CURSE OF THE DRAGON FLAMES

CHAPTER 7 - WINGS OF ESCAPE

DRAVON’S POV

Night fell on the kingdom in silence, but my mind was loud. I stood on the shadowed balcony of the palace, watching the prison yard below. Torches burned low. Guards walked slowly, tired and careless. Everything was set. Xavier appeared beside me without a sound. “You have five minutes,” he whispered. “The guards drinks are already mixed. Once they finish their rounds, they will sleep like stones.” I nodded. “Thanks, you've done alot” He breathed softly. “its okay I did what I should do for a brother” I looked at him. “This changes everything.” Xavier’s face hardened. “I know. That is why you must not fail.” He handed me a small glass container. “If anything goes wrong, break this. The smoke will confuse them long enough for you to escape.” I took it and put it into my cloak. “Thank you.” I said thanking him once again, he didn't know how much this meant to me, I had only spoken to him two nights ago, about this and he had carried out everything properly without hesitation. Xavier, met my eyes “be safe Brother” he said, with worry evident in his tone “I will brother” Before doubt could stop me, I ran leaving Xavier behind, I glided silently into the prison yard, landing behind the outer wall. The guards were already slumped against their posts, fast asleep, I moved fast. Chains and doors meant nothing to me. I followed her scent, faint but familiar, until I reached her cell. She lay on a narrow bed, tossing in her sleep, her brows drawn tight like she was trapped in a nightmare. For a moment, I just watched her. Alive. Breathing. I stepped closer. Her eyes flew open. HAZEL’S POV I was running, fire chased me, heat licking at my back. Mahir screamed somewhere behind me. I turned, reached for her, but my hands grabbed air “Hazel.” My eyes snapped open. A shadow loomed over me. I opened my mouth to scream, but a strong hand covered it instantly. My heart slammed against my ribs as fear flooded me. “Do not scream,” a deep voice whispered. “I will not hurt you.” His eyes caught the dim torchlight. Those eyes. The same ones that spared me. Before I could react, the room vanished. Wind rushed past my face. My body lifted, pressed against something solid and warm. Wings. Dragon wings. We were flying. I clutched his scales as the prison fell away beneath us. The air was cold, sharp, but his body radiated heat, steady and strong. The kingdom grew smaller. Alarms began to sound, distant shouts rising like thunder but We did not slow down. DRAVON’S POV The moment we crossed the outer borders, the alarms erupted behind us. Horns blared. Bells rang. The kingdom woke in panic, aware that we had escaped. Hazel clung to me tightly, her fear pulsing through her like a heartbeat. I angled my wings toward the forest, flying low and fast until the lights of the palace disappeared. Only then did I land. The impact was rough. I stumbled, and we fell together into the leaves. For a second, everything froze. Her body was beneath mine. Heat surged through me, fierce and unexpected. My breath caught. Her chest rose fast beneath my hands. Her scent wrapped around me, grounding and dangerous, I pushed myself up immediately. “I am sorry,” I said roughly. She stared at me, wide eyed, breathing hard. Her fear returned full force. She stepped back until her shoulders hit a tree. “Why?” she demanded, her voice shaking. “Why did you save me? Why did you bring me here?” I had no answer ready. Not yet. “We must move,” I said. “They will be searching.” I said ignoring her question. I shifted back into human form and pulled my cloak around myself. I offered her my hand. She hesitated, then took it. HAZEL’S POV His hand was warm, too warm, I wasn't supposed to trust him, but I had to, after all he spared my life and even saved me. The forest was dark, but he moved with purpose, like he knew every path. We walked for what felt like hours until a small wooden house appeared between the trees, its windows glowing softly. He knocked once. The door opened before the sound faded. A woman stood there, her hair silver, her eyes sharp and knowing. “You are late,” she said calmly. “And you are alive,” he replied. She smiled slightly. “Barely.” She looked at me for a second and for some reason, I felt something around her. “Come inside before the forest decides to listen.” she said as we stepped inside pushing the crazy feeling to the back of my mind. DRAVON’S POV Morwenna had not changed much. The same calm power filled the room, the same strange warmth in the air. Years ago, I had pulled her from a burning village when the inferno had gone wild. She had sworn me a life debt. I never thought I would call it in like this. “She will be safe here,” Morwenna said, locking the door. “For now.” Hazel stood stiffly by the wall, watching everything. “You should rest,” I told her. “You are safe.” She did not answer. I