Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Fast healing wouldn’t matter if the dragons sentenced me to death.
I swallowed down my trepidation. One thing at a time.
A shape above us caught my attention. I glanced up only to stop dead, my mouth dropping open.
A huge, winged creature cut across the sky. Glimmering purple scales covered most of its body, except for a light blue belly. Its great wings beat solidly, the feet curved under its body tipped with long, glistening black claws.
A dragon.
“Holy fuck,” I said softly, staring as it glided through the air. “It’s gorgeous. And huge.”
“He’s average. Wait until you see the king.”
Weston’s assertions that he would protect me from the dragons was even more laughable after having seen one. What would he do, bite their ankles?
“Listen, Aurelia . . . What’s up with you?” Hadriel took my arm to get me moving. “What’s going on? I mean, besides your life being turned upside down and finding out your past was a pile of garbage that was just set on fire and being dragged to a new kingdom to face the possibility of death. What else is troubling you?”
I watched the dragon soar for a moment longer, taking jerking steps to keep up with Hadriel.
“They’re beautiful,” I gushed. “Is it too much to hope that I have a dragon in me instead of a wolf? I’d love to be able to fly.”
“They’re a bunch of mean fuckers with rage problems and no regard for boundaries. Fuck them. Listen, I want to help you. I’m on your side. But you can’t shut everyone out. You’re creating an internal world not unlike the one you just left.”
I could hear the worry in his voice. It poked that soft spot he’d created within me by being friendly. By caring.
“I’m . . . hardening up.” I refocused on the lane leading into the village. “I’m now in another place where I will not be welcome, but this time it isn’t because of what I am, it’s because of what I’ve done. This time it is valid. I need to stay strong.”
“What we think makes us strong can sometimes make us brittle. It isn’t the same thing as locking yourself inside. It’s okay to grieve.”
I let out a shaky laugh I didn’t feel. “If I start grieving, I might never stop.”
“It might seem that way, but the dawn is just around the corner, I know it. Just . . . do me a favor. Give this place a chance. Endure the accusations of your murdering their villagers, tell your story, and yes, take the judgment. But until then, give it a chance. I know you’ll love it.”
I sighed softly. It was hard to deny him after all he’d done for me in staying by my side and helping me escape when I’d needed to.
I nodded. “Okay.”
He gave me a tight smile and a nod in return. “Good. Here we are—we’re entering the village.”
Homes dotted the way, roads and lanes meandering over the natural rise and fall of the earth to reach them all. The main strip held small shops and cute little eateries leading to a central square where traders had set up their tables and tents. In the far corner, some sort of traveling show was rolling out an awning.
“This is the village where the shadow market dealers lurk the most,” he murmured, walking close in at my side. “The stalls are torn down as soon as they’re discovered, but they pop up again in a blink. It drives Finley mad.”
“Granny never mentioned the shadow markets being torn down.” I scoffed at my own statement. “I guess we now know she didn’t mention a lot of things.”
He patted my arm. “Your filthy kingdom probably never bothered,” he said as we heard, “Hah!”
Hadriel flinched and slowed, stepping just in front of me. “What in the gods’ assholes?”
“You won’t take me alive!” a man shouted. “Go ahead, try it! Try to get me. I will take every last one of you.”
In an alleyway, a nude, skinny man with a bony chest and thinning brown hair slashed a knife through the air. Three wolves stood around him, their fur bristling, having backed him against a wall around the corner from a small shop. Their lips were pulled back, revealing their teeth, as they inched closer. They were clearly trying to subdue him without getting a knife in the ribs for their efforts. The problem was they were doing it all wrong.
I sighed and wanted to cry. It was probably my product he had taken; he’d been on a journey and was obviously angry at the interruption. Nothing like an example of my crimes to push the dragons toward action.
I looked away for a moment, wanting for all the world to go back in time and do my life over. To make different decisions, push Granny down a different path. Or maybe just claim ignorance about drugs and hope she pointed me in a less damaging direction.