by Sammie Joyce
The world seemed to swim. Rose clutched the bedpost, doing her best not to faint. She couldn’t help Asher if she fainted.
Annabelle was watching her, waiting to see if she’d say anything else. It wasn’t her Rose needed to talk to.
Asher?
I’m here. Even in her head, his voice sounded hoarse, as though he’d been screaming.
What did they do to you?
The usual. Nothing I won’t recover from.
They tortured him. That was what he wasn’t saying. Rose felt like she might throw up. What can I do?
We haven’t figured that out yet. We don’t have the power to pull off an escape for all five of us. But if we leave my brothers behind, the witches will take revenge—Kaylee told me as much. They’re dead if we leave them here.
What about the other dragons, the ones being held by the other covens?
Security around them has been tightened. I’m not sure how much we can do.
Rose felt like she’d awoken to a nightmare. The thought of any of her dragons being killed was beyond horrendous. She had to think of something.
Let me talk to Kaylee.
Do you really think it’s going to do any good at this point?
Maybe. I didn’t tell her about Hellith before, because that would mean admitting I’m devoted to you. It’s too late to hide that now. Maybe the thought of Hellith will sway her. She may hate dragons, but she’ll fight for the witches to live if Hellith threatens us all. Let me see to it.
Good luck.
Rose found herself looking at Annabelle, who was watching her with some concern. “Are you back? You zoned out there. Is it flashbacks?”
“No, I’m not having flashbacks,” Rose snapped, annoyed. “I don’t have PTSD, because I wasn’t attacked! I was talking with Asher.”
“What do you mean?”
Rose sighed. She supposed there was no point in hiding anymore. At the very least, she could convince Annabelle that Asher hadn’t raped her. “Just listen, okay? Let me tell you my story. You haven’t heard most of it. Hear me out?”
“Okay, I’ll hear you out.”
Annabelle was as good as her word. She didn’t interrupt once as Rose told her everything that had happened since she’d come here. Annabelle certainly looked like she wanted to break in a few times, but she didn’t. When Rose finished talking, Annabelle was silent, looking lost in thought.
When she finally met Rose’s gaze, Rose could tell by the look in her eyes that something inside her friend had changed. “You love them.”
“I do.”
“Why? They’re monsters.”
The objection seemed to be by habit rather than actual belief.
“I would never fall in love with a monster. I hope you know that. They’ve brainwashed us. What they teach here is wrong. I know them, Annabelle. They’re not perfect, but they’re no worse than any of the witches here. I need you to believe me.”
Rose had been certain that her account wouldn’t change Annabelle’s mind, but she could see by her expression that it had. She supposed no one had ever offered Annabelle any real evidence that the dragons weren’t monsters. Now that she had it, she was starting to see the truth in it.
“I believe you, Rose. It may make me a traitor, but I believe you.”
Rose let out a deep breath. Up until now, she hadn’t realized just how much Annabelle’s support would mean to her. “Thank you.”
“What can I do to help?”
“For now, nothing. I want to talk to Kaylee, and it’s best that she keeps thinking you’re drinking the Kool-Aid, in case things go wrong. I’ll check back in with you afterward.”
“Come straight here afterward. I’ll be waiting.”
Rose was trembling as she walked to Kaylee’s study. She knocked on the door, unsurprised to be greeted by an expression somewhere between anger and disapproval. “Rose. I see you’re awake.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“I would say so.”
“Hellith is coming.”
That took Kaylee of guard. “What?”
“You know the history of Hellith. She’s coming back. You knew that, but you didn’t know the time. I do. She will return when a witch who can unite both the dragons and witches comes into play. The dragons believe that’s me. I’m certainly devoted to uniting us. I don’t know when Hellith will come, but for all I know, it could be at any moment.”
“You’re basing this on the word of four monsters, who would love nothing more than to send the witches into a panic.”
“Maybe we should be panicking! At the very least, we should be preparing. We need to get all the covens and all the dragons training together. We can’t defeat her alone. I’ve read the histories. The covens weren’t able to defeat her last time, not until they allied with the dragon clans. We have to do that now, or we’re all dead.”
Kaylee seemed to be striving for patience. She took a deep breath, pulling a calm expression across her face. “Rose, you’ve been through a lot. After what that monster did to you, I can understand that you’re confused, both from the assault and from the spell he—”
“Asher didn’t attack me. I wanted him to make love to me, which he did. I’m in love with him and his brothers, and they love me too. It’s time to move past this irrational hatred you have and look to the future.”
Chapter Thirteen
Kaylee narrowed her eyes. “I suggest you rethink that statement, and quickly.”
“You’re the one who needs to rethink. Do you really want all the witches under your care to die? Because that’s what will happen if we don’t mobilize to fight Hellith.”
There was something in Kaylee’s eyes that Rose didn’t understand. Anger, yes, but also strange glints of… desire? Happiness? Neither of those made sense, but it made Rose uncomfortable. How well did the witches here know Kaylee, really? Could she be trusted with their lives?
