Nights of Steel and Shadow by Shannen Durey

Nights of Steel and Shadow by Shannen Durey

Author:Shannen Durey [Durey, Shannen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Passion House Press
Published: 2024-06-18T00:00:00+00:00


21

VERA

Aknock startled me awake. Opening bleary, bloodshot eyes, I glared at the door, before yanking a pillow over my head.

I’d just gotten to sleep.

My body felt like it’d been run over by a train.

The dragon and I had spent the night playing a terrifying game of tug of war. It would gain control, and we would partially shift, before I managed to wrangle my body back in time. This went on and on. I’d clung to my control by a thread the whole time.

I was spent. I barely had the energy to get out of bed, let alone answer the door. Whatever it was could wait.

The knock came again, more urgent. “New girl, you need to wake up. The Head of House is on his way.”

I stayed silent, pretending to be asleep.

“He’ll make us do extra chores if anyone is late,” she hissed.

Having Finn as an enemy was bad enough. The bastard’s powers involved compulsion of some sort, which meant he could make me do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. It was a terrifying prospect.

I didn’t need anyone else gunning for me.

Groaning, I threw off the covers. “One second.”

The stone floor felt like ice under my feet. There really should be fireplaces in these rooms. I’d lodge a complaint with the man in charge as soon as he was speaking to me again, which would likely be never.

He would if you told him what was happening, like with your fighting skills.

This is different.

My dragon was the source of my greatest vulnerability and shame. I’d already been vulnerable with Ronan about it once, and he’d used it to strike a vicious blow, one I still hadn’t recovered from.

I wouldn’t survive a second.

Blowing hot air into my hands, I padded over to the door and froze midway seeing the collection of feathers clinging to my clothes. Peering back, I saw the mattress was shredded. Fucking dragon. I had to get my hands on some gold dust today.

“New girl,” the stranger whispered. “You need to hurry.”

“Almost ready.”

I rushed to the bed and stuffed all the feathers under the furs, out of sight, before throwing on a clean pair of clothes and opening the door.

The female was there. She had smooth brown eyes and a freckled nose and cheeks and wore a white bonnet and blouse paired with red skirts. A few loose ringlets of silver hair peeked out beneath the hairpiece.

Her lips were pinched in irritation until she took in my face. “Rough night?”

“You could say that.”

She dropped her voice, whispering, “It’s a lot to take in at first, but you get used to it.”

I peered at her more closely and caught the faint shimmer of glamour over her face. She was one of the mortals Ronan had spared.

She stuck out her hand. “Gisa.”

Some of the mortals here might recognize me by my talons and eyes, but none of them would know my name.

I clasped her hand, a tired smile quirking my lips. “Vera.”

There was a commotion at the end of the hall and Gisa’s back shot straight.



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