The Dragon Lord's Aide Wants to Quit [BL]

Chapter 123: Acting Classes and Assassinations

Thump-thump-thump-thump. Riley’s heartbeat sounded like a marching band trying to drill through his ribs.

Slow-motion realization hit him square in the face. His eyes widened. His mouth went dry. Tunnel vision snapped into place as those golden eyes—half-lidded, faintly glowing, and entirely too amused—locked on him.

Kael, the golden lizard, the incoming executioner, looked for all the world like a man watching a play. The corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly while Riley’s knees threatened to buckle.

Yep.

Kill him now.

The tension snapped when one elf hissed, sharp and startled.

Because appearances could really be deceiving. Just because Kael looked casual, lazy, and amused didn’t mean everyone else should be.

So the pressure was crushing.

Yes, pressure.

At first, the elves weren’t shaken. Quite the opposite—in fact, their expressions lit up with the kind of anticipation that finally got the confused Riley’s stomach sinking before he realized what was actually happening.

Because in the mind of such proud elves, why would they be shaken when they clearly thought that the human was about to be roasted alive for daring to claim something so audacious?

So their gazes all shifted past the mortal and toward the door where they waited for what should’ve been an enjoyable show.

But then, just when they were waiting for the human’s entire world to crumble, they were instead hit with pressure that got them hissing or choking.

They expected him to be angry, livid, really; they just didn’t expect the human to be saved from the debilitating pressure released by the dragon lord.

Because when the elves reeled, Riley... didn’t.

"?!"he mountain of paperwork if any of these glowing beings died in front of him.

Would he even be able to live down any of the headlines?!

No.

But instead of easing, the pressure increased, doubling as if that wasn’t enough punishment.

Meanwhile, Kael tilted his head again, as if dissatisfied.

Riley gawked.

He’s shitting me. He’s got to be shitting me. There’s no way he’d actually—

But Kael’s gaze dared him otherwise.

One elf collapsed, reaching desperately toward Riley’s feet. Blue lips, trembling fingers.

And Riley—pitiful, doomed Riley—cracked.

"H-honey! Please stop!"

The words spilled from his own cursed mouth, strangled with despair, shame, and the raw desire to live.

He malfunctioned. Absolutely broke down. In that instant, Riley accepted it. He would just need another life to fix his problems. Maybe in that one, he’d be smart enough to avoid anything that resembled a dragon. Especially golden ones with nice hair and excellent bone structure. Especially those.

But it worked.

The pressure eased.

Kael straightened, the lazy amusement gone from his eyes, replaced with something sharper. "Walk faster out of there. Unless you want me to come and get you."

Hell. No.

Riley practically sprinted, fleeing with the speed of a man who’d stared his executioner in the eyes and been told to run.

Because deep in his gut, he knew—even a new identity wouldn’t save him from the shame of being fetched again.