It became apparent after a few seconds that Rose wasn’t going to speak. Kaylee stared down at her like a queen pronouncing judgment. “You will be confined to your room until we have the security measures for the execution planned. You will watch the leader of the dragons die, and then you will be expelled from the coven. If you ever return here, you will be killed without hesitation.”
“No. I’m not going to stay in my room while you plan murder. If you won’t fight with the dragons, then at the very least, you need to be willing to fight apart from them. Let them go, and fight Hellith your own way, while they fight her their own way.”
“Absolutely not! They have poisoned your head with lies. I see now that you are beyond saving. Be thankful that I’m allowing you one chance for mercy. If you come back after you are banished, there will be none. Now come. I will take you to your place of holding.”
Kaylee grabbed Rose’s arm. Before Rose could even try to pull away, Kaylee yelped and pulled her hand away as though burned. Rose felt her necklace heating. Kaylee shouted an incantation Rose didn’t recognize. She didn’t wait to find out what it did, but set off running.
Rose expected at any moment to feel the effects of the spell, but her necklace sent out some kind of pulse, which apparently neutralized it, because she felt nothing. She was headed to find Annabelle, but Gavin’s voice was there in her head.
Come to us. We have to escape.
I thought we couldn’t?
No time, just hurry!
Rose changed her course. Annabelle would be fine; Kaylee didn’t know that she had changed her mind about the dragons. She hurtled down to the basement, surprised to find only one witch guarding it. Not stopping to question her good fortune, Rose shouldered her aside. Her necklace heated up again, and the woman collapsed, looking to be unconscious.
Gavin, Jagger, and Mace were waiting for her.
“Where’s Asher?”
Gavin grabbed her arm, already urging her back up the stairs. “He’s already free, he’s meeting us at the safe house. We just needed you to take out the witch guarding us. Whe
n we felt you escape Kaylee, we knew your necklace would be powerful enough to deal with one guard.”
Rose nodded as they ran through the halls. Whenever they encountered anyone, Mace or Jagger would throw them aside like rag dolls. Most of the witches were either knocked out, or too stunned to conjure any magic, at least until the four of them were long gone.
Gavin led them through the kitchens. Finally, they burst out of the back door. The four dragons spread out and shifted into their dragon forms.
For a moment, Rose was held spellbound by their beauty. If she didn’t know them, she would have been terrified, but she wasn’t. Gavin and Jagger were exactly the same size, except Jagger was red and Gavin was purple. Mace was a deep, calm green, smaller than the other two.
Up, hurry! Little sparks were coming from Gavin’s huge nostrils. He held out a wing, which Rose scrambled up, positioning herself between the scales on his back. The moment she was secure, he took off.
They rose quickly and were soon out of reach of any magical attack. Rose could have wept in relief. She opened her mental connection to Asher. We’re away. We’re on our way to you now. I can’t believe we pulled that off!
Rose… I’m not going to join you.
The world seemed to stop, even as Gavin kept flying onward, with Mace and Jagger on either side. What do you mean?
When I saw your necklace shock Kaylee, I caused a ruckus in the tower where they were holding me, away from the others. That diverted the guard from the basement to me. That’s the only reason you were able to escape with my brothers—the guard was much weaker than usual, with the power of the normal shields diverted to confine me.
Rose could barely breathe as terror consumed her. You’re still at the mansion?
Yes.
But they’ll kill you!
Yes.
NO! Asher, how could you do this?
They’re going to kill me anyway. I wanted my life to mean something. I wanted it to mean escape for you and my brothers. They will protect you.
NO! Rose cried the words aloud as well as in her mind, but the wind snatched them from her mouth. Tears were flowing freely, being whipped off her face. You can’t die, Asher! I need you. Please!
She could feel him smiling through their link. Did you know that the last dragon to fall in love with a witch was my father? She kept it secret from her people, but they learned of it eventually, shortly after Mace’s birth. They killed her for it. My dad always said he never regretted it. I still remember how happy they were together. I never thought I’d find that, but I have. I love you, Rose. You are the one. I did the only thing I could to protect you. I wish I could live the rest of my life with you, but I will die happy knowing that my brothers will be there for you.
I can’t be the one. Rose was doubled over, sobbing, clutching Gavin’s scales. I don’t know how.
You will find the way. I have to go, they’re coming, probably to question me. Stay out of my head while they do; no need for you to suffer along with me.
I love you, Asher. I’ll find a way to get you out of this.
That’s my girl.
Rose felt him withdraw. She pounded Gavin’s back with her fist. How could you! she shouted at him. How could you leave your own brother to die?
It was to protect you. We all agreed.
You lied to me.
That was the only way to get you to come with us.
Because I would never abandon him! Turn around, right now.
I can’t. Gavin’s voice was heavy with regret. Don’t you think I want to? Do you think it’s easy leaving my brother to die? This is the only way to save at least some of us.
Rose could feel his pain through the bond and regretted her words. Of course this wasn’t easy for him. How long until we get to this safe house?
About another hour.
When we get there, we’re going to start working on a plan to get Asher out. I understand why you did what you did, but we’re not leaving him there to die.
