I drew my knife to slit his throat. Fast and clean. It was better than he deserved, though I didn't enjoy doing it. He slid down, his hands grabbing at his throat as he bled out.
We turned away and kept going. At the end, the hall formed a T-intersection. Ashur hesitated. But then I thought I heard a sound.
"Left, I think," I said.
He nodded, and we jogged down that way to another door. This one opened up into what could only be called a prison. One entire side of the hall was lined with cells, the metal bars leaving no doubt as to what the intention was here.
Ashur's face was grim as we walked inside. The first cell held a little girl, maybe seven. She was curled up on the bed. The next one held a boy, close to twelve. He glared out at us sullenly.
And it continued.
One after the other.
All ten cells were occupied with boys and girls of various ages.
We walked down the entire length, my eyes searching for Omari. But still nothing. My hope was starting to wane as we approached the last one. What if they took him somewhere else? What if they--
"Mia!"
My heart skipped a beat as Omari rushed over to the bars.
"Hey," I replied, trying to speak around the knot in my throat as I ran to his cell, reaching through the bars to take his hands. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"I'm okay," he said, his hands tight on mine, his eyes big. "But can we leave now?"
I choked on a laugh. "Yes, we can leave now."
"Step back so I can open this up," Ashur ordered.
"Step back, Omari," I repeated. "We'll have you out in a second."
He let go of my hands reluctantly and took a few steps back, watching Ashur with interested eyes. Ashur lifted his hand, and the heat from it was much more noticeable now in closed quarters. He melted the old-school lock right off. It didn't stand a chance.
Omari shot out as soon as the door slid open. I grabbed him and picked him up, relief making my knees weak as I held him close. He was alive and in one piece. The tightly wound part inside of me finally relaxed. But we didn't have time to waste here.
"What about the rest of them?" I asked Ashur, looking down the line of cells.
Most of the kids had gotten up to look out at us. Some of them had the wariness that came with being on the street too long. Others still had some hope in their eyes.
Ashur nodded. "Step back," he ordered the boy in the cell next to ours.
He complied immediately. We didn't have a lot of time, but we couldn't just leave them there. It took maybe an extra ten minutes to get them all out.
"What do we do with them?" I wondered, staring at the nine kids.
Ashur grabbed the three oldest.
"Take everyone to this address," he said, showing them his watch. "Here." He took it off and gave it to the girl who was on the verge of becoming a woman, her pretty face holding the promise of beauty that was probably the reason she was here in the first place. "Can you get there?"
She nodded, looking over at the boy who had stared at us when we'd walked in.
He nodded too. "What do we do when we're there?" he asked, his eyes too old for his face.
"Give me the watch." The girl handed it back to Ashur. "A lady I know will come to that same address and help you, okay?"
"All right," the girl said, her intelligent eyes direct, but still wary.
"Good. Follow us out. There isn't much time."
Ashur made a call as we strode out. The woman on the other end took the directions and agreed to meet the children without asking questions. The older kids paired up with the younger ones and followed us down, back to the first floor. Out on the street, I hesitated with Omari's hand in mine.
"Shouldn't we go with them?" I asked, worried about sending them out alone.
"They'll attract less attention without us. And those are kids who know the streets. They'll be fine."
"But..."
I knew firsthand what kind of trouble kids could get into out there alone. I turned to look for them. They'd already disappeared. I hoped they made it safely.
"Come on," Ashur said, taking my free hand. "There's a garage around the corner where I keep a car. We'll take it out."
We didn't bother trying to blend in this time. We ran, trying to get as far as we could as fast as we could. When Omari got tired, Ashur swept him onto his back and we kept going. We finally turned into a garage that was in a much better part of town and got into an equally high-end car. It looked shiny and new.
"Just how much money do you have?" I asked suspiciously as I helped Omari buckle up in the back.
"Enough," Ashur replied as I slid in to the front seat. "Why? Trying to figure out if it would be worth it to be with me?" He turned to look at me as he slid out onto the street.
I snorted. "I'm not worried about the size of your wallet."
He smiled as he faced forward, merging smoothly into traffic. "You shouldn't be." He paused. "It's huge. Just like the rest of me." He winked.
"You're insufferable," I said, shaking my head.
"I'm rich, handsome, and I really like you." He glanced over at me as we reached the line leading out of the dome. "You should really be more open to this."
"And so humble too," I muttered.
"Does Ashur want to be your boyfriend?" Omari piped up from the back.
"No," I said firmly.
"Yes," Ashur said at the same time, looking back at Omari. "Maybe you can convince her I'm not so bad."
"That's low," I said, shaking my head.
"I fight to win," he replied, completely unrepentant.
"I don't know if you should be Mia's boyfriend," Omari said thoughtfully. "You have a lot going on in your life. You wouldn't have enough time for her."
I let out a surprised laugh as Ashur shook his head wryly.
"Blocked by a six-year-old," he muttered.
"Serves you right."
We reached the security booth leading out of the dome and the guard stepped out. He bent down to take a look at me and then Omari.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you aren't authorized to leave," he said.
