by Naomi Sparks
Forsaken
Exiled Kings Dragon Romance
Naomi Sparks
naomisparks.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2019 by Naomi Sparks
All rights reserved.
Second Edition
This book was previously published. Learn more at naomisparks.com
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Published in the United States
Contents
1. Ezra
2. Gabrielle
3. Ezra
4. Gabrielle
5. Ezra
6. Gabrielle
7. Ezra
8. Gabrielle
9. Ezra
10. Gabrielle
11. Ezra
12. Gabrielle
13. Ezra
14. Gabrielle
15. Gabrielle
Naomi Sparks (Exiled Kings Dragon Romance)
1
Ezra
Frowning at the plate of food, I let out a sigh before grabbing my fork and digging in. It most definitely wasn't the greatest meal in the world, certainly not a meal made with dragons in mind. But, that said, it's better than starving to death. And since we're still in the desert, it's not like I have a whole lot of options.
Man, what I would do for a big plate of meat...
"How are the Fey?" The sound of Katia's voice makes me look up. She is seating nearby, talking with her sister, Lysandra.
Lysandra nods. Judging by the way she looks at her food, she feels the same way I do, and I snort. "Most of them are doing pretty well. They're taking to the treatments and recovering quickly. They'll be able to start helping out around here before long."
"Most?" Katia asks, eyeing Lysandra. Apparently, she caught the little wiggle word too. "What do you mean most?"
"Well...." Lysandra lets out a sigh. She closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them and faces her sister. "I'm really worried about one of them. She isn't responding to our treatments at all. She was barely conscious when you guys brought her back, and since then, she's slipped into a coma. Nothing Tyko does seem to help. She just thrashes around, her temperature spiking. I'm not sure what else we can do."
Shit, I think to myself. I look down at the bland food in front of me, frowning. It's not the food that's distressing. It sucked only finding a small group of nearly dead Fae. But at the same time, it'd been a small win for us to get them out and nurse them back to health like we were giving Amasis the finger.
To lose one of them…. It'll hit everyone hard, especially the Fae. They've already lost so many of their people.
Before I know it, I'm up and out my seat, walking over to the women. They look up in surprise when I stop in front of them. "Will my venom help?" I ask, unable to stop the words as they tumble out of my mouth.
A dragon's venom had healing properties. If this woman is in such bad shape that Tyko's knowledge of healing can't help her, it might just be the only thing that can. And I doubt it's something Tyko has tried since he doesn't exactly have an abundance of dragon venom at his disposal. Few dragons would offer their venom to someone who isn't their mate.
Both women's eyes go wide as they look at me. Then, they glance over at each other, having some kind of silent conversation. Finally, Lysandra nods. "It might. I don't think Tyko has any other options at this point."
"Then let's go," I say, no longer caring about breakfast. It hadn't been that good anyway.
The women both shovel a bit more food into their mouths before standing up. Then, the three of us make our way through the camp, heading toward Tyko's tents. With all of the new patients, the Fae had put up a couple more tents around his. This way Tyko can conserve some of his energy by keeping them all nearby.
Lysandra leads us into his main tent, and I see it's just as full as it had been the last time I'd been in there. Tyko probably owned more stuff than the rest of the Fae put together. He had countless books and medical devices, some of which look like they might well be older than I am.
The moment we step inside, Tyko appears from behind a flap splitting off the back half of his large tent. No doubt that's where his most critical patients are resting. He looks over at the three of us, frowning. "What's going on?" I can hear the worry in his voice. No doubt he's afraid he's about to receive more patients.
Lysandra speaks up. "Ezra wants to help the woman in the coma. He thinks his venom might be able to help."
Tyko's eyes go wide, just as Lysandra and Katia's had. Then, he nods, his lips curving up into the slightest smile. "It just might. Dragon venom is supposedly one of the most powerful healing agents. It might do what none of my remedies have been able to. Come, the quicker we get on with it, the better."
I let out a short laugh as I follow Tyko into the back of the tent. He's never been one for many words. I like that about him. The sooner we get the venom into her, the sooner we can see if it works. And if she's in as bad of shape as the Lysandra had made out, then every second mattered.
Tyko leads me over to a bed with a young woman lying in it. My heart pounds as I focus on her, something inside me screaming out. Lysandra hadn't been kidding about the bad shape she's in. The woman looks like she's a mix of Asian and African. Her skin would be bronzed, though now it's tinged gray. Her hair is long and knotted. It looked like Tyko had tried to clean it without much success. Beads of sweat drip down her forehead, and when I reach out to take her hand, I can feel the heat radiating from her.
"How long has she been like this?" I ask, glancing at Tyko out of the corner of my eye. He looks just as worried as I feel. His eyes are bloodshot, and he's breathing heavily. I imagine he's had little sleep since we brought the Fae here.