But we have to protect—
This is about more than just my life, Gavin! Think of what it will do if the witches kill Asher. The other dragons will rebel, even though they have no chance. They will be destroyed, but not before they kill a good number of witches. Hellith will just have to finish off what we started.
She’s right. Mace’s mental voice was quiet, but certain. We can’t leave him, for more reasons than one. Once we have Rose out of immediate danger, we can start planning.
Agreed. Even Jagger didn’t sound like his usual cheerful self; there was nothing to be happy about in this situation. We make sure Rose is safe, then we fly back to get Asher.
No way. You’re not going without me. You need me. If the four of you were strong enough to take on the witches, you would have done it way before I turned up. I don’t know much about using my powers, but my necklace seems to act of its own accord. Without it, we have no chance.
Rose expected protests, but she was met with silence. She could feel that the dragons were unhappy and worried, but none of them could come up with an objection. They knew she was right.
None of them talked much during the rest of the flight. By the time they arrived at a small cabin built in the middle of a trackless forest, Rose was freezing. Jagger started a small fire by breathing on some sticks before he transformed back to his human form. Mace carried a lit stick inside, quickly building a fire in the hearth.
Gavin carried Rose in, setting her down on a cushion in front of the fire. He sat on her left, with Jagger on her right. Mace sat behind her on the couch, letting her lean her head back against his legs.
“So, any ideas for how we’re going to break Asher out?”
Jagger let out a defeated sigh. “I don’t really see how we can even begin to make a plan unless we know exactly how and where they intend to execute him. There’s no chance of finding that out, now that you’re banished.”
“There is!” Rose sat up straighter in excitement. “I can ask Annabelle.”
Gavin shook his head. “She’s unlikely to tell you. Kaylee would have told all of the witches you’re a traitor by now.”
“No, she will. I told her everything. She believes me. She’s on our side now. Let me call her.”
Rose reached into her pocket, relieved to find that her phone hadn’t fallen out during the escape. She quickly scrolled to Annabelle’s number and dialed.
“Rose?” Annabelle was speaking in a whisper. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, the dragons have me somewhere safe. Listen, I need to know all of the details of Asher’s execution. Where it will be, how they’ll do it, everything.”
“Easy. I can volunteer to be on the execution team. I’ll tell Kaylee a sob story about how I want to end the monster that raped my friend.”
Rose winced, but didn’t challenge the story. Whatever lies Annabelle had to tell to get Kaylee to believe her, it would be worth it if it saved Asher. “How soon do you think you can get the information?”
“Hopefully by the end of today. Sit tight, I’ll call you.”
“Thanks, Annabelle. Be careful—I don’t want you getting hurt!”
“I won’t. They trust me. I’ll be fine.”
Rose sighed as she hung up. “Well, I guess we have nothing to do but wait. Annabelle will get back to us as soon as she can.”
The rest of the day passed agonizingly slowly. Gavin, Jagger, and Mace tried to distract her, but all Rose could think about was Asher. She knew she should be grateful that at least she and three of her dragons were safe, but it was difficult when she didn’t yet know if Asher would live to see the end of the week.
After lunch, Gavin and Jagger left to fly over the forest, scouting for any potential trouble, leaving Rose with Mace. She paced, worried.
“What if the witches are looking for them? What if they’re seen? We can’t help Asher if we’re captured alongside him.”
“The witches won’t see,” Mace said steadily. “This is a safe house for a reason. O
ur father created it with witches in mind. The lay of the surrounding land makes it impossible to see from a distance—there are hills or mountains all around the forest. It’s far enough away from everything else that even if someone does see them flying, they’re so distant that they’ll appear to be the size of birds.”
“But the witches could have telescopic vision or something.”
“They can do a spell to enhance their sight, but Gavin and Jagger will be careful. They’ll stay below the lowest peaks. This forest is huge, and we’re right in the middle of it. As long as they can ascertain that no one has come past the hills or mountains, we’re safe. They’ll be back before you know it.”
Rose nodded, trying to convince herself to stop worrying. What Mace said made sense. Unfortunately, not worrying was easier said than done.
There was one thing that might distract her. Rose glanced at Mace from under her eyelashes. He wasn’t as confident as the others, but boy, was he smoking hot. His face was soft and cute, in contrast to his lean muscles that rippled whenever he moved. The combination was disarming and adorable. Not to mention arousing.
“You know, we’re all alone here. We may as well take advantage of it.”
Mace’s eyes came up to meet hers, uncertain. Rose stepped close, pulling him closer by his shirt. She kissed him, gently at first, then harder as her body started to catch on. If Mace had been uncertain before, he wasn’t now. He tilted her chin up, allowing her better access.
Rose moaned into his mouth, sliding her hands under his shirt. God, he felt good. Rose wanted his hands all over her, and it seemed she was going to get her wish. Mace ran his hands down her body, gripping her ass, pulling her flush up against him.
Her mind was already racing way ahead, undressing them, imagining Mace spreading her legs as he climbed atop her…
The shrill ringing of her phone had them breaking apart. Rose dove for the phone. “Hello?”