Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A little later, he returned with the other dragon and caught Quinn trying to undo the cuffs on her feet.

She was sitting up in bed and had even freed one leg.

Immediately, Quinn stopped trying to loosen her ankle cuffs and raised her eyes. Somewhat fearfully, she looked at the two men, not knowing what was coming next.

Instead of saying anything or punishing her, he introduced Elgatos. The man next to him was slightly smaller but no less muscular. Still, the signs of time had not passed him by without a trace. Wrinkles adorned his face, and as soon as he spoke, they became even more around his eyes. Quinn couldn't know it, but Elgatos had a great sense of humor and liked to crack jokes. On the other hand, he also understood when seriousness was appropriate.

"Pleased to meet you, miss," Elgatos said politely and respectfully, in a somewhat squeaky voice.

Quinn looked pale and feeble and didn't even try to smile. "Hello," she said wanly, slumping her shoulders.

Calmly, Rei bent down and picked up the cuffs from the floor before reattaching them to Quinn's leg, without any comment.

The latter simply remained seated, gazing at him motionlessly. She just felt too weak to even move a muscle. However, she began to retch again, which further weakened her body.

Elgatos wordlessly handed her a bucket before grabbing the bowl and standing in front of her. "Open your mouth," he asked Quinn, looking at her fixating with his golden eyes. The orange-red hair that stuck up gave him a funny, wild look. Even mischievous, he seemed and was undoubtedly someone who didn't care what others thought.

Quinn merely stared into the bucket, looking like she would throw up at any moment, but nothing happened. She didn't even seem like she was noticing Elgatos at all.

Sighing at so much stubbornness, Rei sat down on the bed behind Quinn. To the right and left, he placed his legs next to her so that she sat between them before he pulled her against him. His muscular arms wrapped around her and pressed her body against his chest. Only then did he push her chin up. "Open your mouth, Quinn," he begged, his voice soft and urgent, the young woman close to her ear.

Quinn did not resist his grip, as he had expected. Instead, she leaned against him and almost seemed to slump in his arms.

Her gaze was fixed on Elgatos, who could see a slight hint of fear in her eyes. At the same time, however, she seemed as powerless as a doll.

A glance at Elgatos was enough before Rei pressed her head against his shoulder so that it was pointed slightly upwards. Gently but firmly, he held the girl as the dragon in front of them approached with his spoon. "Open your mouth," Rei asked her again.

She didn't react and just continued to look at Elgatos silently, while her breathing was the only thing that betrayed her fear.

Since she didn't respond, Elgatos put his fingers to her jaw and squeezed, opening her mouth. At the same time, Rei kept making soothing noises and stroking her forehead.

As he did so, he noticed that she was quite warm. Much warmer than she should have been. I wonder what that was due to? The fear or the, for him, pleasant warmth in the room?

Elgatos took the spoon and pushed it into her mouth. However, the desired swallowing reflex failed to appear; instead, Quinn tried to turn her head away and spit the food back out.

Rei let her and nodded wordlessly in the direction where the funnel lay. Elgatos took the hint and set the bowl down before approaching her with that strange metal frame and placing it in Quinn's mouth after again carefully opening her lips. Now she could not close her mouth.

Quinn shook her head in an attempt to loosen the frame. She even tried to lift her arms, but she was just too weak to do so.

Besides, Rei's grip around her was unyielding, so she had no way to do anything. Her head was held tightly enough by the guard that she could not turn it.

Elgatos finally closed the leather strap on the back of her head and then picked up the funnel with the hose. He used a special liquid to clean it up so it wouldn't harm Quinn. Elgatos knew that this method was often used by the dragons, and here they also used it for problem cases. How a human woman would react to it, however, he could not say. But from reports of other dragons, he knew that it was quite possible.

Now she could no longer refuse food.

Rei, sitting behind Quinn, rested her head against his shoulder so that her neck was stretched. "Calmly breathe in and out. It's uncomfortable but not dangerous," he whispered in her ear. Actually, he had wanted to forgo this method. Still, since she didn't swallow voluntarily, they had to get it into her stomach some other way.

The young woman closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something else.

As she did so, she noticed the unfamiliar feeling in her throat that made her gag again. Slowly and more and more, it pushed into her. Her hands opened and closed as she tried to breathe calmly through her nose.

Rei spoke to her as Elgatos slowly and gently inserted the tube into her throat softly and soothingly. Rei's hand, wrapped around her torso, stroked Quinn soothingly.

He was sorry she had to go through this, but she had brought it on. That didn't mean they couldn't be gentle about it, though. He was a lot tougher with the men. However, these could also withstand much more than such a fragile girl.

"Good, you're doing that. Breathe quietly through your nose," Quinn heard Rei's voice at her ear.

He could feel her shaking, but she barely resisted.

Finally, Elgatos finished and nodded to Rei. As a sign that he would begin to introduce the food to her.

"One spoonful at a time," Rei asked the dragon in front of him. He didn't want it to be too much at once. A few spoonfuls, they would try and see what would happen.

Quinn's trembling was evident, so Rei spoke soothingly to her. Other than letting her know he was there, there was nothing he could do.

Everything was new to her, so she didn't know what to make of it. What was happening here anyway? Would they explain it to her when she asked about it later? She didn't know anything like that, which is why the meaning remained hidden from her.

Elgatos let some time pass between each spoonful. Precisely as it had been ordered. After the tenth spoonful, Rei gave him a grateful look and nodded. For now, that should be enough. It was better not to rush things.

Elgatos put the bowl away and then slowly pulled the tube out of Quinn's neck. Carefully and cautiously, just like in the beginning when he had inserted it.

As soon as the tube was out of Quinn's throat, she began to gag and writhe slightly. She felt sick, but it wasn't as bad as if she had eaten it herself. Still, she could already feel her body beginning to use up the new energy.

"Thank you, Elgatos," Rei said, already asking him to fetch bowls of warm water and cloths. While he was at it, he should clean the house right away to be ready for use again. Rei wouldn't be getting a new one from the dragon healers anytime soon because these were specially made and were made of a material that wouldn't damage the neck.

To Quinn, the guard spoke soothingly. His arms still wrapped around her without hurting her.

He could feel her body tense up, and she was still trying to get the food off of her. Fortunately, however, it stayed in, and at one point, she seemed so exhausted by the whole thing that she literally collapsed in his arms, whimpering softly but exhausted.

As long as the dragon with the orange hair followed Rei's orders, he got up with Quinn to put her to bed. She should, in his opinion, rest.

There, she immediately curled up, hoping he wouldn't tie her up again.

Her body writhed again and again, and she clawed her hands into the sheets as she moaned and wailed softly.

Rei joined her at the bedside and gently ran his hand through her gray hair. He had to wait for Elgatos to return. Surely he knew advice on how they could ease Quinn's suffering.

"I'm so warm," she whispered in a raspy voice, and she tried to fan herself.

Was Rei supposed to undress her? He didn't want to make her feel exposed. "I'll dab your body again once Elgatos is back," Rei promised in a calm voice.

Quinn took a gasping breath. "It hurts so much," she whispered, feeling lava flowing through her veins.

"I know. I'm sorry," the guard replied regretfully.

The door opened, and his aide stepped into the room with a bowl of water and cloths.

"She is hot," Rei informed the dragon.

"You could leave her outside the door for a moment," Elgatos suggested. "Or you could use your gifts. Ice shouldn't hurt her in this condition."