Page 78 of Dragon Awakened

Amazing--that I would let down my guard because it's "just" a bunch of Shadow Dragons.

While Rook showed up seemingly ready to launch himself--and us--right into a war, Ember insisted that he, Mariutza and Delaynie take a few minutes to rest and freshen up. The hotel has to be reaching capacity with so many refugees occupying its rooms. But some lunch, a nap and a shower seem to have done wonders for them all. The old woman, Mariutza, has a brightness to her dark eyes, and her granddaughter looks like a weight's come off of her shoulders.

Even Rook is standing up straighter, favoring his injured side less prevalently. He's traded his tattered suit for a new, less well-fitting one, but at least one that's not covered in dirt.

My stomach flexes, and my fist does, too, my dragon circling warily just beneath the surfaces of my consciousness. Neither of us trusts the man.

As if he can feel me thinking about him--and who knows, as a Shadow Dragon elite, maybe he can--he shoots a fierce glare my way. My dragon breathes a gust of smoke into my chest, ready to answer the challenge, but I keep him under wraps for now.

Wynrath Crest played host to plenty of members of the Shadow King's court, but Lord Rook was never among them. I heard of him, though. He was known to be ruthless, loyal, crisply efficient.

Ember's told me the story of how he came to change sides. While I'm grateful to him for helping her escape, I'm not ready to let my guard down the way she seems to be. Not yet.

He somehow manages to break our eye contact without ceding an inch of authority as he's led toward the gathering in the living room. He glances at Ember. "Not much of an army."

She hides her flinch, but not well. "I never said it was one."

"Gods help us all," he mutters under his breath.

People move around to clear seats for Rook and Mariutza, although Delaynie chooses to stand at her grandmother's side. Uneasiness ripples palpably through the room, with only Rook himself seeming in any way relaxed.

Except for hushed murmurs, the place is silent. People shift in their seats, and I spot more than one person glancing Ember's way. Rafe catches my eye from across the room and lifts his brows pointedly.

I touch Ember's hand, and our gazes connect. Nodding at the assembled group, keeping my voice low, I tell her, "I think they're waiting for you."

"Oh." She blinks in surprise. "Right."

She passes me her drink, and I hold onto it, trying to encourage her the best I can. My heart squeezes.

Ember always had strength--she couldn't have put up with the abuse she faced from the bullies in Wynrath Crest without it. But thanks to said bullies, she never got a chance to be a leader. Now, like it or not, she's the common thread tying all of us together. If the legends are true, she's been ordained by the gods themselves to lead us all.

That's a hell of a task. Dragons are a race of beasts, parading around in human clothing. We've never not been fighting. But I know Ember, deep in my soul.

If anyone can do it, it's her.

"Okay," she says, projecting naturally, and any murmurs and whispers die down to nothing.

I push all the love and support in my heart into my bond with her. I only feel her other bondmates faintly, but I'm pretty sure they're doing the same.

She stands up straighter, the aura around her brightening. Jianyu blinks, as if he wasn't expecting that, and who knows--maybe now that she's taken all four of us as her mates, our love flowing into her means something extra.

Whether that's true or just wishful thinking, when she speaks again, her voice is louder and clearer.

"A lot has happened over the past couple of days."

A few feet away from me, Amy snickers and mutters under her breath, "Understatement."

Rude, but not wrong.

Ignoring her, Ember plows ahead, gesturing to me. "Prince Storm of the Air Kingdom has brought us information about what King Zephyr has been getting up to in Wynrath Crest."

I nod, restless energy buzzing in my hands. My decision to betray my father and our kingdom is still fresh, but no other decision I've made in my life has felt so right. I'm ready.

I know we have more pressing concerns, though.

Dropping her arm, she turns toward our new guests. "But first, I'm sure we're all interested to hear the news Lord Rook brings us from the Shadow Kingdom."

"Also an understatement," Rhiannon pipes in, making less of an effort to keep her voice down.

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