Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Blossom giggles at my side. I look to her and furrow my brows. However, I don’t get to ask her what that’s all about, as Kendrick connects with me through our bond.
“You feel tired. I want you to rest, my love.”
Kenji the Master
Ray hands me Avionne as she climbs on the bed next to me. I take the baby and place her against my bare chest. She sighs as if content and her little eyes close. In the last three weeks, this little one has grown on me.
“She likes you too,” Ray says with a smile on her face.
“Are you feeling better? Has the morning sickness passed for today?”
“I hope so. Blossom and the others have been a great help.”
I smile. I was happy to give her a court to help her. As my queen, she should have nothing less.
Jewel and Ember are fairies as well. One light, one fire. I’m waiting for the one who has been gifted to Ray from the mind fairies to arrive.
The water fairies still haven’t made their choice of who will serve. Then, she will have a full court and help with both babies.
“Come here,” I say and hold my arm out for her to come lean against me.
“That’s better,” she murmurs. “I found something in one of the books that came to me. I want you to see it when you have time.”
“Is that right?” I say as I run my fingers through the front of her hair.
“Yeah, just let me lie here for a minute. I’ll get it,” she says sleepily.
I kiss the top of her head as I keep a hand on the baby’s back. I breathe a deep sigh of contentment. I didn’t know how much I wanted a family of my own until this very moment.
I’d do anything for Ray and now our little girl. My mind goes to Knox. Still, nothing has changed.
I feel him out there. My instincts are just telling me he’s safer where he is than here. As my lids grow heavy and I have that thought, the bedroom door bursts open.
Bradan rushes in with flames in his palms, ready to attack. Ray wakes and grabs Avionne from my hold. I straighten and look at my brother in confusion.
“You released her. You released Seraphina and she attacked my mate,” he snarls.
“What are you talking about?” I growl back.
Before he can reply, a flame about five feet high rushes into the room and moves to push Bradan back. He closes his eyes and wraps his arms around the flame.
I watch as he dips his head and presses his lips to the top of the flame in his arms. I knit my brow and tilt my head, trying to understand what’s going on. Bradan is blocking me from our link, so I can’t talk to him in his head.
“Relax, baby. Just calm down,” he murmurs to the flame in his arms.
The flame extinguishes and as the smoke settles, I recognize that the flame is Taylor. A smile of pride comes to my lips. However, it’s short-lived as Bradan’s words set in.
“What happened?” I demand.
“Seraphina got free and cornered Taylor in the training room. She forced her into the box so I wouldn’t feel her, but I was already on my way there.
“Taylor held her own. Seraphina turned things up when she couldn’t best her. That’s when Taylor—”
“Transformed,” I finish for him with a smile.
Bradan nods. Taylor stands wrapped around his waist as he holds her tight. I’m livid.
“I didn’t release her, brother. I will find out who did, but it wasn’t me. Well done, Taylor.”
“Thank you,” she says quietly.
“Where is she now?”
“I don’t know, she got away. I came here in my anger after she fled,” he says. “I can’t let this go. I’m going to hunt her down.”
I nod. “I know. Do what you must.”
“Kendrick,” Ardan calls as he and Billy rush into the room.
I groan. I know I’m not going to like whatever’s going to come out of their mouths.
“What’s going on?”
“I need to leave.”
“To go where?”
“Japan.”
My power starts to course through me. Him needing to go to Japan can only mean one thing. His source stone has been compromised.
“Is it gone?” I seethe.
“No, Kenji and the assassins held firm. However, he doesn’t believe this will be the only attempt.”
Kenji and Ardan have been friends for a very long time. He is the puppet master, an ancient being almost as old as we are. His gifts are unique and unmatched. If a genie and an alchemist had a baby, it would have been Kenji.
His assassins are an asset to his abilities. I thought he’d be the last target these hunters would go after.
Alchemists aspire to be what he is. He has mastered what many never will. He was created with a gift like the gods and the wisdom to match.