Page 259 of Rose's Thorns

The door to my room buzzed, then was pulled open. In the barely-there light, I was just able to make out that the man who stormed in was older, and definitely feeble.

"Do not try to speak that foul tongue of Satan!" he hissed.

"It's called Vestrian," I said in English.

He jerked back hard. "What?"

"I was explaining your words to them," I said. "They don't understand your threats, sir. They don't all know your words."

"But you do?" he moved closer.

I glanced at the door but wasn't dumb enough to try running for it. I knew I'd never find my way out of this maze. They could see and I couldn't, which meant I needed to wait. I needed to be patient.

That was not the same as giving up.

"I know English," I assured him. "I know the word of God too. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Reynold Saunders, Elder of the Righteous. Do you have a name, heathen?"

"Saveah." I offered him my hand the way a woman would in a fairy tale, since those were the only examples I had of their archaic manners.

He ignored my hand. "What is your last name, woman!"

I let my hand return to my side and thought quickly. Dragons didn't have last names. We'd done away with them long ago. But this man would accept my sign as a name. It was close enough to the concept they used - there was just one problem.

I was the Lily. That inspired no fear. I'd picked it because I wanted something beautiful and gentle. Something to make people around me happy. And yet, these people passed names down, sharing them across their families. Well, my mother had clearly picked the perfect one.

I knew about Eve and the garden. I remembered the tale of her with the snake. Ayla had told me it was always called a "serpent" - and that had been Tiesha's sign. Now, I was going to use it, and hope like hell it made this man think twice before touching me.

"I am Saveah Serpent." I lifted my chin proudly. "And you, Mr. Saunders, have already failed one temptation."

"Blasphemy!" he roared, lashing out with the thing he was leaning on.

I didn't see it coming in the dim light so I didn't block it. Pain lanced up my arm and shoulder, making me stagger back. My leg hit the bed and I dropped onto it, so that old man pushed in.

"Thirty days," he sneered in my face. "And we know how to deal with your kind, girl. You will be wed in a proper ceremony before God. You will give us children.Blondechildren. Any who are not? They will be killed and composted, serving the community in their own way. That means you had best learn to pray, demon."

"I am no demon," I assured him. "Think of me more as one who brings the light."

Because I'd rather be dead than suffer like my mother had. I would not let that happen - but I hoped for something more. I hoped Ayla would find a way to get me out of here, or that I'd find one myself.

These men had just put sixteen Dragon women together in a place where we could talk. They didn't know our words, and I was willing to bet they wouldn't bother to learn them. Once they left, we could plan. We could be ready.

And I knew what was coming. My mother hadn't been so fortunate. I was. My sister had made sure of it, and now I would do everything in my power to destroy these assholes from the inside out.

Or die trying.

I only hoped my children were okay. I'd told Tamin to take his sister and run. He was too young to need to do that, but he had, and someone would've helped him, right? Up there, in the bright light of day, my kids would be fine. They had to be.

Because I had a feeling it would be a long time before I saw them again.