Chapter Thirty-Two

Emma

"W hy are you doing this?" I asked, stopping short of taking the paper from him.

"I'm just trying to be a good person," Killian said with false modesty, clutching one hand to his chest. "You deserve to read this, to know what it says. I would be a bad friend if I didn't tell you."

I glared at him. "You and I are the furthest thing from friends there is. You're just a bully who takes pleasure in picking on those weaker than you because you're too scared to face anyone else."

"How rich," Killian cackled. "Coming from the one who's too scared to see what dear old Rhyse truly thinks of her. Afraid to read it. Afraid to know the truth."

I forced a laugh. "You're just trying to find another way to hurt me. That much is obvious."

Killian sighed. "Very well. If you won't read it, then I suppose I shall do the honorable thing and read it aloud for everyone to hear. That way, there will be no mysteries."

Unfolding the letter with dramatic precision, he stood straight up and cleared his throat.

"It is address to the Sovereign of All Dragonkind, honorable, noble, blah, blah, fuckin' blah," Killian said, earning him a laugh from Calan.

He paused, looking at me.

I glared at him, but he ignored it.

"I am writing to you today to address the issue of the human woman you ordered me to see to. As we discussed during your visit, I waited several days. That time has passed, and I am now once more requesting you remove her from my custody.

I have tried to be patient. To be open to the concept, the idea, of a dragon and human becoming a mated pair. However, at every turn, she has demonstrated exactly why this is a bad idea. Regardless of what I do or say, she continues to make things difficult.

There is no path forward between us. She is rash, stubborn, and having her stay here is quickly making my own house an untenable place to be.

I shall await instructions on how you wish me to send her back to you. But she cannot stay here. I do not want her.

-Rhyse."

Killian whistled as he read the last sentence. "How do you feel? That's got to hurt. ‘I do not want her.' That is harsh . And here you are, standing up for his honor and everything while he's trashing you behind your back."

Calan laughed.

"He wrote that?" I whispered, stunned by the contempt. "You're lying. He wouldn't."

I couldn't summon the emphasis on my last words, though. It was too smooth to be fabricated by Killian.

Rhyse was the one who wrote it. About me.

"Oh, now, she wants to read it herself," Killian said, sneering at me. But he thrust the light blue piece of paper in my direction anyway. "Here. Have a look for yourself. I don't need to make this shit up. Not when it's real."

I took the letter but didn't look at it. If I looked at it, that would make it real. Would make what Rhyse had said about me real.

I do not want her.

"You have a nice day now," Killian said. "We've got all we want out of this. More, truthfully."

Calan was already shifted into his dragon, the usual sparkle of red scales dulled by the matching skies, turning him almost rust in color. He grabbed one of the makeshift bags full of treasure in each paw and spread his wings, ready to leave.

"Go on," Killian called. "I'll catch up."

The red dragon crouched and leaped toward the edge of the bluff, intent on using the fall to generate airspeed.

I cried out in shock as the dragon howled unexpectedly, turning on its side as it dove, falling awkwardly off the edge of the cliff in an attempt to avoid another dragon that was coming up .

The water streamed off the azure dragon in sheets, drenching everything, including myself.

" Killian!" Rhyse howled, blasting the other dragon without hesitation.

But Killian had the benefit of warning that Calan hadn't, and he was already in his dragon form. Lightning met fire, and the resulting explosion threw me from my feet. I bounced and rolled toward the edge, fingers scrabbling across the rocky ground, trying to find something to slow me down.

" Rhyse! " I screamed.

The blue dragon's head whipped around, yellow eyes locking on me in an instant.

With a grunt, the dragon caught me with its tail, stopping me from falling into empty air with only a few feet to spare. I lay flat, staring up at the dragon underbelly, too scared to move for a moment.

The giant beast bellowed in pain. I glanced over to see the fire splashing off his flank.

Killian used the distraction to land a harsh blow. While Rhyse was recovering, the big dragon grabbed the rest of the treasure and leaped from the bluffs, easily gathering speed and shooting out to see low over the wavetops. Within seconds, he was out of reach.

"Cowards," Rhyse grunted as he shifted back, favoring his right side, where the skin was bright red and burned. "Damn, that stings. Are you okay?"

"Thank you for saving me," I said, waving my hands at him. "I'm fine."

Rhyse's face paled. "What's that?"

"What's what?" I followed his gaze to see I was still holding the letter. It was wet and probably unreadable at this point, but the sky-blue coloring was unmistakable.

I looked back up, watching his green eyes and the tightness in the corners of his mouth.

No. Please, no. It's fake. It has to be fake.

But Rhyse's reaction confirmed it.

"You did write this, then."

His eyelids drooped, and he closed them briefly.

"You do want me gone," I said, choking back unexpected tears.

I'd been all ready to apologize to him. To give him a big speech about how none of what he feared mattered to me. That I did like him. That I wanted to stay.

And all the while, he'd been plotting to get rid of me.

"Emma, give me the paper," Rhyse said.

"It's too late. I've already read it," I said as the tears fell. "I know all about your dislike of me. How you wish to ‘return me' like a purchase you no longer like. I guess it's a good thing I'm within the thirty-day return window, isn't it?!"

Rhyse took a step toward me. "Listen to me, Emma. That is—"

"No, you know what? Save it," I said, tossing the soggy paper at him. "I'm done listening to you and your excuses. Done, okay? I don't want to hear it. Whatever you were going to say, it doesn't matter. That is what matters, that letter. That's the truth. The one you couldn't tell me yourself!"

Rhyse growled but didn't say anything. "You aren't listening. It doesn't—"

"You're right!" I shouted. "I'm not listening! Not to you. Just send me back. I'm done. Done with you. Done with this place. I'm done with trying to make it right."

"Emma."

"No!" I shrieked as he came toward me, one arm outstretched. " I don't want to hear it, okay!"

"Fine!" he bellowed. "Be that way. Prove what I wrote is true. Go for it!"

"I hate you!" I screamed. "I—"

Red-hot pain drilled into both my eyeballs. My entire body went stiff, every muscle locked up in indescribable agony.