Page 44 of Entwined

“Thank you,” Liz says. “What a wonderful Thanksgiving gift.”

Asteria’s smiling when Liz’s mother walks up.

“We need to talk,” she says.

But she’s not staring at Liz. She’s looking at me.

9

Liz

“Oh, no,” I say. “I don’t think so.”

For the first time since the dragons came, my mother looks exactly like herself. She doesn’t look broken, downtrodden, or conciliatory. Instead, she arches an imperious eyebrow, drops one hand on her hip, and pins me with a stare. “Your bonded, here, Azar, Flame Blessed Prince, is the one who decides where we’re moving next. Isn’t that right?”

I blink.

“Then I need to speak with him. He may refuse my request, but I’m making it, for the good of my own child.”

You want to speak with me. . .for Liz? The set of Azar’s head tells me that he’s intrigued.

I know it better than anyone—his curiosity’s the best way to get what you want with him. It kept my siblings safe, it kept him from killing me straight off, and I’ve used it countless times to convince him to give me my way.

But how did my mom figure out that’s what would grab his attention?

Alright, Azar says. Follow me.

There’s no way the two of them are going to march off to talk about what’s best for me in secret, even if I can hear everything she says through the bond, as long as I remain focused on it. “I’m coming, too.”

“That’s a bad idea,” Mom says. “There are some things I need to explain to Prince Azar.”

“Mom, I’ll be able to hear everything you say. Walking off and talking to him around the corner won’t change that.”

“Nice try,” Mom says. “But I’m bonded, too. I know you can’t hear every word anyone says around him.”

She can, Azar says. Our bond is different.

Mom frowns. “Oh.”

“Let’s all go together.” I can’t imagine what she might say to him that she wouldn’t want me to hear, but it can’t be anything good.

I start walking toward the alcove I’m pretty sure Azar was headed toward. There aren’t many places big enough to allow for semi-privacy for a dragon of Azar’s size, but the large conference room off to the side of this huge gathering space also lost its roof, and it should work just fine.

Mom looks annoyed, but when Azar follows my lead, she doesn’t argue. I’m actually impressed that she’s demanding audiences with Azar instead of dropping her eyes and begging me to kill her. We’ve come a long way. Asteria’s assault on Ocharta and attempts to take her bond must’ve done more to raise Mom’s morale than I realized. Or maybe it’s just the renewal of hope that she might find a way out. I wish I’d discovered anything even the least bit helpful in dissolving bonds.

So far, my bond only ever seems to choke down tighter and tighter. At least I’m bonded to a pretty decent dragon instead of a mouth-breathing bond-rapist.

Mom marches past me once she realizes where we’re going and then pivots on her boot heel and turns to face us. “You’re sure we can’t have a short conversation without her hearing?” She’s staring straight up at Azar’s massive head, ignoring me yet again.

He snorts and smoke puffs out of his nostrils.

“I’ll take that as a no.” She sighs—acting for all the world like she’s been stuck spearheading another PTO event. She hated those, but as a stay-at-home, crystal-reading hippy, she didn’t have any real excuses not to help with them.

“Spit it out, Mom. What do you need to say? We’re supposed to start the Thanksgiving dinner soon, and?—”

“I overheard people preparing.” She folds her arms. “We’re going to Iceland.”

Azar’s eyes cut sideways and he meets my face, clearly confused.