Read Online Charred Tears (#2, Heart of Fire) by Lizzy Ford - Free Book Online
Authors: Lizzy Ford
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size, some clearly larger and some quite a bit smaller. Starlight reflected off wings in varying shades of purple, red, green, and blue.
His body complaining, Chace settled near the fire once more, gaze on the sky. Dragons blocked the stars directly overhead, and he saw random bursts of brilliant flames from the creatures that seemed content to float above.
“I know, on some level, they’re my family, but I really don’t feel connected to them,” he said quietly. “I feel more connected to you.”
“Same here,” Gunner seconded. “I know there used to be a lot of panther shifters. My mom, aunt and sister were panthers, but they disappeared years ago. I’m more likely to trust someone like Max than another panther I run across.”
“Then why did these guys track me down?” Frustration crept into his voice. Chace took a deep breath to keep calm. “I can’t even go up there and see what’s going on.”
“I feel ya.”
“Sorry, Gun. Your magic was stripped because of me.”
“No regrets, Chace. I’m happy to help.”
Gunner meant it, and Chace felt worse. His selfless friend truly cared, and Chace had been ready to abandon everyone in his life to try to regain what he thought he lost: his humanity.
I’ve got to make things right for everyone.
“One’s coming down.” Gunner shielded his eyes from the fire to see the descending dragon more clearly.
Chace followed his gaze and watched a dragon of light purple circle and draw near. Without knowing for certain, he sensed it was a female dragon, if her smaller size, larger eyes and cheerful hue were any indication. It went to the area outside their campsite.
The creature placed one delicate foot at a time on the plateau then folded its wings. The neck arched, and the dragon began to shrink in size, its body warping and changing before their eyes. Iridescent purple wings unfolded, revealing the trim, toned, naked body of a woman, before the wings, too, were absorbed by her human frame.
She approached. Her skin was bronze, her long, black hair silky and straight. Chace found himself more fascinated by her eyes – the color of tanzanite – while Gunner was staring at her breasts.
She paused a few feet away and looked between them, unconcerned by her nakedness.
“I require a robe,” she said expectantly.
“No, thanks,” Gunner replied.
Chace punched him in the shoulder to pull his friend out of his daze.
Gunner blinked.
“Give the woman your … robe,” Chace told him.
Gunner shook his head and whipped off the space blanket, handing it over to the woman. She circled it around her shoulders and wrapped it around her body.
“What year is this?” she asked, gaze on Chace.
“What year do you think it is?” he asked.
“When they found me, I was in the court of my father, a vizier for the Turkish Empire.”
Chace and Gunner exchanged a look.
“So about a thousand years ago,” Gunner estimated.
“Who found you?” Chace asked.
“Where did all these dragons come from?” Gunner asked simultaneously.
The woman appeared annoyed by the questions. She looked around their campsite, disapproving of the meager accommodations.
“The Protector sent me here, so I assumed Gavin would be here,” she said, ignoring both. She breezed by them to the fire and sat.
Gunner shook his head, the expression on his features as baffled as Chace felt. Chace sorted through what little Hala said, not understanding what was happening or where to start.
“You know Gavin,” he said slowly, returning to the fire.
Gunner ducked inside their tent.
“You don’t ?” the woman asked pertly. “Gavin is the head of the dragons. But you should know that, since you belong to the Protector.”
“I feel like we’re talking in two different languages,” Chace said with a frustrated sigh. “Who is the Protector and why did he send you here ?”
She assessed him critically, her eyes flashing deep, mysterious purple. After a moment, she tossed her long,
His body complaining, Chace settled near the fire once more, gaze on the sky. Dragons blocked the stars directly overhead, and he saw random bursts of brilliant flames from the creatures that seemed content to float above.
“I know, on some level, they’re my family, but I really don’t feel connected to them,” he said quietly. “I feel more connected to you.”
“Same here,” Gunner seconded. “I know there used to be a lot of panther shifters. My mom, aunt and sister were panthers, but they disappeared years ago. I’m more likely to trust someone like Max than another panther I run across.”
“Then why did these guys track me down?” Frustration crept into his voice. Chace took a deep breath to keep calm. “I can’t even go up there and see what’s going on.”
“I feel ya.”
“Sorry, Gun. Your magic was stripped because of me.”
“No regrets, Chace. I’m happy to help.”
Gunner meant it, and Chace felt worse. His selfless friend truly cared, and Chace had been ready to abandon everyone in his life to try to regain what he thought he lost: his humanity.
I’ve got to make things right for everyone.
“One’s coming down.” Gunner shielded his eyes from the fire to see the descending dragon more clearly.
Chace followed his gaze and watched a dragon of light purple circle and draw near. Without knowing for certain, he sensed it was a female dragon, if her smaller size, larger eyes and cheerful hue were any indication. It went to the area outside their campsite.
The creature placed one delicate foot at a time on the plateau then folded its wings. The neck arched, and the dragon began to shrink in size, its body warping and changing before their eyes. Iridescent purple wings unfolded, revealing the trim, toned, naked body of a woman, before the wings, too, were absorbed by her human frame.
She approached. Her skin was bronze, her long, black hair silky and straight. Chace found himself more fascinated by her eyes – the color of tanzanite – while Gunner was staring at her breasts.
She paused a few feet away and looked between them, unconcerned by her nakedness.
“I require a robe,” she said expectantly.
“No, thanks,” Gunner replied.
Chace punched him in the shoulder to pull his friend out of his daze.
Gunner blinked.
“Give the woman your … robe,” Chace told him.
Gunner shook his head and whipped off the space blanket, handing it over to the woman. She circled it around her shoulders and wrapped it around her body.
“What year is this?” she asked, gaze on Chace.
“What year do you think it is?” he asked.
“When they found me, I was in the court of my father, a vizier for the Turkish Empire.”
Chace and Gunner exchanged a look.
“So about a thousand years ago,” Gunner estimated.
“Who found you?” Chace asked.
“Where did all these dragons come from?” Gunner asked simultaneously.
The woman appeared annoyed by the questions. She looked around their campsite, disapproving of the meager accommodations.
“The Protector sent me here, so I assumed Gavin would be here,” she said, ignoring both. She breezed by them to the fire and sat.
Gunner shook his head, the expression on his features as baffled as Chace felt. Chace sorted through what little Hala said, not understanding what was happening or where to start.
“You know Gavin,” he said slowly, returning to the fire.
Gunner ducked inside their tent.
“You don’t ?” the woman asked pertly. “Gavin is the head of the dragons. But you should know that, since you belong to the Protector.”
“I feel like we’re talking in two different languages,” Chace said with a frustrated sigh. “Who is the Protector and why did he send you here ?”
She assessed him critically, her eyes flashing deep, mysterious purple. After a moment, she tossed her long,
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