turned to Morwenna. “I need to clean up.” She nodded. “The bath is ready.” As I walked away, I felt Hazel’s eyes on my back, heavy with questions. HAZEL’S POV The house smelled of herbs and smoke. Morwenna offered me tea, but my hands shook too much to take it. My mind raced. The dragon, the flight, the escape, the kingdom. “Would you like to eat something child” she asked looking at me with pity in her eyes. “No thanks ma” I said after which she led me to the room, before Leaving. The house only had two rooms so I would have to share a room with dravon. I stepped into the room, as the smell of fire and something else clouded my senses his thoughts came back to my mind, he was so handsome, but above all he was dangerous. Why had he done it, why had he risked everything to save me, what was special about me, wait “did he fall in love with me, just like the male leads in the fairytales I've read always fell for the female leads, no it can't be” I walked towards the mirror trying to find out what had changed, I was still the plain Jane men barely spared a glance “so what changed” I thought, his gaze the way it searched into my soul was something else,” or did this man have other plans for bringing me here” I thought to myself. The door of the bathroom creaked open He had just finished taking his bath, his hair damp, his presence filling the room. My heart skipped painfully. I swallowed hard as my eyes landed on his broad chest, and perfectly tone muscles, gosh this guy was having a crazy effect on me, which I didn't want, his eyes held mine for a while before he breaking the silence “you should get some rest now” I brought my eyes low avoiding his gaze “ Wait are we going to sleep in the same bed I thought” as my mind began to race. I Turned to look at him before asking him the questions that had haunted me, from the moment he spared my life on the sacrificial tower. “Why did you save me?” The question fell heavy between us. He froze. Slowly, he stepped closer and crouched until his face was level with my neck. His breath brushed my skin, warm and steady, sending a strange shiver through me, making me flinch a bit. “I saved you,” he said quietly, “because it was the right thing to do.” My breath hitched. He stepped back, walking towards the coach, while I stared at him in shock. [ AIDEN POV] On the night of the second sacrifice, I got dressed in my royal attire and walked to the throne room to meet my father, who was all ready set, we waited for my brother Dravon for some time and soon my father sent words to get him to come down so we could go to the sacrificial tower together. Soon the guards who he had sent returned “ your Highness, the prince says he would, come to the sacrificial tower, by himself” “ And why is that” my father asked surprised “he says he's not ready yet and doesn't want to delay you “ the guard said “why would he delay in preparation, when he knows that he has a special role to play today” my father said surprised “he hasn't been feeling well since morning” “ then tell him that, he should try to put himself together quickly” . “Yes your majesty” the guard said and turned towards the direction of dravons room to carry out my father's instructions “we should go now son, we don't want to be late “ “but father don't you think we, should wait for him to get ready, considering what happened the last time” . “It okay I've spoken to your brother, and I know fully well that he would not do anything that would disgrace the royal family” my father said assuredly, “we should get going” i said. Soon we arrived at the sacrificial tower and the priestess started the ritual, my brother had still not come and this was surprising as she continued the last rounds of the ritual, a guard rushed in , looking worried, “the sacrifice has escaped” he said breathing heavily his next statement shook the atmosphere “and she was stolen by the first prince himself” my father rose to his feet “ what, that's can't be true,” I heard father say “ we saw him take her with our very own eyes” murmur spread through the crowd like wide fire “treason,” one of the elders shouted “the penalty is execution “another shouted angrily, “ ah, this can't be happening” my father said as he staggered backwards the guards rushed to his side “father” I ran to his side , he held his chest as he was now having an heart attack “take him home” I ordered as the guards wrapped their arms around my father taking him away, the angry people had started leaving, including the elders who cursed as they left angrily. priestess Seraphine let out an angry roar of fustration and anger, and in the next second she disappeared, the ability to appear and disappear was her special ability. A hand rested on my shoulders and I knew who it was “seems like things are finally going as planned” I said turning to face him smiling, “of course your Highness, this is just the beginning”.