Page 91

NOX

The cold, rocky coastline of Drakorum came into view beyond choppy waves. Moonlight glistened off the dark water, making the reflection of the oncoming cliffs shimmer.

Home sweet home .

I let out a snort. More like hell fresh hell .

I couldn’t remember the last time those shores felt like home. I couldn’t remember the last time anywhere felt like home.

My dragon stretched under my skin, tired of being dormant for the near-week journey back to the empire.

“Is this it?” a husky voice asked at my back.

Something else moved inside me. Something sharp and heated with anger. My other reason for being tired of this long trip.

I ignored her. As I had for six days.

I sauntered back to my cabin to grab my bags, leaving them by the railings of the quarterdeck.

Then I checked in on the crew members to make sure they didn’t need any help before we made port.

Anything to keep my feet moving. Anything to keep my mind occupied and off the tall silhouette that grew larger and larger as we pulled into the dock.

“You can’t ignore me forever, Nox.”

And anything to keep her out of my head .

“You promised you would help me find my family.”

Sharp claws extended from my hand. A growl built in the back of my throat, and I almost shredded a net when I reached for the railing next to the gangplank.

“Nox, look at me .”

I whipped around to find her glaring at me, her red hair like a blazing fire in the night air.

“You do not command me, Shadow Wielder ,” I snarled.

My primal territorialism raged to the surface.

“I promised you nothing. I said if you earned it, I would help you. What have you done to earn it, hmm? You betrayed my best friend, then sat on this ship for six days. You’ll have to try harder than that. ”

She crossed her arms, drawing my attention to her full chest. My eyes turned to slits as they raked up her form. My outburst hadn’t fazed her. That made me even angrier.

“You’re upset,” she said. “You’ve been getting more agitated every day. Why?”

My mouth fell open. She was unbelievable. After what she’d just done to Clarissa, she had the nerve to ask why I was upset.

What I hated most was that she was right.

Every mile, every hour, every breath closer to this place made my dragon writhe with anxiety.

It was my prison. A prison I couldn’t escape yet even if I wanted to. Because Vera was still there. My sister was still there.

“Get back to your cabin, Devora,” I warned, pulling the hood of my cloak over my head. “This is Shifter territory. You don’t want to be seen.”

She ran her tongue along her teeth as if she wanted to argue, but with one glance to the foggy, menacing dock ahead, she seemed to realize the danger.

The wood creaked under her boots as she slunk back into the relative safety of her cabin.

I looked out at the deck to my right, the ship rocking beneath me as the crew members anchored us and secured us to the port.

Someone lowered the gangway, and that silhouette moved closer .

Dark boots thudded against the wet wood. Black pants were tucked inside of them, with a gray cloak sweeping at his ankles with each step. Several weapons hung from a belt, but anyone with half a brain could tell he had no use for sharp blades. Not when he was a weapon himself.

A chiseled jaw flexed, a trimmed, sharp beard twitching with a smirk as my gaze trailed up to his face.

“Scarven,” I said, voice tight. I gave him a curt nod of greeting.

“Nox.” He tipped his head slightly, then his black eyes landed back on mine. “Welcome home, brother.”

To be continued in book 3…

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