himself.”
“I’m sorry.”
Rian shrugged. “Our world is different. And Ronan came from an even harsher time in our history. We learn to adapt and most of us thrive on the way things are.”
“You don’t?”
“Peace is a dream for dragons who have long gone grey and are nearing the end. Death is the only true peace to be found in our lands.”
Amber shivered at his words. She wanted to go home more than ever. But where was home? Her grandmother’s place? The house she was raised in? She was starting to think she didn’t fit in either of those places. She spun as the door opened again and her racing heart slowed when she saw it was Kade.
“You’re safe here.” Kade reached out and took her hand.
“Am I? What about the one passing information?”
“He’s being watched and we’ll track him back to those he’s dealing with.”
Amber pulled away from Kade, wandering across the room to look out the narrow window. The land looked beautiful, but she wondered how much blood had been spilled so Kade’s family could own it. After witnessing the fight two nights ago, it had become clear to her exactly what taking Ronan’s lands back would involve. She felt Kade behind her.
“What’s bothering you, Amber?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Do you expect me to kill when we help Ronan get his lands back?”
Kade wrapped his arms around her. “I expect only what you’re capable of. But remember, you are part of the agreement. If you refuse to help him get his lands, things will be back to the way they started.”
“Ronan would be worse than an assassin after you,” Rian said softly.
Amber guessed he’d know since he’d been raised by the man. She turned in Kade’s arms. “What should I do?”
“Let’s figure out who’s trying to kill you and deal with the wyvern nest. We can worry about Ronan later.”
“Ronan often says, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer,”
Rian said to Amber alone.
“Is he my enemy?”
She turned so she could see Rian’s face. As usual it was expressionless.
“He has no friends.”
Amber felt a sense of dread at Rian’s words. She couldn’t afford more enemies. She had to do something. And offending him yesterday probably hadn’t been a good idea. Nor throwing a fireball at him the day before. Amber sighed. What could she do? How was she going to deal with this world of war and deceit when she only wanted peace? Well, she didn’t expect total peace, but she certainly didn’t want an assassin hiding behind every bush. There had to be a way to get what she wanted. She couldn’t live the rest of her life hunted.
“How about lunch? Forget everything for now and come and eat. My people have prepared a feast.”
Amber nodded. Although she did wonder how it would be possible to eat with all the knots in her stomach.
* * *
Amber paced back and forth in her room. She stopped and stared at her phone, for probably the hundredth time. After a glance at Rian in the corner, she began to pace again. This was getting her nowhere. She had to make up her mind. And fast. Too long and it’d look like she was running scared. She might be, but she didn’t want anyone else to know. A decision had to be made and from all she’d learned during lunch, it was just like in her own world. The clan with the most power and biggest army was left alone by those weaker. The aim was to be at the top of the ladder.
There was one thing she could be certain of. Ronan kept his word. If she kept hers, then he’d be the one ally she could be certain of. Which was a rare thing amongst dragons. Dropping onto her bed, she dialled Ronan’s number before she could talk herself out of ringing.
“What do you want?”
His tone didn’t promise a pleasant conversation. She needed to find a way to change that. “Why good evening, Ronan. Yes, it is lovely weather we’re having.”
“Oh, so we’re using manners tonight are we?”
Amber smiled, knowing he’d hear it
“I’m sorry.”
Rian shrugged. “Our world is different. And Ronan came from an even harsher time in our history. We learn to adapt and most of us thrive on the way things are.”
“You don’t?”
“Peace is a dream for dragons who have long gone grey and are nearing the end. Death is the only true peace to be found in our lands.”
Amber shivered at his words. She wanted to go home more than ever. But where was home? Her grandmother’s place? The house she was raised in? She was starting to think she didn’t fit in either of those places. She spun as the door opened again and her racing heart slowed when she saw it was Kade.
“You’re safe here.” Kade reached out and took her hand.
“Am I? What about the one passing information?”
“He’s being watched and we’ll track him back to those he’s dealing with.”
Amber pulled away from Kade, wandering across the room to look out the narrow window. The land looked beautiful, but she wondered how much blood had been spilled so Kade’s family could own it. After witnessing the fight two nights ago, it had become clear to her exactly what taking Ronan’s lands back would involve. She felt Kade behind her.
“What’s bothering you, Amber?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Do you expect me to kill when we help Ronan get his lands back?”
Kade wrapped his arms around her. “I expect only what you’re capable of. But remember, you are part of the agreement. If you refuse to help him get his lands, things will be back to the way they started.”
“Ronan would be worse than an assassin after you,” Rian said softly.
Amber guessed he’d know since he’d been raised by the man. She turned in Kade’s arms. “What should I do?”
“Let’s figure out who’s trying to kill you and deal with the wyvern nest. We can worry about Ronan later.”
“Ronan often says, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer,”
Rian said to Amber alone.
“Is he my enemy?”
She turned so she could see Rian’s face. As usual it was expressionless.
“He has no friends.”
Amber felt a sense of dread at Rian’s words. She couldn’t afford more enemies. She had to do something. And offending him yesterday probably hadn’t been a good idea. Nor throwing a fireball at him the day before. Amber sighed. What could she do? How was she going to deal with this world of war and deceit when she only wanted peace? Well, she didn’t expect total peace, but she certainly didn’t want an assassin hiding behind every bush. There had to be a way to get what she wanted. She couldn’t live the rest of her life hunted.
“How about lunch? Forget everything for now and come and eat. My people have prepared a feast.”
Amber nodded. Although she did wonder how it would be possible to eat with all the knots in her stomach.
* * *
Amber paced back and forth in her room. She stopped and stared at her phone, for probably the hundredth time. After a glance at Rian in the corner, she began to pace again. This was getting her nowhere. She had to make up her mind. And fast. Too long and it’d look like she was running scared. She might be, but she didn’t want anyone else to know. A decision had to be made and from all she’d learned during lunch, it was just like in her own world. The clan with the most power and biggest army was left alone by those weaker. The aim was to be at the top of the ladder.
There was one thing she could be certain of. Ronan kept his word. If she kept hers, then he’d be the one ally she could be certain of. Which was a rare thing amongst dragons. Dropping onto her bed, she dialled Ronan’s number before she could talk herself out of ringing.
“What do you want?”
His tone didn’t promise a pleasant conversation. She needed to find a way to change that. “Why good evening, Ronan. Yes, it is lovely weather we’re having.”
“Oh, so we’re using manners tonight are we?”
Amber smiled, knowing he’d hear it
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