Suddenly, a high-pitched sound cuts through the tension. “Oooh! Love and rainbows…” Max throws himself between the two of us, doing a bizarre dance in the middle of the living room. “Sparkles and unicorns…no more fighting, instead let’s watch some porn…” He warbles out the song while twirling a bad pirouette. "More hugs, more drugs, not bugs up your asses…”
Donovan and I meet eyes, and the fight drains out of us. I let out a puff of air, half a laugh, and half a sigh.
“Crazy motherfucker,” Donovan mumbles, going to refill his glass.
I’m glad we put a pin in the conversation. Donovan is not in a fit state to be rational right now. He needs to unwind.
Within an hour, he, Maximus, and I have made it all the way down the bottle and demolished a cheese plate.
“I’m turning in,” Dono says, jaw cracking in a yawn. “I’ll check in on Wes first.”
“Sounds good. I’m so fucking glad you’re here,” I tell him.
“I’m glad to be here, too.” Donovan meets my gaze. “I’m glad to be back with Theo and Wes. I’ll feel the same way about you once you pull your head out of your ass. G’night.”
???
I sleep my usual amount, ie, just enough to survive but not enough to make me feel truly functional.
Max’s snoring rumbles from the sofa, making my shoulders tense. At this time of the morning, all I want is quiet.
“I’m going for a run,” I tell the snoring idiot, then retreat to my room and pull on workout gear. If I run enough, I may be able to face the day.
Stepping out of Electis Tower, the air is chilled. I like it. It’s good to feel something of the atmosphere after the void-like nothing of Donovan’s realm.
Not bothering to stretch, I set off.
I run hard until all my airways burn. Feet pounding, one tread after another. Fuck, if only I could run away from all my demons this easily.
The green of the forest blurs as I run. How many miles? I’ve been around the academy perimeter three times now. I’ll do another lap.
Finally stopping back outside Electis, I’m drenched in sweat, and my muscles burn, but it feels good. My head is buzzing, andsuddenly I realize, so is my phone. American Nightmare by Ice Nine Kills.
Fuck.
I take a deep breath and answer. “Father.”
“Cosmo.” With one word, I already know he’s pissed.
“Yes?” I respond.
“We have a matter to discuss,” he says. “I’m in Havengard City. Be at the Capitol Rotunda at noon.”
He hangs up before I can respond. A classic power move. He doesn't waste precious Tyrus Drakeward time waiting for confirmation.
Anyway, Father is in Havengard City. That’s interesting. It takes something big to pull him out of Drakeward Tower in Southernhampton—he operates entirely on the principle that lessers come to him. This is probably about the All Hallows Ball. He and Mother attended last year, purely to get a proper inventory of all the local Elite families—who's up, who's down, and who's worth acquiring. The man never attends an event unless there's a serious ROI involved.
The dragon beneath my skin shifts uneasily. If only I could sethimon my father, snap his neck dragon-style, then go. Go far away. He’d be dead, and Aurora would be safe.
But no, of course, I can’t. Not while I have Father’s invisible sigil burned into my neck.
And anyway, we have a deal. He doesn’t move on his plans to marry off Aurora if I toe the line. It’s only my compliance that prevented fourteen-year-old Rory from getting married off to a Conclave member a couple of years ago.
I want to kill my father.
A day of reckoning is coming. Both my dragon and I can feel it.
21
