by Avril Sabine
Jasper walked beside Amber. “What’s going on?”
“I saw our grandfather.”
“What’s he like?”
“I think you’re right. I’d say he’s a real bastard.”
“Amber!” Maira ran towards them, throwing her arms around Amber. “What are you doing here? I didn’t believe it when one of the servants said you’d arrived.”
“I need to speak to Rian.” Amber returned her hug, missing Maira’s vibrant personality. “When are you coming back to Australia?”
“Soon. These new warriors seem to be working out really well.”
“We don’t have all day,” Ronan growled.
Amber held Maira a moment longer before she let her go. “Can you send a message to Kade to let him know where I am and that I shouldn’t be too much longer.”
“He doesn’t know you’re here?”
Amber shook her head, about to explain when Ronan grabbed her by the upper arm and marched her along the corridor. “I’ll talk to you later,” she threw over her shoulder. She turned on Ronan. “You can let me go now.”
“When we’re seated in the planning room.”
Amber glared at Ronan, sparing a single daggered look for her brother who sniggered from behind her. When they reached the planning room, Rian started to cross the room, stopping when his father let her go.
“Are you fine?” Rian asked Amber.
She nodded, sitting at the large table in the middle of the room. “I need some advice.”
Rian sat across from her. “What is wrong?” He sent a quick look in his father’s direction.
Amber started to reassure Rian that his father wasn’t the problem this time, but decided she didn’t know that for certain. Instead she told Rian and Jasper about the negotiation meeting.
“Not Doneele,” Jasper said. “If you give them Doneele, Isleen will go with her.”
“Oh Jasper, you’re not.” Amber stared worriedly at her brother.
“You can’t talk. What about Kade?”
She started to argue, but Ronan cut her off. “Good. It’s settled. Paili’s egg will be used.”
“Nothing has been decided,” Amber said.
“I was thinking we should name her. We can’t keep calling her the egg,” Jasper said.
“No.” Ronan slammed a hand against the table. “Name it and she,” he gestured towards Amber, “will never want to part with it.”
“Name the child, make the exchange,” Rian said.
“What?” Amber couldn’t believe Rian was siding with his father so quickly. “But we don’t know they’ll take care of her.”
“I was thinking Topaz. There’s an imperial topaz that’s a golden orange colour and well…” Jasper’s voice trailed off.
“Claiming her with a name linking her to you and your sister is a good strategy.” Ronan nodded.
“I d-”
Amber kicked her brother who was sitting next to her. “Shut up. Let him think what he wants. It makes you look stronger in his eyes.”
“I didn’t think of that reason,” Jasper told her.
“So?” Amber turned her attention to Ronan. “How do we protect Topaz?
“Send a guardian with her,” Rian said.
Jasper spoke at almost the same time. “Shared custody.”
“Guardian?” Amber asked.
“Like Isleen is for Doneele,” Rian explained before he turned to Jasper. “What do you mean by shared custody?”
“We have Topaz for two weeks out of every thirteen.”
“And if her guardian or Topaz complain about the way she’s treated then she returns to our care,” Amber said.
“Children always complain about their parents or those who raise them.” Ronan sent a pointed look towards his son before his gaze returned to Amber.
“Complaints of mistreatment, force or harm. And it’s her choice if she marries any of them. All they’re getting is the chance to try and convince her one of them would make her a good husband,” Amber said.
“It’s settled then?” Ronan’s gaze travelled around the table.
“Yes,” Jasper said.
When Amber didn’t answer, Ronan stared at her. “Well?”
“Are you sure Topaz will be safe?”
“With her bloodlines, she’ll be adored, spoiled and treated like a queen. Paili came from a long line of Golds,” Ronan said. “One of the purest lines.”
Amber hesitated.
“She would be safer in their care than yours. They would go to a great deal of trouble to protect her and woo her,” Rian said to Amber.
