Adrianna's Dragon

Chapter 30 Imperial City

"Where is Addie?" James asked. At first no one knew.

"I saw the dragon grab her when she grabbed me," Theodora said. "I have no idea where they have taken her."

"Can we follow?"

"The dragons are all grounded with injuries."

"I'm not injured," Loki said.

"Could you fly me dragon?"

"I don't fly men." Loki said and James slumped to the ground. Kaitlyn arrived and knelt next to him and held him.

"Will you fly me?" Gemma asked. "I'm a girl."

"Why do you want to fly?"

"They took my mom, the other dragon did."

"Is she the one that threatened to poke me in the eye?"

"Yes, she's the one," Kaitlyn replied.

"I LIKE her, yes I will fly you."

"And my dad...he will be just a passenger."

"Alright, but where are we going?"

"This one's alive!" Walter said as he forced the imperial gunner to his knees. James walk over and looked at the man.

"Where did you take my wife?"

"Where you can never follow."

"You will tell me." James was looking at the man. He signaled Eli and Walter who lay the man on his back as Sam and David held his legs down.

"Hey I'm wounded, you're hurting me," the gunner whined. James just smiled and pulled out a knife.

"You don't know the meaning of pain. I will skin you alive until you talk." Kaitlyn took his arm and winked at him.

"Please James not another skinning, that poor man lasted a fortnight. I couldn't take all the screaming."

"They took her the Imperial City. The emperor want to put her to the wheel," the gunner said quickly.

"When?"

"On the Feast of Drunkenness. The emperor plans to give the people a spectacle."

"We got about a day and a half to get her out."

"James, what does put her on the wheel mean?" Gemma asked.

"They plan to crucify her Gemma," James said tersely.

"What about him?" Eli asked. James knelt on one knee by the man and slit his throat in one swift motion.

"James, I want to come too," Kaitlyn said.

"You are about to have a baby Aunt Kaitlyn, no you stay."

"Then take Nihm. He's wearing Ruby's old neck purse and we found that helpful."

"OK, thank you."

"What should I bring," Gemma asked.

"Just wear a long dress. I'll carry a dress for Addie and our lock picks."

"I can take you, but I can't stay on site," Loki said, "I worry about more of my pod defecting."

"Just get us there then."

"If you can hold out for three or four days we can come for you with the other dragons," Elodia said.

"It will be very risky with an imperial battle dragon hanging around, but you can count on us," Theodora said.

Stella and Geraldine were looking terrified and clutching each other. Maryann approached and touching their shoulders said, "You're our sisters now. You are witches like us. We will bring Addie home. But you will always have a place with us. Would you like to stay with me until Addie is back?" They both nodded.

"We have time to make ready," Elodia said loudly taking command. "James, you and Gemma pack, I don't expect you to leave until its dark. Now we have two broken bones to mend and harpoons to remove from the dragons." The witches and healers worked together to heal their sisters. Sam went to get wire snips to remove the harpoons. He approached Pip. The harpoons were about six feet long made of heavy wood and had about fifty barbed points that hooked into the skin of the wings. The barbs broke free of the harpoon upon impact but remained attached by thin wires. There was simply no way to fly with the harpoon attached. Kaitlyn watched over his shoulder.

"If we pull them out we'll tear the wing membrane, that will take weeks to heal," she said.

"I see that Kay. I'm just going to cut the wires and remove the harpoon. Then working together we need to push each hook through, then snip the barb and pull it out the same way it entered. Pip does this hurt?"

"Yes, but you may proceed." The men each took one of Sam's tools and began freeing the harpoons from the barbed hooks as the women began gently pushing the hook through as a second helper (Stella or Geraldine) snipped off the barb and the hook could be backed out.

"How long will this take?" James asked.

"Give us two days, maybe three. Can you hide out long enough?"

"We will simply have too." The sun had set as Gemma and James climbed on Loki. The dragon had refused a saddle but promised a smooth easy flight. "Have you ever been to the Imperial city?" James asked. Loki laughed.

"I used to visit all the time in my youth to steal the flag on the dragon temple." In an instant they were in the sky over the city.

"Land us in the forum, its empty now."

"I will remain cloaked," Loki said, "You will be cloaked as long as you are in contact with me." Gemma and James dismounted and kept one hand on the dragon as they walked into the shadows then released there hold.

"What now James?" Gemma said.

"Let's get Addie."