It takes me a moment to realise the klaxon has stopped ringing because the silence is so loud. Our breathing becomes the only thing I can focus on through it all. I want to ask if he knows what's happening, but it's a stupid question. Of course he doesn't. If he knows anything about this that I don't, then he's been covering up that knowledge extremely well.
"Attention all participants."
Ah. The man who explained it all to us is back. Not that he is any help. He's going to have to tell us his name at some point, or he's just going to be known as the man in my head.
"Today is the final day of the Dragon Duels. If you survive the night, you will win your pardons. That is all."
We look at one another, though it's hard to make out Joseph's face in the darkness. At least we were right about how long we've been here. And if we can get through the next few hours, then we'll be able to get out of here and start living a normal life again.
A screech overhead breaks through my thoughts. I take a deep breath, forgetting about the stench of rotting dragon and almost gagging as a result.
Joseph silently hands me one of our water canteens and I glug down the liquid eagerly.
Another screech follows, then the roar of dragon fire.
My whole body turns cold as more sounds I now associate with the giant flying beasts fill the air. They've unleashed more of them. And we're trapped under the wing of a dead one, with limited water, next to no food, and no way to escape.
When the screams start, it all becomes too much for me.
I sink to the ground, trying to stop the loud sob from escaping me. I'm dimly aware of Joseph crouching down beside me and putting his arms around my quaking body.
Silent tears roll down my face and splash to the ground, but he doesn't judge me. He only holds me while the horrors of the arena continue around us.
6
The klaxon sounds, and I know within my soul that it's over. The Dragon Duels are done.
And we're still alive.
"Attention. Please return to the starting point," the man says.
"Do you think it's safe to?" Joseph asks.
I shake my head. "No idea. But we can't risk losing our pardons just because we're scared," I point out.
He chuckles. "That's one way of looking at it." He gets to his feet and dusts himself off before offering his hand to me.
I take it, enjoying the touch of his skin against mine, even if both of our hands are dry and chapped from the exposure.
We step out from under the dead dragon's wing and into the sun. The fresh air hits my lungs, causing me to become light-headed. At some point in the past ten hours or so, I've gotten used to the stench of rotting meat, and now it's gone, it's odd.
A gasp escapes me as I take in the arena in front of us. The ground is almost black with soot, and heaps of ash are dotted throughout the area. There's a circle of untouched earth around the dead dragon, as if its brethren didn't want to burn him. Is that normal dragon behaviour? I have no idea, and I'm not sure I ever want to find out.
The walk back to the starting point is longer than I want it to be, and is hard going. Exhaustion has taken over every part of me, and it's difficult to put one foot in front of the other. The only thing keeping me going is that this is over. Except for the part of me which is trying to scream that it isn't, and this is all some kind of trick to torture us further.
But I want it to be done too badly for the voice to win out.
Bile fills the back of my throat at the sight of a dead body a few feet away. The man's hand is out in front of him, as if he's reaching out for something. I can't see any obvious cause of death, but I don't want to look too closely.
Joseph reaches out and takes my hand again. I relax a little at his touch, relieved to have someone with me who understands everything I'm going through.
"Finally," I mutter as the building which served as our starting point comes into view. A slight woman I vaguely remember seeing in the cells with us is standing waiting. She doesn't wave at us. We don't greet her either. This could still be a trap, and I don't want to do anything to risk our lives.
As we grow closer, I notice a second figure leaning against a rock. His body is almost completely black with burns, but he's alive if the rise and fall of his chest is anything to go by. I want to ask if he's okay, but I don't think he'll hear me. Hopefully, they'll get him some medical treatment before they release him back into the world.
"Do you think this is it?" I whisper to Joseph.
"I don't know," he responds, looking between the two other survivors, likely making the same observations as I have. "But we're about to find out."
The man from before strides out, a look of distaste crossing over his face. He covers it quickly, and probably doesn't think any of us have noticed. More fool him.
But I don't suppose it matters. Even with our pardons, there's no chance we're going to be a threat to him on the outside. We're all going to keep our heads down and stay in our own lanes. Though hopefully, mine will include Joseph as well as me.
"Good afternoon," he says to us. "You four are the winners of the inaugural Dragon Duels."
Ah. That answers that then. There isn't anyone else coming. Out of the fifty prisoners who came into this hellhole, only four of us are walking out.
I glance at the man leaning against the boulder and grimace.
Three are walking out, he'll need to be carried. It's still better than being dead.
"What's happening with our pardons?" Joseph asks.
"They're here." The man drops a bag to the floor. "Once you've collected them, you can leave." He gestures to the open fence.
"Just like that?"
"What do you expect, Ms Miller? You've won, you can go."
"Reggie can't walk," the other woman says.