She trusted Rian’s advice a lot more than she trusted Ronan’s. “Okay. It’s settled.”
Ronan rose from the table. “Finally. I’ll return you home.” His gaze moved from Amber to Jasper. “Alsandair will be here shortly to take you home.” Looking at Amber again, he held out his hand.
“One moment. Have you seen Shannon? Her family sent a message here looking for her,” Rian said.
“No.” Amber turned to her brother. “Jay?”
Jasper shook his head. “Haven’t seen her in ages.”
Ronan took Amber’s arm. “Let me know if no one can find her.”
Before Amber could protest, Ronan was taking her through the Void again and she found herself back at his place, in his bathroom. “What are we doing here? I thought you were taking me home.”
He turned on the tap. “In a minute. Don’t give your grandmother that message.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Good. We don’t need the Knights hunting us down.
In case Ronan still had someone watching her, she decided to tell him her mother’s threat. “Mum wants to take me to England. She wants to run and hide.”
“And you think I wouldn’t be able to find you?”
“I refused. I’m not going to spend my life running. If something’s coming for me, I’ll face it.” She met his gaze, continuing to hold it when he remained silent, staring at her.
“I had a sister once.” His words were quiet.
It took her a moment to recover from the shock to be able to speak. “Don’t tell me I remind you of her.”
“No. If she’d been more like you she might still be alive. She gave up too soon. Ran instead of facing what was after her.” Ronan’s eyes remained on her. “I’m starting to think you remind me of myself. Back when I was young and had no clue. Only my wits and determination not to be the next casualty.”
Amber bit back her instinct to argue, reminding herself she’d once told him something similar. “I’ve always seen the similarities.”
Ronan’s predatory smile emerged. “I know. But I don’t think you were looking at the correct ones.” He turned off the tap before he held out his hand. “Ready to return to your Gold?”
Amber nodded and soon found herself on Kade’s doorstep, Ronan disappearing into the Void. She mentally searched the house, wincing when she found her mother and Gary in the lounge room. She was tempted to go around to the back door, but steeling herself for a lecture, she opened the door and stepped inside.
Chapter Ten
A noise drew Amber from sleep and she sat up, fire pooling in her hands. Beside her Kade turned human.
“If I’d been an assassin, one of you would have been dead.” Ronan stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at them.
Amber extinguished the fire in her hands, checking the time on her phone. “It’s not quite three a.m. What are you doing here? I’ve got school in the morning.”
“It’s all been arranged. I’ve sent Chait to collect the egg.”
“Topaz.” Amber rose from the bed, glad that these days she wore dragon-leather to sleep in. Life was too chaotic to do otherwise.
“They’ve agreed to all conditions.” Ronan withdrew a scroll, holding it out.
While Amber took the scroll, Kade turned on the light. Together they sat on the edge of the bed and read through the details. Amber rolled it back up and held it out to Ronan.<
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“Are you happy with it?” Ronan took the scroll, tucking it inside his vest.
“Yes.”
“When we arrive, we’ll all sign two copies, one for each side to hold. Then we’ll make the exchange. They’ve agreed we can bring someone to carry the egg if they can bring someone to receive the egg.”
Amber reached for Kade’s hand. “So they’re going to let Kade come with us?”
Ronan nodded. “They agreed. He’s to take Charles straight to my house the moment the exchange has been made.”
“What about us?” Amber asked.
It was Kade who answered her. “You can’t leave until the meeting has ended and both sides say the meeting is finished. This way, what is exchanged can be taken to safety before the truce is over.”
“That makes sense.” A light knock on the bedroom door ended any further comments Amber would have made and she mentally searched the corridor. “Come in, Chait.”
He entered the room, the egg cradled close to his chest, his eyes on Amber. “Jasper said for you to make sure Topaz is safe and to be careful.” He handed the egg to Kade.
Amber nodded, turning off her phone and slipping it into her pocket. She didn’t want to risk offending anyone with a ringing phone during the truce.
