Gods help us all.
13
It wasn’t fair.
He didn’t know the rules.
Ramon.
I crash to the ground and press the heels of my palms into my eyes, desperately trying to erase the vision of Cosmo’s memory.
Beyond awful.
A boy, his friend, killed. Gods, the agony. I rub furiously at my head, as if I can scrub the image from my mind.
Cosmo would kill me if he knew I'd seen his pure agony. Looking skyward, my gaze tracks the golden dragon. The dragon who has a monster for a father.
—Nymph? What is it—
A wave of exhaustion washes over me, and I realize Ludo is kneeling beside me. “It’s…OK, Lu. Don’t worry.” My eyes sting, filling with tears for both my lost Wesandmy hurting nemesis.
Shit, gotta pull myself together. Deep breath.
Ludo hovers an uncertain hand above my shoulder, a gesture that makes my heart ache.
—What do you need, nymph?—
What do I need? I need answers. I need Wes.
—Eat, Nymph—He passes me a couple of apples, then hands some out to Donovan and Alexis as well.
“Thanks, Lu.” I take another deep breath. This is no time to lose it. We have to find Wes. “Guys, can we have a quick chin-wag?”
Maximus snorts, throwing himself down onto the grass. “Chin-wag? Is that what the British girls say when they ride someone's face? You're welcome to have a chin-wag on my jaw anytime, Princess Sexy.”
—Can I hurt the dog?—Ludo asks.
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. He’s just crass.”
Alexis fixes Max with a withering look. “Your compulsive facetiousness is getting tedious, cousin. Could you do us all a favor and stop?”
“Ooh, I forgot how uptight you were, Lexi. But I’ll rein it in just for you; don’t want your old-man blood pressure to skyrocket.”
A loud thump, and their bickering stops as the ground shudders. The dragon has landed.
Alexis crouches beside me as Cosmo strides towards us. He’s ashen, his usual tanned glow nowhere to be seen, and his eyes are shadowed.
When Cosmo throws a dirty look my way, Lu crosses his arms, making his biceps bulge.
—The dragon is volatile. I watch him—
After having a window into Cosmo’s memories, I understand him a little better.
It’s not surprising he’s so full of hate. I return his scowl with a smile and invite him to sit. “We’re having a planning meeting.”
He pauses, momentarily puzzled by my being nice, then stalks into our little circle. “Give me an apple, Larsen.”
Max mimes an over-the-top bow. “M’lord,” then skips off to the nearest tree.
