We were screwed if I let them in. I just had to hold out against them long enough, but I was weakening, and my head hurt so much. My vision blurred, and I wobbled in the grip of the soldiers.
Someone yelled in the background to stop, others argued, but their words all jumbled up into an incomprehensible collection of meaningless syllables.
My grandfather kept hammering at my mind…until finally, he broke in. Instead of my memories leaking out, he was in my mind.
I could feel his touch… cold and bitter. He seeped into my thoughts like the venom of a snake.
He wasn’t alone, he had opened his mind to the Council, and they too saw my memories. My private, personal thoughts and memories!
They saw Ashe through my eyes when he touched my face and ran his thumb over my lips. I didn’t understand why he did that, but I craved that, and everyone saw all of this.
They saw George in Lockdown, bloody, grimy, and starved as he looked beneath the door.
“Nooooo!” I cried. I didn’t want them to know what George had told me. But I hurt so much.
Tears filled my eyes, and I tried to fight, but the harder I tried, the more Arthur saw.
Anger filled me as everyone saw my embarrassment with Lacy, then my drunken state with Logan. Things I wasn’t proud of and memories I wanted to keep private.
This was a desecration of the sacred landscape that was my mind. But I knew I couldn’t fight them much longer.
My skull throbbed with the onslaught as I continued to resist. I screamed over and over again and my voice began to give out. I pushed more and more trivial memories at the invasion as if I could fight Arthur off.
“Stop resisting! You’re only making this worse for yourself!” Warned Arthur.
“This is too far, Arthur… if you continue, you’re going to hurt her,” Elise’s voice broke through the connection with my grandfather, and I wasn’t sure if she’d spoken aloud or through their bond.
“She’ll relent. You’ll see,” My grandfather replied.
His words only made me fight harder, push harder. I reached out for help from Aaraeth… and then Eondian. Eondian! Help me!
Ashe’s mind touched mine… and then nothing.
I must have lost consciousness because I was on the floor in the outer chamber when I came to.
“Sydney? Syd?” Ashe looked down at me, his brow furrowed, his eyes wet with tears.
I could hear Evgeni in the background addressing the crowd, “Arthur has gone too far too many times, and this is just another example of his abuse of power. He’s crossed too many lines! Look what he has done to his own granddaughter! Why? Because of her power! His greed knows no bounds! Who is next? Your husband? Your wife? Your daughter? Your son?”
I moaned, tears welling up under my eyelids. My grandfather had forcibly taken my memories even when Elise and the Council fought him.
“I hate him,” I rasped.
And I’ll hate him forever for doing this to me.
It was a violation.
It was a rape of the mind.
But even my anger wasn’t enough to keep me from falling back into the black abyss of unconsciousness again.
I became aware of the cold hard ground beneath my hips and my head on someone’s leg, no, not someone—Ashe.
A dark cloud hung over me as I opened my eyes and looked around.
“You’re awake?” Ashe whispered, brushing my hair back from my face.
I gave him a sad smile and tried to sit up. “What… did they see?”
He shook his head, his mouth opened slightly as he sucked in a breath. “He didn’t see anything. I sealed it all off. He couldn’t fight us both. I forced him out and created a new mental shield to protect you.” He breathed out a laugh, a small smile curving his lips. “I also gave Arthur a taste of his own medicine… so… he’ll have a hell of a headache for a while.”
“Thank you…” I whispered hoarsely. A wet rag that had been on my forehead slid to the ground. We were alone in a small room lit dimly by failing glows. “Where are we?”
Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to my palm. “We’re in the antechamber, just waiting. The Council is in deliberation. But you fought them,” he said with a smile. “You held them off for a long time…” He frowned. “You called on Eondian, and he was able to pull me into your mind just before you passed out. If you’d have passed out without our connection, Arthur would’ve had access to everything.”
He met my gaze, and the look in his eye made me wonder if he could hear my thoughts.
