Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Her words make me uneasy and bring faint memories to mind. I remember this. I remember cruelty with Salorians. Of families torn apart, nests destroyed because it was the best way to make a warrior obey. My gut churns at the thought of Emma being hurt because this Salorian wishes to get to me. Do not let him hurt you, I tell her. I will speak with him—
No! Emma’s thoughts are fierce and immediate. I may not know much, but I do know Sasha was determined not to let her dragon speak with Azar in his mind. She said he would take over him or control him or something. We can’t let that happen to you. As far as they need to know, you’re still crazy and beyond controlling.
I will not let him harm you, I reply fiercely.
I don’t plan on letting him harm me, either, she tells me back. We’re getting out of here tonight. I’m going to get my lockpicks and we’re going to get you free.
I do not like this. I hate the thought that she will put herself in danger, but as long as I am trapped, what choice do we have? She must free me. After that…there will be no separating me from my mate.
I must trust her. I must be patient a bit longer.
13
EMMA
Night comes far too quickly, and by the time it gets dark, I still don’t have much of a plan. I search all day—surreptitiously—for the sleeping drugs that I know Azar has around here somewhere. Carol slipped them into Sasha’s food when she was held captive, so I know they work. But I can’t find them without being obvious about it and I end up abandoning that plan. I’ll have to think of some other way, then.
Depending on who’s on guard duty, this can go a couple of different ways. If it’s anyone other than Kurt, I can lie and send that person off on a wild goose chase. If it’s Kurt, well, I’ll figure that out. I don’t like the thought of killing someone, but if I have to…
I’ll cross that bridge when I get there, I guess.
After dinner is served to the crew, I retreat to my room, citing a headache. It’s not a lie—my head’s pounding with worry over how we’re going to pull this off. No, I realize. There’s no “we.” I have to be the one to do this. No one can help, and I don’t trust any of the nomads to not betray me.
If I live to see tomorrow, I’ll consider things a success. If I don’t…
I just won’t think about that.
I dig through my things, determining what I can carry on me and what I’ll have to leave behind. My trusty baseball bat has to stay. Carrying that will be too obvious. My lockpicks and a pair of handcuffs come with me, but I wrap them tightly in a bit of fabric to keep them from jingling. I have an old wallet with pictures of my parents and my family from before. That goes with. I slip on my heaviest boots and hide knives in them, along with a bit of money and the last of the granola bars. Most forts don’t take money anymore, but you never know. I put on my favorite shirt, layer it with another shirt for a back-up, and add a studded belt to my jeans, because it can double as a weapon in a pinch. A roll of duct tape goes up my arm like a heavy bracelet, but I’ve learned that duct tape is always useful, especially in an escape.
When I can’t procrastinate any longer, I suck in a deep breath.
You ready? I ask Zohr, who’s been quiet most of the afternoon. I’m guessing he’s pretty worried about me. I know that feeling—I’m pretty worried about me, too. But we’re in this together and I’m not leaving him. I’m not about to let Azar use him.
Of course. Free me and I will rend our enemies limb from limb.
We’re not rending anyone limb from limb, I tell him quickly. We’re just getting the fuck out of here.
His thoughts are colored with surprise. You do not wish revenge?
I just want to be left alone. That’s all. I can tell by his thoughts that he disagrees with me. We can argue about it later.
It’s quiet in the hotel, and I wait, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, until it’s late and I can be sure everyone’s in bed. When it feels like the right time, I crack my door open and glance down the hall. No one’s in sight. I lock my door behind me and flip the little “Do not Disturb” sign on the doorknob. If someone comes looking for me, let them think I’m sleeping. By the time anyone comes to look, we’ll be long gone.