Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Everything had been going well…until we hit that little snag. “No one takes command of the dragons. They’re here of their own free will, as allies and friends. They’re not servants. They don’t take orders from anyone.”
Huntley angled his head to look at me.
Queen Rolfe turned ice-cold once again. “Your mission was to bring the dragons here for my use.”
“No. Our mission was to gain them as allies—which I have done. They’re not to be used. They’re not horses.”
Her stare continued, so focused it seemed as if she would never blink.
Huntley broke the tension. “The dragons have been subjected to torture and cruelty. Their wings were clipped like turkeys. The only reason they’re here is because they trust Ivory. Ivory will be their keeper. She will ask for their cooperation and permission throughout this process.”
The tension left my chest when he came to my rescue.
She studied him but gave no argument. “You can speak with them?”
Huntley nodded. “They only speak with those they trust, so I don’t expect they’ll speak with you or anyone else here.”
“Do they speak with you, son?”
“Only Storm.”
She gave a slight nod. “With the help of the dragons, we don’t need an entire army to take Delacroix. We’ll take one with us and leave the other behind.”
“They won’t be separated.” I didn’t even have to ask.
Her eyes shifted back to me. “One must guard HeartHolme in my absence. You’ve seen the power of Necrosis yourself.”
“Be that as it may, they’re brothers,” I said. “They won’t separate.”
She turned back to her son, as if asking for confirmation.
He gave a nod. “We’ll have to travel under darkness and make sure no one sees the dragons. That way, Necrosis will assume they’re still at HeartHolme. As long as they think the dragons are here, they won’t attack.”
With her elbow propped on the armrest, she brushed her fingers across her chin. Her nails were painted black, the same color as the armor she discarded. “I will consider our course of action as I return HeartHolme to its former glory. For now, you’re dismissed.”
She didn’t thank me for what I’d done, and I felt stupid for being disappointed. There was nothing I could do to gain her acceptance. If securing the dragons for the war and saving HeartHolme didn’t get more than a nod, then nothing would change our circumstances. She would always hate me—and the feeling was mutual.
Ian turned to leave, and I did the same.
“Mother.”
I stilled when I heard Huntley’s address.
“Ivory saved me from the Teeth, and she wasn’t even my wife at the time. On the island, the outcasts captured me and dragged me back to their camp. If she hadn’t commanded one of the dragons and come to my rescue, you wouldn’t even have been able to bury your son. She did what nobody else could and healed those dragons, and then she convinced them to come all the way here to help us. You owe her more than your coldness. You owe her more than your indirect gratitude. You owe her more than a fucking nod. You will thank my wife for what she’s done for all of us—and you will embrace her as a daughter because she’s the woman I love.”
My heart tightened so hard I couldn’t feel any part of my body. My lungs tightened too, so there was no breath in or out. It was surreal, so surreal I wasn’t even sure if what I thought happened actually happened. I turned back around, seeing Huntley face off with his mother like I wasn’t in the room.
Queen Rolfe held his gaze, the hardness gone, a different look having replaced it.
Huntley stood his ground and waited.
I didn’t even care if she thanked me. All I cared about was the confession he’d just shared with his family—and with me.
Queen Rolfe gripped the arms to her throne as she rose to her feet. One step. Two steps. Her eyes remained on Huntley. Then she slowly turned her head and finally looked at me, like it took all her strength to cooperate. With her eyes on mine, she finally conceded. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for HeartHolme. You’re officially a Rune. And you’re officially a Rolfe.”
Our home felt exactly the same.
It was as if we’d never left.
He made a fire right away and used the heat to draw a bath in the tub. Neither one of us spoke as we went about our routines. I hung up my weapons next to his against the wall, shed all the filthy clothes I’d worn for days and tossed them in the hamper, and then the two of us both took a hot bath to wash away the weeks of grime that had oiled our hair and coated our skin.
I didn’t address what he said, and he didn’t act like he said it either.