Free Dragon Blood 4: Knight by Avril Sabine Page B

wouldn’t see Kade again until eight a.m. Monday. That was ages away.
    “We can’t stand out here all afternoon. Someone’s sure to call the cops since you decided to wear your sword.” Kade continued to hold onto her.
    “I’m not about to walk in there unarmed.”
    “You’re never unarmed.”
    “Yeah well I feel better having a sword as well as fireballs.”
    Ronan stepped out of the Void. “I have better things to do with my afternoon than watch you two. Get inside, kitten.”
    Amber let her arm, that she’d raised, fall to her side. At least she hadn’t called up a fireball. A glance around showed no humans, but when she mentally searched the nearby buildings she found some. “You don’t need to be here.”
    “Inside so I can go.” Ronan’s gaze was drawn to the sword hanging at Amber’s side. “Where did you get that?” He gestured towards it.
    “Rian.”
    “I thought I recognised it. I’m surprised he parted with it.”
    “He hasn’t. He said I could use it until he could have another one made for me.” It was still a little heavy for her, but not as bad as the one she’d used to kill Paili.
    “It’s a good blade. Now get inside.”
    She resisted the urge to argue with Ronan and looked up at Kade. “I’ll see you Monday morning.”
    “I’ll be waiting.”
    He kissed her and she clung to him, not wanting to let go. She wanted to tell them she’d changed her mind. Instead she slowly pulled away from Kade, her eyes meeting his as she took a step backwards.
    “Be careful,” Kade said.
    She nodded, spun and hurried in the front door, coming to a stop when she saw Roy leaning against the counter.
    He straightened, walking around to open the door that led out of the reception area.
    “I thought you told me to learn my own way around here.”
    “I can go if you want.”
    Amber shook her head, following him through the corridors, wondering if they had a map of the place. Probably not. That’d make it too easy for their enemies to find their way around if they got hold of it.
    A woman stepped out of one of the rooms along the corridor they were in, a sheathed sword hanging at her side. Roy stopped abruptly. “Mum! What are you doing here?”
    “Leave us.”
    “What?” He looked from his mother to Amber. “No. Are you crazy? I shouldn’t have told you.”
    “Of course you should have. Now go to your class.”
    Amber tensed, wondering if she should call up some fireballs in case she needed to fight her way out of this situation.
    Roy shook his head. “I can’t. They know I’m bringing her to class.”
    “Tell them she stopped to use the bathroom and said she could find her way from there.”
    “No.”
    “Roy-”
    “No.” Roy crossed his arms over his chest.
    Amber couldn’t understand why he was bothering to protect her. His mother had given him the perfect excuse.
    His mother stared at him for a moment before she sighed heavily. “You’re as stubborn as your father.”
    “So you keep telling me.”
    Amber chuckled. “Why do people say that like it’s a problem?” She held out her hand to the dark skinned woman. “I’m Amber.”
    The woman didn’t take her hand. “I know who you are.”
    Roy uncrossed his arms so he could gesture towards his mother. “My mother, Eliza.”
    Amber continued to hold out her hand. “It’s considered polite to shake hands when you meet someone. Unless of course you plan to kill them.”
    Eliza took her hand, her grip firm. “There’s also the chance that a person shakes your hand because they plan to kill you, but don’t want you to know.”
    Amber smiled, mimicking Ronan’s predatory one. “Good to know we’re on the same page.” She drew heat to her hand.
    Eliza pulled away from her. “I’ll do what is necessary.” Her gaze momentarily went to her son before she continued to meet Amber’s eyes. “Come with me.”
    “Where to?”
    “No.” Roy reached out to place a hand on Amber’s arm.
    She saw the fear in his eyes. Was