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)
Her eyes opened up all the way down to her soul and then filled with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.
I wanted to wrap her in my arms but refrained, instead turning to open the door.
The royals sat on the dais upon their thrones, equally representing the law of the land. To the side of the queen, a step down and in a smaller chair, sat her brother. Surprisingly, the seat to the side of the king was occupied by Calia, a fairy in the high court of the fairy kingdom who’d come to visit the royals for a few months. I’d known she had arrived in the kingdom, but hadn’t been told she’d be sitting in on this interrogation. Arleth, the king’s mother, sat off to the side with several elixir makers I didn’t know very well. The crates of Aurelia’s product sat in the center of the room, and a smattering of Granny’s drugs lined a table beside them.
A shock of fear swept through Aurelia and she froze, her wide eyes staring at the king.
“It’s the monster from the library,” she mumbled, so low I could barely hear her. She started backing up. “I’ve changed my mind. Fuck this. I decline my invitation!”
“He’s going to listen.” Hadriel caught her by her shoulders and started pushing forward again. “He’s not going to judge you yet.”
“He looks like he’s going to tear my arms off and play the drums with them.”
“He always looks like that. He almost never rips arms off, though. It’ll be fine.” Hadriel pushed her harder, grunting with the effort. “Why the fuck can’t I move you? You weigh all of a hundred pounds.”
Vemar reached out to help, and I stepped in his way. The warning look I sent had him backing off.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” I murmured to her. The king would be able to hear me, but he might as well know where I stood before we got any further into this. “They are just going to ask you questions, and then let you go.”
She stopped and looked at me then. I ducked my head so our faces were level, allowing her to search my eyes for the truth. Through our bond, I could feel her trust in me overshadow her wariness, and she nodded once. I nodded once in return. Aurelia took a deep breath and allowed me to guide her forward, even as her whole body shook. A solitary chair waited for her in front of the dais. Her seat didn’t look overly comfortable, but neither was the vibe of the room.
She had no choice but to endure it.
Aurelia
Hadriel and Vemar stood behind me as my self-appointed support system. I hadn’t known it, but the two of them were a sort of pair, working together after the fall of the curse to keep the castle running smoothly.
They couldn’t be more different—the large, imposing dragon was utterly laid-back, while the much smaller wolf was loud and crass and blindingly colorful. Even if the worst possible outcome came to pass, it meant more than I could ever say that they stood behind me now.
Weston positioned himself at my side, his power and confidence soothing my nerves and relaxing my muscles one by one. This wasn’t primal. My reaction to him now was built on the sort of unwavering trust one could only garner through repeated, intense danger. He’d already seen me safe through the dangerous situation with Alexander and gotten me through to this point. He remained by my side now, even as I faced one of the worst set of circumstances I’d ever been in.
“Hello,” said a beautiful woman who sat on the dais in one of the matching thrones. She was the dragon queen, obviously. Her blue eyes shone with authority and power, her stare so much more intense than that of her brother. The effect nearly turned my spine to water. “You may state your name.”
I took a moment to collect my courage against her stare, ignoring the king’s golden-eyed menace altogether. “Aurelia Silverwood.”
“Has Weston explained how this is going to work?” she asked.
“You’re going to give me an elixir, Hannon is going to catch any lies, and you’re going to ask me questions.”
“That’s the gist of it, yes.” The queen motioned toward the table. “Weston?”
Weston crossed to where she pointed, picking up a little vial and turning toward me with a shuttered expression. I could feel his anger and wariness through the bond. He hesitated in pulling out the cork, fire kindling in his slate-gray eyes.
“It won’t hurt her,” said the queen softly.
Weston approached me, looking frustrated and apologetic.
“It’s okay,” I told him, reaching out my hand with a comforting smile. My heart swelled with the knowledge that he was so worried about me, primal need to protect me or not. This wasn’t his wolf; this was the man. That meant something. “I’ll be okay.”