Page 122 of Hoarded By the Dragon

The last death keen of the ancient thing rings out with such force that the pain causes me to reel back. People are calling to me, but I cannot hear them with the magic that formed the gate sizzling over my nerves in fury.

Then there is nothing but seething darkness.

41

KATARINA

I chew on my lip.It’s the only thing I can feel through the numbness that spreads, invading my chest.

He didn’t come.

I tried to be hopeful. I tried to believe that I mean something to Kalos.

I’d even dressed in anticipation of him or Ben coming for me. Instead, a demon named Mace assured me that they would come as soon as whatever business they are dealing with is through.

I put myself in front of a train. I shouldn’t be surprised that it hit me.

Disappointment is such an insignificant word.

Kalos wants me to stay at the bathhouse. Out of sight and out of mind.And out of danger,the hopeful part of me argues. It doesn’t stop me from feeling abandoned.

How many times does he have to leave for me to learn my lesson?

I rein in my emotions and breathe. Nothing is settled until I speak with that dragon, and I must be as calm as I can manage to do that. I can’t let myself be riled up while he keeps me waiting.

I’m not going to let him leave me in a box until he’s ready to play with me again.

The door bursts open, and I’m already standing, ready to use my words tocalmlyrip into a dragon but deflate at the sight of a gasping Ben. My nose wrinkles at the smell of smoke clinging to him.

“Katarina! Kalos needs you!”

“What?” I ask, but Ben already has a hold of my hand and pulls me down the hallway. I almost trip as I try to keep up. As soon as we enter the lobby, the world spins as he teleports us away. Suddenly we’re surrounded by trees and burning piles on the ground.

“What the fuck?” I stumble. I don’t take much more in other than the massive black dragon roaring fire down on a burned-out SUV.

“He’s lost it,” Ben says. “He was only supposed to take out the Leonids.”

“Take out the Leonids?” I ask. I thought that wasn’t an option.

Ben’s brow creases in frustration as he tries to explain. “For daring to threaten you. They claimed they had you hostage.”

“It seems like he was successful.” My voice is pitched high as I realize the smoldering shapes surrounding us are bodies burning to husks.

“It was quite the spectacle,” a being I’ve never met says. I squint at him, putting together his features and determining what he must be.

The gargoyle is unlike any of his kind that I’ve seen before. He wears a black kilt and his skin has a gray cast, but the resemblance ends there. The dusky purple undertones of his skin contrasts with dark tattoos and the many piercings lining his ears. The hoop through his lower lip flashes when he smirks at me.

He looks like a pirate.

A pirate standing next to a very pale Stella. I have so many questions.

“What are you doing here?” I ask Stella.

“Witnessing the downfall of her enemies,” the gargoyle says. “But now that it’s morphed into the downfall of anyone to get in the way of a dragon, I’ll take my bride and leave.”

“Bride!?” I yelp.

Stella’s eyes go wide, but she doesn’t scream when the pirate gargoyle sweeps her up in his arms and takes off.

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