Free Dragon Blood 3: Surety by Avril Sabine Page B

had someone watching her, she decided to tell him her mother’s threat. “Mum wants to take me to England. She wants to run and hide.”
    “And you think I wouldn’t be able to find you?”
    “I refused. I’m not going to spend my life running. If something’s coming for me, I’ll face it.” She met his gaze, continuing to hold it when he remained silent, staring at her.
    “I had a sister once.” His words were quiet.
    It took her a moment to recover from the shock to be able to speak. “Don’t tell me I remind you of her.”
    “No. If she’d been more like you she might still be alive. She gave up too soon. Ran instead of facing what was after her.” Ronan’s eyes remained on her. “I’m starting to think you remind me of myself. Back when I was young and had no clue. Only my wits and determination not to be the next casualty.”
    Amber bit back her instinct to argue, reminding herself she’d once told him something similar. “I’ve always seen the similarities.”
    Ronan’s predatory smile emerged. “I know. But I don’t think you were looking at the correct ones.” He turned off the tap before he held out his hand. “Ready to return to your Gold?”
    Amber nodded and soon found herself on Kade’s doorstep, Ronan disappearing into the Void. She mentally searched the house, wincing when she found her mother and Gary in the lounge room. She was tempted to go around to the back door, but steeling herself for a lecture, she opened the door and stepped inside.

Chapter Ten
    A noise drew Amber from sleep and she sat up, fire pooling in her hands. Beside her Kade turned human.
    “If I’d been an assassin, one of you would have been dead.” Ronan stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at them.
    Amber extinguished the fire in her hands, checking the time on her phone. “It’s not quite three a.m. What are you doing here? I’ve got school in the morning.”
    “It’s all been arranged. I’ve sent Chait to collect the egg.”
    “Topaz.” Amber rose from the bed, glad that these days she wore dragon-leather to sleep in. Life was too chaotic to do otherwise.
    “They’ve agreed to all conditions.” Ronan withdrew a scroll, holding it out.
    While Amber took the scroll, Kade turned on the light. Together they sat on the edge of the bed and read through the details. Amber rolled it back up and held it out to Ronan.
    “Are you happy with it?” Ronan took the scroll, tucking it inside his vest.
    “Yes.”
    “When we arrive, we’ll all sign two copies, one for each side to hold. Then we’ll make the exchange. They’ve agreed we can bring someone to carry the egg if they can bring someone to receive the egg.”
    Amber reached for Kade’s hand. “So they’re going to let Kade come with us?”
    Ronan nodded. “They agreed. He’s to take Charles straight to my house the moment the exchange has been made.”
    “What about us?” Amber asked.
    It was Kade who answered her. “You can’t leave until the meeting has ended and both sides say the meeting is finished. This way, what is exchanged can be taken to safety before the truce is over.”
    “That makes sense.” A light knock on the bedroom door ended any further comments Amber would have made and she mentally searched the corridor. “Come in, Chait.”
    He entered the room, the egg cradled close to his chest, his eyes on Amber. “Jasper said for you to make sure Topaz is safe and to be careful.” He handed the egg to Kade.
    Amber nodded, turning off her phone and slipping it into her pocket. She didn’t want to risk offending anyone with a ringing phone during the truce.
    “Time to go.” Ronan pointed a finger at Kade. “And make sure you take Charles straight to my house. I have warriors waiting on the rooftop garden to stop him from trying to escape.”
    “I’m not simple,” Kade said.
    Amber stepped between them. She’d spent yesterday umpiring as Ronan showed Kade the path through the Void from Feralenzi to his house,