Page 61 of From the Edge

With the glass of the coffin exposed, she cracked open the carbonated energy drink and chugged it down, paused, and then let out a thunderous belch that bent some trees. She silently counted to three, and the coffin cracked. Her grandmother shot out, looking no older than twenty-two and said, “Rowan! That was rude.”

“Yes, Grandma, it was, but I dragged a dragon here, and that didn’t wake you up, so I figured a belch would do it.”

Her grandfather sat up. “A dragon? Really?”

“Yes, he used to be Sirrush and now is Avor Rush. Grandpa, get up and greet your king.”

Her grandfather looked around, and Avor was standing there, wings out.

A slow smile spread across her grandfather’s features. He jumped out of the coffin and walked across the space and then hugged Avor.

Her grandmother got out of the coffin and chuckled. Grandma Eleanor walked up and hugged her. “Oh, Rowan, I have missed you.”

“I have missed you, too. I took care of both of you, like Grandpa asked.”

Eleanor hugged her tighter. “You did an amazing job. How is everyone?”

“Mom and Dad are in the islands, Laurel has fostered six little girls and is also in the islands, and Aspen is home.”

“So you have been protected.” Her grandmother exhaled in relief.

“Yes, Grandma. I am fine. I am standing here before you all in one piece. I have the carriage house ready for you so that you and Grandpa can have some privacy.”

“Ah, you know us so well.”

“You had three daughters a decade apart. You do it at least once a decade.”

Her grandmother grinned. “Aw, it’s like you have met us, little one.”

“Once or twice.” Strong arms wrapped around them, and her grandfather lifted them off their feet.

Rowan fought the panic that ripped through her being held by dark arms off the ground. Her grandmother saw her face, and the laughter died. “Vas, put her down.”

Rowan controlled her breathing as she was set on her feet. She patted her grandmother’s arm and turned to smile weakly at her grandfather. “Sorry about that. Stressful few—”

Renyet said, “Decade. Over a decade. There was an attack on the premises that incapacitated Aspen, and Rowan was injured. Badly injured. She is recovering, but it is an ongoing thing.”

Rowan looked at him with wide eyes. “Shut up, you green moron.”

Her grandfather blinked. “You know him?”

Rowan set her jaw.

Renyet spoke calmly. “I met her when she was suffering from the side effects of the opal defense. She had been in the shield for years. Her skin was bruised, and there was internal damage. The shield is down, but it has only been down for a day.”

“Go polish a speculum,” she growled.

“You used that already today.”

“Sorry. I will try and do better. There are only so many stirrup jokes I can make. Oh, maybe cold hands.”

He grinned.

Her grandfather said, “I need to know more of the time we have been gone. Can you tell me, shaman?”

“I can. I live in the big house. Rowan has begun taking in lodgers.”

“What? How many?”