"Ah, yes. My people will see to Mr Tanner, you don't need to concern yourself with him."
The woman scowls, but takes him at his word. She storms over to the bag, and searches through it. She pulls out a scroll and marches off through the gate.
I watch her leave, torn between following, and helping Reggie. I don't know him, but now there isn't a chance he's going to kill us, I should do.
"Leave, Ms Miller. He will be dealt with," the man says.
I bite my bottom lip, and nod. But instead of going over to the bag of pardons, I pull out my canteen and the strip of dried dragon meat I've been saving for just in case. I take them over to Reggie and put them down beside him.
He smiles, but it turns into a wince of pain.
I don't say anything, and turn my attention back to the bag. I grab the scrolls with mine and Joseph's names on them, and then start heading towards the gate.
"Ms Miller, your weapon," the man chides.
I scowl, but realise he's probably right to ask for it back. But oddly, I've grown fond of my sword. I pull it from the rope belt around my waist and drop it to the ground. Joseph does the same with his crossbow. We won't need them in the outside world anyway, especially not when they'd likely get us arrested again.
It isn't until we're through the gate that the reality of everything that's just happened sinks in.
We're free. I don't ever have to go back to the awful cell ever again.
"Piper," Joseph says.
I turn to face him just as a laugh bursts free.
He smiles too, relief written all over his expression.
I don't waste another second and throw my arms around his neck, pressing my lips against his. He's surprised, but it only takes a second for him to respond, kissing me back with the same wild abandon I feel towards him. With all we've been through in the past ten days, we don't need words to tell one another what we've come to be. This is more than just attraction. It's impossible to ignore a connection like we've made through our time surviving.
And hopefully, that will help us both heal from the horrors we've seen.
Epilogue
The front door slams shut, making me jump even though I know it's
nothing. Despite the fact it's been a year since Joseph and I walked out of the Dragon Duels alive, I still feel like I'm back in the arena sometimes and dealing with the constant threat to my life. I hate how much it affects me still, as if going through it once wasn't bad enough, my mind wants to remind me of it at every step of the way.
It's over. You don't have to deal with it any more.
I turn my attention back to peeling the potato in my hand. It's not urgent, but I needed something to do, and this keeps my mind busy enough while not being a disaster if I get distracted and do it wrong.
"I'm sorry," Joseph says when he enters the room and sees I've spooked.
"It's okay. I'll get used to it."
He leans in and kisses my cheek.
My eyes flutter closed at the contact. I love it when he does that. I love him. Not that I'm ever surprised by that after what we went through.
"Are you nearly ready to go?" he asks. "We need to leave in about ten minutes."
I grimace and set down the potato. "I'm ready. I just need to put my shoes on."
He nods.
"I don't want to go," I admit.
"Me neither."
"But we have to, don't we?"
He grimaces and nods. "They want the previous winners there for when they start the next Dragon Duels," he says bitterly.
"I heard there are even more prisoners set to take part this year." I turn on the tap and wash my hands to rid them of potato starch.
"Me too, but we won't know for sure until we get there."
I sigh. "Let's get this over with."
My stomach twists up in knots as we're shown to the balcony of the new building they've erected for the Duels. A small part of me is terrified that we're going to be told there's a mistake, and that we have to take part again.
Joseph puts his arm around my waist and pulls me to him.
"It's going to be okay," he whispers, kissing the side of my head.
Sometimes, I hate how much I rely on him to feel safe, but most of the time, I'm simply grateful that I don't have to go through this alone.
We're shown to a couple of seats with our names on, and one reserved to our left for Annabelle, the other woman who survived.
I frown. "What about Reggie?" I ask the attendant. "Where is his seat?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't have any instructions about a Reggie," the attendant says before leaving us alone.
"Didn't you hear?" Annabelle says as she drops down into her chair and leans back.
"Hear what?"
"He's disappeared." The way she says it makes it clear she thinks she knows who is behind it. "No doubt because of how badly he was injured."
A gasp escapes from me before I can stop it. "They wouldn't."
She laughs bitterly. "Do you really think that?"
I sigh. "No."
"Good. Because what I see down there is that there's nothing they won't do." She gestures towards the edge of the balcony, though I can't see what's going on from here.
I exchange a quick look with Joseph, but then we both make our way to the edge.
A lump forms in my throat as I look down at the crowd of prisoners standing around in the same spot we were a year ago. Is that what fifty people look like from above? It can't be, there are too many people for that. There has to be.
"There has to be at least a hundred," Joseph says, voicing the thoughts in my head.
"Yes."
"Some of them have more weapons than others," I observe, noting one of the biggest men with at least three weapons, and what appears to be a breastplate covering him.
"Maybe they're trying to make it more entertaining," Joseph mutters.
