Dragon Blood (Completed)

The Need to Escape

"Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Zane said, feeling like he'd suddenly lost his appetite. He tried to remind himself that Paige needed this, that it didn't matter if he hated every single one of these dragons. None of them were here to save his life.

Lilly was already seated in the hall, and he went to join her. He wanted to get her take on what she thought of all this, since she seemed to be someone Paige confided in as well.

"Zane, where's your girl?" she asked as soon as he sat down.

"I gave her some pain medicine that Maze left for her, and she was resting when I left. But she just sent for Vic to have him join her for supper."

"Lavender is having dinner with Vic?"

"No, why?" Zane's brows furrowed over his black eyes for a second, then he realized the mistake he'd made. "Sorry. I thought you were inquiring about the queen." He quickly explained that Lavender was finalizing plans for their Desma with her mother.

Lilly gave him a questioning look, but they were both distracted when Randy, Hudson, and Cain all sat down across from them. They had just gotten through the introductory pleasantries when Dean showed up with his friend August.

"Zane, did you hear that August is going to come to my school?" Dean reached for a roll and put it on August's plate before grabbing one for himself.

Zane smiled at August. "That will be fun, but are you two actually going to learn anything, or will you two be too busy playing?"

"Mama says I have to pay attention because if I disgrace the family, we will have to move." He looked genuinely afraid.

"Don't worry. Paige always helps me with my homework. I'm sure she'll help you too," Dean said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have the queen of Bluescale herself help a commoner with his studies. Zane smiled as he watched the jaws of the three suitors drop.

"What is this school?" Cain asked.

Zane explained Paige's endeavor, along with her reasons for starting a school for Dean.

"She wants to encourage royals to interact with commoners? No wonder the Bluescales allow Dayad on their guard," Cain guessed.

"She's paying for that? Did she even consider how much that would cost?" Randy inquired.

"All those people coming and going from the castle will be a major security risk," Hudson said. "I'll have to put a stop to this lunacy if we are joined." The other two agreed.

"That may be easier said than done. I know you can't see it now, but the queen is quite tenacious and strong-willed. She will not be readily deterred from something she thinks is important and doubly so where the prince is concerned." Zane went on to relay the story of Paige spending the night in the cell with one of Balaan's assassins. Zane could tell by their expressions that if they'd heard the story before, they hadn't believed it. But now that he was confirming it, they each had their own opinion.

"That was stupid and dangerous. If she dies during such a stunt, the title will default to the prince," Randy huffed.

"Not only that, but she can't produce heirs if she's dead. The Bluescale line must be strengthened." Cain made Zane want to drive his fork into the dragon's thick hand. The idea of this swollen ancient dragon with Paige in that way made him furious. Actually, the thought of any of them laying a hand on her was upsetting.

"That will be the best part of this whole deal. I wasn't expecting the queen to be so beautiful when I read the message and decided to come. Doing my part to fortify the Bluescale line will be an honor." Hudson smirked.

"She will not come into the estrus for many years," Zane said curtly.

"I'm sure Maze can find a way to move things along. Balaan certainly has," Randy chuckled.

"We are not Balaan. I don't think stooping to his ways are in the best interest of the realm." Zane was trying to keep his temper.

"Even if the queen consents?" Cane asked.

"I'm not sure a family is top on her list of priorities at this time." Lilly leaned back in her chair casually. Zane was happy she said something because he wasn't sure he would have been able to speak in an even tone.

"Yes, well, she is quite young. It shouldn't be hard to make her see that rearranging her priorities would be best. It would just take the influence of someone older, wiser, and stronger," Hudson said in an ominous way.

Zane left the dining hall feeling useless. His relationship with Lavender seemed to be caught in a storm. Maybe he was right for agreeing to take her home. Maybe they could come back after their Desma, then she would know his heart and wouldn't worry so much about Paige.

Paige was a hopeless, helpless situation. There was nothing he could do to help her. There was little hope that someone else would get there in time. Once again, Balaan was ruining the lives of the dragons in the realm, ones he cared about.

By the time he reached his rooms, he was in a mood close to a rage. He had to fly. There were just too many pressures on him, making him feel captive to a life he couldn't control.

He threw back the doors to his balcony, leapt up on the railing and jumped, transforming in the air. Flapping his mighty wings, he shot straight up as fast as he could. In seconds, he was so high, he could see the whole territory that belonged to the Bluescales up to the edges of his home.

The great TenebrousMountain range stretched along the natural border between the two kingdoms, as if a great giant had stretched his arm out to prevent the two kingdoms from fighting. BluescaleCastle was little more than a white dot on the edge of the endless black sea.

He turned his back on the landscape and all the troubles that lived upon it. He flapped harder, pushing himself higher than he had ever flown before. He fixed the moon of Chiara in his sight and focused only on reaching the floating orb.

The air turned cold, he flew higher.

The air became thin, he flew higher.

The air was frigid, and still he continued to climb.

For the first time in his life, he had trouble breathing the thin air. Everything went dark faster than he'd ever dreamt possible. It wasn't like drowning, there was no slow constriction in his chest, no twitching muscles. His head didn't start to throb.

Everything was simply black.

When he came to, warm air was rushing past him as he fell. He looked around wildly, then spread his wings to slow his descent. He righted himself, just skimming a grove of trees. He pulled up, gaining some altitude between himself and the ground that was suddenly too close.

He returned to the castle, his rattled nerves succeeding in killing his anger. When he got back to his room, he was exhausted, and fell asleep faster than he had in a long time.