"I've already deposited the money," Ashur said calmly.
Of course he bribed the guards. That was exactly what the slave traders did. The guard swallowed and looked away.
"The traders here could make life really hard for me," he said, his upper lip already sweating.
Ah. They knew we'd escaped and were willing to pay to keep us.
"So could I," Ashur said quietly. "And who says they have to know you let us out?"
The guard hesitated.
"Get rid of today's footage. I'll double the amount."
That had him nodding and stepping back. I didn't know if it was the money or the path to cover his ass, and at that point I didn't care. I let out a relieved sigh as we pulled forward into the first chamber.
"Those slave traders need to be taken care of," Ashur said in a low voice. "The police force here is a joke."
There was no way to argue against that. The only way I could see to do it would be to take them out. That was only a short-term solution. Another group would just spring up in their place.
I breathed a sigh of relief as we drove back out into the desert, under the cover of darkness. Things had really changed if leaving a city dome made everything safer.
"Can we go back to the car?" I asked as Ashur continued to drive with a confident ease.
"Why?" he asked. "We'll make better time if we continue straight to the phoenix territory."
"The rest of my weapons are there. And if we don't get it back now, I doubt it'll be there on the way back." I thought about it. "Assuming it's still there."
Without it, I'd have no transportation of my own.
Ashur nodded. "Car it is."
We drove back to the rock formation where we'd first been taken. I gave Ashur directions.
"Wait here," Ashur said as he parked some distance away. "I'll go make sure there aren't any nasty
surprises."
"Why don't you wait here—I know exactly where to go," I argued.
Ashur glared at me. "Stay," he said firmly, stepping out of the car and striding away.
I shook my head. Men. I kept an eye out, but Ashur reappeared less than five minutes later. Nobody was lying in wait. And the car was still there.
Ashur parked his in another small, out-of-the-way section of the rock formations and got in the car with us.
"What if someone takes your car?" I said as I started up the mini tank.
Ashur shrugged. "Then they take it."
I shook my head. "Must be nice to have that much money," I commented.
Ashur nodded. "It has its uses." He was quiet for a moment. "I'd treat you like a queen, Mia," he said quietly, cognizant of the fact that Omari had fallen asleep in the back.
"I'm no queen," I countered. "And I bet the crown would chafe."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a hard woman to please."
I gave him a sidelong glance. "You're welcome to stop trying." A part of me held its breath, worried he would actually stop, that he would call my bluff. Stupid.
But he didn't.
"I wasn't complaining," he murmured.
He reached out to cover my hand with his.
Oh, man.
This was getting complicated.
Chapter Twenty-Two
We drove through the night and into the morning. Ashur took over the wheel after a few hours when he saw I was getting tired.
"You’ll need to be awake for this," he said as he slid into the driver's side. "You don't know what you're going to be walking into."
How comforting. But he was right. So I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.
When I opened them again, it was to the sun shining down on us. I looked back to see Omari already chewing on one of the nutrition bars.
"Morning, Mia!"
"Hey, Omari," I said, my voice raspy. I glanced over at Ashur. "How far are we?"
"Maybe another hour," he said, looking over at me. "You should eat something and have some water. It might be time for you to take over driving while I fly."
I nodded. "Okay."
I ate quickly, the rations not horrible but not great either. They were exactly what they were supposed to be—sustenance.
The mountains were so close now that it was like I could reach out and touch them, the craggy dips and divots more apparent as we drew closer. Like almost everywhere else, the only vegetation was hardy cacti.
This close, I could also just make out the sandstone-colored structures nestled in the mountains, dotted along a winding road. It looked picturesque. Pretty. From only a little farther away, the buildings weren't even visible. The elevated position made them pretty defensible. The phoenix city might have been pretty, but it was built with security in mind.
Ashur brought the car to a stop as I finished the bar and drank some more water. He turned to look at me, bracing his forearm on the steering wheel.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his face grim, his eyes worried. "It's not too late to turn around."
As I looked at his concerned face, I was tempted. Very tempted. It would be so much easier to turn around. But I had to see this through for Omari's sake.
I leaned over and kissed Ashur gently.
"I have to see," I said quietly, cupping his cheek.
He nodded. "That's what I thought," he said, turning away to look at my destination. "I'll be waiting at the edge of their territory. If I go any farther without an explicit invitation, it could mean war." He looked over at me, his frustration clear. "I can't risk it."
"I understand."
And I did. Dragging his skein into a war wouldn't make him a good or responsible leader. Which he was. Besides, he was only one individual. Any way you sliced it, if something went horribly wrong, I would rather he at least be able to leave safely than sacrifice himself in some ill-thought-out attempt to save us.
"If I don't come back out in a few hours, leave," I said.
He just gave me a look.
"Ashur," I warned.
"Mia," he parroted, opening the door and stepping out. "You can't control me."
I shook my head as I slid over to the driver's side. "There wouldn't be any point in you storming the place," I tried as he closed the door for me. "You're only one person."
