House of Darken (Secret Keepers #1)

Jero shrugged. “It has been known to happen. I wouldn’t suggest wandering off on your own.”

I was waiting for him to laugh again, tell me he was joking. I mean, the white and black beasts pulling this carpet looked absolutely terrifyingly ferocious, but Lexen had walked right up to Qenita. ‘Dragon lord’ was making a lot more sense now.

The carpet did a huge drop then. I caught my shriek as it was about to burst from my lips. I pressed a hand to my chest; my heart thundered. We were really moving fast now, and a lot of the chatter from other Darkens died off.

“Do you think this council meeting is going to reveal anything new?” Marsil asked, his tone serious. “We haven’t even been Earthside for half the allotted time. Seems odd that they would request our return so quickly.”

I remained quiet, not wanting them to remember a stranger was in their midst. I wanted to hear this.

Lexen, who had been focused on the mountain we were approaching – we looked to be only halfway down its massive height – turned to his brother. “No doubt it’s to do with Emma’s guardians. If they have indeed been taken from Earth to Overworld, it’s a direct violation of the treaty. The council is not going to sit on that.”

Marsil growled, which was so odd that I had to look twice to make sure it had actually emerged from him. “This is about the Imperials.” His voice was a low rumble. “Ever since Laous became overlord … he’s up to something.”

Jero clenched his fists. “I can’t believe no one interrupted the initiation ceremony. The council has been trying to keep Laous from taking that position for years.”

“Laous was the one to propose that the overlord families send their children to Earth.” Lexen’s voice was hard. “Father only agreed because another war between the houses would be devastating. We’ve hardly started to recover from the last one.”

I was following along with about half of what they were saying, but the definite vibe was just how bad news these Imperials were. Maybe they should get those munch-happy dragons on the case. Problem solved.

We dipped again, and this time, despite whatever amazing stability magic this carpet had going on, I didn’t keep my balance. Falling forward when your feet are locked in place is not something I would recommend. For my hands to break my fall, I had to bend my knees, because flexible I am not, and then I almost ended up face-planting and snapping my ankles at the same time. Once I was down, it was impossible to get up, but at least the suction holding my feet released before my ankles actually broke off. I tumbled forward, this time landing on my face. The carpet was a thick, soft material – thank freak – so I didn’t stress too much, deciding instead to have a nap.

A nap sounded really great, actually.

“The overlord is going to love you, poppet,” Jero said, grinning broadly.

I rolled over to see him better, and also to free my arm so I could flip him off. I was surprised to find Marsil glaring at his brother. “Leave her alone. This must be a lot to take in. Remember when we first got to Earth. It was hard to adjust, and we were prepared for it.”

Ah, always such a sweetheart. I was totally keeping him.

I joined him in staring Jero down. Okay, from my current flat-on-my-back position, I was staring him up, but the glare was the same. Lexen let out a low rumble of annoyance, leaned over, and in a swift motion pulled me up to my feet. I expected him to drop me down as soon as I was vertical, but he kept me in a tight hold pressed to his body. My feet were almost on the ground but he was pretty much holding me up. Tingles raced along my skin and it was all of a sudden very hot.

His next words barely registered: “The oblong will not engage your feet again,” he said, his voice rumbly in my ear. “Not while we are in motion. I sense that you’ll not be safe standing alone.”

In an ironic twist, I actually felt safe. I hadn’t felt like this since my parents died. Despite his prickly nature, there was something solid about Lexen. About all of the Darkens. Like … I could rely on them. Which was weird considering they had kidnapped me and I had only known them for a couple of days. Even Lexen … he might hate me, but I sensed he wouldn’t let his dragons eat me.

I’d never had that sort of connection before, a bond that seemed to supersede the normal time required for trust and comfort to develop in a friendship. I mean, maybe this was a very complex form of Stockholm syndrome – I had been alone and hungry, no way to find my guardians, when the Darkens had snatched me up and deposited me in their lives, giving me the essentials I had lacked.

Don’t get attached, Emma! A last-ditch, desperate attempt to convince myself.

I had to try, because if everything went according to plan, I would find my guardians, return to Earth, and never see any of them again. It would truly be like the last page of a book. The End before I was ready for one.

Lexen continued chatting to his brother about the council and this meeting. My head was spinning a little, so in a bid to calm my mind I pressed my face into the firm chest I was being held against, breathing in the scent that clung to Lexen. It was not a smell I could give a name to, a mix of that first snow, a crisp, outdoor smell and smoky fire. I was immediately transported back to my last Christmas with my family. We always put up the tree, sang carols, had hot cocoa around the fire…

So much pain shot through my chest that I gasped, hopefully low enough that it was lost in the shirt beneath my face. I choked, holding in my next gasp, my head spinning even more than it had been. Before I could freak out, or cry, or faint – all three were possibilities – a warm hand pressed into my spine. The firmness of that touch grounded me for a second, brought me out of the horrific memories threatening to drown me. Lexen moved his hand up and down so minutely I doubted anyone else even noticed, but it was enough for my breathing to even out, syncing to the strokes.

My heartbeat slowed to a normal rate. I swallowed down the tears. No doubt we looked quite intimate, but Lexen’s bulk was hiding me from the rest of the Darkens. Only his family could see us, and they were still talking away like this was normal.

“Is she okay?” I heard Star whisper in a lull of conversation.

Okay, so they had noticed.

“She has flashbacks,” was Lexen’s short reply.

Sucking in a deep breath, I turned my head, that bittersweet scent clinging to me now. “She can talk for herself. I’m fine. Thanks, Star.”

She gave me an awkward hug, considering she couldn’t step any closer and Lexen was still holding me steady. I felt heat tinge my cheeks and ears. My blushes were usually more than a little obvious, despite my skin tone. Hopefully no one noticed, because it looked like we were about to land.

I had been expecting to land at the base of the mountain, but we actually stopped about twenty feet above the rolling green land. Then the dragons spun us three-sixty degrees so we were facing what looked like a reinforced, shimmery golden doorway carved into the side of the marbled mountain. Well, not so much a doorway as a huge barrier. Lexen, who could apparently move his feet again, handed me off to Jero and stepped to the edge of the oblong. I untangled myself since the carpet was no longer moving and I didn’t need to be carried like a child. Jero grinned down at me, ruffling my hair.

Ass.

Lexen murmured something that was not English and waved his hand. There was a grating sound and then the metallic door opened, dropping down onto the edge of the carpet. Lexen and his family stepped to the side – dragging me with them – letting everyone else leave first. The chatting Daelighters stepped into the mouth of the mountain and disappeared into the darkness.

“Do you need help?” Jero asked, donning his arrogant smile.

Unlike Lexen and me, who were stuck in our gym clothes, this particular Darken was wearing his suit and thousand dollar shoes.