Read Online Charred Tears (#2, Heart of Fire) by Lizzy Ford - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lizzy Ford
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purple-black hair over one shoulder and took a deep breath.
“You should know this,” she said and turned her gaze to the fire. “Gavin is the leader of all shifters and dragonkind. As is tradition, his daughter becomes the Protector, a human with dragon blood who can use our magic to safeguard us. Dragons are the strongest of the shifters, so the Protector must be born to a powerful dragon. The Protector always mates with a dragon, the strongest alive at the time, in order to ensure the line of strong Protectors is never broken. The chosen dragon safeguards her, becoming the king at his queen’s side. It’s been this way for thousands of years.” Her last sentence was icy, pointed.
“Is this shit in a book somewhere? Because no one bothered to tell me!” Chace snapped in response.
“You should just know. You’re a shifter.”
“I’m starting to hate shifters!”
“Whoa, dragons,” Gunner said, re-emerging. “Y’all are always wound up so tight. Here.” He tossed clothing to the newcomer. “You can change in the tent.”
She rose, the space blanket dropping from her shoulders.
“Or right here works, too,” Gunner added, watching.
Chace’s attention was on the fire, the flames taking the edge off his anger. If he’d known any of this … if someone had just told him one part of the destiny he was supposed to fulfill … Instead, he’d been given some kind of blind test, one he failed.
No wonder Gavin hates me.
“Skylar is the Protector,” he started. “She takes care of us. I take care of her.”
“Yes.” The woman’s voice was muffled as she pulled on the thin but warm thermal shirt Gunner had given her.
Shit. He reviewed what he’d learned from Skylar about her mother, working hard to connect all the dots with his tired mind.
“When the last Protector disappeared, the shifters started disappearing, too, because she wasn’t there to help them?” he questioned.
“It started long ago. There was an internal war with the shifters, one I assume is not still happening?” the woman asked.
“Not that we know of,” Gunner answered.
“Good. Four of us were caught in it and put into sleep for inciting a rebellion of sorts.” She motioned to the sky without looking upward. “Dragons have always been the most scarce of the shifters. I came here with twenty-one others. All of us were freed by the Protector this night, so I believe there were eighteen dragons captured since Gavin’s Protector went missing. No telling how many other shifters from the other clans.”
“Hundreds,” Chace murmured. “Those remaining could fit in a small building.”
“So many.” The woman’s haughty carriage fell. She appeared worn down by the news.
“Where did you go for a thousand years?” Gunner asked.
“I was put into a deep sleep.” She shrugged.
“I’m Gunner, by the way. This is Chace.”
“Hala.”
“Skylar … the Protector sent you to me?” Chace questioned.
“She sent us away,” Hala answered. “Where else would we go?”
“You could track me.”
“Of course. The Protector and her dragon can be found by any shifter, more so after they’re magic is connected. It’s the nature of their bond.”
“Like how they found the bar, no matter where it was,” Chace mused. “How did Skylar wake you up?”
“I don’t know. The golden rope put me to sleep. The Protector woke me up. It’s all I remember.”
“Those lassos are no joke,” Chace grunted, recalling the effect one had on him. “We have a problem, Gunner. Freyja said –”
“Freyja?” Hala interjected. “She’s been asleep almost as long as I have. She disappeared right before I fell asleep.” Hala’s features were hard to read, a sign there was more to the story than she was telling.
Chace stared at her.
“You’re sure?” Gunner asked.
“Of course.”
“I saw her in a dream,” Chace said. “She told me to come here tonight.”
“This is good,” Hala replied. “You are strong, if you
“You should know this,” she said and turned her gaze to the fire. “Gavin is the leader of all shifters and dragonkind. As is tradition, his daughter becomes the Protector, a human with dragon blood who can use our magic to safeguard us. Dragons are the strongest of the shifters, so the Protector must be born to a powerful dragon. The Protector always mates with a dragon, the strongest alive at the time, in order to ensure the line of strong Protectors is never broken. The chosen dragon safeguards her, becoming the king at his queen’s side. It’s been this way for thousands of years.” Her last sentence was icy, pointed.
“Is this shit in a book somewhere? Because no one bothered to tell me!” Chace snapped in response.
“You should just know. You’re a shifter.”
“I’m starting to hate shifters!”
“Whoa, dragons,” Gunner said, re-emerging. “Y’all are always wound up so tight. Here.” He tossed clothing to the newcomer. “You can change in the tent.”
She rose, the space blanket dropping from her shoulders.
“Or right here works, too,” Gunner added, watching.
Chace’s attention was on the fire, the flames taking the edge off his anger. If he’d known any of this … if someone had just told him one part of the destiny he was supposed to fulfill … Instead, he’d been given some kind of blind test, one he failed.
No wonder Gavin hates me.
“Skylar is the Protector,” he started. “She takes care of us. I take care of her.”
“Yes.” The woman’s voice was muffled as she pulled on the thin but warm thermal shirt Gunner had given her.
Shit. He reviewed what he’d learned from Skylar about her mother, working hard to connect all the dots with his tired mind.
“When the last Protector disappeared, the shifters started disappearing, too, because she wasn’t there to help them?” he questioned.
“It started long ago. There was an internal war with the shifters, one I assume is not still happening?” the woman asked.
“Not that we know of,” Gunner answered.
“Good. Four of us were caught in it and put into sleep for inciting a rebellion of sorts.” She motioned to the sky without looking upward. “Dragons have always been the most scarce of the shifters. I came here with twenty-one others. All of us were freed by the Protector this night, so I believe there were eighteen dragons captured since Gavin’s Protector went missing. No telling how many other shifters from the other clans.”
“Hundreds,” Chace murmured. “Those remaining could fit in a small building.”
“So many.” The woman’s haughty carriage fell. She appeared worn down by the news.
“Where did you go for a thousand years?” Gunner asked.
“I was put into a deep sleep.” She shrugged.
“I’m Gunner, by the way. This is Chace.”
“Hala.”
“Skylar … the Protector sent you to me?” Chace questioned.
“She sent us away,” Hala answered. “Where else would we go?”
“You could track me.”
“Of course. The Protector and her dragon can be found by any shifter, more so after they’re magic is connected. It’s the nature of their bond.”
“Like how they found the bar, no matter where it was,” Chace mused. “How did Skylar wake you up?”
“I don’t know. The golden rope put me to sleep. The Protector woke me up. It’s all I remember.”
“Those lassos are no joke,” Chace grunted, recalling the effect one had on him. “We have a problem, Gunner. Freyja said –”
“Freyja?” Hala interjected. “She’s been asleep almost as long as I have. She disappeared right before I fell asleep.” Hala’s features were hard to read, a sign there was more to the story than she was telling.
Chace stared at her.
“You’re sure?” Gunner asked.
“Of course.”
“I saw her in a dream,” Chace said. “She told me to come here tonight.”
“This is good,” Hala replied. “You are strong, if you
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