Chapter 8.

Distrust.

Lucia watched the prince with the silver mask feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The sheet he had thrown at her smelled of rosemary and seemed to have a purpose. Finally, the prince broke the silence.

¿What the hell are you doing, slave, displaying my property? ¿Who gave you permission to take off your clothes in such a public place? His eyes danced from her face to her body, and although he had truly invested well, he was enraged by the fact that anyone could pass by the place and see such an erotic sight having fun among the waves of the sea.

The girl stood up excitedly and threw the blanket over his head, telling him that she was not his property and that if she wanted to even take off her underwear, she would do so. This made him lose his patience and point at her, indicating that she should not challenge him. But the girl didn't know better than to play with fire and pulled off her bra, throwing it in his face and running away from him. His tail caught her and pulled her into his body, as he carried her away to his personal castle, leaving a grey smoke with his departure.

---

In the cell, Dandara huddled against the cold wall, trying to find some comfort amidst her distress. Meanwhile, the man in the golden mask continued to watch her from a distance, calculating his next moves.

Minutes felt like hours, and Dandara began to lose track of time. Finally, she heard footsteps approaching her cell. The door slowly opened, revealing the man in the golden mask once again.

.

Dandara looked at him suspiciously. I'm not the woman in the painting. I don't know who you think I am, but you're wrong. The fact that we both look alike does not make me your slave

It is time for you to begin to understand your role here, he said in a firm voice. You are the king's slave, so you must obey my every command.

The man sighed and leaned towards her. We shall see. But first, I want you to understand what's at stake."

The man tried not to squeeze her hair hard, but to her it felt like he wanted to separate her scalp from her skull until he released her and took her back to the room. Putting a shackle on her feet, he threw her onto the bed while saying, "Clean each one of my scales." And immediately he transformed into a dragon, which caused her to panic. She held on tightly to the bed, denying it, but only until he showed his teeth so she could ask him, "What do I have to clean your fur with?" He turned his gaze to the corner of the place, causing her to approach there and take the cotton with the oils that were in a vessel. As she approached the dragon's skin, she closed her eyes and tried to pass it gently, which caused a feeling of relaxation in him, which gave him the confidence to fall asleep during the process that would take her at least hours to complete.