Page 14 of Red King
“Oh, thank god!” Russel scrubs a hand over his face.
Mark sighs. “You were making a joke. Why would you scare us like that?”
“It isn’t Draig,” Marcel says again, “but it is the island right next door to Draig. Draig’s sister island is called Mistveil.”
“What?” Russel splutters. “A sister island?”
“You’re teasing us all over again,” Mark adds.
“Next door, as in, close to the dragons?” one of the housekeepers asks. Her name-tag reads Emma.
“Please tell me that we won’t be coming into contact with any dragons.” Cathy has gone back to looking ghostly pale. “I don’t like that idea at all.”
Julie whimpers.
“This is where things get interesting,” Marcel says, grinning. Why does he look so happy? “There are dragons on Mistveil Island. Just as many as on Draig.”
“We can’t go there.” Mark pushes his chair back so hard it falls onto the ground with a loud clatter as he stands. “That would be a death wish. I don’t have a freaking death wish. I don’t like dragons. No!” He shakes his head.
“They’re not feral or dangerous… At least, most of them aren’t,” Marcel goes on.
“What do you mean, most of them?” Cathy asks in a shrill voice.
“You would be perfectly safe,” Marcel adds.
“How can you guarantee something like that?” Russel yells, his face turning red. “This is insane. You can’t expect us to go to this dragon-infested island.”
“I’m leaving.” Mark starts toward the door.
“Please, Mr. Jackson,” Marcel says in a pleading voice. “Take a seat and let me finish. Once I am done, you may decide how you would like to proceed. We won’t force you into anything. But you need all the facts to make an informed decision.”
Mark looks unsure.
“What do you have to lose?” I ask.
“Yes, sit down. Let’s hear what Marcel has to say,” Maggie says.
Mark finally nods. “I don’t like it.” He puts his chair back upright and takes a seat. He folds his arms and glowers at Marcel. “It had better be good, or I’m leaving. I didn’t sign up for dragons. I signed up for a tropical island getaway.”
“I guess that’s why the remuneration is so fantastic,” Russel mutters. “It’s danger pay. I have a feeling this is going to be interesting.”
“The reason there are sixty Tributes this year is that, for the first time ever, Tributes are being sent to Mistveil as well as Draig Island. It will be your job to take care of the thirty humans going to Mistveil Island.”
No one says anything. All eyes are on Marcel.
“You will live in a magnificent five-star accommodation. All meals will be provided. Should you arrive at the island and decide that you are not happy with any aspect of your employment, you would be permitted to leave, provided a replacement has been found for you. This is particularly true of medical staff. Flights leave for the Mainland every Monday.”
“Tell us about the dragons. How can you say with such certainty that they aren’t feral? That they won’t kill us as soon as we arrive?” Mark asks; his arms are tightly folded across his chest.
“The dragons on both Draig and Mistveil are not simply dragons,” Marcel says.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Russel snaps. He and Mark exchange a look.
“They’re dragon shifters.”
“Shifters?” Mark looks confused. “What does that even mean?”
“Yeah, what is a shifter?” one of the junior chefs asks.
