Hawk's Nest (Tremble Island) by Lynn Ray Lewis Page B

made him puff his chest a bit and tell his friend, “That is my sister.” That sentiment was felt by many people as they watched their daughters or siblings escort the prisoners.
    Behind the men, four women were being led in a similar manner by an Amazon with a leash in her hands. They were a rag tag looking group with only one of the women showing any sign of defiance. She was older than the rest but still kept pace as she was pulled along. A litter being carried by two more defenders, containing a heavily pregnant woman, was at the rear of the group. One Amazon walked behind all, keeping a vigilant eye out for trouble.
    The prisoners were taken to the well used dungeon under the Hall. The former lord had used the place to store his victims and for torturing those he saw fit to indulge his evil hobbies upon. The pregnant female was taken into the Hall, and given over to the mercies of the witches who were coddling the young victims.
    Before the evening meal, Hawk’s Nest had two new citizens, and Hawk almost choked with laughter when he was introduced to the tiny bundles of joy. One was definitely a cat of some type from the slant and color of the babe’s eyes, and the other he would wager was yet another dragon baby. It had the same hue to its skin as Drago did. The elder witch asked to speak with him for a moment once he had greeted the new lives. Droxel told him of the whip scars and of the rope burns on the new mother’s wrists and ankles. Her examination of the girl estimated her to be very young and a victim of abuse herself. “I believe she is no abuser, My Lord, from the condition of her body, it is a miracle that she has lived to birth the babies. She has been starved and has open wounds on her back and thighs that should not be there if she is like the others.”
    He thanked her and went to the female’s side. The girl was young, he could see the marks on her wrists, and the thin lines of scars across her neck from what must have been something too tightly wound around the tender flesh that cut into her skin. The look of fear of him did not set well in his mind. After seeing the evidence, there was no way she would stand trial for wrong doings to anyone, she was barely more than a child herself.
    “Rest easy, little mother, you need have no fear that you will be further abused here at Hawk’s Nest. We do not torture or rape innocents in this place. You will be treated fairly and with dignity. No further harm will be visited upon you. You must sleep now, and allow the healers to care for you, so you may care for your offspring. Before you sleep, I want you to tell me who did this to you.”
    By the time her eyes were closed and her breathing was evened out in sleep, Hawk had his answers. The girl was taken from her family as a small child, she did not remember the name of the place she was taken from, only that she was used as a beast of burden until she was used for the men’s carnal appetites. He wanted to go to the dungeon and use whatever leftover torture devices Lord Loris had left behind on the three men. He made plans for the biggest brute. The man had been the one to abduct the young girl in the first place and used her before the others had, too. He would be happy to dispatch the man to the demons tomorrow. The brute was called Ignual, and he would be the prime example of what not to do under the Hawk’s watchful eyes.
    Con and Drago flew in late into the night, and were rested and fresh for the day’s activities. Drago laughed as he watched the small dragon burp her smoky offerings. He plucked the little beauty from the arms of her witchy nursemaid and raised her over his head as he spun around. By the time he stopped spinning the little one was making gurgling noises and spitting small flames from her tiny nostrils. He continued to speak in a gibberish tongue to the baby as he cradled her in his arm looking as if the child was his own get.
    Hawk grinned at his antics but pulled the proud new