Page 21 of Centaur Bolt

Interesting.

Interesting? Where in the realms did that come from?

He mentally cleared his throat.Me, likely.

An image of a Gryphon flashed through my brain—scaled hindquarter, furry front end, and… My throat and the top of my shoulders sprouted bright purple feathers.

A snort from nearby. I glared up at the Dragon.

“Greats look,” he rumbled.

Okay, I was so not going for that reaction. I frowned down at myself and decided that a shirt of fur was going to have to suffice.

I kind of liked the feathers,Iskar grumbled.

No feathers,I replied.

Fine. Shiver then.

I ignored my internal pest and turned to the Dragon, who was still in beast form. I suppose if Isobel and Brock came flying out of that water, his biggest scaly form would be more useful than his human. Or was it me that he was worried about?

I’d be worried about me, too.

“What do I call you?” I asked.

He didn’t even look at me. “Havoc.”

Unusual name. “I’m Marcus.”

“I knows.”

I was so exhausted my thoughts were sluggish. How much did he know about me? I guessed he’d seen my worst already. My stomach growled. Loudly. “So, is there anything to eat in this place?”

His eyes rolled toward the water. “Eel.”

I grimaced. “Anything other than carnivorous raw eel?”

“Nopes.” He raised his muzzle and belched a tiny bit of Dragon flame. “Nots raw.”

I pushed myself to my feet. I shook all over, my legs barely holding me upright. My suspicions about scale cuppage were immediately verified.

I sighed, and said, “Let’s catch us some eels.”

10

Riley

I stood in the meadow, staring at the gate. Every fiber of me wanted to race after Marcus, and save him.

Just how I planned to do that, who knew? Self-preservation had been my driving goal for most of my life—but now, I was willing to do whatever it took to find him.

I had no explanation for my sudden interest in throwing myself after a man I barely knew. It was a powerful thing that brooked no denial—as if he’d somehow hooked into my very soul.

With the way we’d left things—we might never have a future. But it didn’t matter. Because I knew that if the situation were reversed, he’d do everything in his power to save me. After all, he’d already proved that.

My heart hurt. I couldn’t stand the thought that the bitch had him back, to torture at her will.

The problem was, I wasn’t exactly superhero material. Just how I was going to be one iota of help to Marcus was a complete mystery.

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