Page 1 of A Touch of Iron
1
VIOLET
There’s a burning sensation in my chest that I can’t seem to alleviate. The pain paralyzes my body to the point where I’m struggling to breathe. This must be what betrayal feels like. My whole world feels like it’s collapsing and I’m slowly dying inside. It would make sense to cry, but there are so many emotions swirling around, I can’t focus. All I have the energy to do is stare at a single point on the wall in front of me from my perch on the edge of my mattress.
Alec wasn’t much better. He paced the room, still wearing the dress coat I burned a massive hole through earlier. His mismatched hazel and green eyes were full of worry as they darted to me. His black hair stuck up in all directions from running his fingers through it.
He and I were blindsided by Ansel’s actions. I didn’t know what was running through his head right now, but I was pretty sure he felt a sense of loss and betrayal, too. I mean, damn. Ansel was working with the Unseelie King all along. He stabbed us in the back without a thought.
And my mom … my poor mother was now the King’s hostage.
The door to my room burst open and Alec and I paused our ruminations as Sage stormed inside. Looking like a badass warrior, she wore her battle gear, consisting of all black tactical garb and her blonde hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Her catlike eyes traveled between me and Alec, unimpressed.
“Am I the only one doing any work around here?” she said dryly, popping a hip and placing her hand on it. “I’m trying to find out what the hell’s going on and you two are hiding out in here, moping around?”
Alec growled, his pacing forgotten. “What did you learn, Sage?”
She rolled her eyes. “Not much,” she grunted. “But supposedly her mother is here of her own volition.”
Indignant, I bolted from the bed. “What?” I gasped. “No way! The only way she would do that is if someone told her I was in danger. She wouldn’t come here willingly otherwise!”
Sage nodded. “I figured that. So I’m assuming Ansel went to speak with her and told her your situation. I’m sure he’s working on some kind of misguided sense of protection for you, but I haven’t figured out how he would think having your mother here possibly benefits you.”
Alec ran a hand through his overgrown dark hair and sighed. “Ansel has a plan,” he murmured. “My brother wouldn’t do this unless he had one.”
My mouth fell open and I stared at him, dumbfounded. “Are you serious right now? You seriously believe Ansel is still on our side?”
Alec turned his hard gaze my way and nodded.
I scoffed. “Unbelievable.”
“I know my brother, Violet. He loves you more than I care to admit. He wouldn’t do this unless—”
“If he loved me, he wouldn’t have brought my mother into a den of wolves!” I shouted. “He knows how much my mother means to me! She’s my world!” I cried, fighting back tears. “I’ll never forgive him for this,” I whispered.
Sage heaved a dramatic sigh as if bored with the conversation. “I don’t know Ansel well enough to have an opinion, but it doesn’t seem like they plan to keep your mother in captivity.”
I growled. “They better not. I’ll burn this place to the ground.”
Sage raised her hands. “Easy there, I’m just the messenger. There are quite a few Unseelie who are uncomfortable about what happened at the party. They saw the King’s threat for what it was and it’s not faring well for his popularity. His gesture didn’t come across the way he intended. Probably because you overreacted in typical human fashion.”
“Overreacted?”
Sage grimaced. “Okay, poor choice of words. But you get what I’m trying to say.”
“Then why did you try to get me to send her to the human realm?” Alec asked.
“Because I knew the King’s plan and how she would react. Whether I like her or not is beside the point. She’s the lost dragon. No one can deny that anymore after the public showing. The King will try to keep her on a leash by dangling the safety of her mother as a carrot to keep her in line. Stashing her in the human realm was the safest option,” Sage said.
“Abandoning my mom in the process,” I muttered with a heated glare.
She shrugged. “Collateral damage.”
I didn’t understand how the fae could be so heartless at times. “I want my mom here.Now.”
Alec nodded. “I’ll put in a request—”
“No! I want her herenow!” I screamed. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I cringed. Admittedly, sounding and acting like a child throwing a tantrum wasn’t a good look, but I’d had enough of these Unseelie and their red-tape bullshit. I was done letting them toy with me. I would not be leashed.
