Page 83 of Cruel Daddy Dragon

I can’t even find it in me to keep my hand off Sarah as we go back home, but she holds onto me as if I’m a lifeline, too. Once we’re back in the Miller’s Mansion, we all spend a moment taking a breath after the battle—both us and the girls; it seems like they had a hard fight of their own while we were gone. Far too soon, though, Cyrus calls all our attention, and we all gather in a circle around him.

“I’m not going to waste any time,” Cyrus says in a low voice, “I need to tell you all before the rest of Soleilus. Now that Eclipse has taken charge of the council, they’ve shown their hand; they’ve issued a formal warning to Soleilus that they’re laying claim to Greyson Ridge, and we have a month to leave.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence.

“What?” The question is uttered by so many of us at once.

“Is this war?!” Orion asks.

“Yes,” Cyrus answers grimly, “They have officially issued us a formal warning; apparently, we have until the next full moon to move Soleilus out of Greyson Ridge. Since they’ve given us a warning and a chance to leave peacefully, they have fulfilled the parameters for an honorable duel between clans for territory. None of the other clans can interfere, or they’ll become enemies of the council.”

He looks up at all of us.

“It seems like they’re willing to go to war with us to lay claim to the relics in Greyson Ridge.”

“But wait!” I protest, “You went there in the first place becausetheybroke the council rules first! They attacked Sarahin the middle of town! How in the hell can they issue an official notice for a clan duel when they’ve already broken the rules?!”

Cyrus draws a deep breath and closes his eyes.

“Well, the rule against shifters revealing ourselves in front of humans is to prevent the secret of dragons getting out,” he growls lightly as he speaks, “and according to Eclipse’s representatives, them revealing themselves isn’t breaking the rules because there will not be any humans left to spread the secret.”

“Wait, what thefuckdoes that mean?!” Sarah snarls.

Cyrus looks up at us all darkly.

“It means that they’re going to kill the entire population of Greyson Ridge.”

There’s another moment of stunned silence among everyone. I feel like I can hear everyone’s throats closing. It’s a hot minute before anyone says anything.

“But they can’t…dothat!” Sarah chokes out.

Cyrus growls at the back of his throat for a moment before he answers:

“Apparently, they can,” he snarls, “It seems that as long as the secret of dragon shifters doesn’t get out, it doesn’t matter to the council at largehowthat happens.”

“No!” Julie gasps.

“This is bullshit!” Kaius snaps, “They can’t do that!”

“This is insane,” Milo says quietly, staring wide-eyed into the middle distance.

Orion just snarls inhumanly at the back of his throat. Lena’s covered her mouth with her hand. Cyrus hangs his head.

“I would haveneverhanded over control to them if I knew they’d go as far as to kill the entire human population in Greyson Ridge…” He laments.

“Not just the human population,” Sarah says suddenly.

All eyes are on her suddenly.

“What do you mean?” Cyrus says sharply.

“When I saw that vision of you and Evander getting attacked—”

“You have visions too?” Cyrus asks.

“I do. I have visions of danger,” Sarah answers.

“Yeah, she does,” I add, vouching for her.

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