Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Should I pull off my panties and deliberately misunderstand what’s happening? I contemplate it for a moment, and then decide to leave them on to go with my cramps story. I’ll tell them I have my period, and skip going out tomorrow. For some reason, when we have our periods, we’re not forced to go out scavenging. It’s another one of Lord Azar’s weird rules for our program.
Sucking in a deep breath, I school my features into one of utter confusion and join the others out in the hall. A few of the women are still chewing, one licking her fingers, obviously pulled away from dinner. Manda has a book in her hands and Jenny has sewing. Everyone looks terrified as we line up, because the hall is full of guards, and they’re all armed. Something’s wrong.
Just coincidence, I tell myself. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with my dragon encounter. It’s just coincidence. This could just be a drill.
I glance over at the soldiers and notice that Brady is giving me a narrow-eyed scowl. He’s thinking the same thing I am. That whatever’s going on, I’m the cause of it.
At my side, Jenny sucks in a breath and nudges me with her elbow. She straightens, and Manda shuffles up next to me, lining up.
“Are they all here?” says a cool, slightly accented voice and I go still. It doesn’t sound like one of the guards.
Jenny nudges me again, and I realize I’m standing too far out of the line-up. I take a step back next to her as a man in pale clothing steps forward. He wears light-colored pants and an equally light-colored top that look crisp and laundered, his pale golden hair pulled back into a queue. His skin looks almost the same color as his hair and his clothing, which just adds to the unnatural feel of his presence. I’ve been told that he’s a normal guy—as normal as anyone—but seeing him like this doesn’t make me think he is. There’s nothing that says “normal guy” about his stance or mannerisms. His face—or what can be seen behind his dark sunglasses—is a mask, not allowing any emotion to show. Even so, he’s vibrating with tension.
No, anger.
He steps forward, his movements jerky as he moves down the line, looming toward each woman as we remain in our assigned spots. The room is utterly silent as he pauses in front of each of us, and even though I can’t see his gaze, I suspect it’d be accusing.
I keep my expression as bland as possible. Lord Azar pauses in front of me, studying my scarred face for a moment—like everyone does—and then keeps going.
When he gets to the end of the line of women, he turns again, and his movements are crisp with barely restrained anger. “Well?” He snaps. “Which one of you was it?”
Utter silence meets his accusation.
Surely he can’t be asking about…what happened to me earlier? There’s no way. Someone was caught stealing. That must be it. I ignore the knot of dread in my stomach. Fix a bland expression on my face. Remain calm.
It’s not me. It’s not.
“Which one of you met with a dragon?” The words are bellowed in Kristi’s face, but they’re meant for all of us.
My entire body goes cold, my skin prickling. Keeping a straight face is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“Why was this not reported to me?” Lord Azar continues, his voice withering. He casts his stare over the militia soldiers lined up with us. “Have my instructions not been clear enough?”
A man clears his throat in the silence. It’s Daniels, the one in charge of our group, the man with a clipboard every morning. “My lord, perhaps it was unrelated? Perhaps the panties—”
“It was not,” Azar bites out, raising a hand to stop Daniels before he can say anything further. “I know it was not, so do not insult me and pretend otherwise. Someone here is lying.” He stalks down the line again. “Someone here is lying to me, and I will not stand for it!” His nostrils flare and as he pauses near me, I could swear his breath hisses. “Do you not like your free food? Your clothing? Your safety?” His lip curls, showing pale, perfect teeth. “Have I not provided for you? And yet you cannot do the simplest of tasks for me? Have I asked too much from your simple minds?”
“My lord, the men would report back if there had been such an encounter,” Daniels bravely offers again. “They know their duty—”
“Clearly they do not,” Azar snaps. He points at Daniels. “Tomorrow, send out the same groups as before. Same everything. Same locations. All of it the same.” He shoves that finger at me, then at every person he passes. “Nothing changes from today. You wear the same clothes. The same panties, everything. No baths. No cleaning. No nothing.”