Chapter 32

32

R hi

I spend most of the day wallowing in the bath, floating in fragrant bubbles, listening to relaxing music, and nibbling on more chocolate. It helps ease the period cramps, but as I mull things over in my mind, I grow more and more uncomfortable. I’m thankful for the Black Prince’s offer of protection. I’m grateful for the food and all these comforts. But it doesn’t feel right wallowing in a luxurious bath while I know my friends – Winnie and Ellie and the others – could be out there suffering. Who am I kidding? There’s no could be about it. I bet they are.

I tug the plug from the bath and climb out of the tub, wrapping myself in a fluffy gown that was also in Charmaine’s box. Stuffing another square of chocolate into my mouth for courage, I head back into the suite to find my mates .

However, I find the suite completely empty. They’ve gone. With a huff, annoyed they didn’t tell me they were going, I collapse down on one of the sofas. Pip snorts and I pick him up and settle him on my belly. He’s always been as good as a hot water bottle when it comes to cramps and it’s been weeks and weeks since we’ve been alone. We snuggle up together, enjoying each other’s company.

We must doze off, because some minutes later I jerk awake at the sound of five men entering the suite.

“Where have you been?” I ask, nudging Pip off my belly, and stretching my arms above my head, each of my vertebrae clicking in turn.

“Sopherina and Portia took us to watch a session of training for the young dragon-riders,” Spencer says, flopping down on the couch next to me. “It seems pretty intuitive to me. A million times easier than broom riding.”

“Sopherina and Portia?” I ask.

“The two dragon-riders who brought us here,” Spencer explains. “You should see what they can do on a dragon. They are incredible.”

“Oh, they are, are they?” I cross my arms over my chest, my bond snarking with jealousy.

“Yeah, the way they move!” he says, oblivious to the death stare I’m giving him.

“But,” Stone says, dropping down on the other side of me, “I bet they had to spend hours and hours of training to get that good. They’re certainly not naturals like you are, Miss Blackwaters. Plus,” he adds, nuzzling his mouth against my neck, “not … nearly … as … brattish.”

“Is it any surprise if I do, on occasion, act like a brat when you come back singing the praises of other women?”

“How are you feeling?” Azlan asks, cutting to the chase. No interest in our flirting .

“Better,” I say. “But,” I eye them all, “we can’t stay here. We can’t stay here in the West.”

They all stare at me, clearly taken back at my sudden change of mind.

“Why not?” Tristan asks, alarm spilling over his face. “What’s happened?”

“Nothing has happened. It’s just … You know what the prophecy says. What I’m meant to do. I can’t stay here living a life of luxury,” I point back towards the bathroom, “while your dad is out there hunting Winnie and probably all our other friends. And stars knows what’s happened to Winnie’s grandma and Ellie and–”

“Okay, okay, sweetheart,” Azlan says, pacing towards me.

“But we only just arrived. There’s still so much to understand. So much to learn,” Spencer says.

“There’ll be time for that later. Right now our friends are in danger. You said yourself there might not be any weres left by the time Christopher Kennedy is finished. Can you sit back with your feet up and let that happen?”

“No,” Spencer says, his jaw tightening.

“You wanna go, little rabbit,” Renzo says, holding out his hand to me, “we can go right now.”

I’m sitting in a dressing gown, hair soaking wet, dripping water all over the cushions. Is he serious?

“Not right this second!” I say.

He shrugs and drops his hand. “Okay.”

“I need to talk to my dad. Find out if he’d be prepared to help us.”

“You want to start a war?” Stone says, frowning.

“Not if we don’t have to. There might be another way to,” I swallow, “remove Tristan’s dad from power.”

Tristan snorts as if he believes only a full scale invasion will do it .

“I’m going to go get dressed and then I’m going to talk to him,” I say, already marching towards the bedroom.

“We’ll come with you,” Stone calls out.

“No,” I say, “This is a conversation I need to have alone.”