Series: Lords of Rathe Series by Meagan Brandy
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“What now, I wonder…” Legend muses as I hit the D and press my finger to the pad to read my print. “I swear to fucking god, coming here was a mistake. I’d give anything to be home. On our land. Hunting, playing…” Legend’s voice is cut short when the elevator doors part open and the first thing we see is— “Mother.”
Mom smiles at us all tightly. “I need you all to sit down.”
I should be asking why she’s back so soon. Our parents rarely ever leave Stygian, and it takes something fucking terrible to have them do it.
“What’s up?” I ask, lifting the hem of my shirt before lowering myself onto the small table in the middle of the lounge area.
Mom takes the sofa opposite, and although she’s talking to all of us, I can’t ignore the way her eyes keep drifting to me. “I need to ask you all something and it’s important.”
“Why is it important?” I know my mother. She’s a trickster and knows exactly how to weaponize her devil-given right. When in conversation with her, it’s important to note that. Especially when she’s popping in unannounced—and without our father.
“The Dragon’s Lair. I take it you were all there last night.”
“Yes,” Creed answers for all of us, standing behind the table I’m sitting on. “Why?”
“Did you notice anything?” Her amber-colored eyes fall on each of us for a moment, but oh, do they pick me to come to last. She lingers on me the longest.
“You mean other than the usual shit?” I arch a brow. “No, Mom. That was most likely dragon drama as usual.”
She tightens her red leather coat, dragging her hands down her raven-colored hair. “I’m sure. But none of you have noticed anything worth mentioning?”
“No. Why did you come all the way here to ask us this? Why not send us a message?”
Mom stands from her chair and my eyes narrow when I notice her limping to the bar cart near the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her heels slap against the marble floors and it feels like hours before she finally answers us.
“Because I’m just being careful.”
“Well!” Legend pushes up from the chair. “This was lame, but thanks for getting us out of headmistress talking shit. I’ve got to bounce, though. Got…err…tests to study for.” Legend is gone in a flash and it’s a second later that Creed and Sinner both dip out too, leaving my mother and me alone.
“Hmm. You know for immortals, all you boys are sure growing fast.” She pours herself a finger of whiskey before making her way back to me. “My Knight.”
My body tenses.
She slowly takes the spot on the sofa directly opposite, so our knees almost touch. “You have always been smart. Intuitive. Have you noticed anything?”
Why the fuck does she keep asking me?
“Why don’t you just step inside my head and see?” I ask, leaning back slightly. I need distance from her on the best of days, much less when I know she’s prying. I love my mother, but she’s a serpent.
“Well.” She waves me off, rolling her eyes. “You and I both know you boys are much stronger than me these days, and you all block me out.”
“What have you seen?” I growl, baiting her to spit out the real reason why she’s here. Not the disguise she’s using just to be around our energy in the hopes that it’ll sniff out her visions or trigger them.
“I’m not entirely sure yet.” Her eyelashes flutter. “But it’s not good, Knight.” She tilts her head back to swallow her drink. “It’s really not good. My gift, it’s angry.”
“That is nothing new.” My mother’s gift is a fucking nightmare, sometimes one that claims control over her. Though, I’m not entirely convinced she doesn’t allow it to do just that when she wants to go on a fucking killing spree.
Her lips twitch, but the look on her face is far away. “This is different. Something’s happening, young Lord. Something I can’t see, and if I can’t see it, I can’t stop it.”
I clench my jaw. “Any ice?”
Her eyes flick to mine. “What have you seen with ice?”
I shrug but make my way to the glass floor-to-ceiling windows, shoving my hands into my pockets as I take in the activity below. I could tell her the truth, that I’ve started seeing things in my dreams. I mean, they can’t be as serious as I think. It’s probably just me coming down from all of the Fae dust.
“Snow. Blood. That’s all that I can think of at this moment.” I watch as people move down below.
“If anything changes, you must let me know, son.”
I nod, slowly turning back to her. “I will,” I promise.
I’m not so sure if that’s true…
Fifteen
Knight
The little clock on her bedside table reads three a.m. That’s three hours until I have to report to the rink.