Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“I was training with your aunt Korah.”
“Why wasn’t he training with you?” Minka tosses in.
“I think he’s busy.”
“Are you mad at him?” Maia asks, a splash of sadness in her eyes.
“What? No!” I laugh, squeezing her hand when she slips it in mine. “We’re fine. Don’t worry.”
“Are you certain?” Minka asks, inclining her chin. “Because I have my sword in my tent, and I can give him a slice or two if he’s upset you.”
I bust out laughing. “I thought you liked Caz.”
“I do. But I don’t like to see you sad.”
I hesitate. “I look sad to you?”
“A little,” Maia quips, giving my hand a squeeze.
“Oh.”
We near the shore, and when their toes hit the sand, they take off, instantly searching for shells. I’m relieved because I swear those girls can read minds just like their mother.
Hell, maybe they can but they aren’t fully aware of it yet.
I let the thought go and slip out of my shoes, ready to join them until I see a burst of white light in the sky. A dark figure appears like a splotch in the light and hurtles toward the shore.
Oh my goodness.
It’s aiming for us.
“Minka! Maia!” I scream, rushing for them.
But I’m too late.
The figure lands with a thud, sending me and the twins flying backwards.
SIXTY-FIVE
CAZ
The sound of a horn erupts, filling every hollow corner in the manor.
My heart quickens in my chest.
Fear seizes me…but it isn’t mine.
Fuck. It’s Willow.
I storm out of my study and leave the manor, running through the fields as my heart searches for her. I’m not very far along when I see the Kessel warriors ululating as they storm through the forest.
They’re headed to the shore.
Silvera and Cerberus bark as they dash ahead of me. I jump over dips, logs, and fallen trees until my boots are caked in black sand.
There’s a foreigner here, and the sight of them makes me snatch out my gun and point it ahead.
A man stands near the shore dressed head to toe in dark brown leather. A brown helmet is on his head, casting a shadow over his features, but they do nothing to hide his eyes.
Calm.
For a man having weapons pointed at him, he’s much too relaxed.
And I don’t like it.
I pull the trigger, releasing a steady round of bullets, but he raises a hand and blocks each one with ease. I grimace, shooting again, but instead of blocking the bullets, he catches them in one steel-clad hand. He closes his hand into a tight fist then turns it over to open it. One by one, the crushed bullets hit the sand.
The Kessel warriors charge him with their spears and knives, but he deflects their blows, spinning around them, floating, ducking, twisting in a blur of brown.
He’s much too fast for them, but the warriors are relentless. If I weren’t mistaken, I’d say he’s having fun while doing this.
He pounces in the air and flips over one of warriors as she aims for his throat. Landing in a crouch, he throws a hand up and sends a cluster of warriors sailing across the beach.
“Enough!”
The man’s eyes broaden when he’s suspended in the air. He grunts as he kicks his legs, and that’s when I spot Hassha stepping onto the beach with her fingers flexing in the air to control him. Her eyes are a silvery blue as she scans him.
“Why are you here?” she demands.
“Release me,” he says through gritted teeth, “and I will gladly tell you.”
Hassha’s eyes narrow as she lowers him to the ground, but she doesn’t release him from the invisible grip. He tries shaking out of it but that only causes her to frown, her eyes to spark, and to squeeze again.
I hear his leather squelch, and he groans in pain.
“Okay, okay.” He stops fighting, panting raggedly. “Love of Vakeeli. My cousin said you were incredible, but this is the strongest power I’ve ever felt.” The man chuckles.
“Your name,” Hassha demands again.
“Valden,” he replies.
“Who the fuck are you, Valden?” I ask, stepping forward.
His amused eyes swing to mine. “Cousin of the queen of Vanora.”
“Alora?” My brows draw together. “She’s never mentioned having a cousin. Why have I never seen you before?”
“She and I shared our…differences.” He rolls his eyes. “But we have put them aside to focus on the impending war. She told me about The Regals, and I didn’t believe her. I wanted to see them for myself.”
“You see now.” Korah meets at Hassha’s side with eyes just as fierce.
“I see indeed.” A faint smile graces his lips, despite the predicament he’s in.
“Caz!” Willow’s voice steals my attention. Behind me, I spot her near a boulder with the twins tucked under each of her arms. I jog across the beach to meet her.
“What happened?” I ask. They’re covered in sand from head to toe.
“That man landed, and his impact sent us flying,” Willow pants.