29. Chapter Thirty-One

Dorran didn't drop me until we made it to our room. The fear running up and down my spine felt like cement. What is happening?

I didn't believe for one moment that a storm appeared so suddenly. "Do you believe there is a storm?"

Dorran stopped by the window and looked out at the dark clouds. "I checked the weather before we came. I think there is a storm coming, but I don't think nature caused it."

He turned to me with his ebony hair windblown and his face tight with concern.

"You think it's the sirens?"

I hadn't even had a chance to process the word.

A siren. A demon of the sea? I had no idea what that meant or what I expected. Certainly not that. Helena had to have known what I was to keep me away from the water. We lived in the one kingdom that had the least amount of water, and I didn"t think that was a coincidence.

Dorran nodded. "I think they know you're here and want you to stay."

I didn't want to stay. I wanted to find out what I was, and where I came from, but I didn't want to stay. Knowing Dorran wouldn't leave me made me feel better, but not enough to relax.

"I see the worry on your face," he said, his voice softer than usual. "I will not let any of them touch you, Little Mouse. Don't think for one second they will take you. If they show up, we'll try to get to the bottom of this."

I swallowed the painful lump forming in my throat. "What if they don't want to talk?"

Dorran lifted his chin. "I'm not afraid, and you shouldn't be either."

I nodded, trying my hardest to keep my feelings to myself because I knew he could sense them. Thunder clashed against the sky and raised goosebumps on my skin. What kind of person—supernatural—could cause that type of damage?

Did I have that type of power?

It felt strange to think that I went from a frail human to something much bigger.

Dorran sank down beside me, pulled out his phone, and texted furiously. "I have no signal, and I can't signal while it's storming, because they will never see it."

His gaze shot to the window, and he stood up straight. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

The shadow that formed on the windowsill was definitely male, and when he stepped into our room, my body ran cold.

He looked like the others from the forest. Like me. Where Dorran was muscular and coiled, this man was lean but looked capable.

His icy blue gaze slid toward me. "Amara. Finally."

Dorran's wings spread out, knocking a mirror to the floor, and a corner lamp over on its side. He completely blocked me from this man, though I still felt his gaze sliding all over me, nonetheless.

His chuckle was singsong-like. "Dorran, The Dragon Prince of The North Kingdom. I see you've brought Amara back home. Thank you."

"We've come for answers. Amara will be leaving with me today after you kindly tell us what the hell is going on."

"I'm Evian. I'm King over the Sirens." He glanced around the room. "I can smell that you've marked her. That's sad to hear that you'll lose your mate."

Dorran's fingers curled into fists at his sides. "I don't think you heard me, Evian. Amara isn't staying. I don't care about whatever bullshit story you have for me today, it doesn't matter."

Evian sighed deeply.

Part of me wanted to look around Dorran's wing but I didn't dare.

"This will not end well for you. I'm willing to break the treaty we have with this territory to bring her back where she belongs. We don"t know what she is capable of. Hybrids are forbidden."

Dorran glanced down over his shoulder at me and slowly lowered his wings. Evian stood in the same position as before, but this time he smiled. It was seductive and charming. His long blond hair was tied at the nape of his neck, his jaw strong, but elegant. The slither of teeth showing from under his thin top lip was white and picture-perfect.

"You're beautiful—," he started.

"That was your first warning," Dorran said. "Tell us what the hell is going on. Now."

Evian smiled again and gestured toward the chair in the corner of the room. Dorran nodded, permitting him to sit. He walked elegantly, his strides long, and sat down as if someone plucked him from a royal family.

Dorran moved to stand between us but gave me enough room to see him. "Where to begin," he said softly, stroking his clean-shaven chin. "It's such a long story."

"Amara's mother was one of us, very mischievous that woman. She snuck around with humans when she knew it was forbidden." He grinned. "Then, she got pregnant, and because you—," he said, pointing at me, "would be the first hybrid of our kind, we didn't know what to expect. Our King at the time decided to kill you, and of course, your mother ran." He chuckled. "And she hid very well. We weren't able to find her. So," he said shifting his weight. "There was a bounty put on your mother's head, however, by the time she was found, she'd already had you, and refused to give you up."