I shudder. It's only after everything that we learned about the cameras dotted around the arena, filming our every move as we tried to avoid dragons, dehydration, and one another. I'm not sure how many people actually watched what we were doing, but it must have been enough that they're repeating it this year.
"Welcome," a familiar voice says, pulling me from my thoughts.
It doesn't take me long to find the same man as last year standing on the balcony adjacent to ours, a gleeful expression on his face. That's something I hadn't seen last year. Perhaps he's just not bothering to hide his expression this time.
"This is the second annual Dragon Duels. There are no rules within the Duels themselves, but if you survive the next ten days, you will be granted a pardon to your crimes."
The same deal we had, but with double the danger. Even from here, it's clear that this time more of the prisoners are those who have committed more violent crimes than stealing or using the Arts without permission. I'm not sure how I feel about some of the people down below being pardoned and free to roam in society.
But that isn't my choice. I'm not the one signing my name to the pardons. At least the wording in them states that it's only for past crimes. If they commit a new one, then they'll go straight back to prison.
"Let the second Dragon Duels commence!"
The klaxon sounds, shocking me and sending me straight back to the events of a year ago. Joseph pulls me even closer to him, offering me the reassurance I need as the men and women below begin their own fight to the death.
I look away, unable to face the thought of which of the people below will live, and which will die.
It's something I'm going to have to get used to. The Dragon Duels are clearly here to stay, and no doubt the two of us are going to be trotted out every year along with the other winners. At least until someone more interesting comes from this.
I don't think I'll be able to do anything to stop any of this from happening, but that doesn't mean I can't do something to lay the foundations so someone in the future can put an end to this barbarity.
The Dragon Duels can't last forever, and I intend to do my part to make sure of that.
Thank you for reading Starting The Fire, the prequel to The Dragon Duels series. The Dragon Duels starts with Stoking The Embers, which is set during the 150th Dragon Duels and follows Raine as she finds herself forced into the Duels: http://books2read.com/stokingtheembers
Also by Laura Greenwood
Books in the Obscure World
Ashryn Barker Trilogy (urban fantasy, completed series)
Grimalkin Academy: Kittens Series (paranormal academy, completed series)
Grimalkin Academy: Catacombs Trilogy (paranormal academy, completed series)
City Of Blood Trilogy (urban fantasy)
Grimalkin Academy: Stakes Trilogy (paranormal academy)
The Harpy Bounty Hunter Trilogy (urban fantasy)
The Black Fan (vampire romance)
Sabre Woods Academy (paranormal academy)
Scythe Grove Academy (urban fantasy)
Carnival Of Knives (urban fantasy)
* * *
Books in the Forgotten Gods World
The Queen of Gods Trilogy (paranormal/mythology romance)
Forgotten Gods Series (paranormal/mythology romance)
* * *
The Grimm World
Grimm Academy Series (fairy tale academy)
Fate Of The Crown Duology (Arthurian academy, completed series)
Once Upon An Academy Series (fairy tale academy)
* * *
Books in the Paranormal Council Universe
The Paranormal Council Series (shifter romance)
The Fae Queen Of Winter Trilogy (paranormal/fantasy, completed series)
Thornheart Coven Series (witch romance)
Return Of The Fae Series (paranormal post-apocalyptic, completed series)
Paranormal Criminal Investigations Series (urban fantasy mystery)
MatchMater Paranormal Dating App Series (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Necromancer Council Trilogy (urban fantasy)
Standalone Stories From the Paranormal Council Universe
* * *
Other Series
The Apprentice Of Anubis (urban fantasy in an alternate world)
/> Untold Tales Series (fantasy fairy tales, completed series)
The Dragon Duels Trilogy (urban fantasy dystopia)
ME Contemporary Standalones (contemporary romance)
Standalones
Seven Wardens, co-written with Skye MacKinnon (paranormal/fantasy romance, completed series)
Tales Of Clan Robbins, co-written with L.A. Boruff (urban fantasy Western)
The Firehouse Feline, co-written with Lacey Carter Andersen & L.A. Boruff (paranormal/urban fantasy romance, completed series)
Kingdom Of Fairytales Snow White, co-written with J.A. Armitage (fantasy fairy tale, completed series)
* * *
Twin Souls Universe
Twin Souls Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
Dragon Soul Series, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Renegade Dragons Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Vampire Detective Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (urban fantasy mystery, completed series)
Amethyst’s Wand Shop Mysteries Series, co-written with Arizona Tape (urban fantasy)
* * *
Mountain Shifters Universe
Valentine Pride Trilogy, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal shifter romance, completed series)
Magic and Metaphysics Academy Trilogy, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal academy, completed series)
Mountain Shifters Standalones, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal romance)
* * *
Striking The Flint Page 3