"Since the day after you guys got her out of that compound." Tyko walks over and takes her other hand in his. "She'd had a high fever and was severely malnourished. Before I could do much other than give her fluids, she slipped into a coma. She's been getting steadily worse ever since."
I nod, looking down at her closed eyes. I can't explain why I'm so concerned about this woman. I've never met her, and yet, for some reason, I can't stand the thought of her dying.
I bring her hand up to my mouth. First, I kiss the back of it, saying a silent prayer to any gods that might be out there. I've never been particularly religious, but at this point, this woman needs any help she can get. Then, I open my mouth slightly and turn her hand over, sinking my teeth into the tender spot on the underside of her wrist.
The moment the venom enters her bloodstream, her body goes rigid. Dragon venom may have significant healing properties, but it's not the most pleasant sensation, at least if the person receiving it isn't mated to the dragon giving it.
I'm careful not to give her too much, not wanting her to overdose. Then, I keep hold of her hand and wait. If it can truly help her, we should see results fairly quickly.
Tyko reaches out, placing his hand on her throat. "Her heartbeat is becoming more even," he says, smiling.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. If her heartrate is settling, then the venom is working. At least, I hope it is.
Lysandra and Katia stand at the end of the bed, watching the three of us. I can see the nervous anticipation etched onto their faces.
Before anyon
e has a chance to say anything else, the woman jerks up right, sucking in a gasp of air. Everyone jumps back in surprise, and I let her hand fall to the bed. She looks around, her eyes wild, as she continues to gasp for air. "Where am I?" she asks, scooting backward on the bed as she looks at each of us.
"You're in a Fae encampment," I say in the calmest voice I can find. "We rescued you and others from one of Amasis's compounds a few days ago."
That seems to spur Tyko out of his daze. He turns and starts rifling through equipment, clearly looking for something.
"My baby?" she asks, still looking around frantically. She has pulled the thin sheet up to her chin like it might protect her from us.
I look over at the women and frown. There hadn't been any children in the compound by the time we'd gotten there.
"There weren't any children there," Katia says, her voice soft, and I silently thank her. "I'm sorry."
The woman starts sobbing, using the sheet to wipe away her tears. I want to reach out and pull her against me, to promise her we'll find her child, but I don't. This woman barely knows me, and I'm not sure she would believe me.
"Go get Lex. And Saphira and Faith," I tell Katia, who nods and rushes out of the tent. Something tells me we're going to need all three of them to help this woman. "What's your name?" I ask, keeping my voice low and calm.
"Gabrielle," she says between her sobs.
"Well, Gabrielle, we want to help you. My name is Ezra. The old man over there is Tyko. He's a doctor. And this is Lysandra, one of the leaders of this camp."
The woman is still crying, but she looks up and nods as I introduce everyone. She's fighting to get herself under control, I can feel it. But if Amasis has her child, I imagine it's going to take more than deep breaths before she can calm down.
Tyko finds the equipment he was looking for and starts examining Gabrielle. He talks to her as he works, his voice calm and soothing. He's done this for many years, and he's good at helping his patients relax. Part of me wonders if that's part of his gift.
I reach out and take Gabrielle's hand again, squeezing it gently. "Don't worry," I tell her. "We'll find your baby, I promise."
I have no idea how I'm going to do that, but I know it's what I need to do. Before I can even start coming up with a plan, the tent flap opens. Lex, Saphira, Faith, and Lysandra all step inside. Tyko mumbles something about this not being a party room, but we all ignore him.
Lex immediately starts questioning Gabrielle. I glare at him, but he just ignores me. No one else expected him to have a bedside manner.
Gabrielle is clearly still upset, but she answers every question Lex asks her. Slowly, her crying subsides, and I notice she doesn't let go of my hand. She keeps squeezing it as Lex questions her about her pregnancy, about the delivery.
I had to grit my teeth as Gabrielle recalled what it had been like to be part of Amasis's little breeding program. She didn't just have a missing baby. She'd gone through hell to bring that child into the world. No wonder she's so upset over everything. I would be too if I'd gone through that only to have the child ripped away from me.
"Were you given a serum?" Lex asks, his eyes intently focused on her now, and suddenly, I understand. Gabrielle was able to successfully carry a dragon child to term. Both she and her child survived. If she had taken the serum Amasis had left for Lex, that meant it could help Hannah.
Gabrielle nods. "They gave me a dose of it each month. After the first dose, the pregnancy became much easier."
Lex asks her a few more questions. When I look over at Faith, I see she has her eyes closed. She's using her power, going through Gabrielle's memories while the woman speaks. At least Gabrielle doesn't seem to be in pain, so I assume that means Faith is being gentle.
By the time Lex is finished, Gabrielle looks even more exhausted. "She needs to rest," I tell him, and Lex nods.
Everyone files out of the room, save for Tyko and me. I'm not sure why I stay with her, but since she hasn't let go of my hand, I assume that means she wants me to stay. Tyko brings me a chair, and I sit next to her, still squeezing her hand.
