“Thank you,” Ransom said.
Scarlett went to wash while the boys sorted out dinner.When she returned, the enticing scent of cooking meat drifted in the air.
As soon as she sat, Ransom handed her a leg of the roasted rabbitlike creature.It was charred in spots, but she didn’t complain.Delicious.
With a full stomach, she found a soft spot and placed her foil blanket down.
“Hey, where are you going with my blanket?”Ransom demanded.
Scarlett turned, her mouth open to tell him it was hers, when she spied Talon dragging Ransom’s blanket away.“Come over here and share mine.It’s big enough for two.”
“I need to wash first.”Ransom stoked the fire and left in the direction of the stream.
Scarlett lay back and studied the night sky.So different from Earth with the extra moon and the other nearby planets.
She tallied how many days had passed since Ransom had abducted her from the resort.Not enough for her brothers to come yet.At least her brothers weren’t heading into the path of the volcano.An eruption was imminent with the increased quakes and the sulfurous tang filling the air.The tremors never bothered Talon, but that didn’t inspire her confidence.
“I thought you might’ve been asleep by now,” Ransom said.
“Not a chance.I want your body and I intend to have it.”
“I don’t think—”
“No pondering required.Honestly, I don’t normally have to work this hard to get a man.”
Ransom sat on the blanket beside her and turned to look at her.His expression held worry, concern, and something—was that guilt?
“Something you want to tell me?”
He hesitated.“The prince forced me to find you.He wishes to mate with you, and I presume to start the next generation.At first, I refused, but he tortured me for cycles until I agreed out of self-preservation.”
Anger at the prince burst through Scarlett before she forced herself to take several calming breaths.She was pissed at Ransom too.Might as well chuck in Daenys at the same time, although shehadtold Scarlett the truth.“I wondered when you were going to tell me everything.I knew.Daenys told me,” she snapped.
“What?When?”
“During the trip through the meteor field.You slept.”
“I’m sorry.Truly sorry.I didn’t know what to do for the best, and I didn’t… You were a stranger then.”
Scarlett’s muscles tensed, his economy with the truth bringing betrayal even though a part of her understood.“You could’ve told me the truth.I’m angry, dammit.Every part of me wants to cling to my rage, but I’ve seen the way he tortures you and how sick you’d become with him feeding off you so regularly.And your suffering makes me feel selfish, especially since Daenys says he could move on to Tiraq next.”She sucked in another lungful of air.“I forgive you.”
“I’m so sorry.”Remorse carved into his features.“This isn’t your fight.You’re strong enough to reach the ship.Leave before it’s too late.”
Scarlett snorted.“So selfless of you.You dragged me here, and I’m staying to the end.The bastard prince is going down.He’s caused too much suffering.To the Trolleris.The Elevenoss.The Quito.Your dragons.You.Someone must stop him.What happens if the volcano erupts before we find him?If lava buries his chamber even deeper, and it’s impossible to release him.Or what if this eruption is so big it blasts down the mountain range that stands between here and your region?What then?What if that enables the Maphra to feast on your family, your friends?My family and friends?”
“But what will the prince do to you?”Ransom rubbed his hands over his face before he focused on her again.“I care for you.My dragon likes you.A lot.”
Aw!Scarlett paused, his confession punching a hole in the last of her indignation and anger and sending her feline into a stupid happy dance.Her feline returned the sentiment.His courage.His tenacity.His protectiveness and caring nature.He bore many admirable traits.“If we die trying to stop the prince, we know we’ve done our best.All the more reason to enjoy each other now.Besides, isn’t the prince trying to find a way inside my head?At least, that’s my assumption.The Quito told me that was what was causing my headaches.”
“How are you stopping him?I thought your feline blood might be the difference.My friend, Ryman Coppersmith, is a feline shifter, and the resonance doesn’t bother him.”
“Maybe the prince is stronger.I build a barricade in my mind before I go to sleep.Then I let my feline guard the barrier.She wakes me if the prince tries to force his way through.”
“I should try that more,” Ransom said.“When the prince first started visiting me in my comatose state, the resonance had fried my brain.The discordant music from the mountains damaged me, and it took time for my dragon to repair my mind enough for me to wake.It’s not as if I have anything to lose.”
“The fighting spirit.Excellent.”She rubbed her hands together.“We have a plan!My life is on track.How much longer will it take to reach the prince?”
“One or two cycles.I’ll show you the map again once whitelight arrives.Two of the landmarks are familiar.”
