Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“It’s good to see you, old friend. Thank you for welcoming us in and for the heads-up. This is my mate, Billy.”
“Welcome home, Billy,” Kenji says.
As soon as the words leave his mouth, I feel strange. Something in the words seems to echo around me. Almost like they surround me and then reach into me.
Is this his powers? Is he trying to trick me? Ardan places a hand on the small of my back and moves closer to me.
I immediately relax. Although the feeling as if something has awakened inside me remains.
Kenji tilts his head at me and gives a mischievous smile. I narrow my eyes at him. He’s not the innocent man he wants me to believe he is.
“Perfectly matched. The gods never make a mistake. It is we who alter and break their designs,” he says ominously.
Amadeus begins to shift from foot to foot as if those words were to address him. I’m still mystified that so many generations are between the two. If I didn’t know better, I would think the two were brothers.
Maybe a year or two removed. The only aging factor is the white hair, but I’ve learned that to be common among the merfolk. It’s so beautiful and has such a shine to it.
“I look forward to getting to know more about you. Come, I bet you two want to freshen up,” Kenji says.
“Can we show her the gifts you gave us?” Beck asks, looking to Kenji hopefully.
“No, he told us not to share them. You have to be more disciplined when given secrets,” Bourne says.
“Patience, young Beck. All things come in time,” Kenji says.
“He is in his true form. What does that mean?” I mind-link Ardan.
“Really? I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Wait, what do you mean? You’re not seeing what I am?”
“As I said, he shows each individual what he wants them to see. I’m getting the old man today,” he replies.
“What does that mean for me?”
“It’s a show of respect.”
“And for you?”
“He wants me to be at ease. He’s giving me the appearance of dominance in the situation.”
“Is that a good thing?”
He laughs in my head. “This is Kenji. You will never know until he wants you to. This is normal. He has not started with his tricks yet.”
“What did Beck mean about the ladies?”
“You will meet them,” he says with a smile in his voice.
Ardan
“You are hostile toward me, brother. What has brought you here like this?”
“I fell into Billy’s past. I found her in the presence of one of yours. She has been dragon-touched in a past life. You were working for my father back then.
“What is your role in all of this? Why is my mate reacting to you?”
“Is it your mate reacting to me? Or is it her spirit reacting to home? What you see is never what is happening. What you feel will confuse you more. It is what you know that will lead you to answers and none of us know anything,” he replies.
I turn on him swiftly and grab him by his shirt. I throw him against the nearest wall. Thankfully they are all solid on this level. Otherwise, I would have thrown him through it.
“Don’t give me your riddles. I am not one of your puppets to dance around. When it comes to my mate, you don’t want to test me,” I snarl.
“Dear old friend, you would think I were a nefarious character,” he says as he reaches to pry my hand from his shirt. “I am an old man with too much time on his hands. I trust you to remember there was a long time when my familiar roamed freely.
“You would have to be more specific on the time. When was she touched? Are you absolutely sure it was my dragon? My brother, too, had dragons who roamed freely.”
I narrow my eyes. My mind goes back to Billy’s words. Would he really compromise the stone to play one of his games?
“Is this all a game? Did they truly come for the stone?”
“You and I both know the consequence of placing your stone in danger. I would do no such thing. I think we have been apart for too long. You are questioning my friendship, my loyalty, and my character.”
I take a step back and pull a hand down my face. I think for a moment. Kenji still has access to step through to the gods.
Although he is my friend, I have always engaged him with caution. However, I know him well enough to know he would never compromise his position or access. He holds favor with them, but if my stone were taken because of his games, they would not hesitate to reprimand him, which could lead to his access being denied.
“Perhaps you are right. Forgive me. Billy is everything I’ve waited for. I know you mean well, but don’t fuck with her. I have no tolerance for her being hurt. Not even for a second,” I say.