“B-Bastian, please. You-you don’t know your father, what he?—”
“Now!” I roared, my voice shaking the walls.
In a flash, Jenkins was out the door, running with his tail between his legs, just like he should be. I waited until I couldn’t hear his footsteps in the hallway, then turned back to Rowan. She looked up at me, clearly unsure, and I swallowed hard,studying her face.
I recognized her so much, saw all the details of Emmeline etched into every curve and freckle. But she was so different, older, eons wiser, and less afraid, less intimidated by the world around her. Dragons weren’t some mythical thing she put on a pedestal anymore; they weren’t this creature to be revered and terrified of. She knew us, worked with us, healed us.
I’d been such a fucking idiot.
“Thank you,” she said. “I know that?—”
“There is nothing for you to thank me for. You…” My chest tightened, all my old survival instincts trying to get me to run, but I couldn’t do that, not now. “… were right. I should have listened, should have believed you when you said you didn’t lie.”
Rowan’s eyes stretched wide, somehow even wider than they had been. “I… Oh. Well, yes, I was right, and you should have believed me.”
She was still shocked, but I couldn’t help but snort, amused and annoyed with myself. I dipped my head, sighing as I ran a hand through my hair.
The others had murmured their thanks to Rowan; even Rory and his parents had said how amazing she was.
And I’d felt stuck, just like always.
Then my gaze landed on her throat.
Red and rapidly bruising from where that fucker had laid his hands on her.
“Your throat,” I said, lurching forward and gently cupping her face to get a better look. The sight made me sick to my stomach.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured me. “Some painkillers and honey tea and I’ll be good as new in a few days.” I’d allowed my feelings about Rowan to cloud my judgment all this time, when she was clearly doing what was best for the horde. I was as bad as my father, who’d allowed Jenkins to treat the horde, even himself, for so long. What the fuck was wrong with me?
Dull rage simmered in my gut. I was annoyed with myself, furious I’d been so blind to what was going on. Because of my actions, the entire horde, not to mention my mate, had been put in jeopardy.
And for what? My pride? Lot of good that had done me.
The horde was still a mess, even if less so thanks to Rowan, but how the hell were we going to deal with all the resulting chaos? She’d already said she wasn’t staying, and replacing Jenkins would be?—
“I’ll keep treating everyone.” Rowan’s voice and her hand on my arm rocked me from my thoughts. “Okay? I knowhow much they need me right now. I could never let them down. Especially after everything.”
Well, that solves one problem.
“Thank you, Rowan.” I held her gaze, nodding once. “It’s clear that we need your help—greatly.”
Surprise mingled with her smile, but she patted me on the arm and turned back to Rory, comforting him after the fallout of all this had taken place in hisroom. She seemed to easily flip into caregiver mode, and I—yet again—looked on from the background, unspeaking.
Yeah, it was obvious the horde needed her. I just hadn’t realized how muchIneeded her too.
Until that moment.
Rowan
“So, I leave foroneday, and you manage to shake up the entire horde?” Griffin laughed, sinking into an armchair next to me.
I had taken a seat on the porch, looking out into the woodland as the sun set. I was bone-weary and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed, but that meant going upstairs, which felt like too much effort.
“Don’t.” I giggled, swatting at him playfully, but the move had no real energy behind it. Although it had been two days since Jenkins had been exiled, I had been so busy tending to Rory, I hadn’t found time to tell my best friend what had happened.
Hell, I hadn't even had time to come to terms with what happened myself.
“One day, Rowan. Theoneday I agreed to show the Henderson boys how to get to the waterfall south of us, and by the time I get back, I discover Jenkins has been evicted from the horde, and you’re apparently here to stay?”
