Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
“Come here,” I say quietly, rising on my toes and cupping the side of his face, lifting my hands to his temples to shield him from view. Courtlyn’s chair squeaks on the dais. “Look at me.”
Xaden’s eyes flash open. Red rims his irises and consumes the gold flecks I adore so very much, but he’s still him behind these eyes. I force my body not to react, then pull his forehead to mine. “I love you and we need to get you out of here, so you have to trust me. Do not move until I tell you.”
He nods.
“Sit down. Put your head in your hands and stay there.” I let him go, and he does exactly as I ask, keeping his head low as if he’s ashamed of what he’s done.
“I need help,” I tell Tairn and Andarna.
“We’re ready,” Tairn replies. Thank gods they’re always in my head.
“Andarna, when it’s time, be gentle.” For once, I don’t even want to lecture her about not staying home when she’s told, though she’d better have her harness on if this doesn’t go as planned.
“Is your lightning gentle? Do I critique your work?” She huffs.
Courtlyn still stands behind the table, one of the panthers at his side, panic etched in every line of his face as the court mutters in muted tones of hysteria behind us.
“I need you to get Sgaeyl as close as possible,” I tell Tairn, then offer what I hope is a contrite smile Courtlyn’s way. “Our most sincere apology, but in Navarre, riders are trained to kill when you attack us, and our restraint can only be pushed so far. As you can see, the duke feels some remorse, but you did just try to murder two of our kingdom’s nobles.” I cringe. “Not a good look for negotiations. Shall we begin round two? I’ll lead this time.”
“We have no magic.” Courtlyn’s eyes widen, and his gaze darts over the room, as if he’s deciding whether or not to call for more guards.
“Watch your words,” Tairn warns. “Sgaeyl is here. It’s getting cramped behind these trees.”
“And yet here we are. Did you know that I’m a lightning wielder?” I cock my head to the side.
Courtlyn swallows. “Tecarus mentioned something along those lines.”
“What happened?” Halden sits up with perfect timing, rubbing a growing lump on his head.
Courtlyn’s chest rises and falls more rapidly with every second, and I watch the panic build within him like a breaking dam ready to burst. I drop my right hand to my sheaths and wait for him to explode. “Shira!” he bellows, snapping faster than I expected.
“Violet!” Halden shouts, and Xaden’s back turns to stone beneath my hand, but true to his word, he doesn’t move a muscle.
Neither do I.
“No!” Courtlyn shrieks, his eyes locking behind me in horror. His mouth falls agape, and the group of Deverelli erupts into full-blown multitoned cries of distress.
“You stay put and she lives,” I warn him as people run for their lives, emptying out the hall.
“Well, holy shit,” Halden says with lifted eyebrows, wobbling as he stands.
I look over my shoulder, and a slow, proud smile spreads across my face. Andarna stands with her front claws atop the bodies of the guards, her wings tucked in tight, her black tail flicking back and forth as she holds Shira delicately between her front four teeth, the snarling cat’s claws safely tucked outside so she can’t cause any damage. Andarna even has her lips puckered so the little cat doesn’t get drenched in dragon saliva. How thoughtful.
“Shira…” Courtlyn cries.
“You see, that’s my little one.” I pivot toward Courtlyn with a grin, wrinkling my nose. “Raised her from a juvenile—well, Tairn and Sgaeyl have, really, but you get the point. Now, Andarna doesn’t eat our allies—it’s a whole thing her elders are trying to teach her—but you know how adolescents are. Never really know if they feel like listening on any given day.” I shrug. “So we can negotiate, and I will give you the rarest treasure found anywhere on this world and Shira will walk away in need of a good bath, or I can call Tairn and Sgaeyl in here, and they can all have little panther snacks before we fly back to the Continent. Your choice. But either way, you should know that dragons outlive their riders, so had you succeeded in killing us, all you would have done was really piss them off before they scorched everything in their paths and flew back to tell the rest of the Empyrean what you’d done. I’m willing to let the Duke of Tyrrendor depart in good faith that you won’t try to attack us again if you’re ready to begin.”
Courtlyn’s face falls, and for the first time since we walked in, he actually looks his age as he glances at Xaden. “Agreed.”