These Alien Dragons

Chapter 10 (T.T.)

We went through the center of the reef, which resembled the main hall back in the capital, except a bit more... organized, as if dragons had carved this reef out over Turns.

We went through down a tunnel that went straight through the reef and had a decline at its end, we went down and down and down into the reef. The water became warmer, no hotter, as our descent led us to the stone door, where a dragon with a skinny, wiry frame was guarding it.

Coral wanted to see her prisoner, the lead dragon said, and the skinny dragon opened the door, allowing us in.

We were now inside a cave which seemed to be molded by talons over time. The stalagmites and stalagmites were all carved back, made blunt, and the stone floor had been worn smooth by dragon claws.

There were vents in the floor, and there were eggs around these vents like in the capital hatcheries, except that their nests were made of seaweed, not the stone they were contained in. Tubeworms were clustered around the vents as crabs crawled over the eggs, picking off whatever grew on them.

Coral and Anemone were beside a bowl-shaped vent spewing heat into the cave, one of them holding pieces of a dark green egg in their claws.

Coral noticed the guards, and snagged my wing with one of her claws as the dragon that dragged me let go of my forearm. It still felt like multiple jellyfish were stinging me. Either her claws were that sharp or she that she had high force in her grip.

Leave us, she flashed at the guards with her snout stripes. They obeyed and closed the stone door behind them before Coral let go my wing.

I growled, baring my teeth at her. This is an outrage, I started. First you-

I don't want to listen to your ramblings, lizard, Coral cut me off. I know that you'll complain that this was not how you expected to me treated. Let me tell you something. This is how you treat us every sunrise. You fatten yourselves with the best food while we starve and fall ill to diseases that could easily be fought off with proper medication. You love to say that you know how to keep order, while murder runs rampant in our reef cities. You-

She was cut off by Anemone, who put a talon on her shoulder. Coral glared at her as she spoke. What my sister is trying to say is that you don't do what you say, and that we're struggling to survive out here.

Is that the real reason you brought me here? I snarked. So I could listen to your ramblings?

No, Coral sniffed. That's not why I brought you here. Although you did also give me something I've always wanted.

And that would be...?

You already know.

She showed me the piece of green eggshell in her claws, and suddenly wacked her tail into my snout, careening me sideways and blood pouring out of my mouth into the surrounding waters.

I clutched my mouth in pain, one of my ears was ringing. Her name is Wrack, she said as she threw the piece of eggshell into the water, letting float to the top of the cavern, and I've given her to a family to be part of. A proper family.

What do you mean?

You know what I mean.

I arched an eye ridge at her. Uh, no. I don't know what you mean.

Coral had an expression on her snout that said, "I'm done with you", and blew bubbles in the water.

I've given Wrack to a family that will protect and love her no matter what and will discipline her rightly. I don't know how you were raised, but I can only speculate that you didn't have the parental support you needed because Wave was too busy controlling us. I'm amazed that you haven't gone homicidal because of that.