Page 56 of Destined Dawn
“I healed her,” I say, an accusation in my tone.
He lowers his gaze back to mine.
“Healed a dragon.” His gaze falls back to Pip squirming in my arms. “And this is …”
“My pig.”
“Your familiar. I have not seen such practice for some time. May I?” He reaches out his hand and before I have a chance to tell him no, or to snatch Pip away, he’s pressed his fingertips to the crown of Pip’s head. Pip’s eyes dart to mine in desperation and he squeals. But nothing happens and the man simply withdraws his hand.
“Her magic,” he says cryptically. “You have her eyes. That same shade. Beautiful. And your magic is like hers. Do you dream like her?” And am I wrong, or do I see a spark of something, something almost like excitement, in those shrewd eyes?
He took my mom for her powers. That’s how it started even if it didn’t end that way. Does he think he’ll use me in the same way?
I don’t answer his question.
“Who are you?” I ask him.
That smile again, charming.
“You don’t know?”
“I have an idea. But I’d like to hear you tell me.”
“My name is Caspian Moray. Although some call me the Black Prince. I am ruler of the Western Kingdom and I believe I am your father.”
“The Black Prince is dead.”
He looks down at his body. “I may be incorrect – it happens very rarely – but I appear to be well and truly alive.”
“The Black Prince?” This time it’s Azlan who growls, laying his hand on my shoulder.
“We are wasting time,” the Black Prince says, spinning suddenly and strolling back towards his dragon. “Sopherina and Portia will take your mates. You will ride on Gwenhwyfar.”
His dragon lowers its head again, and he climbs up onto its back.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Azlan says, his brow knitted with concern.
“You never think anything is a good idea,” I whisper with a smile.
“The Black Prince is our enemy.”
“He’s my dad.”
“So he says,” Stone snarks from behind me.
“He is,” I say with more confidence than I really feel. “He’s the man from my locket. The man who owned this knife.” I glance at the assassin and he nods his agreement, then kneels down and plucks the knife from the sand, sliding it back into his pocket.
“It doesn’t mean we should go with him,” Tristan says.
I look at them all. Too often I know I’ve been a brat, storming off and leaving them no choice but to follow me. I know it’s not only brattish, it’s also pretty selfish. I peer towards the golden dragon and back to my mates. I’m going to try and do this the reasonable and grown up way.
“You saw how close we came to dying back there. If the dragon hadn’t intervened, we would have died – Christopher Kennedy would have killed us.” Tristan snorts and I glare at him. “I’m just facing facts here. We have no chance up against him – we all know that. But maybe we would with his help.” I glance towards the Black Prince, watching us from the top of his dragon. “He has dragons and fighters.You saw the damage they did to the academy and the council.”
Spencer nods in agreement and Renzo looks eagerly towards the dragons. I’ve won two of them over.
“And I called him,” I say to Azlan, Stone and Tristan, “without even meaning to, I called my dad to come help us. That must be fate. It must be fate intervening to help us.”
“You really believe that?” Tristan asks.
