Sold To The Dragon King

Chapter Six

The footsteps faded away, leaving me in total silence.

I scrambled off the small bed, my heart hammering against my ribs. I stood on my tiptoes to look through the high vent, but there was nothing there. Just darkness and a faint metallic smell in the air.

I couldn't sleep all night. I just lay there in the dark, holding my bandaged hand to my chest as my stomach hurt from hunger.

Early the next morning, a guard unlocked the door. He threw a plain tunic on the floor and told me to get up.

I worked all through the morning. My body was completely weak, and my left hand was useless under its tight bandages. I wiped tables, swept the long halls, and carried wooden trays with my right arm. My head felt light from starving, but I had to keep my mouth shut and do my work.

Around noon, just as I finished sweeping the last corridor, a guard stepped up to me.

"Master Julian wants to see you in the main salon," he said. "Right now."

My chest tightened, my heart beating so fast because that witch calling me now I knew he was up to something, but I didn't fight back. I just followed the guard down the hall.

The main salon was huge, warmed by a big stone fireplace. Julian sat on a dark velvet couch, looking relaxed as his black tail swayed over the cushions. Evander was nowhere around. The whole house felt quiet without him there.

On the table in front of Julian was a silver tray filled with roasted meat, fresh bread, and a tall jug of water. My mouth watered immediately.

"Sit down," Julian said, pointing to a wooden stool near the table.

I stopped, looking at him carefully. "Why?"

"Just sit," Julian said, his voice unusually quiet.

“I would prefer you to tell me why you called me here, so suddenly.” I said sarcastically.

 Julian reached out, picked up a thick slice of meat and bread, and set the plate right in front of me.

"Eat," he said.

I stared at the food, completely confused. "Why are you giving me this? Yesterday you said I should starve. Are you that desperate to poison me?” I asked suspicious of him

Julian chuckled softly, leaning back into the couch. "Yesterday Evander was here. Today he is leading a border patrol far away. He won't be back for two days, so I don't need to play games right now."

My hunger was too strong for me to care. I grabbed the meat with my good hand and shoved it into my mouth. The food tasted incredible, and I swallowed it down as fast as I could. Julian watched me with a faint smile, then poured a glass of water and pushed it toward me.

"Slow down," he said softly. "Nobody is taking it from you."

I drank the whole glass in three big gulps. The water felt cold down my dry throat, and the food made my stomach feel warm for the first time in days.

"Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?" I asked, wiping my mouth with my sleeve.

Julian’s smile faded, his eyes turning cold. "I am not being nice. I still hate you. I hate your weak Fox smell, and I hate that Evander spent so much money on a broken prince."

He stood up, adjusting his dark silk robes, and walked toward the window.

"Evander thinks he can keep you here as his little secret," Julian said, looking out at the mountains. "He thinks he can come back and find you waiting in his room. But he is wrong."

Suddenly, a strange, heavy heat rushed to my face.

My heart started beating too fast. My eyes felt foggy, and the light from the fireplace began to spin. I tried to stand up from the stool, but my legs completely gave out beneath me.

I fell hard onto my knees, my bad hand slamming against the floorboards. Pain shot up my arm, but my body felt too weak to even scream.

"The... the water..." I gasped, my tongue feeling thick and heavy.

Julian turned around slowly, a dark smile spreading across his face. "Did you really think I gave you that food out of kindness? You were so hungry you didn't even taste the poison."

"Julian... please..." I managed to whisper, crawling an inch forward.

"Evander paid three thousand gold coins for you," Julian said, walking over and standing right over me.” But I'm getting double of it. Good luck with your new master.” He let out a short and wicked laugh.

Two heavy guards stepped into the room, holding iron chains and a black cloak.

"Where are you taking me?" I tried to fight back, but I couldn't move my arms. Tears spilled down my cheeks.

Julian leaned down, grabbing a handful of my hair and pulling my head back so I had to look at him.

"I sold you, little Fox," Julian whispered into my ear. "To someone who paid three times what Evander gave for you. Someone who has been looking for royal blood."

The guards lifted my limp body off the floor, throwing the black cloak over my head and chaining my wrists together. I tried to kick, but the poison had taken all my strength away.

They dragged me down a secret back staircase, out into the cold woods, and threw me into the back of a dark carriage.

"Hurry up," Julian’s voice echoed from outside just before the wooden door slammed shut. 

"The Dragon King is waiting for slut at the border."