“Time to go.” Ronan pointed a finger at Kade. “And make sure you take Charles straight to my house. I have warriors waiting on the rooftop garden to stop him from trying to escape.”
“I’m not simple,” Kade said.
Amber stepped between them. She’d spent yesterday umpiring as Ronan showed Kade the path through the Void from Feralenzi to his house, making Kade practice repeatedly in case Blair and Irvin agreed they could bring an extra person. “I’m ready.” Well, about as ready as she was ever likely to be. She held her hand out to Ronan.
He took her hand and they passed through the Void to Feralenzi, Kade stepping out of the Void only a moment after them. Amber let go of Ronan’s hand, taking a deep breath as she stepped forward, Kade on one side, Ronan the other. They were nearly half way to the centre when six figures appeared outside the pillars, two disappearing to leave the other four to cross Feralenzi.
Amber couldn’t help staring at her grandfather. He didn’t look any different, still the same arrogant man. Reaching the centre, she stopped between Ronan and Kade, waiting for the other party to reach them. When they did, Ronan and Blair exchanged scrolls and each read them over before the signing began. Once the four of them had signed, Ronan and Blair returned the scrolls to their vests.
Ronan gestured Kade forward. “Topaz. Paili’s unborn Gold daughter. Captured in battle and never claimed by her mother’s clan.”
“You are certain it is a Gold female?” Blair asked.
“Without a doubt,” Ronan said.
“It would be useful to learn how you know this. Others would find it helpful.”
“The one who can tell this is costly and a recluse,” Ronan said.
Amber mentally shook her head at Ronan’s lies. It was a wonder he even knew what a truth was with how many lies he continually spoke. Although some days she would probably prefer to be a recluse.
The other man with the two brothers pushed Charles forward, stopping in front of Kade. He held out his hands, taking the egg and disappearing at the same time as Kade grabbed hold of Charles’ arm and entered the Void.
Ronan held out a hand. “The key for the shackles.”
Irvin handed it over. “I doubt you’ll ever want to use it. The old man is dangerous.”
Ronan pocketed the key. “The guardian we chose for Topaz should be at your castle by the time you return there. We’ll be back here in eleven weeks to collect Topaz for our two weeks.”
Blair and Irvin both nodded, only Blair spoke. “We will have her here along with your guardian and the guardian we have chosen. Shall we call this meeting ended?”
“The meeting is over.” Ronan reached for Amber. Before his hand could make contact, balls of fire, ice and lightning hit him all at once.
Blair and Irvin made a run for the edge of Feralenzi where two men came out of the Void, running towards them.
Four dragons swooped out of the air, humans on their backs attacking with mage power. Amber grabbed hold of Ronan who roared as he was bombarded with more fire, ice and lightning. They entered the Void, and Amber barely managed to hold onto Ronan as he shifted to dragon form, letting go of him the moment they left the Void.
She backed away from him as he roared, fire erupting from his mouth. Around them people shouted and Amber tried to figure out where they were. She didn’t have a clue. Ronan roared again and this time he struck out at her. Remembering how crazy it had made Rian to be forced into dragon shape from mage attacks, Amber turned into a goshawk, taking to the sky.
Ronan chased her, flames streaking past her. Ahead she saw the shoreline and she figured out their location. Ronan’s lands. The ones still held by his enemy. Behind Ronan streamed a group of dragons and Amber screeched, flying faster. She had to do something.
Mentally reaching out to Ronan didn’t help. She found only a wild, crazed creature like a wyvern. He needed to be healed. That had helped Rian. But Rian hadn’t been hit so many times. Behind them the other dragons were closing the gap. If she was going to do something to get them out of this mess, it had to be fast.
