Sonja stopped at the office of the High Guard. Zane Darkwynde wore his official uniform. He was tall and well-built with sharp cheekbones and a square jaw. His black hair was a little long with a slight curl and he had deep green eyes. When he saw her, he stood and grabbed a cloak.

They didn't speak. They didn't have to. The two worked together flawlessly in their professional lives, despite the rocky relationship in their personal lives. Zane was also the oldest living Dragon at 130 years in age. His Changing Age didn't start until he was well into his early twenties. Something that would have been embarrassing in normal times had saved his life during the Plague.

Together they stepped into the shadows. This was a special ability of Onyx Dragons called Shadowwalking. It was a very common ability, manifesting around the Changing Age. It allowed Onyx Dragons to travel distances in moments that would take hours otherwise. The distance was limited by age and power. 

It wasn't a weekend, but being a somewhat lazy, spoiled, and pampered person, Ludvig didn't wake up until he had to. That being the case, the two of them stepped out of the shadows of the living wing of the Starshadow family, Starshadow Residence. Sonja unerringly headed for the master suite. Yes, she and her husband slept in different rooms most of the time, which was fine with both of them. The two bedrooms were separated by a receiving room with comfortable seating and a fireplace for relaxing before bed. It was also humongous, with enough space to accommodate two adult Dragons.

They walked into the receiving room, and Sonja headed directly for the door to her husband's bedroom and kicked it open. Of all the members of the Dracosenati, she was the most martial. She engaged in martial training as much as she did her official duties. If she weren't the Duchess, she would have gladly been a soldier. The large wooden door flew open and banged against the wall, echoing around the spacious room.

The man sleeping in the bed jumped up and looked around confusedly. Spotting Sonja with Zane not far behind, Ludvig cursed. He began scrambling out of bed, transforming and running toward the balcony at the same time.

Sonja ran after him, doing the same. Soon, two adult Onyx Dragons, black gem-like scales sparkling with iridescence under the murky sunlight. Ludvig was actually slightly smaller than Sonja, and he never exercised or trained. He wasn't brilliant, but he was cunning. He knew he was in trouble when Sonja crashed into his bedroom with that abyssal Zane Darkwynde behind her. Ludvig had a guilty conscience for a myriad of things, so he didn't know why exactly they were after him, but he knew he had to get away. He flapped his membranous wings for all he was worth.

He was no match for Sonja. For other slim Dragons, they could use their size for speed and maneuverability. However, living a more or less sedentary life, Ludvig had no idea how to make use of his size. She roared and powered through the air. She rammed into him and folded her wings, putting her full on him as she grabbed his wings. He shouted and thrashed, and tried to blast her with shadow fire, the primary Dragon breath attack of an Onyx Dragon. She merely dodged and bit his neck to immobilize him as they crashed into the ground. They were still within the grounds of the Castle, and Zane had already controlled the scene before even sending the report.

He knew Sonja wouldn't want too many outsiders to know what was happening until everything was clear. He leisurely followed behind them until they crashed. He landed gracefully. He was one of the largest Dragons, nearly seventy feet from tip to tail and thirty-five feet tall. He had a muscled, panther-like body; sleek and powerful. He was very intimidating.

Sonja got off of Ludvig when she saw Zane approach. Even Ludvig should know he would never be able to get away from both of them. "Change," she ordered.

Ludvig resentfully transformed into his human form, wearing only some silken pajama bottoms. He could be considered good looking, with sharp features that her girls inherited. He was a bit scrawny and soft from lack of exercise. His hair was shoulder length and disheveled. His dissolute face was sulky, and his gray eyes were resentful. "Sonja Starshadow! What are you doing? How dare you treat me like this!" he bluffed. "I'm your husband, not a criminal!" 

Sonja transformed and approached him with a cold smile. "Ludvig Shadowclaw," she sneered.

The way she said his name caused chills down his back. He looked around, hoping to find some shadows, but Sonja was very purposeful in where they went down. She knew that Shadowwalking was one of the only abilities he was proficient at. So, she made them crash in the open training ground where there were no shadows. She scoffed. "If you've done nothing wrong, then why are you running away?" she asked pointedly.

Ludvig finally sneered and glared at the towering Zane Darkwynde. The other was keeping watch but not interfering. "What have I supposedly done?" he asked, jutting his chin into the air.

Sonja pulled a bracelet out of her pocket. "Put this on and we'll talk in the dungeon," she said. The bracelet shone with a silvery gleam. Magic symbols were carved all over it. If lucky, most Dragons had no idea what this thing was. However, Ludvig oversaw criminal cases and knew exactly what this Draconite bracelet was. It was a magic artifact that limited a Dragon from using their abilities and prevented them from transforming.

His eyes widened and he panicked. He tried to run away again, but Zane casually reached out a claw to cut off his path. When Ludvig tried to change course, Zane simply blocked him again. Sonja watched, trying to process the ludicrousness of the situation. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and ran to intercept him, sweeping a leg to trip him. He landed face down on the hard ground, busting his nose.

"Sonja! You wench! How dare you treat me this way!" he screamed, pain bursting through his face. Blood dripped down his face and pooled on the ground beneath him.

Sonja ignored his outburst. She put a knee into his back and grabbed one of his arms and put the bracelet on him despite his struggle. He continued to shout insults at her.  Tired of hearing his voice, she wrapped a shadow sphere around his face. It insulated the sound, but allowed him to breathe. She stood up with her foot on his back and transformed again. She lowered her head and took his body into her mouth as he flailed and struggled.

They were near the dungeon entrance, but it would be a long walk on two legs, and they couldn't Shadowwalk with him wearing the bracelet, so she chose the simplest option. Large Dragon steps were much better than small people steps. She began walking toward the dungeon with Zane following behind.