Page 42 of The Dragon Warlord
“I’m sorry, River,” I say instead of asking Phari a question. I got us into this mess. What I do affects him.
“Ready to give up so soon? Maybe we’ve got the wrong guy? The guy I read about in the prophecies had fortitude. Grit. You’re pathetic,” Phari says.
I exhale a puff of air, blowing my hair upward. I don’t care what he says about me, his opinion of my character is irrelevant, even if I agree with the last part right now. Dragon land is harder to traverse than any Elven place I’ve been. I should have been keeping my wits about me, but I haven’t been.
That he can see how pathetic I feel is my mistake. I’ve let my guard down.
Time to put another lesson from my father to good use. He taught me how to wear a mask. Another thing I complained about, often accusing him of coldness.
“I’m trying to make you dig below the surface, child. Do you think your opponents are going to herald their information to you? Learn how to read the masks of others. You also have to be wary of having them read your every emotion. You wear your heart on your sleeve. They will use that to manipulate you.”
All I could see at the time was his criticism in my never-ending quest to make him proud, but I see the value in his teachings now, big time, and I miss him. If he were here, he’d have these dragons—and wizards—running around in circles. Envisioning my massive father storming in here and taking over the place fills my heart. He’s still my favorite person.
In fact, my heart expands in my chest … no, that’s not right. The energy around my heart expands. My body jolts, tightening with too much of … something. I don’t know what, but I thrash to shake it off.Snap!One of the chains breaks free from the wall.
River smiles.
How the fuck did I do that? Did I just summon dragon magic?
I try to recall when River used dragon magic on me to heal my hand. He was serene even though it hurt me.
As I stare at the broken chain bewildered while River shines pride at me that I don’t deserve, I attempt to put those pieces together. They’re important. I want to break him out of that horrible chair prison. I want to show him that I’m an alpha worthy of the devotion he freely gives me. Because bond or no bond it’s there and I won’t take what I haven’t earned.
“You haven’t a clue what you just did,” Phari observes.
That’s enough information for him. I’m not giving away any more of myself and I put a mask in place that I hope resembles a quarter of the austerity Father’s has.Thank you, Father.My heart beats again as if it’s glowing on the inside. I don’t think about it, I yank. I still don’t know what it is that I’m doing, but it doesn’t seem to matter in the using of it.
Another chain breaks from the wall and my arms are free. “Or maybe I do.”
“You’re bluffing. You’ve gotten lucky. Twice.” But he’s watching me, as if he hopes I’ll do more as if he wants me to figure it out.
Scrambling, I try to put the pieces together. I’m so close.
Something tugs through the air. River. He’s trying to get a thought through. He said he’s heard my thoughts, but I can’t seem to receive one of his, just his feelings. As if he can sense that, he sends a big emotion and there’s no confusion over what it means.
Love.
That trips my heart and I get the same sensation as before only it’s magnanimous now. The chains snap from the wall, breaking like a whip of Markaytian licorice. I storm straight to River and use my hand to rip the strips of metal clean from the chair.
Once I have him in my arms, he shakes, and his body goes limp from the sudden drop of adrenaline. “I’m going to kill them all,” I promise him. “No one should have touched you.”
Smoothing my thumb over my bite on his neck soothes him, but this time it does nothing to calm me. I bare my teeth and snarl, feeling the power of my birthright swirl within me. The only reason I haven’t taken a chunk out of Phari’s neck is River. It’s instinct to look after my omega first, but I’m a breath away from, letting the animal in me burst free.
“You won’t be able to kill us, Warlord, so stow those plans now. I can use that collar around your neck, just as the dragon lord can.”
I hear him, but his words aren’t sinking into me. Their scent is all over him and I can’t stand it. I want to hoard River away from the world, but since I can’t right now, I scent him, rubbing my face into his neck like he does to me. I immediately understand why he does it. It’s the most natural thing in the world and it brings me peace.
“Or maybe I take at least one of you out before you take me down and my need for your blood is soothed.”
“Doubtful.”
“Why warn me? Do it if that’s your plan.”
He crosses his arms over his chest in a very Toppy manner. “I’d rather give you the opportunity to exercise self-control. I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but all of us are on your side. We want you to be the best Warlord that you can be. We’re trying to train you, but you make it difficult.”
I tighten my arms around River’s quaking body, hushing him gently as I think about that. Training their prophesized Warlord seems to be the theme. “I wish someone would have asked me if I wanted to apply for the job first.”
“You’re just being a brat. Aside from the well-known fact that you’ve wanted to be a Warlord since you knew what a Warlord was, this is the role destiny has always had planned for you.Wedidn’t choose you, but you can be damn sure we’re not going to leave you unprepared. Your father must have taught you, being a Warlord can sometimes be ugly business.
