She says no? I questioned.
You have burned down your forest, now you have to live in the wasteland, Aaraeth hissed at me.
Unreasonable women! How am I supposed to protect her if I have no idea what’s going on? I groaned to Eondian, who seemed slightly amused by the situation.
She trusts Evgeni Nammos, he said, using the usual way dragons labeled people—using human and dragon names together.
I wanted to throw my hands up and walk out. That’s the problem, Eondian! She is too trusting! George blows her off, abandons her—and she accepts him back with open arms! Now Arthur is acting all grandfatherly! Will she overlook the time he compelled her in front of the council! I am trying to protect her!
Aaraeth had been listening in, how Dragon mates did, and said, you have abandoned your mate? Your words, human, have nearly broken her.
An uncomfortable sliver of guilt shot up my spine. I have not abandoned her! I’m protecting her!
The dragon made some clucking sounds then said, you need to hope that Sydney is as forgiving as you believe.
I squeezed my eyes shut. I had too much crap going on right now. Our society was teetering on the brink of civil war; the PL was abusing his power and his position. It sickened me when he used my fellow soldiers to torture, plunder and murder other Dragonborn in his name—and for what? Their wealth? Their power?
Hell, I was caught in the middle trying to do what I could to keep our entire community from collapsing in on itself.
Not to mention being separated from Syd. That separation was its own unique hell.
I didn’t want to leave her, but did she have no understanding of our situation? I’d been called a fucking predator by hypocritical Dragonborn who didn’t even know me!
This whole thing was ridiculous!
I prided myself on having an iron control on my impulses. I was the one that did the difficult thing, the hard thing when no one else would.
I had every reason, every desire to complete our bond, and yet I held off.
Did she not have any idea how hard it had been for me? How hard it had been to say no to Evgeni, a man who’d been like a father, who I looked up to? Who I would do almost anything for?
Not to mention Sydney in that tiny white bikini laying on her bed and wanting me to lay beside her. My heart had been racing, and my mind churning, trying to reason away all my morals. I laid there on the razor edge of betraying everything I stood for—for her. Just to touch her, kiss her, make her cry out my name…
But in the end, I knew I could never forgive myself.
She’d been bold, but there was hesitation lurking behind her words.
And I didn’t care about Evgeni’s loopholes. I didn’t do loopholes.
I did things the right way.
She deserved the right way.
Blowing out a breath, I stared down at the table. But my thoughts refused to stray from the beautiful siren at my side and my mind went back to that white bikini and the pale tan line that ran over her hip from another bathing suit.
Grinding my teeth, I directed my mind to something else, anything else. I had to.
Thinking of Syd in that bikini was a slippery slope that my mind should not be visiting, especially while sitting at Arthur’s table.
Instead, I focused on the new AI my team was working on. There was still a bug somewhere and we were all going over the code line by line—again! But this program wasn’t what we Dragonborn really needed, it was what the Orthodox wanted! I wasn’t even a programmer, but this setback had all hands on deck until it was fixed.
This program was a bandaid and not an actual solution. It would only help for so long, but sooner or later it wouldn’t be enough. We had to build an offensive strategy, not just make money in stocks, and monitor other Dragonborn! We needed to be monitoring the humans! Infiltrating them, moving our people into their ranks and governments.
But I wasn’t sure if we could move forward with Arthur. All my life I’d heard the Elibera’s criticism of the man, but I remained open—I wanted to judge him on his merit. Sadly, I concluded that he was drunk on power, corrupt, and out of control.
He could’ve brought the Dragonborn together—started making treaties and deals with the smaller factions, instead he spread fear and encouraged those small groups to hide from us. This skirmish with the Canadian community was ridiculous! We needed to be open with them, not fighting with them… again.
The room went silent, and my mind returned to the present.
Thankfully, Arthur ended his speech smiling and holding his arms wide to the applause—applause he added compulsion to.
My mind still whirled from politics and strategy.
Arthur held up a pitcher to me and Syd, asking, “Virago?”
Automatically, I held my cup out to be filled and Syd followed, sniffing the drink cautiously.
“What is this?” she asked no one in particular as she sipped.
Forgetting herself for a moment, she met my eye, but quickly turned away. She shielded herself carefully, which was perfect for Briony. As Primes we couldn’t be all the way open, but we had to appear to be open like wyverns. Syd’s skill didn’t surprise me. She was a quick learner especially when it came to dragon things, but I supposed that was just genetic. After all she was from a long line of Primes.
Plates laden with food were passed around the table and I watched my bondmate out of the corner of my eye. She took a yucca roll, sniffed it and then set it on her plate along with roasted meat, tomatoes and mushrooms.
“How have you been?” I asked quietly.
Syd pretended not to hear me, instead she stared across the room.
“This is a small place, you’re going to have to talk to me sooner or later,” I whispered, spearing a piece of sausage and stuffing it into my mouth.
Nothing.
“We do need to talk,” I continued, gazing at her profile as she licked her lips. A slight blush still tinged her cheeks, revealing her discomfort. “There are important things I have to tell you.”
Her full lips pressed into a thin line.
