Zenora, The Dragon's Fury
17. Spring Cleaning

As I had already stated to Byron’s father, we came here to get the slaves. So, Byron offered his help to go with us to the mansion. He was planning to overthrow his father from the Mayor’s position for a while now, so most of the hunters and warriors were already on his side. And one of the things that he wanted to change as soon as he got to be Mayor, was actually to abolish slavery in Groyhull.

He had stated that he liked his women to be with him willingly, he wanted them to suck his dick, without the fear of getting it bitten off. Well, that earned him a slap on the head.

“Ouch! I was just joking!” He laughed out loud, but I couldn’t respect it as such.

“If I ever hear that you treat women like that, I’m coming back here personally!” I yelled at him, and Brock and Nicolai chuckled behind me. I looked at them with an angry face and they immediately shut their mouth.

When we arrived at the mansion on the hill, of course word had travelled there, that we came to rescue the slaves. So, at first approach, no slaves were to be found. But Byron knew better, he had been here before, and had seen first-hand how the rich people here, treated their slaves.

So, we decided to split into two groups, me with Brock and a few men, and Nicolai with Byron and the rest. That way, both groups had someone that could read minds, to replace out where the slaves were being held. After skimming through each and every room, we had found a total of thirteen female, and three male slaves. But something was still nagging at the base of my mind. Hadn’t William told us that there were also children here? So, where were they then?

“We, we have sold them!” The owner of the mansion stammered out.

“To who?” Brock yelled at the man, while he had his hand around his neck, pushing the man up against a wall.

He looked in extreme confusion towards Brock.

“To you!” The man stated.

Brock turned his head around, looking at me and Nicolai in disbelief. My heart sank, could it be the same man that Ruth had seen? Could it be that he used the children for his blood magic? Oh, please I really hope not.

“It wasn’t me, what is his name? And when did you sell them?” Brock asked the man, still holding him against the wall.

“He never said his name! Two days ago, he just took the children away and gave me a bag of gold. It’s all I know, I swear!” The man dropped down to the floor, coughing and grabbing his own throat.

We have to act quick now, maybe Brock’s twin is planning to take more children away. So, we have to get to the other five cities, hoping that we could be there before they get kidnapped and before they get killed.

Byron opted to send his men with us, but Brock declined his offer. He said to him that he would need them, to get the city back in shape. Brock was right about that, Byron’s father wasn’t particularly focused on the citizens of this city, he only has been caring about himself and his power. So, now that Byron became Mayor he had to clean up the mess that his father had made.

“When we will get home, I’ll ask my father to send our financial counsellor your way as well. He will get your files and administration back in order too.” I told Byron.

“That would be of great help, thank you Princess.” Byron replied and bowed to me.

Normally I would say that he didn’t need to bow to me, but he doesn’t feel like family. Not like Cirilya, Anna, Natalya, or even the army is. He is a Mayor now, and somehow I feel that I need to establish a more formal way of life. One of discipline and one of royal power.

Brock whistled and soon after Nightwing and Bastet came flying in. We were standing at the gates and our men had already mounted their gryphons.

“Take care of the ones we saved Byron, and if you need any help, let me know.” I said to him, and he nodded in response.

We took off towards the next city.

It was early in the morning and we haven’t been sleeping for about thirty-six hours, so I was tired as hell. Shifts were taken as one of the men always stayed awake to guide the gryphons to the right direction. So, I secured my waist to Bastet and leaned forward to lay myself on her back. Her smooth motions made her wings glide through the warm summer air, drowsing me in to a calm sleep.

After a few hours, Brock gently woke me.

We had arrived at the white city of Bruadgend. All the houses and buildings were decorated with white, marble walls and columns, as this city has the biggest marble mining site of all of Zenora. As Brock just explained to me.

Most of the important buildings in the bigger cities have marble from this place, it represents wealth and power, and intimidates most people who enter a room filled with marble. Of course, all of the marble columns in the throne room of our castle, were from Bruadgend as well.

Here, William had informed us, there was luckily only one place where the slaves were held. So, without waiting too much, we flew straight to that specific marble building and stormed in without any hesitation.

Quickly without even wounding anyone, the ‘masters’ lined up their slaves and turned them over to us. Unfortunately, just as in Groyhull, all the children were sold off to Brock’s twin. It woke up an anger within me, that send of a jolt of energy within my body, through my arm, and without thinking of the consequences, I hit a marble wall with my closed fist.

Yes, that wasn’t one of my brighter actions.

But when I thought of those awful, horrid images that I had seen when I read Cirilya’s mind, it dawned on me that the Dark Mages would probably want to eat the flesh of the children’s bodies as well. All I could think about was, what if Kaden or Tyler got in that position? Being threatened, bleeding, their skin being ripped from their little bodies while they were still breathing.

I couldn’t think of that, but unfortunately I did. Screaming and crying, holding my hand tight as I just broke my wrist.

Brock came over to me, hugging me, holding me tight with his strong arms, hushing me with soothing words.

“I know love, we will get those children back, I promise you.” Brock whispered in my ears.

“You can’t promise that! You don’t know what your evil twin is going to do!” I sobbed and cried, with my head down against his chest.

“My evil twin huh? Love, look at me.” He said, but I didn’t listen to him.

“Emily, look at me.” He sternly stated, he hardly calls me by my name ever, so I was surprised and looked up.

“You are going to be the Queen, and you will get to see a lot of bad things that will happen in Zenora. You are the one that has to bring peace, justice and safety. So, dry those tears and get back to that fierce hunter, that I know resides within you.” He said, and he was right. I have to suck it up, and show what I am capable off.

I dried my tears, and lifted my head. Only then could I see what I just had done, as not only my hand was broken… but also the marble wall behind Brock. I gasped, and Brock turned around to see what I was looking at.

“Ouch, I’m glad that I didn’t stood between you and that wall just now.” Brock said with a chuckle.

I guess there is still some warrior strength in me left.