Indebted

43

The two interloper dragons, were looking between each other again; Looking alike and different at the same time. Both of equal height, similar dark blonde hair atop each head. Muscular, fit bodies, looking fantastic in straight legged denim. Beard was slightly more formal in a well fitten button up in the perfect blue to enhance attention on his eye color. Top button undone, sleeves rolled up casually. The other dressed actually casually in a tshirt that could have been painted on, every single muscle was defined under the basic black tee. Beard had a strong heavy jaw, full close cropped and meticulously styled and shaped beard that was a few shades darker than the hair that was on his head.

The other man was shaved clean on his face, darker eyebrows and lashes highlighting that his eyes were more hazel in color compared to blue on the bearded man. Face number two had a far more delicate cast, narrow nose and high cheekbones. Rugged and pretty handsome in a perfect pair. 

The voice behind Atticus was the one who spoke first, Bearded man, voice deep, but with a slow drawl that hinted of country roots. Ones that were trying to be left behind. "Pity we did not meet you first, she was much less willing to entertain joining my thrall." The dominant in the relationship was trying to force a reaction. "We have taken her somewhere she can be safe." Theo said with confidence. The pretty man in front of him nodding in agreement with his mate. No tell of a single lie in the air that Atticus could tell.

Atticus did not react, gave nothing away. Beard was clearly much more practiced at control. A fact highlighted only a second later, "You left her! Alone! She would be dead if-" The bearded dragon snapped across the room in an instant with superhuman speed. Slapping the younger man hard across the face, raising his hand with one finger extended. 

Staring at his mate, beard counted out "One. Joe." Stressing the name for Atticus's benefit. A name had power. Beard was throwing a bone to Atticus. A chance to explain himself. While also adding a level of shame for Joe to wear during this new interrogation. Joey apparently had a very short fuse. That information along with a name so easily infantilized was leverage for Atticus now.

Esti was safe, as far as these two knew at least. Esti herself felt like she was safe. Atticus was able to rest just slightly more at ease. Esti was safe and that was the most important bit of information. Enough to give Atticus and his dragon the strength to chart course. These men could help him get out of here.

Focusing on the two dragons. They knew where Esti was, and could slip on their own masking spells. They were the best lead Atticus had encountered to learn where Esti was. He was going to do everything that he could to figure out where she was so he could join her. So they could start the life they should have always had together. They should have left with Fowl and Lillybelle had left for their honeymoon.

In a hidden cell in the council building began the latest round of interrogations. The general questions were first, Atticus found it hard to pay attention. Not when he could see a memory of Esti, shifting into her dragon. Short limbed, long neck and tail. Front and hind talons proportionately very long to body size, distinct webbing between each toe. Atticus had never seen a dragon like this before. 

Long elegant neck, smooth curved horns curling back from the narrow head. Small slender body, long tail with near transparent fins fanning out like frills. Transparent and iridescent in the sunlight. The dragon stood on short lobe like arms and legs. Scales, all along her body glittering white, pink and colors in between causing rainbows in the memory.

A water dragon, from Earth. Atticus heard his dragon name, with sincere surprise. With extreme confidence. A creature that had been lost to the choices humans had made long ago. Hunting dragons to extinction on Earth had been one of the peaks of human domination. Or so the dragons of court had believed. It was Opal. It was Esti's dragon, and the two dragons in his cell had seen the transformation before Atticus had. They had seen Esti and the earth dragon before him. "You saw her shift?" Atticus asked, not even pretending to have heard whatever the last question had been.

The brat was obviously bouncing on his toes circling Atticus. The beard was standing stoic. Watching. "Save any anger for what you missed out on." The bearded head again goaded Atticus. Atticus did not take the bait. "Esti had significantly less interest in us than you yourself have shown tonight." Sounding mildly exasperated by the situation now. A change in tone that did not make sense to Atticus.

Atticus turned, the bearded man was looking very serious and uncertain. A mood which must be feeding into Joey, filling him with the anxious energy that was making him bounce on his toes. "I just want to get to my mate?" Atticus implored, seeing if maybe the simple truth would be enough to earn him reprieve from whatever sin he was currently being punished for.

Theo moved to be directly in Atticus's line of sight. "Esti had shifted once before we collected her from the rescue point, she had been left alone." Asking directly the question directly, and ignoring what Atticus had spoken.

Atticus sighed. He knew exactly why Esti had been alone, the thought and every choice he had made had already rang through his head hundreds and hundreds of times. "I wanted us to run away together, I had gone to where there was an internet connection so I could make some arrangements. To ensure we would have everything we needed already arranged. I planned to be gone with her before breakfast was served in the servant halls." A deadline he had missed. If they looked at his phone they would see confirmations of his plans, reservations, general itinerary to his and Esti's escape from court.

Little Joey had an angry look in his eyes as he considered Atticus's words. "We know she shifted and it was her that killed the lesser lord. She is not old enough to take a mate as a dragon, how did this come to be?" With a deep breath Atticus tried to explain what he knew to be true. He hated that almost everyone seemed to be better informed than he was.

Atticus did his best to explain Esti's history as well as he could. No one thought Esti had a dragon. She had no power, no magic, no beast. As good as human and fit for mating and wedding at age eighteen per customs. She had once been a lady, but her mother sold her into the court slave stocks to repay debts and fines to the crown and leave for the European court.

 Atticus revealed everything. Not holding back. Telling the two men that he had hunted her in the castle, found her. Saved her from an attack and needed to claim her in open court to prevent her execution and elevate her from slavery once again. "She did claim me, and her dragon pushed forward once, we had no idea she was going to shift so soon." Esti and Atticus hadn't known enough, they hadn't made the right decision. Atticus knew Esti was smart, if she thought she was close to shifting, she wouldn't have gone to the wedding.

Atticus watched as Beard and Joey passed a loaded look between themselves. Considering his words. Not a single word had been a lie, "We will need to consider this information." Theo said, inflecting towards Joey, indicating their exit. "We are newly back from our alternate mission, The Council is not yet aware of Esti, the situation is complicated." A cryptic answer followed by a hasty retreat. Little Joey looking as confused as Atticus felt as he trailed behind wordlessly.

Leaving Atticus, alone in his cell to think about the conversation, and everything he had wanted to ask. All the questions he still had no answers for. The only positive of today was that it was another day Esti stuck perfectly to the routine Atticus had come to know in his mind. She was safe. She was ok. As long as Esti was ok everything else could be endured.