[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
What are you talking about?
He gestured to the bed. Sit down.
159
Denise A. Agnew
On shaky legs, she did as he asked. His searing red eyes frightened her in a way she
hadn t experienced with Dane.
When Drakus settled beside her on the bed, his body touching hers, she rebelled.
She scooted away, putting a good two feet between them.
You seem to think I have no regret at Dane s death. Did I give you that
impression?
She scoffed, unable to repress her contempt. You know you did. If you felt remorse
you wouldn t have taken me in the first place.
I took you because you re Magonian. At least that s what the spy told me. If I can
get you with child, then we ll know it s true.
Her stomach curled. I won t have sex with you.
Believe me, when the time comes, you will be more than ready to have sex with
me. He shrugged. Of course there is an alternative that might serve Dragonia just as
well.
She seized on it. What is that?
You could become a dragon sacrifice.
What? Disbelief warred with a strong suspicion that he spoke the truth.
Did Dane tell you about how my mother sacrificed herself for the good of
Draconus?
She held back a wince as her shoulder pained her again. Your mother sacrificed
herself for Dane s father, just as Dane s father sacrificed himself for her. It had nothing
to do with your god.
Drakus mouth parted in a wide smile as he laughed. He threw his head back and
almost roared with it. When he looked back at her, the red in his eyes had completely
disappeared. You are far more intelligent and intriguing than I d hoped. I like you.
Do not waste your time liking me.
Defiant. He reached out, and she shrank back. He allowed his hand to drop. But
you will bend to the will of Draconus before long.
And don t use your religion as a smoke screen for your brutality.
She half imagined he d deck her at any minute, just reach out and put an end to her
with his enormous strength. She didn t care. What did she have to lose? At this rate, she
didn t know if she d ever escape the continent and return to Magonia to save her father.
He tilted his head to the side, watching her as if she could be a delectable piece of
meat he wanted to taste. Did I give you the impression I believe all that cock and
dragon dung? Religion is quite the convenience, my lady. A man in my position must
pretend he believes in the predominant system. My father named me Drakus because
he believed I would have the power of the god. He knew I could bring the so-called god
Magon to its knees, and therefore Magonia to its knees. A real zealot, my dear father.
A sick man.
160
Daryk Hunter
Indeed. He wanted Magonia under his thumb because he believed Dragonia knew
the only right way. I ve never believed it.
Astonishment filled her. Then why did you follow his path?
I used it. The people of Dragonia will follow any dogma if given incentive. Making
babies is one. Preserving our way of life, the sanctity of our social structure, the morals.
All of it could be destroyed in a moment if we allowed Magonians and Dragonians to
mix.
Taken aback, she didn t know what to say. Finally she found her voice. But I ve
heard your people already accept other religions.
He snorted. Some do. Most don t.
But you want to breed with Magonians. Isn t that mixing?
I want to mix precisely because I don t believe the dogma, my lady. I know that
Magonia and Dragonia must merge. Of course, Dragonian society will have to make
war on Magonia to make Magonia see the right way of doing things. He shrugged,
face totally unconcerned. I ll allow the people to imagine I care about their ideals. All I
want is the power. The land. The breeding to grow more of my warriors. My Daryk
Ones. Draconus and his rules are nothing more than means to the power, my lady.
Nothing more.
Flabbergasted, she didn t know whether to laugh in complete disbelief or to admire
his evil ingenuity. You are using the people. Making them think you believe what they
believe when your motivations are entirely self-serving.
As I said, you are a very intelligent woman. His eyes sparked with more
amusement. No wonder Dane wanted you.
If he thought she d be flattered, he didn t know her well. He didn t seem concerned
by her defiance or even vexed and angry anymore.
Ketera, on the other hand, hadn t forgotten one moment of her pain. Since Dane is
dead, and I don t want you, what is the point in keeping me? Let me go back to
Magonia and free my father.
Free him?
He s a prisoner. A religious and political one.
Drakus tilted his head to the side again, as if trying to detect a lie. Indeed. That is a
shame. I hear Magonian prisons are hell.
While she didn t know the conditions prisoners lived in, she knew she wouldn t last
much longer under this man s regime. Just let me go.
I think not. The people demand a sacrifice or a breeding. It is their will. Besides,
Dane s mother and father gave themselves to the prosperity and lifeblood of Dragonia
by becoming a dragon sacrifice. You could too.
No. I ll never kill myself.
161
Denise A. Agnew
Oh, you don t have to be willing, my lady. Not in the end. We can always arrange
for you to be tied to a stake for the dragon s meal. While there is little honor in that
route, it still produces the same result.
Which is?
Our land is prosperous and the god Draconus will make certain the people are
fertile. Or at least they ll think that.
She wanted to stand up, to run, to scream. It isn t true.
It is in our texts and as far as rogue Daryk Ones are certain, there is little you can
do about it.
She hadn t read anything about dragon sacrifice in the texts and wondered why,
but didn t plan to let him know that. What evidence is there for such&
She couldn t put a name on it.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes now mellowing until the red disappeared.
One of the Daryk Ones in camp took a Magonian as spoils when we ransacked a small
vessel a few months back. She is pregnant and soon will bear a child. She became
pregnant the very first days of them meeting. He reached out, but she shrank back. He
laughed softly. You have nothing to fear from me.
She glared. How can you say that? Dragon sacrifice? She shook her head. There
is nothing you can do to persuade me to participate.
Are you certain? He moved and it was so fast it happened before she could blink. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
What are you talking about?
