Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Sadness flooded Haru’s eyes for a heartbeat and then it was gone again, that light smile spreading across his lips. “I did. Uncle Nori is wrangling the other clans, convincing them that helping aid this battle will be good for our people over the long term.” He paused and rolled his eyes. “But dragons are so slow to make up their minds about anything.”
Adrian’s stomach knotted and he leaned away from his companion. “Does Omari Nori know that you’re here?”
“Oh, yes. Of course he does.” Haru flopped back against the cushions and wiggled his shoulders as if settling into the softness. He smiled to himself as he grabbed one of the random throw pillows and hugged it to the chest. The dragon seemed very content suddenly—but then, Adrian couldn’t recall there being a lot of thick pillows and heavy cushions around the Omari compound, or anywhere on the Isle of Stone, for that matter.
Once the dragon was comfortable, he turned his attention to Adrian. “I volunteered to come to Stormbreak first, get any fresh news. If the situation looked dire enough, I am to contact Uncle and request assistance.”
“And?” Adrian demanded.
Before Haru could answer, there was a hard, brisk knock on his door. His heart lurched in his chest and he jumped to his feet. He could easily guess who that was. There was no point in telling Haru to stay put. He’d jumped to his feet at the same time as Adrian and automatically moved in front of him as if he saw it as his job to keep Adrian safe.
Stepping past him, Adrian threw Haru a final warning glare that earned him a wicked grin in return, and opened the door. Captain Tomas Soto stood on the other side, and he did not appear happy to be there.
“Do I even want to know what this fucking chaos you’ve created is about?” Tomas growled. “I’m assuming this intruder is one of your friends from your past life.”
Fuck. He hadn’t even considered that Tomas would think it was someone from his thieving days. Not good.
“I am a friend of Adrian’s,” Haru called out before Adrian could deny Tomas’s accusation.
Adrian stepped back to allow Tomas into his apartment and turned to find Haru standing a few feet away. Wrapped in his pristine white robes, he looked like a god himself. A mischievous one, if he was going by the glint in Haru’s eyes and the tilt of his grin.
“He’s a visitor from the Isle of Stone,” Adrian said in a low voice after he shut the door.
“What?” Tomas gasped. His eyes widened as they snapped from Adrian to Haru.
“I am. I flew a very long way to visit with my friend Adrian, and to hear what news you have of my cousin, Caelan.”
“What?” Tomas repeated, the single word sounding caught in his throat.
Adrian swore softly under his breath, his eyes falling shut. He should have known that secret wasn’t going to last long with Haru running around Stormbreak.
“I know there are many other members of my clan who are eager to help join the fight.” Haru smiled broadly, and a small curl of smoke drifted up from the corner of his mouth. “And we won’t allow King Caelan to come to any harm. We are happy to punish these gods and the Empire.”
Adrian laughed. Yes, shit was about to come down on his head about this “cousin” thing and the entire “dragons are real” issue, but none of it mattered.
The dragons were joining the fight.
EIGHT
Eno Bevyn
Someone was following them.
The feeling had nagged at Eno for the past several days—ever since they’d left the dockside building. At first, he’d simply brushed it off as animals lurking in the shadows and watching them from the treetops. There were always eyes on them, but this felt different.
This felt…human.
He’d only recently grown more confident in his feeling. It probably didn’t hurt that Drayce had stopped shifting into his dragon form. The creature or person following them had drawn closer but was careful to stay hidden from sight.
“What’s wrong?” Caelan inquired as he paused in their trek east through the Ordas. Drayce and Rayne were a short distance ahead of them, while Eno stubbornly remained in the rear to cover their backs.
Eno picked up his pace to walk alongside Caelan. “We’re being followed,” he replied in a low voice. He doubted this person spoke their language, but there was no point in taking unnecessary risks if they were overheard.
Caelan grunted. “Since the shack.”
His eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. “You knew?”
The king smirked. “They’ve kept their distance until recently. They’re getting bolder.”
“And maybe less afraid of Drayce.”
Caelan made another noise of agreement before ducking under a low branch. He held it up as much as he could for Eno while still moving forward. Their clothes were sticking to them from a mix of sweat and rain. A brief storm had burst open on their heads in the early afternoon. While it hadn’t lasted more than half an hour, the downpour had been intense enough to smash through the canopy and completely soak them. The ground was soft under their boots, giving way with every plodding step.