Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Constantine swore again. “Felicity, is it?”
“Yes,” Flavia said.
“Let’s go.” He nodded his head at Kerrigan. “It’ll take half the night to get us back. We should start out now.”
“In the dark?” Kerrigan asked incredulously.
“Unless you want to stay here,” he said, glancing at Flavia.
“I don’t,” she answered honestly.
“Get your stuff.”
He turned from the room and stomped out again. Flavia rushed for the bag of money. Kerrigan was completely forgotten in the mayhem. She had no possessions. She just had herself.
Felix caught her eye on the way out. For the first time maybe ever, he smiled. “The kurios will look after you.”
She blinked in confusion, but already, she could hear Constantine’s disapproving growl from down the hall and the impatient stamp of his feet. So, she pushed past Felix and after her new owner.
Her escape had failed. Her one chance to get out of this life and help her people was over. If she wasn’t a fighter, she would have already given up. She didn’t know what kind of man this Constantine was. She had no idea what she was walking into, but she would do it with her head held high. And she would survive.
7
The Estate
“You ride?” Constantine asked once they were downstairs.
She expected a carriage or wagon of some sort to transport, but it was just him, standing next to the largest dappled horse she had ever seen. The highest part of its withers barely brushed Constantine’s massive shoulders. Kerrigan’s head touched its belly.
“Never seen an Andiza, I gather,” he said dryly.
“No.”
“Well, they tried to wipe out the breed during the war. This one came along with me,” he said with affection for the beast. “She’s faster and more reliable than the smaller creatures. If she likes you, then you’ll have a friend for life. Here. Put your hand out.”
Kerrigan was used to dragons. A horse couldn’t frighten her, and yet she preferred flying to riding any day. She had enough experience to hold her hand steady and meet its stare. Finally, the horse nuzzled her open palm, and Kerrigan smiled.
“Good. She likes you. Makes it easier. I’ll help you onto Melidonna.”
He lifted her around the waist as if she were a rag doll. She yelped as she threw a leg over and straddled the horse. Constantine vaulted up behind her, his meaty thighs pressing against her now-exposed legs.
He grunted. “Should have thought of that. You usually ride sidesaddle?”
“No, I normally wear pants.”
He laughed heartily. “At least you have a sense of humor.”
Constantine’s threw his large black jacket over her lap for modesty. She said nothing, still getting accustomed to having him against her and considering how she could get out of this situation. It was just a horse. Maybe she could slide off while he was riding.
“Find the wind, Melidonna,” Constantine barked.
Then, he kicked off, and all thoughts of that evaporated. The horse moved at unthinkable speeds. Not as fast as her dragon, Tieran. But far faster than any breed she’d ever been on. All she had time to do was hang on for her dear life as they barreled away from Eivreen and out into the countryside beyond.
She had no idea how long they had been on the horse when her eyes began to droop. The magic drain had been intense. Quintus must have had more magic than Flavia because Kerrigan was exhausted. It was the middle of the night, and despite having slept the entire day away, she couldn’t keep her eyes open as Melidonna thundered under her. It was a lullaby, and soon, she slipped forward into unconsciousness.
Time passed unevenly, and soon, she was jerked awake by a man yelling from a distance. She blinked rapidly.
“Where am I?” she whispered into the coming dawn.
“Welcome to my home,” a man’s voice rumbled behind her.
That was when she realized she was lying back against a hard, firm body. She jolted away from the welcoming warmth. There was a rumble of what could be laughter behind her, but she didn’t turn around.
Constantine. The man who had purchased her from Flavia. That much she remembered clearly.
His home came into full focus, and her jaw dropped open. She’d known that he had to be wealthy to be able to purchase her at the ridiculous price Flavia had set for her, but she hadn’t considered that his house would be a fortress. It was enclosed by a high wall, shielding much of the interior from view, aside from a large central castle with turrets and towers. She had never seen anything like it.
As they approached, Constantine held his hand out toward the portcullis. A spark of light flickered across the entrance. Magic. Some kind of magic she’d never seen before. After that, the portcullis was raised, and they galloped inside. The gate closed sharply behind them.
A man of middle years with the dark tan skin of an Andine approached them with two much younger boys in tow. Both boys also appeared to be Andine with curly, dark, longer hair.