Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Before we ran into the search party, Brynla and I found the deathdrage’s fertilized egg stored safely in my pouch that I’d dropped when the dragon attacked. We took the egg and the remaining vials of suen back with us, unsure if Steiner would be able to save the egg since it had been without it’s mother’s heat for so long. But once we got back to the boat and set sail, Steiner put the egg in the incubator, and we could see the faint pulse of its heartbeat under a special light; the dragon inside is still alive and growing.
Like I said, another dangerous dream. The idea that we’ll be raising a deathdrage is utterly insane. Voldansa’s words still ring in my head, even after the multiday journey home. That dragons remember what has been done to them.
This might be the best thing that could ever happen to House Kolbeck.
Or it could be the worst.
“Good luck, brother,” Vidar whispers to me as we exit the carriage.
I step onto the wide path outside Stormglen, my home looking especially imposing today. I suppose there’s a chance it may not be my home after my father finds out what happened. After all, the only reason I was able to blow off my engagement to Princess Frida was that I promised to get the egg of immortality instead.
And there’s my father now, flanked by my uncle, stepping out of the gates. My father’s tall, lanky body looking extra intimidating in his long black garb. He claps his hands together with gleeful anticipation, which only makes my heart sink like a stone.
Oh, I am so fucked.
“It’s going to be all right,” Brynla says softly as my father approaches, giving my hand a brief squeeze. “I’ll take the fall.”
“You will not,” I practically hiss at her. “You don’t say a damned word. Promise me that. Promise me.”
I can tell she wants to defy me, but she pinches her mouth shut and nods.
“So, tell me, were you successful?” my father says, stopping in front of me. “Did you find the egg of immortality?”
“Yes,” Vidar says, and I’ve never seen my father’s eyes light up like that. “And no.”
My father frowns, a scowl already twisting his lips. That didn’t last long. “What do you mean, no?” he asks, his voice sharp and commanding.
“The heist was successful, thanks to Brynla,” I say to him. “We broke into the convent and she retrieved the egg. However, it was broken while Brynla was trying to save my life. She did save my life.”
I can feel Steiner staring at the back of my neck, and I silently plead for him to remain silent. He has such a hard time with lying, but we all decided that it was the best course of action with my father. I would take the blame for everything, but it would be an accident. We would tell him that the egg was destroyed while we were trying to escape. All of my crewmates agreed to this, as did the Freelanders unwittingly roped up in our affairs. Those Freelanders are now in Menheimr, attempting a fresh start at life, with Toombs and Kirney serving as their guides.
Vidar and Steiner were harder to convince, but I made it seem like my father would find a way to blame them both if the truth came out—that they let Brynla steal it from under their noses. Vidar was first to acquiesce. Steiner took more convincing thanks to his moral code, but once I pointed out that our father would probably have Brynla killed, he finally agreed.
“Broken?” my uncle says with a sneer. “And you didn’t save any of the yolk?”
“They did,” Steiner speaks up. I look at my brother in surprise. “They saved the yolk and brought it back to me. But when I tried to extract and refine it on the ship, it had already turned. I’m guessing the egg was so old it lost its value the moment it was exposed to air. Even if we had saved the egg, there was nothing I could have done.”
Sweet, sweet Steiner. I’ve never been so relieved, or proud of him.
“I see,” my father says. “Well, that’s just terrible luck, isn’t it?” His hawk eyes fix on me as he starts to stroll forward, hands clasped behind his back. “Especially for you, Andor. Without the egg of immortality, we have nothing to bind Norland’s favor with Altus Dugrell. Nothing except you marrying Princess Frida.”
Brynla stiffens beside me, and I reach out and grab her hand, making it obvious for my father.
“Which I still refuse to do,” I say, squaring my shoulders, not letting him intimidate me anymore. “I will not marry Princess Frida.”
“Because of her.” He jerks his head to Brynla with a sneer, even though he refuses to look at her.