When I reached for my mental shields, I found them firmly in place. But they weren’t the smooth plastic bubble I usually created. These shields felt like heavy steel blast doors—this was the wall Ashe had built to keep Arthur out.
To shut him out.
A noise startled me, and I sat, while Ashe jumped to his feet, shielding me from the unknown threat.
From around my mate’s arm, I could see who it was—another Harrow Prime, Matt Long.
“I figured I’d give you a head’s up, Ashe. Orders were just sent to Durand, and I’m assuming they’re about you.” He started to walk away before turning around. “Oh, yeah, they’ve come to a decision about your bond—you should probably go back.”
“All right. Thank you, Matt,” Ashe told him before turning back to me to help me stand.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“My guess is that Arthur will get me sent out to one of the conflict zones… Probably Siberia again, but the joke’s on him. I actually like Russia in the summer.”
“No,” I breathed.
He shook his head, “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, stay quiet and stay calm. We’ll be okay. I’ll figure something out. I won’t let them separate us.”
I nodded. “I know, but they’ll probably try.”
He lowered his chin as he stared into my eyes, “Even if they try, I won’t let them. Do you understand? Even if they do, I’ll find you.”
I nodded.
Ashe led us into the hallway, which was now packed with people—more people than had been there before, maybe even most of Briony. The throng of souls extended up the wide parking garage-like ramp and down the other side. The crowd was noisy, but I couldn’t tell whether they were on our side or not. Curious stares met my own as I slid past and made my way back into the Council Chamber.
Time seemed to slow down. The crowd’s raised voices seemed to blend into a swirling mix of muted sounds. I turned in a slow circle, feeling lost in the group, and untethered, until Ashe pulled me into him, his arms around me.
We waited for Arthur to quiet the crowds.
Arthur raised his hand to quiet the temple. On his palm was a tattoo of an arrow facing up. It triggered something in my mind that George had said.
The PL cleared his throat, but he didn’t speak. Instead, it was Cat Brooks who stood before us. “There have been many things said here this evening and many things the Council will have to consider. However, we’ve come to a new judgment concerning the Tetrad of Prime Ashe Carrick and Prime Sydney Lambert. The two entered into this sacred union, which we hold as one of the most revered states. We will acknowledge the bond. However, we must defer to the laws of where we live—Colorado, in the United States of America. According to the mundane government, the age of consent is seventeen. Until then, the bond will remain unacknowledged by the Dragonborn.”
The crowd broke out in murmurs.
What does this mean? I shook my head, my mind frozen, hearing the words but not understanding.
Then my grandfather continued, “Ashe Carrick, due to the problems created between your dragon and Aaraeth, you will be reassigned. Please see Colonel Durand for orders.”
My eyes darted to those of the Council before going to Ashe. He watched all this; his mouth was drawn into a tight line as he shook his head.
“I wondered,” he muttered under his breath.
“They’re doing the exact same thing they did to Evgeni and Celine. Does no
one see what’s happening in here? How can the Council go along with this?” I asked, looking for Evgeni.
Ashe’s jaw was set, but his gaze was steady. “I won’t leave you. I’ll come after you. Okay? Wherever you are. Arthur’s not fooling anyone by making me leave. If we’re in another state with higher statutory laws, then we’ll have to wait longer. But the joke is on him.”
“It is?” I asked.
“Yes, because I won’t leave you. Nothing they said will change anything for us. I promise. If he’s not going to play by the rules, then neither will I,” Ashe said, a fierce gleam in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before.
This left me with a very ominous feeling. Ashe had always followed the rules, but now I wondered if Arthur had pushed him too far.
My grandfather continued to speak, turning my stomach with his speech about protecting the Dragonborn children, and how they will find the escaped convict George Miller and those responsible will be punished. Then the session was concluded.
Ashe and I stood there like rocks in a river as the Council chamber emptied and everyone disappeared.
