Page 3 of Hunted
Chapter 2
Robin
The stone walls hadto be in danger of melting.
They weren’t damaged visibly—not yet.But I could feel the tension in the air, like static pressed against the inside of my skull.The old bones of The Fox whispered beneath their enchantments, absorbing my aura and reverberating it back in pulses I couldn’t ignore.The training room, deep underground and double-warded for destruction, was the only place that could hold me right now.Sanka had woven so much magic in here it hummed like a living thing as it flared to life to keep me from burning the place down.
Even all that strong demon-blooded sorcerer magic was strained.Drawing in a slow, deep breath, I tried to calm my mind.
I gripped the iron practice blade tighter and threw it across the room, spinning it toward the far target.It struck the wall three inches off center and embedded itself into the stone.A spiderweb of molten light spread from the impact point, veins of red and gold running through the old warded stone like stress fractures.
Not good.But Sanka could fix it.The protections were probably due for a tune-up anyway.
I rotated my shoulders, ignoring the pop, and brushed a stray lock hair back from my aching forehead.The pounding in my head hadn’t stopped for two days straight.It pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat, a reminder that my magic—my dragon’s magic—was no longer content to be chained in the shadows and stuffed under my ribcage.It craved wholeness.It wanted out.Wanted to hunt down the missing part of our soul.And soon, it would burst out of me whether I gave permission or not.
A dragon shifter was not meant to be separated from their magic past their coming of age.I was missing a part of me.One Ineededto keep me whole.
I wasn’t sure exactly what would happen if I crossed that threshold into full maturity without my missing magic—I had been robbed of the community of other dragon shifters who might have taught me more—but I could read and research.I knew it wouldn’t be good.
My fingers ached.My skin itched.I could taste smoke every time I opened my mouth.It was embarrassing.An alpha and a leader should have more control than this.I had lived without my birthright for nearly seventy years.I could last a little longer.Long enough to rip the fucking emperor to shreds and dismember the entire corrupt syndicate along with him.
The first time I’d lost control in this room, I’d melted a couple practice dummies.The second, I’d blacked out for four hours and woken up on the cold stone floor in partial shift, teeth too long, eyes golden and slitted.
There wouldn’t be a third time.My magic was unstable, butIwas still in control, not my beast.I clung to that inner control with a white-knuckled grip.I just had to learn new ways let off steam, and to suppress my urges.Hone my willpower.Now was not the time to fall apart.Not when I was so close to achieving all my goals.
I drew in a slow breath.Counted to five.Exhaled.
It seemed to work for a moment.Then the pressure behind my eyes spiked like a hot nail driven between my temples.
“Fuck,” I hissed.
I staggered back, bracing myself on the low bench by the weapons rack.Literal sparks danced across my vision.They curled off my skin and drifted toward the ceiling, dancing away like fireflies.
I bit down on a scream.
I had to geta handle on this.I couldn’t lose control again.Not now.Not when the court was this fragile, when the alliance with Acacia hung like a sword over all of our necks, when Josh was breaking down one heartbeat at a time and Ruya’s eyes never quite stopped flicking toward me like she could see me.Like she knew how close I was to falling apart.
I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders.I wasDameRobin fucking Nicola, princess of the rebel court and downfall of the syndicate.I would not succumb to such ridiculous weakness.
My body spasmed.Magic surged under my skin like molten lava.A blast of heat shot outward in all directions—no flame, not yet, but close—and the ward-stones hummed in warning from their places at the far corners of The Fox.If I didn’t get it under control—
“Robin?”Yukio’s voice, muffled through the reinforced door.“Having fun in there, Princess?”
“Yes.But it’s a private party,” I gritted out.“Get lost.”
The door burst open anyway, of course.
Yukio ducked inside, flanked by Sanka, both already glowing faintly with prepped magic.Martina was right behind them.Yukio’s icy aura chilled the air instantly.Martina’s aura, full of alpha strength, but non-threatening, bolstered mine like a steadying hand.
I hated it.But it worked.
“Get out,” I snapped, jerking the hem of my stretchy, stylish workout shirt straight, re-adjusting my high ponytail, and squaring my shoulders.
