Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Adrian grunted. “Don’t change the subject.”
“I have lost my appetite. I eat as my stomach allows. Most of my time was spent in meditation and talking nonsense with my clan mates while I waited for my Adrian to save me.”
Adrian’s heart squeezed so hard, it was in danger of being reduced to a fine powder. “You need to eat.” He forced those few words out through clenched teeth.
“I will. However, I was not expecting you so soon. I thought you would go save the people in Damardor first from the monsters.”
Adrian loosened his hold on Haru enough to stare at him. There were dark circles under his blue eyes, which seemed to have lost some of their sparkle, as if exhaustion had dulled his brightness. His cheeks were little more than hollows. He didn’t look well at all. It didn’t appear as if he would have been able to last until after they settled the mess in Damardor—not that it was ever a consideration.
“We came here as fast as we could from Bellcairn. There was no way I was going to leave this thing inside you. Tyche said you agreed to it. I can’t believe you! I’ve never been so pissed and proud of you at the same time.”
Drayce’s chuckle echoed along the corridor leading to the cell. “Look at that. Adrian made a new word. Prissed!”
“Asshole,” Adrian muttered as he twisted to gaze at Tyche, Shey, and Drayce as they approached. Haru’s arms tightened on him as if he were afraid Adrian was going to leave him.
“Welcome to the Isle of Stone, Prince Shey and Tyche,” Haru greeted them with a weak smile.
“How are you feeling?” Shey asked.
“Tired.”
“Then let’s get that damn thing out of you.” Tyche stepped forward but stopped to frown at his surroundings. “Well, maybe this isn’t the greatest spot. We should probably wait until we’re at the clan home where things are cleaner.”
“Wait a minute,” Adrian snapped. “What’s that supposed to mean? How do you get it out of Haru?” He started to climb to his feet, but Haru held on to him, keeping him trapped in his arms.
“He has to cut it out of me.” The statement was horrible, but Haru’s voice was calm and even.
Adrian’s head jerked around so that he could glare at the dragon. His heart skipped a beat. “What? You knew this?”
“No, but I’m not surprised by the development. It’s not a big deal. It will be painful, but dragons heal fast. Everything will be fine.” Haru lifted his gaze to stare at Tyche. “We can’t take it out yet. I wish to hold on to it for a while longer.”
“Are you insane?” Adrian shouted.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Haru,” Tyche chimed in. “It would be better to get it out as quickly as possible. Your job was to protect it from Cirina, and you did that brilliantly. Let’s get you free of that thing.”
Adrian clung to Haru, fighting a swell of panic, while appreciating the calm, even tone and logic in Tyche’s voice. At least one of them was keeping his head, because Adrian was about to demand someone knock the dragon out so he could cut the damn powers from Haru. Shey had described what happened to him after he’d been hit with Yesuntei’s powers and he’d suffered from his own nightmares. He could only imagine that what Haru was suffering was a hundred times worse.
“Yes, but Cirina is still out there. Kaes has even caused problems. We don’t even know the identity of the person behind the Damardor kidnappings and murders.” As Haru listed each threat, he sent an icy spike through Adrian’s heart. Any of them could try to make a grab for Yesuntei’s powers. “Until we have a plan to protect them effectively, they are safer with me.”
What bothered Adrian most was that Haru was correct. Any of them could make a play for the power he now held. They might hold off the Goddess of Dreams, but he didn’t feel as confident with the God of Storms. Even this shadowy person behind the deaths in Damardor felt as frightening as a god. Who else could stand up to them better than a dragon?
And yet…what was this doing to Haru? Would he be able to recover from it if they waited?
“I don’t like it,” Tyche grumbled under his breath. “But I can’t argue with him.”
“Would Caelan be able to shed some light on this?” Prince Shey inquired.
They all looked over at Drayce, who shrugged his narrow shoulders. “You can ask him. There are things about the gods that he keeps secret, even from me, and I’m fine with that. You lot are scary enough.”
“Okay.” Tyche heaved an enormous sigh that seemed to make him sink at least an inch. “I’ll talk to King Caelan tomorrow. But!” He stopped and pointed one finger at Haru, his expression turning as stern as Adrian had ever seen it. “When I say it’s time for you to cough that sarira up, you give it up. You got me? This was always meant to be temporary. The shorter the better, too.”