Chapter 22
Somewhere, High Atop Denali
Ernest Michaelson was pacing around the fire inside the cave. He turned to, Jerry, his Beta “Has there been any word from Johnston?” Jerry sighed “None, Ernie. Nothing yesterday.. or this morning.. and no word five minutes ago, when you asked! I expect Alvin and Dirk back anytime. I sent them out last night to track him. We will know something, soon.”
Michaelson roared “It’s Draco! I know it is! The time is coming to end him! Like my father before me… ending his father. He’s becoming a nuisance!”
A shadow passed the cave opening, alerting them to the arrival of the two men earlier discussed. Alvin immediately approached “Alpha, Johnston has been arrested for treason against the crowned pack, and the King. It was determined he was the source of information, in regard to the previous summons to appear for you.”
Michaelson cursed loudly “Fuck! That ignorant old fool! I told him not to desert the pack! We needed the information he was providing! Do we still have anyone inside the pack we can tap to provide it?”
Jerry said “The omega.. Amber.. her mother is still here. We can extort information from her.. by threatening her mother’s life?” Michaelson turned to Dirk “Imprison the mother.. Beat her and hobble her dragon..then get word to Amber.. send pictures. Let her know I’m not playing! I need to know what’s going on. Johnston is a lost cause. He’s going to be executed .. there is no doubt. Draco doesn’t play.”
Jerry said “We need a plan.. you have to let her know what information you need from her. Last I had heard she was just a scullery maid.. unless she’s moved up in rank.”
Michaelson said “I don’t give a fuck if they’re using her for a breeder! All I want is to know his defenses.. his border patrol schedules.. the size of his militia. I want to know what weapons he uses.. how many dragons he has in his arsenal. I don’t give a fuck how many wolves he has.. they’re no match for a dragon! I know Draco.. and I know he will defend an aerial attack against all odds. Being the King, he knows full well how to drop us from the sky!”
Jerry said “Our only hope will be the element of surprise. What if we abduct his Queen? I am sure that would bring him to his knees!”
Michaelson roared “Are you that ignorant? He has waited a long time for his mate. Taking her will ignite a firestorm we couldn’t possibly counteract. It wouldn’t weaken him. It would fill him with a terrible resolve! Get in contact with our seven allied Weyr’s. See who is willing to fight with us.”
Alvin said “I have a man ready to make contact with Amber, as soon as the pictures are ready.. maybe force the mother to write her daughter a letter.. begging her to save her. A little added insurance?”
Michaelson nodded “Good idea. That may be just the ticket needed to assure the girl does as she’s told. She won’t do it voluntarily, I have no doubt. I think I will be the one to do the convincing.. what’s the mother’s name?”
Jerry responded “Gloria, Alpha. She’s not a strong dragon. Was used as a breeder back in the day. Amber is one of the five who escaped.. she is also slated to testify against you. She has a very real animosity and drive for revenge against us.”
Michaelson shrugged “I don’t give a shit about that! When we attack, she dies for betraying me. It’s that simple! Her testimony is a moot point now!”
Gloria was brought to the cave landing, and Michaelson commanded her to shift, calling her dragon forth. She was small, with dull brownish red scales. A sign of an omega.
Michaelson brought forth the whip, each of the nine strands, dipped in silver, with treble hooks tied to the ends. He lashed her wings.. ten times. She passed out from the pain, and was awakened with a bucket of water, once he was satisfied with the pictures.
She was ordered back to human form, and chained at a table. He instructed her to write a letter.. begging for her life. Every time she refused.. she was punched.. or cut.. until she finally conceded and wrote a letter. He told her exactly what to say.. and how to say it.
She did as he said.. but what he didn’t know.. was she and her daughter had played a game Amber’s entire life. They had made up an entire code of carefully worded phrases and terms, that only they knew and understood.
Michaelson read the blood smeared letter.. satisfied that she wrote enough to convince her daughter to aid in betraying Draco, at the cost of her mother’s life, should she fail. He ordered Gloria locked away, until such a time as he had the assurance of Amber’s help.
The letter.. once decoded.. said nothing of the sort. Gloria didn’t ask her daughter to sacrifice her honor, to save her mother’s life. It was quite the opposite. Gloria smiled as they dragged her away. Safe in the knowledge her daughter would do the right thing. And if she died because of it, it would be the Goddess’s will.
So be it!