Page 83 of Payne's Envy

I squeezed his shoulder. “I forgive you.”

“Does she?”

I nodded, and he vanished with a smile on his face.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Joy

“Payne’s doingwhatagain?” Barron’s red essence rippled around him as he landed on his feet, stumbling back a few steps.

The last dragon—the biggest one—roared and ripped through the trees as he charged toward us.

“Payne’s getting his memories back,” Sebastian answered with the same patronizing tone Barron had.

I stood in front of Payne where he sat in the same position, but in a different spot. That was the fourth time I’d faded with him to get away from the dragons. The family had killed them all but that one.

The creature was a problem. His scales were impenetrable. None of our powers worked against him. No matter which shape or form we put our scythe in. Sebastian refused to involve Isabella, which was a shame because her deadly touch could come in handy. Mated males were so infuriating.

If the dragon fled, Harvest would know he finally created something we didn’t know how to take down.

Yet.

Our family just needed time. We always got out of a sticky situation. All we needed was Payne to wake up.

“I’m going to fade again. He wants me, so I’ll keep fleeing until Payne awakens,” I said, grabbing Payne’s shoulder.

“What happens when our power vanishes and you can no longer escape?” Barron shouted.

I flinched and said, “Payne can kill him. Justwait.”

When I saw the dragon swipe his claws at Barron, I faded.

Only I chose the wrong escape route. When I faded into a different part of the woods, I never expected to find another dragon. I thought we had destroyed them all.

A large hand grabbed me by the waist. My grip slipped on Payne’s shoulder. With a huff, I materialized a sword as he pulled me closer. As soon as I was near the beast’s head, I rammed the blade into his head. My bones rattled as the weapon clinked against his scales. I dropped my sword and cupped my wrist. Of course, I couldn’t harm that dragon either.

Oh, no.

That dragon was bigger than the other, too.

When his nostrils flared, his breath fanned over me. I choked on the foul odor.

“You will shift for me, female.”

The creature’s thoughts rang loud and clear in my head.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Payne

The farther I walked in the darkness, the colder it got.

I’m here.

The place in my memories where everything got worse for me. My skin crawled. My stomach revolted, and I wanted to purge myself of the sickness living within me.

The fear of what I’d discover. The unknown I was about to uncover.

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