Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 117336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Instead, I remain frozen where I am, paralyzed by emotion.
"No," Jenny continues. "He's doing it to protect himself."
"He needs all of them to protect us against the thing in the Rift," Melina says.
Jenny's tone sharpens. "The babies protect everyone. The dragons he has are zombies. They can't do anything. Their minds are gone. He's using them to protect the fort, sure, but you've got three able-bodied drakoni males right here at this table. They can protect the fort from anyone that comes into this territory. If you free the ones you have captive right now, more will probably match up with some of the women you have in the program. They've been smelling their scents repeatedly for weeks now. You might get a few more pairings and children if you just let them go. The fort is protected."
The fort might be protected…but Melina will not be. I will not be. And who will protect my mate if I am not at her side, flexing my power to keep all in line? I recover, pushing back the surging emotions I feel. "I will not."
Melina is silent.
Jenny glares up at me. "You won't do it because you're afraid you won't be able to keep control of the fort. Here's the thing—you've been a good leader to the people here. The single girls are safe and protected. The streets are cleaner than they were, and the militia listens to you instead of running rampant. Fort Dallas isn't great, but you have things under control and we don't want to take that from you. No one wants to run the damn place. You do whatever you like, but you can't enslave drakoni just because it gives you an edge. If you want drakoni to help you, you've got to give that up. You're the enemy as far as we're concerned. You've always been the enemy. You need to compromise."
I am…surprised by her praise. Perhaps I am not as reviled as I thought. Even so, I don't want to discuss this in front of Melina. Melina, who I've been so careful to shield from everything. I glance over at her, but her gaze is fixed straight ahead. Bracing myself, I continue. "I will lose all control of the fort if I free the captives. It is a necessary evil."
"Is it?" Melina asks, finally speaking up. "Because they sound like they can protect the fort. Is it true that you're just protecting yourself?"
I am protecting you, I want to shout. I am a Salorian. This is how we wield our authority. This is how I keep you safe. But I see now that she is no longer with me. Not as Jenny spills more of my secrets and makes it seem worse and worse. I feel defeated, but I will not allow it to show. So I do my best to bluff. "Not even you are with me, my mate?"
Melina flinches. Subtly, but I sense it. She remains quiet, though.
"I see." I bite back the betrayal I feel. That she is not on my side after all. "Then hear this. The moment I release those drakoni, these will murder me." He gestures at our end of the table. "I am, as they say, their enemy. I am a Salorian. To them, I am better dead than alive. If I give up my control, I have nothing left."
"I'm sure you'll find some way to be useful," Jenny adds in a snotty voice.
I ignore her. Instead, I watch Melina. If I release the drakoni now, will she forgive me? Will she understand that I did it to protect her? To protect us?
My mate looks up at me, her dark eyes unreadable. "You're good at amplifying the children's voices. Perhaps that can be your focus instead of enslavement."
Now it is my turn to flinch. With those cold, cutting words, she has told me where I stand with her. Conqueror. Despised.
All hope is gone.
Melina continues. "You will keep control of the fort because everyone has seen you with the dragons in the past. They will think that you can call them back at any moment. You don't need to keep them if we have volunteers to keep the fort safe."
I am silent. I gaze at Melina, silently begging her to give me a sign that she cares for me, but she looks away.
So be it, then. "You'll have my answer in the morning."
I storm out.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
MELINA
I shouldn't follow Azar. I should just let him go. Let him retreat to lick his wounds and call it a day. But no. I need to twist the knife, to let him know just how much he's hurt me with his horrible, horrible actions.
I'm just so fucking mad at him. Betrayed. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to them? I'm willing to forgive a lot, but I don't think I can forgive this. Ever.