When she spoke, she didn’t turn to me, instead, she stared down at her plate. “I can’t deal with you right now… and trust me that when I tell you this whole sitting arrangement was not my idea, I’m telling you the truth.”
She pushed her food around with her fork and shifted uncomfortably.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just trying to protect you,” I finally whispered.
Her head snapped toward me, and she spat in a low whisper, “I told you, I don’t need your protection.”
Syd’s iridescent blue-green eyes swirled like dragon scales and I sucked in a breath at their angry intensity.
How could she not know how much I cared for her? How could she not know that I’d grown so attached and every moment separated was painful for me too?
I wanted to shake some sense into her and kiss her at the same time.
I wanted her.
Not just her body, I wanted everything—her bright mind, her kindness and her unusual way of thinking. She was this crazy mix of wisdom and innocence that brought out every primal instinct within me.
She would talk to me—I would make sure of that—but for now, I would play her game. We were too public here. She could have her silence, while I smiled and spoke to those around us. There were things and words expected of us and I would fulfil that duty even if she refused.
Although a friendly smile lingered on my lips and my conversation was light, my thoughts had grown dark. Evgeni had warned me about the bond and leaving it undone. That it messed with the mind and strained the sanity.
He hadn’t been wrong. Especially over the past month as June faded into July, I felt my thoughts unravelling—my mind unsure and a war brewing within me.
Watching Sydney leave the table with Arthur and Elise, I fought the urge to follow.
Maybe I should’ve just done as Evgeni wanted and married her.
Maybe I’d bee
n too stubborn—too prideful. Did it matter what people said?
I ran my fingers through my hair, smoothing it away from my face.
By the ancestors! I wanted her, but these thoughts were dangerous.
8
Sydney
The nerve of Ashe! I didn't mean to hurt you….??
He hadn't stepped on my foot. He broke up with me!
To top it off, I was sick of Aaraeth defending him, claiming that the bastard had good reasons to do it! Seriously?!
No. Lacy had warned me that he would go back to her… had he? Would he?
On top of that, I felt like a fool! I thought I could trust him!
You can trust him, Aaraeth hissed at me. He believes it is right.
AARGH!
I needed to calm myself down.
At least Elise had been pleasant enough to me, but I was just a pawn to Arthur.
I felt it, sensed it, knew it in my soul. I was a means to an end, and he was smugly proud that he'd managed to wrestle me away from Evgeni.
But had he?
Evgeni seemed way too pleased for me to go, and it wasn't just because I'd been bickering with Katie. This was part of his plan.
He knew Ashe would be here?
Ahhh!
Ashe—the bastard! I nearly cried when Arthur called him up to sit with us. Just looking at him made my heart break all over again.
He stared at me as if nothing were wrong, watching me with those impossibly blue eyes and smiling his sexy smile—the reason I'd nicknamed him Private Pantydropper when we'd first met. It was like his gaze had some kind of physical touch that my body reacted to, making heat pool low in my stomach.
Stupid body all gushy over a silly guy…
Stupid Ashe, looking all dashing in his uniform.
And he needed to talk to me? About what?!
He'd already said enough.
I squeezed my eyes shut, but all I could see was Ashe. His hair looked a bit longer as if calling out for me to touch it and run my fingers through it.
The memory of his spicy, peppery scent seemed to linger in my mind.
It was all I could do to stay there beside him and ignore his presence. Because being that close, feeling his guilt and attraction almost broke me. I felt like a shattered china doll that had been glued together, and at any moment, I'd fall apart again.
My anger was the glue.
Thankfully Olivia had met me after first meal and walked with me to my room.
"What's wrong? Your face is all red," she told me.
I snapped up to meet her gaze. "I can't do this. I can't be around him. It's too much
Her brow came together as she studied me, closing the door after we walked into my bedroom.
"You can do this. I promise, and I'm here for you… on the bright side, you put on a pretty good act for first meal." She sighed and flopped onto my bed.
"I just didn't want everyone to see my misery. It's too embarrassing.” I removed the egg pendant laying it on the dresser. It was warm from being next to my skin.
Liv gave me duck lips and shook her head. "Mmmm… I want a bond someday. The way Ashe looked at you..." She waved her hand as she spoke. "No, girl. You think you're miserable. He is just as miserable as you. I guarantee it! Sydney! Look at me. That man was eating you up with his eyes! I'm no mind reader, but if a guy looked at me like that, I'd forgive almost anything."
I shook my head. "Then why didn't he marry me? Why am I not good enough?" Stupid tears threatened but I blinked them away.
Liv reached out and squeezed my arm, pulling me onto the bed next to her. "Oh, girl… no... Everything'll be all right. Huh? Guys are just dumb," she said, a conciliatory smile on her lips.
I nodded, glad she was here.
Taya popped her head into the room. "Syd, we’re starting training this morning! Get changed and meet me down on the field outside the dining hall."
I sucked in a deep breath and stood, pulling the stupid dress off. I bent and opened my suitcase to dig around for something to wear. I selected a t-shirt and fitted yoga shorts and pulled them on.
The voice of a drill sergeant floated in through the open windows from the fields below.
