Amos stared at the letter in his hands. Anger, guilt, and horror warred within him, trying to dominate each other.
Amos,
What happened? Are you okay? What I felt through our bond last night hurt so bad that my family thought I was dying. So did I. The amount of pain you were in… I didn’t know if you would survive it. I sat up all night praying you wouldn’t die. It still hurts.
Please be okay. Please. Rainer sent Sasha to check on you. She can speak to the dragons through a mind link, and she’ll tell Ember, who will tell Rainer, who promised to let me know. If you need help, Rainer will come for you.
I wanted to come to you, but Rainer and my family wouldn’t allow it. I’m to leave for the Human Kingdom tomorrow with my brother, Nathaniel. You didn’t meet him, but he’s moving to Friya with me. He refused to let me go to the Human Kingdom alone.
Write back. I’ve included a separate paper with my brother’s new address in the Human Kingdom. He’ll get the letter to me.
Whoever did this to you, don’t let them break you. Survive. Fight back.
Clover
He’d forgotten about the bond; forgotten that Clover would feel at least some of his pain. Maybe not all of it, but even a fraction was too much. Working on blocking out the pain would be his top priority. His mate wouldn’t suffer because of him.
The East Oasis was a burst of color among the dreary desert. There were four oases throughout the kingdom with a crop of rainbow-colored trees of all kinds, lush, pink grass, every flower imaginable, and clear blue lakes.
Amos loved them and would be excited to look around if he weren’t dreading the reason for visiting.
Too soon, he stood on the porch of a sprawling estate, waiting for the door to open.
A short man with a rounded stomach and thinning hair answered with an eager smile. “Your Grace.” He bowed and repeated the action to Amos. “I was surprised to receive your missive earlier today. Please, come in.”
His only saving grace was that Jennifer would not feel the bond and then Amos could say he didn’t either. Problem solved.
“Thank you, Christopher,” the king said and scanned his surroundings. “I trust your daughter is here?”
Christopher beamed. “She is waiting in the sitting room.”
He led them through the marble maze until they reached a golden, arched doorway. “Jennifer.” A pretty redheaded girl with alabaster, freckled skin stood quickly. “This is King Phillip and Prince Amos.”
The girl dropped into a curtsey. “It’s nice to meet you, Your Graces.”
Phillip nodded his approval. “As I’m sure your father informed you, the gods whispered your name to my son today.” Her wide eyes met Amos’. “You are the only Jennifer in all of Eden. Have you felt the bond?”
Amos tensed. This was it.
“I have,” she lied with a smile.
What the hell?Amos kept his jaw from dropping out of sheer will. What did he do now?
“Very good,” the king replied and turned to the girl’s father. “Let’s give them time to get acquainted while you and I discuss the future.”
Amos wanted to run after the men, tell them there had been a mistake, but they’d already disappeared and closed the door.
He whipped around. “You lied.”
Jennifer wrung her hands. “I’m the only Jennifer in Eden. Your father said so himself.”
Amos stalked toward her and lowered his voice. “We don’t have a bond, and you know it. Why did you lie?”
Her eyes narrowed, and she pulled herself to her full height, which wasn’t much. “Why did you? Why would you say my name? I’m the only Jennifer there is, and if there’s no bond between us, then you lied too.”
Amos faltered. Jennifer noticed and smirked. If she tried to tell his father, she would be guilty of treason for lying to the king. Revealing his secret would secure her death, and she knew it. He grabbed her arm and tugged her to the sofa farthest from the door.
Keeping his voice low, he said, “I didn’t think anyone would have the name Jennifer. What kind of name is that anyway?”
