Page 100 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

‘Yes, Luna. I’ll be right there.’

Blisters were beginning to show up on Elim’s skin as he tried to remain in the shade, when I saw Eric approaching in his wolf form, a bag in his muzzle. I walked to the forest and shifted, grabbing a shirt and pulling it on.

“Elim, put the hoodie on, and then I want you to climb on Eric and let him take you back.”

“I can make my way back once you’re done, Luna.”

“No. I don’t want to risk it. The sun is almost fully out. The clouds are the only thing protecting you right now. I appreciate you looking out for us, but Coyo is a strong wolf. If someone does attack me, we’ll be fine. You’re already swaying from the sun exposure.”

“Okay,” he said, a strange expression passing over his face that I recognized.

Defeat. An emotion I knew too well.

“Elim, you’re not failing.”

“Being a vampire has too many drawbacks some days,” he sighed.

“Every race, species and religion has drawbacks. You’re just feeling them hard right now, because you’re not among your people.”

“I’m never among my people, Luna. That’s the only way my mother can stay dead.”

Right, Elim had been isolated his entire life.

“You’re headed to Guardian Moon after this. Those are your people. You have family there. There are other full-blooded vampires there, too. There’s night training and everything. Just hang in there.”

Elim nodded, and with another defeated sigh, he climbed on Eric, and they set off.

‘Thanks, Eric.’

‘No problem, Luna. He seems like a good lad.’

‘He is.’

I was almost finishing the scent marking when Eric mind-linked me again.

‘Your sister and her warrior took Elim to his room.’

‘Thanks, Eric. I’ll see you in a little while.’

I went to check in on Elim when I got back. He was fine, if a little red in the face. Chris and Violet were in there with him. Violet was fussing over him while Chris looked a little jealous ashe stood to the side, but let her do her thing. Elim just looked embarrassed.

I left them to deal with whatever was going on with them Violet told me she would stay to make sure Elim was okay and would just grab something later. I'd get the scoop from Violet later.

I woke up my monkey and we went down to breakfast.

Chapter Seventeen

Kara

“Remove the silver shackles,” I ordered the warriors as I entered the basement dungeons.

Go slow. She’s young.Celeste told me from where she was in the recesses of our mind.

Old enough to try to kill our pup,I growled back at her.I let you play host all afternoon despite her attempted murderer being beneath our feet. You and I know she’s not going to get the punishment she deserves at the hands of the council.

What I’m saying is let her get comfortable before you ramp up the pain. The lesson needs to stick,she clarified, rolling her eyes.

“She needs to be alive and relatively in one piece when the council arrives for her, Mom,” Cory said from behind us.

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