Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“Never.” I breathe the word and quickly turn to leave the room. I won’t hurt her. I kiss her hair and stride quickly toward my bedchambers. I won’t hurt her, but I won’t let her go.
GALEN
“What the hell was that about?” Cyrus’s question echoes exactly what I’m thinking. I purse my lips and watch Adelle lead the young women out of the room. Irritation rises inside of me as the shock of Drago’s actions subsides. I’ll figure out what he’s hiding; there are no secrets in this castle that evade me.
“Why would he accept that offer?”
I ignore Cyrus’s murmured thought. “Why would you let the sorcerer leave?”
My brother turns to me, a crease between his brow, and he answers, “You told him to. We don’t contradict one another.” Cyrus stares at me with his forehead pinched in confusion. “To be honest, I’m still shocked you allowed him to go.” He runs a hand through his hair in exasperation.
“I shouldn’t have.” I shake my head, pissed at myself for not thinking clearly. “It wasn’t wise.”
“No it wasn’t.” Again, he stares toward the now closed doors. “He’s going to tell everyone what happened. They’ll know it to be true.”
I nod my head in agreement with his statement. “But we did not agree to war.”
“We may as well have,” he states matter of factly. With a heavy inhale he rises and I follow. We walk out of the throne room, and I smirk as we both walk toward the study.
“Are you intending on looking her up as well?” I have to ask him.
He raises a brow and smirks. “I’m not competing for her affection, if that’s what you mean.”
“It’s not.” Although a deep part of me is grateful for him bowing out, that wasn’t what I was getting at. “Do you think she really exists? A woman who could carry our line?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I haven’t thought much of it.” He looks away as he speaks, and I’ve learned that means he’s lying.
“You haven’t thought at all about having a mate?” My question is laced with doubt.
“Why would I? Our kind died out long ago, and the possibility of another species carrying dragonlings is”—he breathes heavily—“impossible.”
I admonish him. “That’s a strong word, Cyrus.”
“It is the truth. It’s best to accept it and live life to the fullest.”
“To the fullest? As in constantly having a new woman in your bed?”
He scoffs at me. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Ah I see.” No, I don’t. I don’t understand how one could live life to the fullest without a mate. I’ve wanted one for as long as I can remember. I thought I had her once, and my chest aches in memory.
“You’re thinking of her, aren’t you?”
I peek at my brother with a side-eye and nod. We know each other too well to hide from my brothers.
“She would have made you a wonderful mate. I liked her very much.” Before I can read too much into his words he adds, “for you. She would’ve been good for you.”
A familiar ache and pain flow through me, proving I’m not as numb to the past as I thought I was.
“I agree. But she’s gone.” It hurts to say the words. I think back to my sweet, innocent Kiera. I should have made her my mate as soon as I was able. We were so young though. Neither of us had truly learned to live yet. I remember kissing her in the towers. She’d pull away and smile shyly when things were just getting good. A small smile appears on my lips. If only I could turn back time, I’d never let her leave me. I would have loved her with everything I had.
“There’s no use in regret.” Cyrus’s normally playful tone is gone. His hard voice breaks the happiness of my memory. “They’re all gone and they’re never coming back.”
“When did you become the serious, cynical one?”
He huffs a laugh, “You were the one getting all glassy-eyed.”
“You don’t know what it’s like to have loved and lost.”
“Sure I do. Just as well as you.” A grim look passes quickly over his face. I know he’s thinking about the purge. About the betrayal. My blood runs slow and cold as the memory consumes me. I remember the screams, and our mother locking us in the room. I’ll never forget how the door shook and how Drago stood in front of us, prepared and fearless and ready to fight them off. That day we united as we were meant to. The day greed nearly brought an end to our species. “You may have another one to love if this woman Victor speaks of actually exists.”
I’m grateful for Cyrus’s words as they bring me back to the present. I snort in response and push the doors to the study open. “Let’s find out who this Isabella is. I’m sure our scouts know something.”