you’re going to kill me. Sure, he loves and respects you, but he’s awfully volatile .”
Gresham’s handsome face was grief-stricken and haggard. His radiant golden eyes had gone dull, filled with sadness…and a spark of genuine fear.
There was still no sign of Ewan, and my heart pounded in terror. Had Gaspare done more harm than intended?
Gaspare’s webbed bondage was complete, and it took real effort to tamp down my panic.
Just as I got myself together, I was thrust roughly against Bay and my mother. Bay grunted angrily and threw darts at Gaspare with moss-colored eyes. He’d forced our sticky cocoons together, one giant gift-wrapped package of Drakontos women.
Bay wasn’t in on the plan, and I thought it best not to tell her. Our reactions had to be believable.
“Bay, Edina, and Stella Drakontos.” Gaspare spoke authoritatively and with a great deal of ceremony as he approached us. “Until recently, your kind was thought extinct. The discovery of your existence, indeed the very existence of dragons, has caused the people of Thayer to relive their horrors and losses suffered so long ago. I have considered your egregious and violent past, and by the authority granted me as Prime Minister of Thayer, I declare your existence a threat and a burden to the people of Thayer at large. I hereby sentence you to permanent and irrevocable elimination.”
A collective gasp ran through the angry throng of people. I saw a few grimaces, but overall the population was morbidly pleased. They would finally get the blood they’d been thirsting for.
A single tear trailed down my mother’s pale cheek. “ I’m sorry ,” she said. “ I’m sorry you’re suffering the sins of your mother. This is what I tried for so many years to prevent. It’s why I raised you far away from here. Why I never told you who you were. I thought ignorance was safety, but I was wrong. So wrong .”
“ Mom, don’t. We’ll be fine ,” I assured her. “ It’s not what you think .” I really hoped it wasn’t what she thought. I prayed I was right to trust Gaspare.
Gresham’s eyes were no longer dull, but shined with spirited intent. “You cannot prosecute Stella for the crimes of her ancestors, Gaspare,” he said. “Release her. Afford her a trial, at least.” He said the last forcefully, like an order. Gaspare straightened, as if he would chastise or punish him, but Gresham didn’t back down.
“It’s over, Rowan,” Gaspare said and clasped Bay roughly behind the neck. She threw her head in objection, cursing Gaspare and the people around us so obscenely my eyes bulged in shock. It probably looked like fear, and that was good for my act.
With Bay in hand and all of us cocooned together, Gaspare traced us from the decimated cabin, from the vicious mob, from Gresham and Ewan. I felt the immediate crisp cold that always accompanied tracing, and then I felt nothing at all.
Chapter 9
W e landed roughly in a patch of fragrant yellow wildflowers. Bound together as we were, the landing was clumsy and the three of us toppled over. I had the extreme misfortune of being on the bottom, and struggled to catch my breath as the women on top of me wrestled to stand.
“Patience, patience. Give me a minute,” Gaspare said from nearby.
The glistening whites of my mother’s eyes monopolized what little I could see of her face. I could feel her terror; the furious thrums of her body vibrated us both.
Bay thrummed with what looked like another emotion altogether: rage.
As quickly as he snatched us from the forest, Gaspare released us from our webbed wrap. I clumsily stood and dusted myself off, noticing Bay making a beeline for Gaspare. She hadn’t even taken the time to change forms.
I ran between the two screaming, “Bay, no. Wait! We’re safe. We’re safe.”
I was too late. I thought she’d plow into Gaspare, but he avoided her with the ease of a matador.
“Bay,” I called. “He’s not going to hurt us.” I looked to
Gresham’s handsome face was grief-stricken and haggard. His radiant golden eyes had gone dull, filled with sadness…and a spark of genuine fear.
There was still no sign of Ewan, and my heart pounded in terror. Had Gaspare done more harm than intended?
Gaspare’s webbed bondage was complete, and it took real effort to tamp down my panic.
Just as I got myself together, I was thrust roughly against Bay and my mother. Bay grunted angrily and threw darts at Gaspare with moss-colored eyes. He’d forced our sticky cocoons together, one giant gift-wrapped package of Drakontos women.
Bay wasn’t in on the plan, and I thought it best not to tell her. Our reactions had to be believable.
“Bay, Edina, and Stella Drakontos.” Gaspare spoke authoritatively and with a great deal of ceremony as he approached us. “Until recently, your kind was thought extinct. The discovery of your existence, indeed the very existence of dragons, has caused the people of Thayer to relive their horrors and losses suffered so long ago. I have considered your egregious and violent past, and by the authority granted me as Prime Minister of Thayer, I declare your existence a threat and a burden to the people of Thayer at large. I hereby sentence you to permanent and irrevocable elimination.”
A collective gasp ran through the angry throng of people. I saw a few grimaces, but overall the population was morbidly pleased. They would finally get the blood they’d been thirsting for.
A single tear trailed down my mother’s pale cheek. “ I’m sorry ,” she said. “ I’m sorry you’re suffering the sins of your mother. This is what I tried for so many years to prevent. It’s why I raised you far away from here. Why I never told you who you were. I thought ignorance was safety, but I was wrong. So wrong .”
“ Mom, don’t. We’ll be fine ,” I assured her. “ It’s not what you think .” I really hoped it wasn’t what she thought. I prayed I was right to trust Gaspare.
Gresham’s eyes were no longer dull, but shined with spirited intent. “You cannot prosecute Stella for the crimes of her ancestors, Gaspare,” he said. “Release her. Afford her a trial, at least.” He said the last forcefully, like an order. Gaspare straightened, as if he would chastise or punish him, but Gresham didn’t back down.
“It’s over, Rowan,” Gaspare said and clasped Bay roughly behind the neck. She threw her head in objection, cursing Gaspare and the people around us so obscenely my eyes bulged in shock. It probably looked like fear, and that was good for my act.
With Bay in hand and all of us cocooned together, Gaspare traced us from the decimated cabin, from the vicious mob, from Gresham and Ewan. I felt the immediate crisp cold that always accompanied tracing, and then I felt nothing at all.
Chapter 9
W e landed roughly in a patch of fragrant yellow wildflowers. Bound together as we were, the landing was clumsy and the three of us toppled over. I had the extreme misfortune of being on the bottom, and struggled to catch my breath as the women on top of me wrestled to stand.
“Patience, patience. Give me a minute,” Gaspare said from nearby.
The glistening whites of my mother’s eyes monopolized what little I could see of her face. I could feel her terror; the furious thrums of her body vibrated us both.
Bay thrummed with what looked like another emotion altogether: rage.
As quickly as he snatched us from the forest, Gaspare released us from our webbed wrap. I clumsily stood and dusted myself off, noticing Bay making a beeline for Gaspare. She hadn’t even taken the time to change forms.
I ran between the two screaming, “Bay, no. Wait! We’re safe. We’re safe.”
I was too late. I thought she’d plow into Gaspare, but he avoided her with the ease of a matador.
“Bay,” I called. “He’s not going to hurt us.” I looked to
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