I push a bit of my energy into her, hoping it'll give her the strength she needs to heal. According to Tyko, she's already made tremendous progress, especially considering how bad she'd been only an hour ago.
"Will you really help me find her?" Gabrielle asks at one point, her gaze feels like itis piercing right through me.
I nod, squeezing her hand again. "I'll do everything I can to bring her back to you. I promise."
"Her name's Olivia," Gabrielle says. She leans back on the bed and closes her eyes, smiling up at nothing. "She has these big, brown eyes. She's the most gorgeous little baby you've ever seen."
I smile as Gabrielle tells me about her baby. The poor woman must be fighting so hard to stay composed. I can't even begin to imagine what she must be going through. So I just sit with her and listen as she babbles on about her baby.
I don't interrupt her, just let her talk. I have a feeling it's her way of coping, that if she just keeps talking, it keeps her from breaking down again. And if sitting here listening helps her, then I'm more than willing to do just that.
I have no idea how much time has passed when the tent flap opens again. This time, it's Galen who steps inside. He nods at me, then turns to Gabrielle and smiles. "How are you feeling?" he asks her, walking over to stand next to me.
"Better," she says, smiling up at him. "Thanks to Ezra. I hear it's because of him that I'm alive."
"That's what I've heard too." Galen chuckles, looking over at me and smirking. "He's a real hero like that."
I look down to avoid both of their gazes. I hadn't done it to be a hero. I just couldn't sit by and let this woman die if there was something I could do to help her.
Galen talks with Gabrielle for a bit then turns to me. "Lex has called a meeting," he says simply, and I know he means I need to be there.
My heart skips a beat as I wonder what Lex wants to discuss. Since Amasis had fled his latest compound, we'd been at a loss of where to go to find him. Saphira didn't know of any other compounds in the area. So we'd stayed put, giving the Fae women a chance to heal up. Plus, it gave our own people a chance to catch their breath.
If he's calling a meeting, I hope that means they've found the next compound.
Galen leaves, and I turn to Gabrielle, smiling at her. "I guess I need to go," I say, letting out a soft sigh. I don't want to leave her just yet. She's made one hell of a recovery, but she still has a ways to go before she's fully recovered.
But instead of releasing my hand, Gabrielle sits up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "Well, let's go then," she says as she stands.
"Are you sure? You need to rest."
But Gabrielle nods. She doesn't look like she's about to drop dead anymore, and while I'd prefer it if she rested, I can't argue with her. She has as much of a right to be at the meeting as the rest of us. Besides, Gabrielle might remember something else.
2
Gabrielle
My head aches as Ezra leads me through the camp. But no matter how much I knew I needed to rest, I can't. Not while my baby girl is out there somewhere. I need to find her, to get her back. If these people think they can help me, then I'm not going to turn away. Nor am I just going to sit around and leave everything to them.
She's my daughter, not theirs.
No one questions me as Ezra leads me into a large tent. There are already a good number of people milling around inside, talking to each other. Ezra disappears for a moment, then returns with a chair for me. When I raise an eyebrow at him, he just smiles and shrugs.
As much as I don't want special treatment, I know sitting is probably a better option. God only knows how long this little meeting will go on. And I do feel tired.
Everyone continues to mingle around, talking to each other, for a few more minutes as a couple more people arrive. Then, the man called Lex clears his throat. Everyone goes silent and turns to face him. I scoot
forward on my chair, watching him carefully. It looks like he's the one in charge here. At least, everyone seems to defer to him.
"As you all know, our priority right now is finding Amasis and the rest of the clutch," Lex begins, pacing around the center of the room. A woman stands behind him, arms crossed in front of her chest, her round stomach protruding noticeably. "We've gathered every bit of information we have, and we're no closer to finding their next hideout. Saphira doesn't know of any others near here. She's given us a list of compounds all around the world, but we doubt he'll move to any of them just yet. It'll be a lot of work for him to up and move that far, which makes us believe he's somewhere reasonably close by."
My breath catches in my throat. This Amasis is the one who has my daughter. If he's nearby, then we need to find him. Find him and get her back. I don't say anything out loud, not wanting to push things just yet and get kicked out.
"Since we don't know where he's gone, we're going to have to search for him," Lex continues. "We stayed here, letting everyone recuperate while we went over everything we knew. But we can't just sit around here hoping Amasis will come to us. We need to get out there and find him, preferably before he can get too settled in and set up too many defenses."
There's a murmur of agreement that goes through the room. Everyone here seems just as eager as I am to find Amasis. I find myself looking at them all, wondering what their stories are. Why do they care so much? I doubt any of them other than maybe Ezra is in this to help me.
When I look at the woman standing behind Lex, I notice she's watching me. She has a curious look on her face, and I can't help but wonder why she's staring so intently at me. Perhaps she knows I don't belong here? Will she alert someone, have them throw me out? Drag me back to that doctor's tent and chain me up there?
