Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
“Yet he kept that dome up after you won your first challenge.”
I checked the back seat for a blanket or something. He had doors on the Jeep but no top, and I didn’t have any clothing. I wasn’t in the habit of giving people such an eyeful on the highway.
“I kept that dome up. He was trying to rip it down, but I wouldn’t let him.”
Austin looked over at me, realized what I was doing, and shook his head. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to get you away from that field as quickly as possible. I don’t have any cover.”
“So you did actually think he was stupid enough to try to kill me?”
“No. When he was pushed into the dome, I could tell he didn’t want to be there. It just…” He shivered, and a surge of rage flooded the bonds. “He’s learned a thing or two from shifters.”
“What do you mean?”
“His challenge. His posture, his confidence, his bearing… He could’ve been an alpha at the top of his game.” His voice was low and rough. “I am not used to ignoring challenges to me or you.”
His body flexed, and I could feel him wrestling for control.
I put my hand on his shoulder. “He has learned a thing or two, yes. He was playing Elliot Graves because he knew that’s what I needed. He was doing it for me.”
“And yet he nearly dropped you straight to the ground.”
I rubbed my hand over his shoulder and around to the back of his neck. “Yes. And that was the fifth time he’s done it to me. The other four were in practice last week. Poor Ulric had to endure it, too, so I could practice relieving someone else of the spell. We want to make sure a mage can’t drop the fliers from the sky.”
Austin exhaled slowly as his rage cooled. “I didn’t know that.”
“You can’t train with me all the time. No one can. Everyone has things to do.”
“As the battle wore on, I was pretty sure things were going in the right direction. I was starting to calm down. And if you’d officially beaten him, I would’ve led the pack in a victory roar.”
“So what happened?”
“Cyra and Hollace tore down the dome. I needed to act.”
“By killing the only teacher I have?”
“By attacking the only teacher you have. I could’ve gotten through his magic to kill him.”
“You could’ve?”
“Yes. But I couldn’t have gotten through yours. Not unless you tired out faster than I did.” I felt his pride glowing through the bonds.
“I would’ve tired out faster, no question. I was already exhausted. But I still don’t understand why you needed to act.”
“I needed to get control of the situation. I didn’t know what Cyra or Hollace would do. I didn’t know how the people watching you would react. There were just too many unknowns. In order to assume control, I asserted my dominance.”
“By attacking.”
“Yes.”
“And how does this work out for me? You undermined my challenge. People will think I couldn’t finish off a mage.”
He chuckled softly as he turned onto Ivy House’s street. Thankfully, I’d been so wrapped up in our conversation that I hadn’t noticed anyone staring at the naked couple in the Jeep. Then again, most of the people in our town and the surrounding area were now magical. The houses and establishments of the non-magical were selling for way more than they were worth. Those few who had decided to stay were used to turning a very large blind eye to all the strangeness in town. It was the only way they could preserve their sanity.
“Babe, after what went on today, the last thing people will be thinking is that you couldn’t finish off a mage.” He started laughing as he parked in front of Ivy House. “Everyone knew what the outcome would have been, and you only gained status because your team broke into that dome. Then there’s the way you made a mockery of your first challenger.” He laughed harder, bent over the wheel. “I’ve never seen a challenge go so pear-shaped for a challenger. Usually, they’re just made to submit, and that’s that.”
“What did I do that was so…extra?”
He turned off the engine and gave me an incredulous look. “She has so much pride in her eagle form, in being the only predator flier in the pack, and you flew—” He shook with laughter. “You flew her around like a dead chicken.”
I scowled at him before getting out of the Jeep. “I wasn’t in control for that bit. Not that I’ll admit, anyway. But seriously, she ripped me all up. I think the victory lap was warranted.”
“You let her rip you all up.” He wiped his eyes as he climbed from the Jeep. “You just sat there and let her do her worst. Which wasn’t much against a gargoyle’s skin.”