theirs before knocking them back, the sound of clinking glasses settling as Amras studied the two dragons.

"Alright you two start talking. You wouldn't have called me if it weren't life or death." Tugging at the tip of his long ear he settled into a cushioned high backed chair across from a cold fireplace. With a flick of his fingers a raging fire blossomed amongst the once cold embers. To Rharonis it was no surprise but Crete couldn't hold back a small gasp. He'd been trying to guess at what the man was. Now he knew for sure. He was fae and a tricky one at that because he was free.

"In this matter it's your expertise that I require. I trusted you for other reasons and now I need your trust again and your secrecy. Fuck the fate of shifters and fae worldwide rest on this." The fae arched a brow with curiosity. "You've got my interest peaked now. What has got you in such a state or should I say whom?" Roni glanced at him with mild annoyance and Crete scoffed at how bold the man was. This guy had some balls. "Do I have your word or not?" Roni stared him down until Amras nodded and held out his hand to continue. "It has come to my attention that rogues have infiltrated the council. One of my advisors is a traitor and has overruled at least half the council. How he did it under my nose makes me feel like an utter idiot. He attacked my suite at the headquarters and had tried sealing my death but only managed killing my guards and the captain of my security. I was away visiting Crete and his family. I wanted a first-hand account of Crete's sister's assignment. Why they sent a secretary to do the job of the military we now know why. She found a group of rogues who are being supported and supplied by Palturn and his rogue council. They were the ones who sent her. Unimaginable. I asked her to be my mate and the queen of dragons worldwide. She doesn't have any idea of what she is capable of."

He stood up and walked back and forth agitated. His hair sticking up at different angles after running his fingers thru it. Amras had never seen the king, his friend, look this distraught before, not even when his father had passed away leaving the crown to his youngest offspring. "I didn't think you'd ever take that step. At least not on your own. Figured one day the council would choose for you. I'm intrigued. I'm at your disposal Mon frère. What would you have me do?"

Roni approached his longtime friend and gripped his shoulder. "We need your expertise in infiltrating and hacking. They could have taken her anywhere. We need to know where and what they plan on doing with her. There's not a possibility that they have kept this all quiet to the rest of the clans. Do you have any brethren you trust to join you in this?" Amras brow crinkled as he thought about it. "A brethren no but a sister possibly. I warn you though. She's not allied with the dragons of this world. But she's one hell of a warrior. I'll contact her if I have your word that she works with me and I be her liaison. She doesn't trust earth dwellers." Roni's grip slackened as he contemplated this. "And you trust her with what we've told you? Knowing she couldn't care either way how us dragons land?" Crete looked at the fae skeptically, leaning forward in his chair with the glass tumbler now empty hanging loosely in his hand.

Amras turned his head towards the man and speared him with a calculating gaze. "I trust her far more than I ever would trust a shifter. Other than our king." he spared a glance to Rharonis and continued on. "My contacts don't come by their title easily. She's more of a warrior than I've seen from most dragons and fae alike." Even Roni bristled at the slight insult.

"If you two are done sizing each other up now there's bigger shit we need to deal with." Crete flushed slightly with embarrassment as Amras just smirked but backed down.

"How soon can you make contact with this woman?"

"I'll head out now and send her a message. I should be able to get word back within a couple of hours. I'll contact you immediately."

"You have a day. Either she will be in or not, but we can't wait any longer." Amras stood from his chair and bowed. "I'll return shortly." After disappearing, Crete turned to his king and looked at him closely. "Do you honestly trust that man and his 'contact'?" "At this point he's the sneakiest cleverest man I know. He and his contact are our only chance of finding your sister untarnished." Mumbling under his breath his heart clenching, 'your sister and the love of my life'.

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