He leaned in through the open window and gave me a smacking kiss. "Better come out of there as fast as you can then," he said.
And then he started stripping. Yes, I looked. How could I not? I caught the clothes he tossed to me.
"Ashur..."
"I'll see you in a few hours." He changed into his dragon shape and launched himself into the sky. That was a really unfair way to end a conversation.
Shaking my head, I started driving forward again. I glanced in the rear-view mirror to see Omari's serious face as he looked out the windshield.
"Do you want to move up front?" I asked.
He shook his head, his mood bleak. I sighed. He was just worried about a new situation. He'd be fine once he'd adjusted.
Less than an hour later, we lost Ashur's comforting shadow as we passed into phoenix territory. We were on our own.
Approximately fifteen minutes after that, three phoenixes came swooping down and landed in our path. They weren't lax with their security, which I could appreciate. I stared as I brought the car to a slow stop.
They made for a striking sight.
They weren't as large as dragons, but at maybe three-quarters the size of their counterparts, they were still more than impressive. Their feather patterns varied, from purples and reds, to oranges and yellows. One of them even had more of a green tint. And the feathers themselves glinted in the sun with a distinctly metallic sheen. Their beaks were black and glossy, as were their eyes. And their four-fingered feet were tipped with curved claws that came to razor-sharp points.
Yup.
Wouldn't want to fight that.
After I came to a stop, the predominantly orange and yellow one changed, shrinking down to a young man with a tanned skin tone that shined coppery in the sunlight. His blond hair fell around his face, reaching his shoulders, his build lean and long. His narrow face was intelligent and suspicious as he walked over to us.
I tried very hard not to look below the waist. I didn't know if I'd ever get used to casual nudity like this.
He stopped a few feet from the front of the car.
"Exit the vehicle," he ordered in a no-nonsense voice. "Now."
He might have only been in his mid-twenties at most, but he was used to being obeyed. And I had no desire to alienate anyone.
"Stay inside," I said to Omari. I said the same thing to him so much I might as well have posted a sign on the seat in front of him. He nodded, looking outside with a solemn expression.
I opened the door and stepped out, experiencing a sense of deja vu. Though I sincerely doubted this would end the way everything had with Ashur.
"Why are you trespassing?" he demanded as soon as I was out.
I held my hands up to show I didn't have anything in them. Not that I wasn't armed. But the universal gesture of peace usually helped put people at ease.
"I was hired to deliver Omari here," I explained, nodding at the car as I watched him carefully. "I'd like to see the person in charge."
"King Emberich?" he smirked, looking back at the other two phoenixes before turning back to me. As if the idea was hilarious. That was an odd reaction.
"Yes," I confirmed, trying to understand the dynamics of what exactly was going on here.
I stood still as he walked closer. He got too close for my own comfort, but I wasn't in a position to complain. He took in a breath as he got closer and his eyes narrowed as he tilted his head to the side. Then he shook his head, not saying anything as he took a step closer to the open door.
"May I?" he asked politely, gesturing to the door. It wasn't like he was going to accept a 'no' here. I nodded.
He ducked his head inside. Then he straightened again, his face thoughtful.
"Pull forward to the beginning of the road leading up. I'll meet you there." Then he moved back and changed, the transition smooth and fast. I wondered when I'd get that good.
They flew off again and I got back in the car. "You all right?" I asked Omari as we moved forward once again.
He nodded, but he didn't say anything. Probably worried about what was going to happen now. Him and me both.
I drove forward to the where the guy was already waiting. At least he had on some clothes now so I didn't have to focus so hard on his face. Loose cotton pants and a white tunic gave him a cool, breezy look.
Now that I was at the base of the mountain, I realized there was a gondola system rigged up along the mountainside, following the road. There seemed to be several platforms at even points, all the way up. At the very top of the road, I could just make out a much larger building, this one complete with a dome and spires.
Someone had delusions of grandeur.
Though I guess their leader was a king. Maybe if you were a monarch some delusions were a given.
Omari and I left the car, and he took my hand immediately.
"It's going to be okay," I murmured as we followed our escort to the gondola. I really hoped I was right.
The gondola was luxurious. The exterior was a creamy white, while the interior was all whites and golds. There was even a carpet that was somehow still white. I didn't know what magic they used to maintain that.
We stepped inside and sat down in the bench seats lining the sides. The guy took a seat across from us, his eyes boring into me. Kind of awkward, but I could deal. We started moving up.
"What's your name?" he asked as we started passing the first section of buildings. Their light, orange-pink exteriors were topped with deeper red roofs. I could see now that parts of them were actually part of the mountain, carved out and built forward.
"Mia," I replied, turning to watch him back. "And you are?"
"Sven," he replied curtly. "Where are you from Mia?" he continued.
"A few days’ ride south," I said easily, keeping it vague. "Do you know who hired us?" I figured I'd get some of my own questions in if he was asking so many.
Dragon Lord (Dragons & Phoenixes Book 1) Page 15
