Drakkon

Chapter Forty-one

"Meilin—"

"Empress." Minos's voice was barely controlled as he turned to me. He coughed and strained a smile on his face, his words hard. "Master is fine. If he was dead, the whole empire would know. All I'm saying is that something must've happened."

"Don't talk to her that way, Minos," Thera said with narrowed eyes. "She is Master's wife. It's only natural she panics at your words."

He nodded stiffly. "I apologize if my tone was cold, Empress."

"What makes you think something is off?" I asked instead, trying to calm my senses. Meilin was fine. He had told me he was going to be fine. He was stronger than anyone I knew. He was stronger than a dragon itself. There was no way that someone could take him down.

He can't be hurt.

He can't be hurt.

He can't be—

"Master hasn't killed Keung." Minos shifted his weight to his other foot. "He said that he would kill him, but for some reason he didn't. Also, he has taken a few prisoners with him, along with Keung, and—" He hesitated. "Master destroyed three villages."

"He destroyed three villages?" Thera's brows came together.

He nodded grimly. "Something's off. He's angry."

I shuddered at that thought. Why would Meilin destroy a few villages? I couldn't think of any reasons as to why he would do such a thing. As Minos had been saying, something wasn't right. My heart grew colder at the thought of that.

What could've happened?

There was a light rapping on the door and we turned to see Nikator standing in the doorframe. His red hair was tousled as usual but he held an expression that I had never seen on him. His beautiful sapphire eyes were blazing with anger and I could feel the bloodlust oozing from him. He looked terrifying at that moment. Like the stories were told of Lebel, he looked like a murderous warrior bent on slaying his enemies.

"Nik?" Thera swallowed. "Nik, what's happening?"

"Master has returned," Nikator said. His hands shook before he curled them into fists. "He's brought Keung with him, chained and severely injured."

Minos stilled. "Bolin came with him. How is he?"

Nikator shrugged. "Injured but overall fine."

Minos's fingers twitched and he coiled them together. "And Vita?"

Silence.

"Nik, what about Vita?" Minos took a domineering step forward. All the color had drained from his tanned face and he looked pale as he took in Nikator's angry image. Thera was frozen next to me. "Nikator." He grabbed Nikator's shoulders and shook him. "What about Vita?"

Nikator shook Minos's hands off of him. "Sh-She lost her arm."

Thera's shoulder became tense and Minos's eyes widened. He backed away from him and stared at the ground, his entire body still. His words twisted my stomach and I brought a hand to my mouth. Vita's arm was gone. She was crippled. Never would she be able to hold a sword properly or fight as well as she used to. The pain she must've been going through—physical and emotional.

I almost fell to the ground had Nikator not rushed forward and grabbed a hold of me. My stomach was twisting around uncomfortably and I suddenly felt nauseas. I gripped tightly onto Nikator's shoulders and rested my forehead against his collarbone, my entire body quivering.