Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“You’ve gotten fast, but not fast enough,” I call after them.
“We’ll show you,” Beck laughs.
He goes to speed off, but trips and flies forward. The next thing I know he’s sobbing on the ground. I groan and rush to his side.
“Hey, hey, it’s just a little scrape. We’ll get it cleaned up, little buddy.”
“It hurts,” he whimpers.
Before I can open my mouth, Billy appears. I look to her and knit my brows. However, her attention is solely on Beck.
“What happened?” she coos.
“I was trying to show King Ardan how fast I am, but I tripped and fell.” Beck pouts and sniffles.
“Aw, you poor baby. Here, you eat this ice pop while I fix your boo-boo.”
“Can I have one too?” Bourne asks.
“Of course you can. You can be my little helper too.”
“What do you need me to do?” he asks excitedly.
“I need you to hold your brother’s hand while I fix him up. Help him to be brave.”
Bourne quickly reaches for his brother’s hand with his free one. Both boys sit licking their ice pops while talking quietly to each other.
“Where did you come from?” I mind-link.
“I felt your panic.”
“And you came running? Billy, I could have been—”
“Stop, I’m not a fragile bird. Can we talk about this later?”
“That we will.”
“Here, have an ice pop. It’s your favorite flavor, ocean candy.”
I take the frozen treat as I frown at my mate. Quickly, I shove it in my mouth before I say or think something stupid. To my surprise it does taste like ocean candy.
I give a little smile. She’s getting better with her magic. I’m proud of her.
My chest swells as I watch in awe while she uses her magic effortlessly to clean then heal Beck’s little legs. She then sits on the ground and pulls Beck into her lap, cooing at him and rubbing his hair. Bourne moves to tuck into her other side.
“You see what happens when you have fun without inviting me?” she teases.
“We wanted to play with you. We were told you were busy,” Bourne says.
“Who told you that? I’m going to soak them and make them pay. No one gets my favorite boys hurt and gets away with it,” she says.
The little traitors both look at me and point their little fingers at me. Billy gives me a mischievous smile and stands up, placing Beck on his feet.
“Let’s get him, boys,” she sings.
In the next breath she has a water gun in her hands chasing after me. The boys’ laughter fills the air and it’s like music to my ears. Their hearts sound happy.
We spend about two hours throwing water balloons, sliding down a water slide and feeding the boys and myself ice pops. Billy and the boys look happier than I’ve ever seen any of them. This is what they all need.
I’m going to make this their normal.
Trained Assassins
Two months later …
“Sek sek,” I hiss as I throw a combination punch then spin away.
These assassins are fast as shit. I’ve had to beef up my conditioning just to keep up with them. The first few weeks they kicked my ass.
I’m getting better though. I summon my naginata and spin it in my hand before settling into a low side lunge, holding my weapon out to my side. Three of the assassins have me surrounded, but I still have a little smirk on my lips.
“Patience, Billy. You don’t have to rush. Allow your weapon to guide you. Give İntikam room to breathe and become a part of the fight. You are not alone. Take this advantage,” Kenji coaches.
I listen to what he’s telling me and allow İntikam to rise its head. Kenji says he’s been cloaking İntikam’s presence within me because Ardan might get pissed off. I don’t like lying to Ardan, but if he can’t feel it, am I lying?
Yeah, I know. It’s a lie of omission, but I can feel something is coming. Kenji won’t reveal what it is, although I get the feeling he knows.
Ardan is still acting as if everything is fine as long as his stone doesn’t come up missing. I, on the other hand, want to be ready to protect what’s ours. Our people, our boys, our home, my man. I love Ardan with everything I am. I promise you someone is coming up missing if they fuck with him.
I’m stronger, faster, and more lethal than I’ve ever been in my life, and it’s only been eight weeks since I’ve been training with Kenji and the asashin. I love the way that sounds in Japanese. It makes it sound so much more badass—which these women are.
“It’s time to test the true form of your naginata,” İntikam says.
“What do you mean?”
“The weapon will become whatever you will it to be. Sword or swords, bow and row, pistols, what will you choose to get us out of this?”