"I was thinking about how easy my life was before all this… you know? Simple, uncomplicated," I sighed.
Olivia looked up from her phone. "Sydney, don't do that. The past will always seem better than it really was. Just ignore Ashe and have fun with me. Besides, Logan's here, too. Forget Ashe. If he wants to do his own thing, let him do it! Don’t let him have control over you."
Straightening my back, I met her gaze. "You're right. Forget him! I'm going to enjoy myself. I’ll start by hanging out with you, and training with Taya." I pulled out socks and my sneakers before sitting on one of the fragile chairs to lace them up. "I want to know how to make Aaraeth breathe fire and maneuver and crap like that."
"When you say train, do you mean basic hand to hand combat?" Liv asked.
"Yeah, do you do those things?" I asked.
She shook her head. "No, but I should. Taya's training you?"
I nodded and stood. "Do you want to join us?"
"I actually can't. I’m on glow duty…" she smiled before searching the room with her eyes, "but, I have some crazy news for you…"
I cut her off, "I'm not sure I can take crazy in my life."
"No! It's good… Nate is here…"
"You said that. How is that crazy?" Nate was her boyfriend from Georgia.
"Okay, listen. He’s been assigned to guard duty! And guess who’s in lockdown? George Miller, your George," she hissed.
" George? He's here at Briony? Why?" The chair creaked under my weight, so I stood and began pacing.
She nodded. "He's been in the holding cells for a while."
"What are they claiming he's done? What crime has he committed?"
"I don't know. Him being here is not exactly common knowledge. It's all on the DL," she said.
I froze, a lump forming in my throat. "He's the main link to my mom and the only person who knows the truth about how she died." I chewed my lip. "Why are they holding him?"
She scrunched up her face, "He did kidnap you—according to rumors—and even you said yourself that he kept moving you around. What was his excuse? What did he tell you?"
The one time I'd seen George since all this Dragonborn shit went down, he'd been mean and angry and had taken pills to keep me out of his mind… or keep Ashe out of his mind.
I frowned. "He claimed that the Dragonborn are dangerous and that Celine didn't want me to be with them."
"Oh, Sydney!” she said, wrapping her arms around me. "When are you going to realize that he's not a good guy. If he's in lockup, then he probably deserves it."
I pulled away and looked out the window, my voice thick with emotion, "You know, George isn't this bad guy everyone is making him out to be. All my life, he's been my rock, and when I realized that all the emails and letters he'd sent were written in code, I knew he hadn't abandoned me." I strode over to the French doors and yanked them open before stepping out onto the ledge. "I have to see him," I said, raising my voice against the wind and looking out over the valley. "I have to see what's really going on and ask him to open his mind to me. I need answers—real answers this time."
Olivia groaned. "Do you know how hard it'll be to get into lock up?"
I turned and held her gaze. "I don’t care. I have to see him. I need answers. I’ll figure out a way to get someone to let me in."
A laugh erupted from Olivia's lips, and she shook her head. "Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it. You can try..."
"No. It's only right. He raised me, and if he wronged anyone, then it was me. I should be allowed to see him. Maybe there's something I can do or say to get them to let him go."
Olivia laughed before turning toward the door. "Come on, trouble, I have to go, and you need to meet Taya. I'll show you the way to the field."
After navigating the caves, I had to squint when we stepp
ed into the bright dining hall.
Olivia pointed to the open doors along the side of the room, "That's where Taya should be waiting for you. I'm already late, but I'll see you later!"
"Thanks! Bye!" I called out to her retreating form.
Weaving through the empty tables, I stood in the doorway before descending the three steps that led to a gravel road running parallel to the mountain.
I needed to be aware of who was around me. This morning caught me off guard. I hadn't realized that not only was I shielding myself from everyone else, but I'd blocked the world out too.
Maybe it was instinct, or maybe it was just smart.
As much as the Dragonborn claimed openness and honesty, there was a lot of deception among the Primes—mostly male Primes who controlled everything.
I was bothered by the deception, but the inequality between men and women troubled me even more.
Speaking of troubles…
I had to figure out a way to get to George.
And Ashe—What was I going to do with him?
Logan too. I felt him at breakfast in the crowd.
Thinking of the guys in my life sent spikes of frustration and anger through me. I liked Logan—and I could like him more… I wanted to like him more, but I knew my traitorous heart wouldn't allow it.
"Are you even paying attention, Sydney? I thought you wanted to learn how to fight?" Taya called from where she stood, stretching, only feet away. "Where is your mind today?"
"Sorry, I'm just tired. Maybe doing something physical will help," I told her.
If I were tired out, then maybe my mind might finally stop.
She started going over basic blocks and maneuvers, which we practiced for a while until I was sweaty and out of breath.
"That was good. I think you're a natural fighter. Let's take a break for a few minutes."
We sat in the grass, looking out at the soldiers. They were grouped into pairs, probably doing the same thing we were. She held up her water bottle. I took it, drank, and then returned it.
Standing, Taya narrowed her eyes at me. "Before we move on, did you want to learn how to fight a chokehold? You mentioned that before."
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