Dragon King's Harem Chapter 381. Coward
It was only for a moment that I paused, my gaze scanning the camp once again.
After a beat, I shook my head from side to side, as if dismissing whatever had caught my attention.
"Maybe it was just my imagination," I muttered under my breath, but I made sure my voice was loud enough for the spy to hear. It had to believe I was on edge but not yet aware of its presence.
I pretended to relax and turned back toward the tent, pushing aside the flap as though I was about to step inside. But as soon as I was out of sight, I activated my skill. 'Shadow Walk.'
Within a blink, I reappeared just behind the spy, catching it completely off guard. Before it could react, my hand shot out, snatching the tiny Shadowglide Lizard's body in a tight grip.
Its small, beady eyes widened in panic, and it let out a shrill shriek of fear. The sound was grating, a high-pitched squeal. The other two lizards immediately bolted, scurrying away as fast as their little wings could carry them. Just as I wanted. Let them run back to Viperax with the story I was about to feed them.
"Did you think I didn't see you?" I hissed through gritted teeth, my voice low and filled with displeasure.
The lizard squirmed in my grasp, its tiny claws scratching against my skin as it tried to free itself. But it was useless; my hold was firm. It continued to shriek.
The lizard's panicked cries grated on my nerves, but I kept my composure, glaring at it with a mix of annoyance and disdain. "That damned lizard king sent you to check on his handiwork, didn't he?" I continued, my tone dripping with contempt. I wanted to make it clear that I was placing the blame for this mess squarely on Viperax's shoulders.
The creature could only shriek in response, its tiny body trembling in fear. It had no idea what I was saying—it was too simple-minded for that—but it didn't need to understand the words. The tone, the intent, that was enough. It struggled harder, its small wings flapping uselessly.
I reached into my pocket with my free hand and pulled out a small crystal, shaped like a tumbled stone and about half the size of one of my finger joints. A crystal recorder, designed to capture and replay whatever was said to it and gave all the chaos scene around us. I held it up in front of the lizard's face, letting the faint light catch the polished surface.
"Take this to him," I growled, shaking the crystal slightly for emphasis. "Let Viperax see how his plans went down the drain."
The lizard stopped struggling for a moment, its beady eyes fixated on the crystal. It didn't understand, of course, but the gesture was enough.
"If he wants a battle or a war," I continued, speaking directly into the crystal now, "he should come to me directly. Not hide behind lowly monsters like a coward!" I twisted the narrative, making it seem like Viperax was the one acting in bad faith, like he was the one provoking a fight he wasn't prepared to face head-on.
The lizard let out another panicked cry, its tiny body still trembling in my hand. I could feel its heart beating rapidly against my palm. I allowed myself a small, satisfied smirk. This would send the right message—both to the lizards and to Viperax. Let him think that his little spies had been caught and that we were on the defensive. Let him believe that we were frustrated, ready for a fight. It would keep him guessing, keep him off balance.
"Viperax," I muttered, more to myself than to the lizard, "you think you can play these games with me?" I could almost see his face, contorted with frustration, confusion and anger.
I pinched the small monster's mouth open with my thumb and forefinger, its sharp little teeth snapping futilely against my skin. Its shrieks were becoming more frantic now, each sound sharper, more desperate. "He better give a good answer for what he's done," I hissed, my voice low and threatening. The lizard seemed to shiver in my grasp, its eyes darting around wildly as if searching for an escape.
Without giving it another moment to think, I shoved the crystal into its mouth. The creature gagged slightly, its eyes bulging in surprise and fear. I didn't give it a chance to spit it out. "Take this back to your king," I ordered, my tone leaving no room for disobedience. "Let him see how his plan went down the drain. And if he wants a war or battle, he knows where to find me."
With a flick of my wrist, I tossed the lizard up into the air. Its wings snapped open instinctively, catching the wind as it quickly corrected its flight. It hesitated for a split second, looking back at me with those small, terrified eyes, then darted off into the night, gliding away as fast as it could. I watched it disappear into the shadows, my eyes following its flight until it was completely out of sight.
'That should do the trick,' I thought. Viperax would receive the message, and he'd know his attempt to spy on us had failed miserably. Not only that, but he'd have to grapple with the idea that our camp had been attacked just like his. I could almost see him now, pacing back and forth in frustration, trying to piece together the fragments of a puzzle that didn't quite fit.
He would probably consider other possibilities—maybe think that some other tribe was behind all this chaos. But we were on the border between our territories, and there were no other tribes around here. It was just us, the Dragon Tribe, and him, with his battered convoy trying to recover from the monster attack. It would leave him questioning whether what he was seeing and hearing was real or some elaborate ruse. Either way, it would make his head hurt. He would be left wondering if he'd walked into a trap, if he was being toyed with, or if he was simply out of his depth.
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