Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“I am the Father,” he roared. His magic radiated out of him, pinning her in place. She dropped to one knee as her mind trembled under his power. Blood ran from her nose, down her lips, and over her chin. “You will obey me.”
Finally, when it stopped, tears were in her lashes and there was desperation on her too-beautiful face, satisfaction on the faces of those assembled. Applause rang out at his outburst, as if it were a show and not her life.
The collar opened with a soft click as the Father stepped up to where she knelt before him.
“This is for your own good,” he said.
“Please,” she whispered as he circled her throat. “Mother wouldn’t have wanted this.”
“Don’t,” he snarled, “mention her in my presence.”
The room shuddered as his outrage turned to a physical press against their senses. Isa had to close her eyes to suffer through the pain.
The lock clicked into place.
“Now you are mine,” he told her with a wicked smile. “Stand.”
And she could do nothing else.
Chapter Thirteen
The Capital
Clover
“It won’t be forever,” Clover assured Darby.
She sniffled and swiped at her eyes. The wind whipped her black hair across her face, and she turned away from Clover. “We don’t know how long you’ll be gone. You and Hadrian. Gone without me. I won’t even know if you’re okay.”
“Kerrigan will be able to check in,” Hadrian reminded her. “We’ll be all right. We can take care of ourselves.”
“My little street rat,” Clover crooned with a wink.
Darby burst into tears at the affectionate name. “I can’t.”
Clover pulled her into her arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We’ll miss you, but we’re coming back. Okay? I love you.”
Darby jerked back. Her tear-limned eyes were wide with shock and wonder. “You…love me?”
“I do. I love you.” Clover’s eyes lifted to Hadrian. “I love you too.”
He flushed all over at the words. “I love you.”
Darby hiccuped. “I love you.”
Clover claimed her mouth one more time. Savored the sweet taste of her. Then she pulled away with as much force as she could muster, or else she’d stay forever.
“You ready to fly?” Clover asked, slinging her bag across her back as she approached Gerrond.
The Sayair male was shorter than Clover by a few inches. His clothes were brightly colored—red pants, a pink tunic, and his striking emerald cloak—and his long, honey-colored hair had been tied up into a messy bun at the top of his head. The hair at his nape had been shaved off entirely.
“Have you ever flown before?” he asked carefully.
“Once,” she admitted. “I didn’t throw up.”
“I was part of the House of Dragons,” Hadrian offered.
Gerrond grinned. “Ah, then you are most familiar with dragons. Excellent. It’s a several-hour flight to the city, so we should get going.” He gestured to his dragon with dirty yellow scales. “This is Henrley. He isn’t very talkative, so don’t expect him to say much unless we encounter danger.”
“Is it likely we’ll encounter danger?” Hadrian asked.
“Let’s hope not,” Gerrond said. He turned to Kerrigan, who had been standing off to the side, talking with Tieran as they said their goodbyes. He held his hand out. “May we meet again.”
“Clear skies,” she said, shaking his hand once, hard. “I’ll check in with Clover. Keep her as your contact as we go forward.”
Gerrond nodded. “Let’s hope all is well.”
“And, Gerrond,” she said as he turned away.
“Yeah?”
“Good luck.”
Kerrigan looked like she very much doubted it would go well. She pulled Clover and Hadrian in for quick hugs and then let them go, drawing Darby to her to watch as they climbed on to Henrley’s back and Gerrond led them out into the sky. Clover looked back just once to see them waving goodbye. Half of her heart was left behind.
Despite her one dragon flight, Clover was not an easy flier. She’d left half of her stash of loch behind for Amond, just in case. She had some in the city. She just had to get to Thea and the RFA—Rights For All—a pro-human and half-Fae rights organization. But what she wouldn’t give for a cigarette right then to steel her nerves. But she had been waiting until the pain fully came on before she took a smoke. She had too little to have one for anxiety.
The discomfort and monotony of dragon riding took over the fear of it within an hour. Gerrond kept up a steady stream of conversation about the landscape, as if he too had jitters that he needed to dispel. It was hours before the valley of Kinkadia came into view, and by then, her fingers were frozen and her legs stiff.
“There,” Gerrond said, pointing at an outcropping some distance from the city. “We’ll stop there.”
Henrley took them down toward the ground. As they got closer, Clover realized it was an encampment. People were living here, in little tents and shanties. Not in real houses like in the city or inside a hollowed mountain or anything. Just pitched about surrounding campfires near a little stream.