Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“What is Calia doing?” I asked as people jumped into the water to get away or to stop from burning.
Arrows flew through the air as soon as the people emerged, sticking in the heads or upper bodies or backs of people trying to swim away. The pack had shifted and grabbed weapons. That, or the dock guards were now in action, since Weston had been released. Dragged through the water like I was, I couldn’t look behind to see.
“The magic systems Granny was going to use make flight impossible . . .” He was breathing hard as he swam us to shore. “It would’ve pushed the dragons away or dropped them into the water. Calia’s magic can dispel those systems; she’s done it for us before. Granny probably thought she’d be gone by now. And she would’ve if she hadn’t stayed longer to finish the negotiations concerning you. Turns out, she wasn’t needed.”
I could hear pride ringing in his voice, but all I felt was sadness. I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to see the ship burn or the people jumping. I didn’t want to catch sight of a red cloak or graying hair. I didn’t want to see the arrows aimed for her.
Weston reached a ladder along the dock, the rungs slippery with sea slime but intact. He pulled me around so that I could grab on and climb up. At the top, Hadriel grabbed me, hurrying me out of the way of the archers.
“Thank the gods’ hairy asses that Granny underestimated this kingdom.” Hadriel lifted his hand and yelled to the pack, “I need a towel or a blanket or some fucking thing over here.” He rubbed my arm. “Everyone who hasn’t seen this kingdom in action always underestimates us because we are small and relatively new, with an upstart king. Well, now look. She thought her magic devices were going to be enough?”
“It seems they would’ve been if not for Calia.”
He scoffed. “Hardly. First of all, Calia didn’t do a thing—you did. Second, we have a lot of gold coming in, and that buys great shit. This is a new port filled with ships faster than Granny could even comprehend. We would’ve caught her easily. She’s used to those idiots in the Red Lupine kingdom. She had no idea who she was picking a fight with this time.”
He stopped me near the shore. Both the pack and the dock guards lined the end of the dock, their bows in hand. They took aim and fired quickly. The ship roared with fire, flames reaching way into the sky. Now the dragons were swooping over the water, blowing fire at those the archers couldn’t reach.
Hannon flew over someone that was swimming and paused to aim. The jet of fire that came out of his beak was narrow and almost white. It punched down into the sea, and I could just barely see the form and partially burned gray hair.
I turned away again, bile rising in my throat.
“I got her.” Weston’s arms came around me. “Let’s go. We’re not needed here. Come on, you don’t need to see this.”
But it was too late; I already had.
Deep inside I screamed in misery over what had happened here today. The truths she’d spilled, her resolve to capture me. Despite what Hadriel had said, Granny wasn’t prone to underestimating her opponent. No, her shortsightedness here was likely due to her desperation. Weston’s guard and patrol setup was too good to sneak through, so she had to resort to this.
. . . you are integral to my operations. Without you, I won’t succeed . . .
I’d proven that, hadn’t I? She must’ve seen her income take an immediate hit and knew what her operation would become. With the dragons’ support, I’d not only improved the product, I’d come out with better packaging. I knew the game, and I was just getting started in showing her that I was a competitive player.
This is business.
Business was passionless for her. Emotionless logic. Taking me in, setting up my life: logic. The gifts, bending to my demands when I wouldn’t relent: business. Keep the chief producer happy enough to actually produce.
I had been naïve. So naïve.
I didn’t regret it, though. I didn’t regret loving her and hoping she loved me. I didn’t regret my happiness at her gifts and feeling special at being one of the few she would allow into her cottage for a chat. Those things had kept me whole; they’d kept me full of hope. If I’d seen my life for what it really was, a passionless cage where I’d been trapped for business purposes, I would’ve died inside. I would’ve been jaded and tarnished, unready or unwilling to love again when Weston beat down my door. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive him or to trust him now. I wouldn’t trust that the royals here were acting in my best interest. I wouldn’t be so eager and excited to expand my family, too worried I’d get hurt again.