Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
“Why would he? If the dragon has the power to collect all these amazing treasures, would logic not follow that the dragon also has the power to eat the finest delicacies of the world?” The man’s upper lip curled. “Vampires and elves do not fall within that category.”
“Fine. The dragon didn’t eat my family, but isn’t he under the control of the fae queen?”
The disgust on the man’s face was lost under a wall of ice. That had clearly been the wrong thing to say. Maybe this guy wasn’t so much a captive as a servant. Did he actually like the dragon? Like his job? Or was it Stockholm Syndrome? Had he been stuck a captive for so long that he now harbored feelings for the beast? Xiang wanted to groan. This was becoming more complicated by the second.
“Never mind that,” Xiang announced with a wave of his hand. He shifted on the couch until he perched on the edge of the cushion, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned toward his new “friend.”
“The dragon didn’t eat or attack my clan, and I’m sure the dragon doesn’t care to follow any orders issued by the queen.” The man’s expression defrosted slightly. That was at least one step in the right direction. “Is there any way the dragon could check on my clan? Not get too close and scare them, but simply see if they all made it back to our home safely?”
Xiang watched as the man’s expression scrunched up, his eyes darting away. “I don’t know,” he mumbled, his hands balling into fists on the arms of the chair.
“But you at least get to see the dragon? Talk to it? You could ask him, right? I’m sure he’d be able to find the little gathering of vampires. A quick peek is all I’m asking. There should be seven vampires and one elf there. Maybe a huli jing2 lurking about, but I don’t care about him. Just the others.”
The stranger refused to meet his eyes, but he released a soft sigh. “I make no promises, but I can make the request for you. If the dragon agrees to your request, will you agree to stop your pouting and escape attempts?”
“I promise to stop pouting,” Xiang replied with a broad grin.
Mr. No-Name glared at him. “And the escape attempts?”
“Come on, would either you or the dragon believe me if I agree to that bit of nonsense? Of course I won’t stop trying! I appreciate the fact that the dragon hasn’t tried to kill me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to go home to my clan. And when I escape, I’m taking you with me!” He jabbed one index finger at Mr. No-Name, causing his eyes to flash wide.
“W-w-why would you do that? I didn’t ask you to do that.” Mr. No-Name was out of his chair in a flash, heading deeper into the cavern as if he were trying to escape Xiang. As he moved, his hands would jump out here and there to turn and resettle random things he passed as if it were nothing more than a nervous tic to settle the growing panic within him.
“Why in the world would you think that I’d leave you here? You’re trapped with a fucking dragon. It isn’t right for me to escape and leave you behind to live out the rest of your days in a freaking cave under a river.” Xiang paused and rolled his eyes at himself. “That’s where I assume we are. But that’s not the point. You deserve a normal life with your people. Have you forgotten there’s more to the world than these cave walls?”
Mr. No-Name lifted his arms out in front of him. “And have you not noticed that all the beauty of the world can be found within these walls?”
“Not all the beauty,” Xiang countered as he continued to chase after him. “There are beautiful things that even a dragon cannot steal and bring in here.”
Mr. No-Name suddenly whirled to face him, his soft features pulled tight. “And I think you have conveniently forgotten that the outside world also has a great deal of ugliness to it. Or would you rather not think of the fighting and dead that surrounded you before the dragon stole you away?”
“I haven’t forgotten. That’s just how the world works. There can’t be beauty without some ugliness. There’s no pleasure without the risk of pain. You need to get out there and remember how good life can be without these walls holding you back.”
“No,” Mr. No-Name snarled as he resumed his winding trek through the overfilled cavern.
“Don’t care what you say. I’m taking you with me. We’ll escape together and we’ll find your people.”
The man’s steps slowed, and he paused in front of a rosewood bureau with an assortment of jeweled boxes covering the top. His fingers traced along the gold filigree and the facets of the gems. “There are no people for you to find. No reason for me to leave.”