There was only one thing she could do. Holding back her fear, Amber angled away, coming up above Ronan. When he caught sight of the other dragons, instead of trying to continue chasing her, he headed for them. Mentally swearing, Amber dived for his back, becoming human and gripping him tightly. He roared again, rolling to throw her off. She barely managed any healing before she was tumbling through the sky, frantically trying to become a goshawk again.
Then her wings were beating and the ground was receding and Ronan was once again chasing her. She led him away from the other dragons, continuing along the coastline, wishing she had help. There wasn’t even time to count how many dragons chased them, but there had to be at least a dozen. Reaching for Ronan’s mind, she found he was still as crazed as before. She needed to try again.
As soon as she felt they’d put enough distance between the other dragons, Amber angled around, coming in above Ronan. Once again he took off after the other dragons and she dived for his back. She managed to heal him more than last time before he dislodged her. Falling towards the ground, she desperately tried to change, exhaustion sapping her energy.
“Amber!” Ronan arrowed towards her, his claws grabbing hold of her as he dragged them into the Void.
They crashed into hard rock as they came out and the wind was knocked from her. Ronan turned human, landing beside her, his natural form visible. She stared at him, trying to breathe again. He was slightly shorter than usual, more muscular and looked as young as his son Rian. His hair had lightened to a white blond and his pale blue eyes were flecked with gold.
When she no longer fought for breath, she asked, “Where are we?” She tried to move, but nausea swamped her and pain exploded in her head.
“The caves along the coastline. I couldn’t take us far.” Ronan struggled to sit up.
She stayed still, barely able to focus on Ronan’s words from the pain. Hopefully it would hurt less to stay still. She tried to think what to do, but pain and exhaustion made it hard. The pounding in her head made her think she might have struck it when they’d landed. “Will they find us in here?”
“Let’s hope not.” Ronan leaned against the cave wall. “We need to find Shannon.”
“I can’t believe she broke her word and made Dragon Mages.” Amber winced as she breathed too deep. Maybe there was a broken rib or two. As soon as her head stopped swimming enough for her to focus, she’d heal herself.
“Are you hurt?”
“When I catch my breath, I’ll heal myself.”
“What did you think you were doing?”
“When?” Couldn’t he shut up? He was making her head pound worse.
“
I was distracted by the other dragons. You could have easily gone.”
She was about to demand why he was so angry with her. Didn’t she just save his life? Then it hit her. She’d saved his life. Again. “I don’t know where we are. I have no idea how to get from your lands to anywhere else.”
“You’re saying you saved me to ask for directions.”
Amber glared at him, trying to focus. Pain made it nearly impossible. It was difficult trying to come up with a plausible explanation. Her head spun with pain and blacking out was a distinct possibility. “Who else was I going to ask? The dragons that looked like they wanted to kill us?”
“This incessant need to save everyone around you will get you killed eventually,” Ronan warned.
Amber had no idea what she could say to that comment without angering him further. She fought overwhelming exhaustion and pain.
“I can smell blood. How badly are you hurt?”
She gingerly touched her chest, feeling a damp stickiness. “Ahh crap.” Maybe she’d have to heal herself before she could think clearly. Hopefully she didn’t make a mess of it. Pressing her hands against the wound, she tried to focus.
“Amber?”
Looking up, she saw Ronan peering down at her, his eyes seeming to have more gold flecks in them than last time. His image swam before her eyes as she figured out how to make the bleeding stop, knitting together two of her broken ribs. Exhaustion swamped her and everything went completely black.
Chapter Eleven
When Amber came to, her head was resting on Ronan’s lap and he leaned against the cave wall again. “Ronan?”
He looked down at her.
This time she was almost certain his eyes were different. “What have you been doing?”
“Sitting here waiting for you to wake up.”
“No. Your eyes. Is there more gold in them?”
“You think? I wasn’t sure.”
“What have you been doing?” She asked him again.
“Rest, kitten. Better yet, is there any power in these?” He lifted her arm, the bracelets jangling together. “It’d be nice to get out of here before night falls.”