Durand approached us. His expression was unreadable. “Ashe, come with me. I have a temporary assignment for you until you’re reassigned.”
My heart felt as if it would beat out of my chest. “Where are you sending him?”
Durand frowned. “Look, Sydney, the Council doesn’t want what happened yesterday—the dragon coupling, to happen again. They want to protect you…” his gaze flicked to Ashe, “And you as well.”
“Are you kidding?” I asked.
My uncle sucked in a deep breath before letting it out. “As for you, I’m making arrangements to fly you up to the Academy in the next day or two. School starts in a few weeks, but you can train with Mr. Snyder. He leads the cadets.”
“What?! Evgeni is my legal guardian. The Council can’t just take me away from my dad…” I trailed off at his stony expression. “Can they?”
Durand raised a brow. “This was Evgeni’s idea, and the Council agreed.” He turned toward my soldier, “Are you coming?”
Ashe nodded. “Yeah, give me a minute. I’ll catch up with you.” Turning to me, he took my hands in his. “I probably won’t be able to see you before they have us moved. Do what they say. I’ll find you—I promise, they won’t keep us separated. Okay? Do you trust me?”
I nodded, unable to speak as Ashe released me and walked away.
Everything was going wrong, everything we didn’t want. How could he know that everything would be okay?
Ashe looked confident, and if not relaxed, he didn’t look worried as he followed Durand away. It looked like they were having a friendly chat.
I watched them until they disappeared.
Sitting down on one of the benches, I stared into the fire. It had died down to smoldering ashes.
I couldn’t do separation again. I couldn’t.
Evgeni neared. “I’m leaving soon, and I wanted to say goodbye.”
“You’re just letting them take me?” I spat, and he nodded, “Why? Why are you going along with this?!”
He gazed around before bending to whisper. “We have to play the game for now. I have much to talk to you about.” He pulled me to my feet. “Come on, the quicker we both leave, the sooner I can find you and explain everything.”
“Then take me with you!”
He gave me an enigmatic look, “I can’t now. I need Arthur to feel comfortable. But, I’ll explain everything. Just do as they say and go to Balaur.”
I nodded, trying to be brave. But I couldn’t help my fears from tormenting me.
Were Ashe and I really going to be kept apart until I finished school or turned eighteen? Cat Brooks said that the age of consent was seventeen… and I’ll be seventeen in a few weeks.
Was this a good ruling? A win?
No, they were tricky. The age of consent was seventeen in Colorado. But I remember Taya looking up the age of consent in Idaho and California and both were eighteen. So, now that I was being shipped off to Idaho, did this mean I had to wait until I was eighteen? Was this a trick of wording to make it sound as if they were giving us permission when they weren’t?
I would not be separated from Ashe until I was eighteen. A year was too long.
What did this mean for us? What did this mean for Ashe?
Ugh!
23
Sydney: 1 week later
It had been a week since that day Arthur did the mind sweep on me.
Six days since they separated us… sent me back to the academy.
Maybe it was because Arthur knew that there was a limit to the powers of our bond. Distance. Together we were powerful; apart, we were weaker. But I could still feel Ashe, our connection stronger than ever.
I considered all these things as I sat on the back terrace at Drake House.
Anger, helplessness—these feelings weren't doing me any good. But sitting around and waiting for other people wasn't my style.
No. Today was my first full day not being babysat by Mr. Snyder, and I planned to dig up Celine's grave. I'd find her research and the anchor she made for me and then go from there. As Ashe had put it, it was time to call George's bluff. Either all those things would be there, or they wouldn't.
But deep down, I felt it in my bones—George spoke the truth. Everything Evgeni said, and even facts about Arthur, seemed to back up this terrible, ugly picture of Celine and what she'd gone through. What she'd been driven to do.
I was pretty sure that my mother was in the Dragon realm, and if she was, then I was going to find her.
