As the squad once again mounted their gryphons and set off for Grim Batol, their numbers had increased from four to five.
Originally, the four-person squad had each ridden their own gryphon. But now, with the addition of their captive, Onyxia, someone had to share a ride with her.
Since it was Alaric who had sealed Onyxia's powers with magic, it was safest for him to be the one carrying her.
Thus…
"Can you all focus on flying properly and controlling your gryphons instead of constantly staring at me?" Alaric shouted at Vereesa and Garona during their flight.
Among them, Kurdran, the most skilled gryphon rider, was undoubtedly the squad's navigator, leading the way in the front, while the other three followed behind, tracing his flight path.
However, soon after taking off, Alaric noticed that his two female companions were paying more attention to him than their gryphon riding.
Their glances, filled with vigilance, envy, and even distaste, were directed at him—or rather, at the person in his arms, Onyxia.
Yes, the dragon princess, who was currently bound in her humanoid form, was sitting in an unusually intimate position in Alaric's embrace. His arms partially enclosed her, and her head rested against his chest, with long, jet-black hair cascading over his mage robes.
Their proximity was so close that each of Alaric's breaths brushed against Onyxia's skin, and he could distinctly sense the warmth and faint fragrance emanating from her body and hair.
What made Alaric even more uncomfortable and embarrassed was the way their bodies kept colliding.
The soft and seductive curves in his arms seemed to embody the very essence of temptation, constantly testing his resolve with every bump and jolt of the flight.
And her ample figure just so happened to be positioned perilously close to a rather sensitive area, making every little movement a trial of willpower for him.
To make matters worse, while Alaric was clearly feeling awkward, Onyxia, on the other hand, showed no signs of discomfort.
Instead, she appeared to revel in the situation, leaning closer each time he tried to shift away, as if she were deliberately tempting him or simply amused by teasing him.
Even as a captive, Onyxia still lived up to her reputation as Deathwing's daughter—a natural-born seductress who could maintain the upper hand in any situation.
Faced with this, Vereesa and Garona merely scoffed in unison at Alaric's complaints before reluctantly turning their gazes away.
Yet, it didn't take long for their cold, scrutinizing stares to return once again.
Seeing no way out, Alaric could only sigh and pretend not to notice their judgmental looks.
It was only thanks to Kurdran leading the way that their gryphons merely had to follow along, significantly lowering the skill required to ride them.
Otherwise, Alaric would never have tolerated Vereesa and Garona's reckless flying.
After all, as the saying goes: "Of all the roads in the world, safety comes first. Reckless riding leads to sorrow."
In truth, having Onyxia ride with him was the only viable option.
To prevent her from causing trouble, Alaric had not only completely sealed her powers but also restricted her physical strength to that of an ordinary noblewoman.
In this weakened state, the Black Dragon Princess couldn't even ride a warhorse on her own, let alone a gryphon.
Given her status and potential value, Alaric had decided not to kill her.
But leaving her behind was also out of the question—if she somehow escaped or unsealed her powers, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Thus, the only solution was to bring her along to Grim Batol.
However, Onyxia was now too physically frail to ride behind him. If any turbulence occurred mid-flight, she could easily fall to her death in the most humiliating fashion.
So, letting her sit in his lap was the only logical choice.
"Just endure it," Alaric silently told himself.
And he secretly vowed that once they returned, this mischievous little dragoness would have to pay for all her teasing.
As the gryphons continued their flight, the entrance to Grim Batol grew closer and closer.
Soon, the massive dwarven-style gateway came into view, along with a red figure soaring through the skies.
"It's a red dragon!" Alaric immediately warned. "Before they spot us, descend quickly!"
"Hoo—" Kurdran whistled from the front, and the gryphons responded instantly, tucking their wings in and diving like true raptors at incredible speeds toward the ground.
Although the others weren't as skilled as Kurdran, they were still competent riders.
Following his lead, all four (including Onyxia) leaned forward, lowering their centers of gravity and allowing the weightless sensation and howling winds to wash over them.
Alaric could feel Onyxia's soft body pressing tightly against his chest.
This time, he didn't bother avoiding it. Instead, he tightened his grip on the reins and held her even closer to ensure she wouldn't fall during their rapid descent.
A raptor's dive was far more thrilling than any rollercoaster—plummeting at nearly a hundred meters per second, they landed with their hair completely tousled by the wind.
"Luckily, we weren't spotted." Kurdran glanced nervously at the red dragons still patrolling the skies, clearly relieved.
"From here on, we'll have to proceed on foot," Alaric said as he helped the "frail maiden" Onyxia down from the gryphon. "If the red dragons detect us, even if we can handle them, the orcs here will be alerted."
"Besides, it's time for our captive to prove her worth." Alaric turned to look at the exhausted Black Dragon Princess.
"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" Onyxia stammered, suddenly flustered under his gaze.
"As the mastermind behind the conspiracy, I'm certain your father is keeping a close watch on Grim Batol and the Dragon Soul," Alaric said, smiling knowingly at her.
"So, before he achieves his goal, unexpected intruders like us will definitely catch his attention.
Originally, my plan was to infiltrate Grim Batol completely unnoticed—avoiding both the orcs and your father's detection. But with you here… things are different."
"D-different how?" Onyxia swallowed nervously.
The way Alaric's eyes gleamed as he stared at her sent shivers down her spine, making her momentarily forget all about her usual seductive antics.
"You'll see soon enough."
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