Dorran shifted, grabbing my elbow, he pulled me around to his side. "So you're telling me that you are here to kill Amara because she's a hybrid, and I'm supposed to give her over? Have you lost your damn mind? If you think for one second that I will hand over my mate so you can kill her, then you're stupider than that ponytail."

Evian waggled his finger at Dorran. "See that's where we're gonna disagree. I can't go against my father's rules, because they are set in stone. However, I would like to see how her powers turned out being she is a hybrid. Then I'll kill her."

Dorran moved swiftly, slicing through the air, and before I blinked, Evian was pressed against the wall. "You won't touch Amara. We needed answers, we have them, and now we're leaving."

Evian chuckled, almost manically, and shook his head. "Oh, Dorran, you think I'm asking for Amara? That storm out there is at my hand, if I want to drown you both right this second, I can do it."

Dorran pressed his forearm harder against his neck. "Drown us then, you little cunt."

Evian's gaze shifted toward mine.

There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, I could see he knew that, but I couldn't get my mouth to move.

"You're lucky I'm feeling generous, and I'm too intrigued by Amara to kill you both. But," he said, suddenly appearing out of Dorran's grasp and by the window. Thunder roared in the distance, and rain began to pelt against the roof. "You should know that when I do come for Amara, and I will, I will bring your entire kingdom down with it."

Evian disappeared from the room suddenly.

Dorran stared at the window for several minutes before looking back at me. The rain began to subside, and the weather stilled. "We're leaving."

Dorran grabbed me, climbed to the railing of the balcony, and shot into the sky.

The night air was colder and whipped at my skin, but I clung to Dorran, listening to the heavy beat of his heart. Even though we were growing hundreds of miles away from The South Kingdom, I felt that Evian would show up at any moment.

It was a new fear unlocked.

Dorran landed on the mountain, keeping me in his arms until the cabin doors swung open. Dorran stalked passed Sasha who straddled Toby on the couch and into the bedroom.

"A warning would have been nice," Toby shouted.

I followed Dorran down the hallway.

"Dorran?" I asked softly.

When he didn't answer, I walked over slowly and touched his back. He was warm from the flight over, but I assumed it had a lot to do with how pissed Evian made him. Dorran didn't even stir at my touch.

Toby's heavy footsteps grew closer down the hallway. "I thought you were staying the night—,"

Dorran turned around to face him. "I need my father to come here. Tomorrow morning. Tell him to come."

Toby glanced between the two of us. "You want me to leave?"

"Yes. Leave the guards outside and go tell my father we can't leave the cabin, and to meet us here tomorrow morning. Tell Sasha she can stay here until my father gets here. I'm afraid we're being watched."

Toby had questions but left the cabin in a rush.

Dorran turned to me and there was true fear in his eyes. "Amara, don't think for a second that his ease and charm meant he isn't telling the truth. My dragon could feel his pull. His power. We have to stay here and prepare our army for whatever they throw at us. There is so much to do. I need to get Zerk back here to ask him questions."

"I don't want them to take me," I whispered.

Dorran reached over and cupped my cheek. "They won't. I'll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't. In the meantime, I will have one of the guards bring your stepmother here tomorrow. We have plenty of things to discuss with her."

"Right."

Sasha poked her head inside the doorway. "Can I come in?"

Dorran waved her in and excused himself.

Sasha waited until he was gone before walking toward me. She pulled me in for a hug, and then put her palms on my shoulders. "What in the hell is going on? Dorran looks ready to rip someone's head off."

That was the difference between Dorran and Evian. Dorran was more hotheaded, and you knew when he was ready to fight. You didn't with Evian. His cool demeanor threw you off from knowing when he'd strike.

"We went to The South Kingdom to find out what I am."

Sasha lifted an eyebrow. "Did you find out?"

I chuckled humorlessly. "More or less."