Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“We are not playing games.” Ruben appeared to be on the verge of stomping his foot.
Adrian bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning. Haru had deftly forced the man into a corner. It was time to put up or shut up.
“I have seen no proof of this. Yet, you requested two items of actual power from me that were very complicated to acquire. They were part of prisons for gods. I’ll not see these items wasted on frivolous endeavors.”
Okay, Haru was convincing as Yujian. It sounded as if he cared about the shard of godstone in his possession.
“Very well. Tomorrow morning, you will join me on the train traveling south to Milway. It’s about three hours away from Bellcairn. A car will be waiting to drive us another hour to our destination. The facility there holds our most promising candidates. The last message I received from the supervisor there was that she was on the verge of breaking a very promising magic user. We’re hoping that if we can break her, the other two stubborn dregs will follow in her footsteps.” Ruben paused and cocked his head to the side, seeming to assess Haru in a new light. “Maybe you’ll also be able to offer some insight into a problem we’ve been having.”
Haru arched one eyebrow. “Which is?”
“Our candidates keep dying before we can break them. It’s a nuisance.” Ruben smirked. “You, on the other hand, can be quite persuasive.”
Adrian hummed and wrapped his arms around Haru. “Daddy is very persuasive.”
Haru chuckled, and Adrian thought he was going to vomit after delivering a line like that. However, Ruben laughed as well, dispelling the last of the tension in the room.
“Yes, I’m sure he is. However, there will be no access to the facility unless you give me the shard.”
Haru reached into his pocket and pulled out the six-inch long box. He unlocked it and handed it to Ruben.
The man’s fingers were trembling as he snatched the box up and flipped open the lid. A strangled gasp left him, and his knees gave out so that he sat hard on the arm of the chair he’d vacated. “My…my word,” Ruben stammered, his voice a breathless whisper. “It’s…it’s so beautiful. I never expected you to get your hands on such a large piece.”
He carefully reached inside and tried to work it loose. As he did, his fat fingers slid along the sharp edge, and he gasped. He jerked his hand back to reveal a long, thin gash across the pads of two fingers.
“Watch it. The crystal is very sharp,” Haru said needlessly, with a hint of a smirk.
“Yes. Yes, I can see that,” Ruben agreed, his excitement not dampened in the least. “This is the same material as my shard from Erya. It’s the genuine article.”
“So, this confirms our passage on the train tomorrow and entrance into the facility?” Haru inquired.
Ruben’s smile dimmed as he stared at Adrian. He clearly didn’t want Haru’s little plaything with them for serious business. Yet Haru had gotten him a shard of godstone from the isle of fucking dragons. He could suck it up for one day.
“Yes, of course.”
“And I’ll meet your boss?”
Ruben’s expression hardened, and he snapped the box shut. “That won’t possibly happen until I get my hands on the shard from Caspagir.”
“Naturally. I’ll hold up my end of the bargain. No worries.” Haru tightened his arm around Adrian’s waist and held him close. “Since the shard has been delivered, Mitso and I must prepare for tomorrow’s outing. What time should we meet you at the train platform?”
“Eight in the morning will do,” Ruben agreed, his voice dismissive, as if he were turning all his focus on the shard as he opened the box again.
Panic screamed through Adrian, and he tried to break free of Haru’s hold. This was the part of the plan where Adrian was supposed to create a distraction and swap the real crystal for the fake one. Yet he couldn’t do that if Haru had him glued to his side.
“We’re leaving already?” Adrian whined. “We just got here.”
“I know, my treasure, but we’re going traveling tomorrow and that means we must go shopping for you. It’s our little rule. New places mean new clothes.”
What the hell was he supposed to do? Haru knew the plan, but he was changing it for some strange reason. Adrian wanted to fight him. Caelan had ordered that the shard wasn’t to be left in Ruben’s possession, and yet that was exactly what they were doing. He glared at Haru and then let it go. The dragon had to have a good reason, and he trusted Haru.
He held it together until they were on the road and away from the house.
“What the hell!” Adrian exploded from the back seat. Haru grinned at him while Vitor jerked behind the wheel, briefly hitting the brakes as if a person had jumped in front of the car.