Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series
Her Elemental Dragons: Ride the Wave: Chapter 2

I woke to pain. The bone cage surrounded me, cutting off my bond with my mates and blocking my powers. Every time my bare skin touched one of the white bars, revulsion and horror filled me. I’d tried to stay awake, but after being left here for untold hours exhaustion had finally taken over. Except I could only sleep upright without bringing on waves of disgust, and my back and neck ached from the uncomfortable position. Even worse, every now and then my head would drop to the side, my cheek would brush against one of the dreaded bones, and I’d nearly empty my stomach.

A noise caught my attention and jerked me fully awake. A footstep on the stone floor. Heavy. Probably male. Not my mother then.

The Black Dragon had only come to visit me once, and since then I’d been left alone. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been locked in this prison, or whether it was day or night. The room that held my bone cage was empty except for a single torch, with no windows and only one door. After my mother’s cryptic words that I wouldn’t be alive much longer, I’d tried to summon my powers of earth, air, and fire, but found I couldn’t use them in here. Without my magic or my weapons, I wasn’t sure how I’d ever escape, but I was determined to not let this be the end.

The door opened, and my worst nightmare stood in the doorway. Sark, the Crimson Dragon, who had once murdered the people I’d called my parents. I knew now that the Black Dragon was my true mother and one of her Dragons was my father. Probably Sark himself, although the thought made me feel sicker than touching the bones did.

But Sark’s crimes didn’t end there. He’d murdered Reven’s family too, he’d helped destroy the town I’d lived in for the last few years, and he’d killed my best friend, Tash. He’d taken so much from me and from the people I cared for, and I wanted nothing more than to defeat him and stop him from hurting anyone else.

He strode into the room and the torch beside him flared brighter, illuminating his nearly white hair, which was cut in a short military style. He wore red and black armor, similar to what the Onyx Army wore, but even more ornate. Hatred filled me as he drew closer and his cruel brown eyes met mine. He carried a tray of food, which he thrust through the bone cage with a single command. “Eat.”

My stomach twisted with hunger, even as I glared at him. The last time I’d eaten had been during the climb to the Earth Temple with Slade, Reven, and Parin. How long ago was that? It felt like an eternity, but for all I knew it had only been a few hours. Were my mates all right? Were they looking for me now?

The tray smelled heavenly and was piled high with roasted chicken, carrots, and potatoes, along with a pitcher of water. I considered whether the food and water might be poisoned, but quickly dismissed the idea. My gifts from the Spirit Goddess would probably heal me from any poison, and the Dragons could have killed me instead of locking me up. No, they wanted me alive…for now. They must have a plan if they were feeding me, but what?

“Take it,” Sark said, thrusting the tray forward again.

My resolve failed, and I snatched the tray out of his hands, making sure not to touch him. I retreated to the back of my cage and began to pick at the food, while he crossed his arms and watched me the entire time I ate. Hunger quickly took over and I began to devour the food under his dreadful gaze like an animal trapped in a cage, waiting to be turned into a meal. All they had to do was fatten me up first.

When I finished, I threw the empty tray through the bars of my cage at him. He dodged it easily with a grunt, picked it up off the floor, and turned to walk away. Fury rose up in me and I called out, “Why are you keeping me here? What do you want?”

He left the room without answering me, the door slamming shut and locking behind him. With anger fueling me, I wrapped my hands around the bone cage and shook it hard. That heavy revulsion and nausea filled me, but I held on for as long as I could and used all my strength to try to pry a bone loose. Nothing budged. I was forced to let go, staggering back as sweat dripped down my forehead and bile clung to my throat.

There would be no breaking through this cage.

For a few minutes I had to focus on breathing in and out to make sure I didn’t bring up the food I’d just eaten. When I no longer felt sick, I sighed and slowly sank to the floor. My head fell forward into my hands and I rubbed my temples, unsure if I wanted to scream or cry. I couldn’t escape, I had no idea if my mates were alive or dead, and all I could do was wait and pray for a way out.

Where was Enva? She usually came to me when I was upset, and I could use my grandmother’s advice now more than ever. Perhaps the bone cage was preventing her from manifesting too?

One thing was certain: I was truly all alone here.