Closing my eyes, I could feel Ashe, strangely distracted and maybe moving somewhere? Driving? I had this sensation that today was significant for him… was today his birthday? Shit! I wasn't sure, and I had no way to contact him. There was no cellular service at the academy, and the stupid Wi-Fi was out.
I hated to admit this, but Ashe had been right. The timing of our bond sucked major dragon dung.
What was another year of separation? That’s no big deal, I told myself.
Aaraeth piped in with incredulity lacing her words, you fool no one with your thoughts.
"Well, I'm not going to sit around here like some sad sack. Besides, it's neurological. If I tell myself it's no big deal and force myself to smile and act happy, then I'll be happy…"
Says who? That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard! She told me. When one is sad, they frown—happy, they smile.
I shook my head. "No, Aaraeth. It's called science."
She snorted.
I could only see her profile as she lay on the sun-warmed terrace beside me.
"Well? It's true. This is why I'm going to keep doing what needs to be done. Besides, this way, I can show Ashe proof of what George said."
Maybe.
"What do you mean, 'maybe'?"
She shifted, splaying out one wing before turning to look at me with her swirling, multifaceted eyes. I have never heard of your kind coming into our world. Never.
I pressed my lips together. "Whatever. I don't care…" I stood and brushed the back of my pants off. "I'm going to the cemetery. Do you want to come, or you want to stay here and be lazy?"
She snorted a large plume of smoke that hung in the air between us before being taken away by the ever-present wind. I will join, but I prefer to fly. I might see another tasty animal to eat on the way.
"Fine, just don't eat any more of the school cats… or dogs, horses, and goats. They are all off-limits!" I added.
Her response was another snort as she strode behind me on all four legs, tucking her wings in close as we walked through the landscaped side yard and out into the quad.
Standing before Drake, I felt for Taya with my mind. Since Ashe healed me, all of these Dragon abilities were effortless, and I'll admit, they were something I could get used to. As a Prime, I could summon people through their dragon. Now I could call people themselves as quickly as if they were standing next to me… but there were limitatio
ns.
These limitations made me understand why most Dragonborn houses and buildings were thick stone, concrete or built in caves like Briony. These materials blocked human Dragonborn gifts as well as distance.
Taya appeared on the porch of Drake house with wet hair from her shower. After her run this morning, I told her what I planned to do. We were both super bored here, especially without school, so I wasn't surprised when she agreed to do some grave robbing.
My guard strode down the steps, pulling her arms through a backpack while giving me a strange look. Shaking with laughter, she tried to contain herself to speak, "What are you wearing? You look like you're going on safari."
I frowned, looking down at my loose, graying white button-up, dig pants, and old work boots. "These are my work clothes. I know they're not fancy, but they're practical. They protect me from bugs and the sun. Look, they have side zips with netting and vents. Besides that, they're quick dry in case of rain and have plenty of pockets." I said, touching the wide-brimmed tan hat on my head.
I'd taken blood from many rodents, bats, and other creatures in these clothes while working with my—George. I found it fitting to wear them to dig up my mother's notes.
I smiled at Taya's teasing as I led the way across the quad.
The school felt so strange being empty like this. There had been a summer term, but it had already ended. This was the usual vacation time for anyone who taught year-round here. Even Headmistress Angeven was gone.
The looming buildings were abandoned, and they felt like it. The only souls I'd seen were Mr. Snyder and the groundskeeper... and the goats he let into the quad to help trim the bushes and mow the grass. The goats were ravenous—any foliage not surrounded by strong fencing would get chewed to nubs. They already destroyed the bushes in front of Eton, although it didn't seem to bother the groundskeeper. He'd been sweeping off the steps to Wyvern Hall when the goats were halfway through their pillaging.
I detoured through the gate into the alley between Harrow and Eton, making my way to the sheds where snowmobiles and a rusty old 4-wheeler sat. I'd seen the groundskeeper driving around in that with a small trailer full of new plants and fertilizer—probably to replace the ones the goats ate.
Hard Boiled Page 22
