“Yes, but this was asummons.”
I eye the two of them, wishing they would leave so I could go upstairs and go to bed. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“The other letters he sent were just letters, requesting him to come. This was a formal summons,” Farrah tries to explain.
“He’s supposed to respond within one week,” Rysden explains.
“Let me guess. He didn’t,” I say dryly. “Honestly,” I pause and hope Farrah is listening closely. “You need to stop with him. Let him be; he’s obviously not interested in helping. Red and I will keep going after the guivres that get too close; it’s fine. We don’t need him.” Farrah’s lips tighten, like she’s trying to keep herself from saying something. I really don’t want to hear anymore tonight. “I’m tired; I’m going to bed.”
Farrah’s shoulders fall. “All right. Night, Harper.”
“Night, Guys.”
I close the door behind them and lock it. Guilt settles in my chest, like it always does. I remind myself that it’s not my fault the guivre attacks are increasing in frequency. It’s also not my fault that the king of the Dragon Kingdom, the guy that’s supposed to help us defeat said guivres, refuses to show. I manage to avoid the squeaky stairs as I head upstairs again. Once I’m finally inside my apartment, I close the door and make my way over to the kitchen area. I’m starving. I scowl when I realize all I have is a piece of fruit and make a mental note to hit the market tomorrow and buy more food from the various vendors. I keep trying the whole cooking thing, but it’s not really taking. I sigh and drop onto the couch. The sweet fruit disappears quickly, and I’m left with a desire for more. I drop the rind on the small table beside me and lean my head against the couch. I really should head to my bed, but I’m too tired.I’ll just give myself a few minutes.
I awake to the sound of the obnoxious rooster next door and curse myself for sleeping on the couch.Again. I try to go back to sleep, but the stupid rooster won’t be quiet. I finally stand to my feet, irritated. “One morning, Rooster. One morning I’m going to feed you to Red.” I make my way over to the bathroom to bathe and get ready for the day. I take a moment to look in the mirror; it’s not something I do often. I didn’t have a mirror while I was growing up, so I’m still getting used to seeing myself all the time. I take in my long dark hair and make a mental note to ask Farrah to trim it for me again. My dark brown eyes stare back atme, and I turn away from the mirror. One thing I’m thankful for is that I’m tall; I’ve never not been thankful for being tall.
I feel a little better after I get dressed, but my neck hurts from the weird angle it was in all night. I ignore the pain and walk over to the kitchen area before I remember I have no food. I close the door a little harder than I intend when I leave the house and contemplate if I have enough time to go to the market and get food before Farrah gets here. We have a lot on our plate today if we want today to be the last day of clean up. I start towards the market but hear the sounds of horses and know I wasn’t quick enough. I try to keep the grimace off my face as I watch Farrah and Rysden and Lox and Jamik ride into view.
“Morning,” Farrah calls out brightly.
“Morning,” I manage to get out.
“Here, Hector sent along food for you.” She hands me something wrapped in a white cloth. I open the cloth and see a small meat pie, still warm, and a few grapes. My stomach growls at the smell of the meat pie.
“Tell him thanks,” I say before I pop a grape into my mouth.
“A little hungry over there, Harpie?” Lox asks, a stupid grin on his face. I ignore the nickname and him.
“You ready to get going?” Farrah asks.
I nod and throw another grape in my mouth.I’m heading out with them to hopefully finish today. Be good. No eating any people.I’m only half-teasing. She complains daily about humans and how she could just eat them and take care of the problem.
No promises,she sends back.
I roll my eyes.Behave.She doesn’t look at me as I walk pastwith our group.
Farrah and Lox keep a steady stream of conversation flowing. “Do you think—” Farrah’s words cut off abruptly when a shadow blocks out the sun. We all immediately jump into action.
Red!I immediately call out, already racing back to her.Guivre!
“What in the world?” I hear Farrah’s voice, but it doesn’t register.
That’s not a guivre,Red says. Her voice sounds a little funny, but it still doesn’t register. Not until the ground beneath my horse shakes so much I have to climb off, do I finally turn around. My brain can’t seem to process what I’m seeing. I stare at the massive black dragon that makes my dragon look small in comparison. That, in and of itself, is pretty impressive. But then he breathes out a puff of smoke, and I see his massive teeth. My eyes take in the scales that gleam in the sunlight, and I take a step back.
“Whoa,” Farrah breathes next to me, and I can’t help but agree. This dragon is at once both nightmare-inducing and awe-inspiring.
Mate,Redara whispers through our bond. That one word rips me out of my shell shock.
“Oh, no.” The words slip from my mouth even as my stomach drops.Redara, stay away, just for a few moments until we know what we’re dealing with.Thankfully, for once, she listens. I look up at the top of the black dragon but don’t see anyone, and I release the breath I’ve been holding...a second too soon. Because the next thing I know I see a body run down the massive front leg of the dragon and drop the last like six feet or so to the ground.
Farrah gasps. “Did he just—?”
“Yes,” I answer for her. “Yes, he did.” I take in the male standing a few feet from us, and it hits me all at once.Rauk, King of the Dragon Kingdom, is finally here.My gaze takes him in as my brain struggles to keep up. He’s huge, like massive. He has to be at least six-five? Six-seven? His shoulders are massive, his biceps are massive...everything about him is...massive. He has a full head of jet black hair and dark tan skin and markings that travel down his neck and disappear under his shirt.
Rysden’s the first to recover from the shock of his appearance. “Rauk,” he says with a nod.
Rauk turns to him, and I can’t help but notice how dark his eyes are. He studies Farrah a moment, and I can tell Rysden doesn’t like that. He steps closer to Farrah. “This is Farrah, my mate.”
