A dragon shifter novel Chapter 30

Time To Recharge and Kick Ass

Allison

Waking up feels like crawling out of mud. My eyelids fight me, lashes sticking, head full of static. The first thing I register is light that’s too bright and too

clean, filtering through some enchantment overhead Then the steady hum of wards and the faint sting of herbs in the air. I’m in an infirmary, shit. I blink

hard, forcing my vision to clear. Whitewashed walls. Rows of beds. The sharp scent of antiseptic makes my nose wrinkle. Yeah. Definitely the infirmary. Two

slumped figures sit on either side of my bed, both folded awkwardly into stiff wooden chairs. Kael has his head tipped back, mouth just barely parted in

sleep. Even sitting still, there’s something dangerous coiled under his skin, like fire banked in ash, waiting for the right gust to spark. His hands twitch

occasionally, like even in sleep, he’s itching for a fight. Evander is the opposite; he’s quiet and still except for the way his fists are balled tight in his lap, as if he hasn’t let himself relax even here. His massive frame looks ridiculous crammed into that chair, but somehow it doesn’t diminish him. His presence

presses into the room like a second gravity. For a beat, I stare, trying to wrap my head around why the hell the two most intimidating people in this school

are passed out like guard dogs at my bedside. Then the memory slams into me. The obstacle course. The bears. The freezing water. Cage’s grin as he kicks

the wood out from under me. “Fucking Cage,” I croak, my voice rough and cracked. The sound startles me more than them, but both Kael and Evander stir, their eyes snapping open at once like they’ve been waiting for me to speak. Shit. I’m not sure I want them looking at me like that.

Kael moves first, his mouth curling slowly and lazily into that famous grin of his. “You know,” he drawls, voice scratchy with sleep, “you’re not supposed to

nap in class, Rivers. Pretty sure that’s against the rules.” I groan, letting my head fall back against the pillow. “You’re an idiot.” Across the bed, Evander’s

eyes narrow, sharp even in half–light. He cuts Kael a glare so sharp it could slice steel. Kael shrugs, like he lives for it, and Evander’s attention slides back to

1. me. The heat in his expression softens. “How are you feeling?” His voice is quiet, low, like he’s trying not to rattle me. “I’m fine,” I croak, even though my throat burns and every muscle in my body aches like I’ve been thrown down a mountain. No, wait, it was a gorge. He doesn’t look convinced. His jaw

tightens, and then he moves, his big frame unfolding out of the chair in one smooth motion. Before I can say another word, he’s already striding across the

room. A moment later, the sound of water being poured into a glass carries back. I swallow against the dryness, suddenly more aware of the raw pull in my

back and the soft thrum of magic layered in the bandages. Fine, my ass. Kael leans an elbow on the edge of my bed, smirking down at me like he’s trying to

see straight into my head. “You don’t look fine, trouble.” I roll my eyes, but it hurts too much to keep it up for long. Evander comes back, glass in hand, the

water glinting faintly with the shimmer of a healer’s charm. He holds it out like it’s a lifeline. “I can manage,” I say quickly, reaching for it before he can try

anything else. My fingers close around the cool glass, but the tremor in my hand betrays me. Every muscle in my arm aches, my body is drained like

someone wrung me out and left me in the sun too long. I lift it anyway, determined, and the first sip is heaven, cool and moist down my raw throat, but

halfway through, my grip slips. The glass tilts too far, spilling cold water down my chin and into the blanket. “Shit,” I hiss, jerking it back upright. My arm is

burning with the effort. Kael chuckles low. “Really graceful, Rivers. Want me to get you a bib?”

“Fuck off,” I snap, glaring at him even as I swipe at my chin with the back of my hand.

Evander doesn’t laugh. He reaches forward, steadying the glass with one massive hand over mine. His touch is warm and careful. He doesn’t take it away from me. He braces the weight so I don’t drop it. His golden eyes stay locked on mine, patiently, like he isn’t going to push the point, but he isn’t letting me

drown myself either. I drink the rest in a few stubborn gulps, set the glass back on the table, and pull my hand free. My pride is bruised almost as much as

my body. “I said I was fine,” I mutter. Kael smirks. “Sure you are. You look fantastic, soaking wet, stitched up, and snapping at everyone. Real picture of

health.” The water settles heavily in my stomach, my body still buzzing faintly from whatever salves and concoctions the healers pumped into me. Beneath

the exhaustion, beneath the raw ache in my muscles, one thought burns hotter than the rest. Cage.

୮

That smug grin. The kick of his boot. The way the water swallowed me whole. I clench my jaw. I need to get out of here. Get back to my room, recharge by pulling enough magic from the vents, then hunt him down. No way in hell am I letting that bastard walk away laughing. I shift against the pillows, schooling my face into something neutral. “Alright,” I eroak, forcing a slight shrug. “You’ve had your fun watching me drool in my sleep. I’m ready to

go.“Kael arches a brow, lips twitching. “Go? Rivers, you look like you got chewed up and spat out. Pretty sure the healers said ‘rest,‘ not ‘wander off.“”

“I can rest in my own bed just fine.” Evander’s gaze pins me, sharp and assessing. “You’re not ready to be on your feet.” His voice is calm, and about as

flexible as steel. Inside, frustration claws at me. So I try something else. “I can’t stay here,” I say, letting the edge of truth bleed into my tone. “Infirmaries…” I gesture vaguely at the antiseptic white walls. “They make me uncomfortable. I’ll heal better in my own space.” Kael tilts his head, studying me like he’s trying to decide whether I’m being honest or just reckless. “You mean that attic dungeon they stuck you in?”

“Exactly that,” I snap, then soften it quickly. “I’ll be fine…. help me out of here… Please?” For a long moment, the two of them look at me. I force myself to sit up straighter, ignoring the sharp pull in my back. “Look, you can walk me out if it makes you feel better, but I’m not staying here.”

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1:00 pm

TMM

Time To Recharge and Kisk Ass

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