Chapter 26
Bonescraper grabbed Zhou by the throat and threw him to the ground. The larger red dragon held him there by his claws in the mid-section of the dangerous dragon and he looked to the young Duchess. Zara had managed to make everyone look at her and now the young green woman was feeling a little self-conscious. Still she pressed forward.
"Zhou! You were ordered to leave and never return lest you face the consequences. Those consequences will now come to bear," Zara said.
"I'm the one in trouble? You lied to us from the start!" Zhou tried to argue before getting one of Bonescraper's claws on his neck.
"Your dishonesty caused us to be cautious. Your behavior is no one's fault but your own," the Duchess wasn't buying it.
"You went against your own kind. None of the humans standing before you are responsible for that. You had an opportunity to start again and you ruined it. The Princess was lenient with you. She let you live. You could have even turned that into a new life. Instead your hatred drove you to come back here and now it will drive you into your grave," Bonescraper snarled at the dragon he held down.
"Now before I have Bonescraper do what needs to be done, what did you do to your wife? She is not responsive to any exterior stimuli. Remove whatever spell you cast," Zara gave him a look.
"Why should I? No matter what I do to her, you will carry out your punishment," Zhou had no intention to help his spouse.
"It is your last chance to redeem yourself. Whatever gods you believe in may decide to lessen your sentence. If you don't…" Zara just shrugged.
"Her allegiance no longer lies with me. She and my daughter rather throw their lot in with you so do your worst," Zhou was defiant to the end. Bonescraper looked at Zara and her mother. Elphaba and Zara nodded, and the dragon understood but before he could do anything Feilong approached him. Bonescraper looked at him, confused.
"Allow me," Feilong said. It was then that Bonescraper understood what the green dragon meant. The only way a human could kill a dragon was to penetrate the small opening in the scales where the heart resided. Dragons, however, did not need to do that. Their claws could easily penetrate the scales of another dragon.
Feilong sank his claws into Zhou's right arm and left arm and put his entire body over the top of the other dragon. Zhou did not cry out, not wanting to give those watching the satisfaction. Wei had turned around. While she no longer saw eye to eye with her father, a part of her was sad at what was about to happen. At the same time, he had refused to free her mother, and that made her angry. The cluster of emotions made her feel confused.
Zara didn't want to watch and closed her eyes. The sound of Bonescraper's nails cutting through the scales of Zhou's neck was unmistakable. After a few moments, he announced it was done. Zhou was gone.
"How do we dispose of the body?" Fiyero asked Elphaba.
"Dragon scales are mostly immune to fire. I think the only thing for it would be to dump the body into the ocean," she admitted. They got their answer however in the form of Bonescraper's actions. He had severed the head and then belched fire down the open throat of the traitor. He then turned and did the same to the head. The scales on the outside basically contained the blaze and burned all of the organic material that remained.
"The scales are now the property of the Dragon Lords," Bonescraper announced. Elphaba wasn't sure what that exactly meant but she nodded.
"Send the men out with carts to collect them. We'll have to figure out a storage situation at first light.
"Ping!" Zara shouted. Suddenly, the female dragon stopped pacing. She collapsed and Elphaba left the Palace walls with the help of Kelebek.
"Are you ok?" The green woman asked.
"I'm exhausted. What happened?" Ping asked.
"It is a very long story," Elphaba admitted.
To Be Continued…