Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
The small cluster was drawn away from the dragons, who tried to move through the crowd. A man smelling like he had bathed in whisky bulldozed his way past them to get to the food.
“Oh!” Off-balance, Ciel teetered and fell to her knees. Aurora and Lalani tumbled as well. And they clung to each other, trying to get to their feet.
A roar stopped the crowd in their tracks. Argenis. A second joined in. Drake. Ciel took advantage of the break from the crush of the group to haul herself and the others to their feet. When a third roar joined the two familiar ones, a shiver of awareness zinged down her spine.
“Who’s that?” Aurora asked as Drake and Argenis reached them.
“Me,” a deep voice sounded behind them.
Everyone turned to see Khadar take his place around the group. Ciel looked at Aurora, trying to figure out what was going on. An audible inhale of surprise drew her attention back to the young woman, they’d just met. She looked at Lalani and up at Khadar. Could she be…
“Back to our original protected spot,” Argenis ordered. “Khadar, you guard from the rear.”
The crowd split to form a space before the two glowering dragons led the way back to the raised dais. Cocooned in the middle, Ciel, Aurora, and Lalani walked easily to the secluded spot. Ciel spotted Abby along the route and snaked a hand out to pull their housekeeper into the protected group.
Once they were past, the crowd resumed their movement to the buffet tables. From her position on the dais, Ciel could see that most weren’t out of control or bullying. The sheer number was simply overwhelming.
Argenis wrapped his arms around Ciel and lifted her from her feet. He pressed his mouth against her ear to growl, “You, Little Sky, will not sit easily for several days.”
“I had to help,” Ciel tried to excuse herself. She turned to check on Lalani when he set her back on the ground.
Khadar stood in front of the once frightened woman directly in Ciel’s view. Even viewing her from the back, Ciel could tell that Kalani stood straighter now as she stared at the massive dragon shifter. A green light flashed from Khadar’s eyes and he dropped to one knee in front of Lalani.
“His mate,” Ciel whispered.
“So it appears,” Argenis confirmed.