Page 8 of The Alliance
Worse, he was human. I could smell the pain in his scent, even though I’d never smelled that before. Never been around a human before. How fragile were they, anyway? Had I broken his arm?
Anthony shook his head, but it was clear he was lying. We could all smell that pain. We could see the way he cradled his arm.
His large, soulful brown eyes were on me, and I’d never seen anyone look afraid of me like that.
It was the way I’d seen people look at my father. The tension in the way they held themselves, as though expecting a blow. The wariness of doing or saying the wrong thing. The fear.
I couldn’t have said anything, since my throat went tight. It had happened, just as I feared it would. As I’d gained my power and taken his position, I’d become my father.
The chubbycuraidhbeside him began tugging him away, out of the room. “We’ll get Georgie to look at it.”
They backed away and several people went with him, meaning the room cleared substantially.
I didn’t know what to say.
Seren was the first to speak. I wasn’t sure whether he was trying to reassure me or Edith orany of the Hoskins, but he said, “I have protections over him. Matty has more on him, I think, so a knock won’t have broken his arm.”
I realised that meant, if Serenhadn’thad protections over Anthony, the knock I’d given him would have shattered the bone. I felt awful. My dragon wasn’t pressing up against me any longer. Maybe it was feeling ashamed, too.
Edith turned slowly to the rest of her clan and said, “There’s lots to be done before dinner. I suggest you jump to it. Morgan, Seren, you can stay. I’d like you to show the Somervilles to their rooms when they are ready.”
Everyone cleared out of the room quickly, except Nadia. Edith raised her eyes at her.
Nadia yawned and said, “I just got comfy, Nana. I can’t be bothered to move.”
Edith let her get away with that, which confused me even more. Then she turned to me.
“Perhaps you’d come to speak privately with me, Lord Somerville.”
Blaze’s hand tightened around my arm, obviously fearing I was going to be punished for harming her clan. I didn’t mind,though. Ihadhurt Anthony and I deserved the punishment. I’d take it.
I nodded and disentangled myself from Blaze and walked out of the room after Edith. Glimmer’s bond with me flashed brightly and I realised he was following me. I paused, shaking my head. I wanted him beside Blaze and my mother.
He retreated, and I relaxed.
Edith was waiting for me at the door, looking at me with a curious expression. I squared my shoulders and followed her out.
She led me straight down the corridor to a little parlour. I stood, trying not to shuffle my feet because that had always annoyed my father. The wait was terrible before she finally spoke.
“How are you feeling, Alfie?”
“Um, excuse me?”
“I asked how you are feeling. Is your dragon riled?”
“No, Lady Hoskins.”
She gave an almost imperceptible wince and I wondered if I’d done that wrong as well. The feeling of standing before a dragon elder and feeling inadequate was so familiar that I reverted to my old self and beganto babble.
“I’m sorry, was that wrong? What should I call you now?”
“I did give you permission to call me Edith.”
“Yes, but that was before I angered you, does it still count? I hurt your clan. I’m sorry about that, I really am, I don’t know what came over me. He was going to touch my mate. Normally I don’t mind people touching Blaze so I don’t know why my dragon won’t let it happen right now but I really didn’t mean to hurt him. Will he be okay? Did I break his arm?”
“You have not angered me, Alfie.”
She was going to say more but I was in full babbling mode by then and that answer surprised me so much that I couldn’t stop myself.
