Page 5 of The Lost Nation

I glanced up from my desk.Tarin was a half-breed like I was, elevated to a high position because he had been punished severely by Severn for refusing to kill the weak newborns when ordered. He walked hunched over now, the by-product of being beaten so badly his spine had been broken. Severn forbid anyone from healing him, so it had set incorrectly. The sound of running water was always around when Tarin was angry, so we figured his mother had been a water witch. (Some called them sea witches).

The demon standing next to Tarin sneered.“He doesn’t have a plan. He’s making it up as he goes.”

I sighed, and pinched my nose with my fingers. Orad was a full-blooded demon through and through, and spoke on behalf of the ones who had been here since the beginning. At the time I’d appointed both of them I thought myself rather progressive to have representatives for each side. What it hadresultedin was an unreasonable amount of headaches for me.

I kept telling myself it kept the body count down if each side felt like they had a voice.

Hopefully.

My wings twitched, already irritated with the conversation. “We have had no contact at all from the Overlord. Did Severn speak much about how oftenhe’dbeen in contact?”

Orad shook his head, and Tarin frowned. “Well...hesaidhe was. In contact.”

I pushed away the urge to throttle someone. “When was the last time you—oranyone—actuallysawthe Overlord?”

Tarin was silent. I glanced at Orad, who looked deep in thought. “There was the final battle, of course,” he began slowly, each word deliberate. “After that, we were kept busy dividing land and titles, and he faded a bit into the background. He gave a speech in Cantrada to open the first human slave market, and I haven’t personally seen him since.He always did like to tinker down below on his projects."

I scowled and Orad flinched. I had made my views on slavery ofanykind quite clear in the first few hours of taking over the fortress. The demon-born weren’tthrilledto have a half-demon, half-draken giving orders, but that was their tough luck. No one could match my power, and many had tried.

Oh, how they hadtried.

My wings twitched.“Tell the others I am awaiting orders from the Overlord. Barring that, I am open to suggestions.”

Orad’s jaw dropped, and even Tarin looked incredulous. “Open tosugg—”

“Out.”

They obeyed instantly, nearly bumping into each other to obey. I wasn’t sure what exactly inspired such terror, since I refused to physically or magickally punish anyone. Perhaps I was still riding high from winning my challenges.

At least all the prisonerswere gone, thanks to Wren. The children were another story altogether.

My neck twinged at the reminder of the draken queen, the bite mark excruciatingly slow to heal since I hadn't lingered to have her do it.

There was so muchshitto account for in this fortress that I barely knew where to begin. I was envious of her and her mates. At least she had someone to brainstorm with...to talk to. I was alone, and I hated it.

The cavern on the east side of the fortress still remained with its large, glowing white hole deep within its depths. I had interrogated the other demons, but they hadn’t known much about its origins. They were ordered to throw the weak babies in, as well as the prisoners when they had lived past their usefulness.

I didn’t like not knowing what lurked within it. The easiest way to study it would be to bring in a few blood witches, but fat chance of getting a witch to ever set foot here again. Not that I blamed them.

My eyes narrowed, and I focused my thoughts on each half-breed and demon I’d met. They wereallmen. Males. Whatever word you wanted to use. Did demons have females?

Wouldn't it be fucking ironic if both the drakens and demons had the exact same problem?

I took a deep breath, looking at the massive bookcase behind me. I had a lot of work to do—too much to be thinking of a certain female draken.

Chapter 3

Wren

IfuckinghatedThad.

After all we’d been through, hedidn’twant me. Andthen, he’d told Benedict the only way to overcome my sickness was to do as many black magick rituals as I could until the white magick dissipated.Jerk.

Benedict had reacted predictably, forcing me into long hours of tortuous studying in preparation to perform five rituals within a week, all while I was still ruminating in my embarassment and shame.

I couldn’t tell which emotion was stronger.

Ronan huffed. “You’re thinking about him again.”

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