He gestured to the bed. Sit down.
159
Denise A. Agnew
On shaky legs, she did as he asked. His searing red eyes frightened her in a way she
hadn t experienced with Dane.
When Drakus settled beside her on the bed, his body touching hers, she rebelled.
She scooted away, putting a good two feet between them.
You seem to think I have no regret at Dane s death. Did I give you that
impression?
She scoffed, unable to repress her contempt. You know you did. If you felt remorse
you wouldn t have taken me in the first place.
I took you because you re Magonian. At least that s what the spy told me. If I can
get you with child, then we ll know it s true.
Her stomach curled. I won t have sex with you.
Believe me, when the time comes, you will be more than ready to have sex with
me. He shrugged. Of course there is an alternative that might serve Dragonia just as
well.
She seized on it. What is that?
You could become a dragon sacrifice.
What? Disbelief warred with a strong suspicion that he spoke the truth.
Did Dane tell you about how my mother sacrificed herself for the good of
Draconus?
She held back a wince as her shoulder pained her again. Your mother sacrificed
herself for Dane s father, just as Dane s father sacrificed himself for her. It had nothing
to do with your god.
Drakus mouth parted in a wide smile as he laughed. He threw his head back and
almost roared with it. When he looked back at her, the red in his eyes had completely
disappeared. You are far more intelligent and intriguing than I d hoped. I like you.
Do not waste your time liking me.
Defiant. He reached out, and she shrank back. He allowed his hand to drop. But
you will bend to the will of Draconus before long.
And don t use your religion as a smoke screen for your brutality.
She half imagined he d deck her at any minute, just reach out and put an end to her
with his enormous strength. She didn t care. What did she have to lose? At this rate, she
didn t know if she d ever escape the continent and return to Magonia to save her father.
He tilted his head to the side, watching her as if she could be a delectable piece of
meat he wanted to taste. Did I give you the impression I believe all that cock and
dragon dung? Religion is quite the convenience, my lady. A man in my position must
pretend he believes in the predominant system. My father named me Drakus because
he believed I would have the power of the god. He knew I could bring the so-called god
Magon to its knees, and therefore Magonia to its knees. A real zealot, my dear father.
A sick man.
160
Daryk Hunter
Indeed. He wanted Magonia under his thumb because he believed Dragonia knew
the only right way. I ve never believed it.
Astonishment filled her. Then why did you follow his path?
I used it. The people of Dragonia will follow any dogma if given incentive. Making
babies is one. Preserving our way of life, the sanctity of our social structure, the morals.
All of it could be destroyed in a moment if we allowed Magonians and Dragonians to
mix.
Taken aback, she didn t know what to say. Finally she found her voice. But I ve
heard your people already accept other religions.
He snorted. Some do. Most don t.
But you want to breed with Magonians. Isn t that mixing?
I want to mix precisely because I don t believe the dogma, my lady. I know that
Magonia and Dragonia must merge. Of course, Dragonian society will have to make
war on Magonia to make Magonia see the right way of doing things. He shrugged,
face totally unconcerned. I ll allow the people to imagine I care about their ideals. All I
want is the power. The land. The breeding to grow more of my warriors. My Daryk
Ones. Draconus and his rules are nothing more than means to the power, my lady.
Nothing more.
Flabbergasted, she didn t know whether to laugh in complete disbelief or to admire
his evil ingenuity. You are using the people. Making them think you believe what they
believe when your motivations are entirely self-serving.
As I said, you are a very intelligent woman. His eyes sparked with more
amusement. No wonder Dane wanted you.
If he thought she d be flattered, he didn t know her well. He didn t seem concerned
by her defiance or even vexed and angry anymore.
Ketera, on the other hand, hadn t forgotten one moment of her pain. Since Dane is
dead, and I don t want you, what is the point in keeping me? Let me go back to
Magonia and free my father.
Free him?
He s a prisoner. A religious and political one.
Drakus tilted his head to the side again, as if trying to detect a lie. Indeed. That is a
shame. I hear Magonian prisons are hell.
While she didn t know the conditions prisoners lived in, she knew she wouldn t last
much longer under this man s regime. Just let me go.
I think not. The people demand a sacrifice or a breeding. It is their will. Besides,
Dane s mother and father gave themselves to the prosperity and lifeblood of Dragonia
by becoming a dragon sacrifice. You could too.
No. I ll never kill myself.
161
Denise A. Agnew
Oh, you don t have to be willing, my lady. Not in the end. We can always arrange
for you to be tied to a stake for the dragon s meal. While there is little honor in that
route, it still produces the same result.
Which is?
Our land is prosperous and the god Draconus will make certain the people are
fertile. Or at least they ll think that.
She wanted to stand up, to run, to scream. It isn t true.
It is in our texts and as far as rogue Daryk Ones are certain, there is little you can
do about it.
She hadn t read anything about dragon sacrifice in the texts and wondered why,
but didn t plan to let him know that. What evidence is there for such&
She couldn t put a name on it.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes now mellowing until the red disappeared.
One of the Daryk Ones in camp took a Magonian as spoils when we ransacked a small
vessel a few months back. She is pregnant and soon will bear a child. She became
pregnant the very first days of them meeting. He reached out, but she shrank back. He
laughed softly. You have nothing to fear from me.
She glared. How can you say that? Dragon sacrifice? She shook her head. There
is nothing you can do to persuade me to participate.
Are you certain? He moved and it was so fast it happened before she could blink. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]