Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Even if he wanted to put a boot up the man’s ass.
The drive to the clan’s territory was interesting. The streets all looked the same—Samuel couldn’t differentiate one from another—but eventually they left most of the city behind. Dimitri had said the clan’s territory was right on the beach. He hadn’t been kidding.
The whole area was postcard worthy. The skies were blue, the ocean a darker, more crystal hue, the sand sparkling white under the sun. It was hot, of course, but the wind coming off the ocean cooled the temperature down to something tolerable.
Samuel eyed the beach with some longing. He loved being in the water but rarely had the chance to indulge in swimming. It wouldn’t hurt to find a few hours tonight and play in the ocean, would it? At least a half hour to soak his feet in the water and sand and let it all rush over him. It seemed like such a waste to come all this way and not dip a toe in. Besides, very soon he’d be up in the mountains without a beach or ocean wave in sight.
His eyes drifted shut for a moment, fatigue burning through him while some of the tension and fear he’d felt on the street in Barra da Tijuca finally drained away. At least for now, he didn’t need to worry about language barriers or finding a place to sleep.
Without prompting, Dimitri talked, his voice pitched to carry over the wind. “We’re on the road to Praia do Secreto, which is where the clan’s territory is. There are two beaches past ours that are open to the public: Prainha Lefts, which is what you’re seeing now, and then farther down the road there’s Praia do Abricó. It’s a nude beach.”
Samuel’s eyes popped open and his head snapped around, both surprised and nervous about this information. “There’s a nude beach down here?”
“Yeah. Fair warning if you’re not into that kind of thing. Prainha Lefts is a family beach, but the two areas are well out of sight from each other with the way the coastline is formed. No one can accidentally stumble across Praia do Abricó. You have to be searching for it.” Dimitri shot him a smirk. “As your guide, I’ll take you if you want to go.”
That was a honey bunches of nope, not happening. “I’ll decline, thanks.”
“Decline? You even talk like a professor.”
“Occupational habit.” Samuel didn’t like the way Dimitri had said that, like he was poking fun. Kevin had done that too, and it smarted.
“Well, doc, you and Evora should get along like sand on a beach, then.”
“Who’s Evora?”
“Head mage of the clan. She talks like a walking dictionary too. Smartest person I’ve ever met, and that includes the fire dragon’s consort. Cameron Burkhard is damn smart. Makes me feel stupid talking to him, but Evora can give him a run for his money.”
This information was intriguing. “You’ve met him? The mage who started it all.”
“Oh yeah. Worked with him, too. He’s a great guy, lots of fun. I don’t hold it against him that he found the fire dragons more attractive.” Dimitri shrugged. He had his left elbow resting on the car door while his right hand lazily gripped the wheel. “No one argues with a dragon about who their mate is.”
“No,” Samuel murmured, mostly to himself. “After the way the Dragon Wars began, I imagine not.”
“We didn’t do it before then, either. But yeah, the Wars are a good illustration of why we don’t.”
It struck Samuel then that he was hearing a firsthand account. Dimitri had been there, or had been alive since that time. Of course he had—all the dragons were at least that old. Funny that, as he didn’t appear a day over thirty-five. Samuel knew dragons aged very, very slowly, but seeing that up close was different than knowing it intellectually.
That did bring up another question. “This Evora, your head mage. Was she alive during the Wars, too?”
“Yeah.”
Oh, really? Now that was excellent news. It meant she would be able to help him with information. She’d remember much of what he likely needed to know.
This trip was already looking up.
According to all the legends Samuel knew in regards to dragons, they were supposed to live in castles. The ice dragons were the exception. Dimitri didn’t pull up to a giant castle, but rather through a pair of massive iron gates after he waved a keycard in front of a reader.
They wound down a long drive dotted with palm trees and flowering bushes that sprouted bright, colorful blooms.
“I saw news stories that said hundreds of people were showing up at the castle of the Fire Dragons, claiming to be mages. Have you had the same problem?”
Dimitri shook his head. “Definitely not to that degree. Sonthofen became an absolute madhouse after the announcement, which created some major security issues for the dragons and their mages. We haven’t had as much of a problem because we’ve been low-key about our clan location. We had some early throngs, but Thiago—the king’s advisor—locked that shit down fast.”