Gatekeepers Book 1: Darkness

Food Fight!

"You mean the prison warden himself is going to be keeping me under surveillance? What can this old dragon do?"

Smack. For the second time today, Draycos was slapped across the face by Vertex's tail. Vertex grabbed the stunned Draycos and shook him roughly.

"I realize that respect isn't a strong suit of yours but watch your mouth when you speak of Poseidon like that," Vertex hissed in Draycos' face. "Despite his appearance, Poseidon is a master of water magic and is one of the strongest dragons around. He demands respect." Vertex faced Poseidon and deeply bowed. "I apologize for this brat's rudeness. Please forgive him."

Poseidon sighed and lightly tapped his desk with a talon. "Honestly, Vertex. You need to relax some more. You're too serious all the time."

Vertex flinched. A vein visibly pulsed in his forehead while Draycos laughed.

"What the matter?" Poseidon questioned, confused.

"Theravor said something very similar to him ear--gack!" Draycos's sentence was cut off as Vertex tightened his grip around Draycos's body, squeezing the breath out of him.

"How do you even know that when it was said while you were unconscious?" Vertex growled, apparently not in a pleasant mood.

"Vertex...please, air...." Draycos struggled to spit out. Vertex abruptly dropped Draycos altogether, and Draycos landed on the ground ungracefully. The chain and collar attached to Draycos's neck, as well as the bindings holding his arms hostage, disintegrated while he laid on his back, struggling to get some air back into his lungs. Vertex turned around and opened the door.

"I'll be leaving now, Poseidon," he said. "Take care of the prisoner for the time being."

"Tell Damrabe that I need to speak to him when you see him next!" Poseidon called after Vertex as the door closed. Poseidon looked down at Draycos, who was still laying on the floor panting. "How are you feeling right now, Draycos?"

"I feel like an abused rag doll," Draycos sputtered as he sat up. He winced and rubbed his ribs with a hand. "Damn Vertex. I think I got a few bruised ribs after that fit of his."

Poseidon laughed. "Humans aren't the most durable species, it seems." He lifted something off his desk that glittered from the firelight. With a start, Draycos saw that it was the pendant Iris had given him just yesterday. He was so caught up with all that was going on that it completely slipped his mind.

"Why do you have that?" Draycos demanded. "Give it back!"

"Relax, that's what I'm doing right now." Using his tail, Poseidon swiftly placed the pendant back around Draycos's neck. "I figured that the pendant would be something you normally won't go anywhere without, so I thought it would make the perfect surveillance ward for you," he explained, stroking his beard. "While you were unconscious and at the trial, I had some magic worked into it, so now, as long as you wear it, we'll be able to discern your location and observe your actions. It'll also restrain you if you do something that goes against any orders or rules you're supposed to follow, so unless you like been rendered unconscious through suffocation, I'd advise you to listen to us."

"So this thing has magic in it now, huh?" Draycos looked down at the pendant resting on his chest. A thought crossed his mind, and he looked up at Poseidon. "Wait, so you were working on this while I was unconscious and at the trial? Does that mean...?"

Poseidon grinned and gave a small applause. "Wow, you really do have sharp ears. Yes, you're right. The outcome of the trial was already set in stone well before it even started. You were going to come to me to begin with."