Dragon Blood 4: Knight by Avril Sabine

he worried for her or himself? Or maybe his mother. “You can come too. I’ll need someone to show me where my class is after I’ve talked with your mother.”
    Roy pulled his hand back, looking between them. He nodded. “Hurry up or we’ll be in trouble for being late.”
    Eliza strode ahead of them through the corridors. Eventually she stopped, opened a room and stepped in, gesturing for them to enter.
    Amber looked around, surprised to find it was the same room where she’d first met Martin. “Why here?”
    “No one can hear what happens inside once the door is closed.” Eliza shut the door and locked it.
    “Now what?” Amber remained ready. If Eliza attacked her she’d fry her. She thought of Paili and how she’d driven the flaming sword into her. And the nightmares that had followed. Maybe she could manage it. “Well?”
    “What are your plans?” Eliza demanded.
    “My plans?”
    “I won’t let you harm him.”
    “Him?” Amber frowned, trying to make sense of the conversation. “Roy?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why would I harm him?”
    “She thinks you’re going to tell someone. Or blackmail us. We have no family members in Brisbane that are high ranking in the Knights,” Roy said.
    Amber held up a hand. “Okay, let’s start from the beginning.” She pointed a finger at Roy. “You told your mum I figured out what you are.”
    He nodded.
    Amber took a step closer to Eliza who held her ground. “And you’re here to make sure I don’t harm your son.” She breathed deep. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. She took another step.
    “Don’t you come any closer,” Eliza warned, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
    Amber held out her hand. “Give me your hand.”
    “What for.” There was suspicion in Eliza’s tone.
    Amber didn’t blame her. She’d be suspicious too. “He takes after his mother, doesn’t he?” She heard Roy’s sharp indrawn breath and Eliza took a step backwards. “How?”
    “The usual way,” Eliza hissed. “My mother was captured by a dragon, but she escaped.”
    “Surely someone realised.”
    Eliza shook her head. “I was born late. My mother told her husband I was his. He still doesn’t know.”
    “But what about Roy? Why risk it?”
    “I never planned to have him. He was an accident.” Eliza’s eyes were drawn to her son and her expression softened. “My mother and I went away for a while. I picked a fight with my husband, pretended we were over. I planned to come back after I got rid of Roy. When I saw him-” she broke off, looking away for a moment. “When I saw him, I couldn’t do it. He is mine.” She met Amber’s gaze, her expression fierce. “Mine. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.”
    “I’m not going to harm him.”
    “You will one day.”
    “Killing me won’t help.”
    “Who’ve you told?”
    “Dragons.”
    Eliza reached for Roy. “We have to go. Now. Before they kill us.”
    Roy pulled away from her. “It’s a waste of time running. They’ll find us eventually.”
    “I’m not planning to tell anyone,” Amber said.
    “You already have.”
    “That was in case something like this happened.” It hadn’t been, but it sounded plausible.
    “If we’re going to die anyway, we might as well take you with us.” Eliza drew her sword.
    Amber lifted her hands, fireballs filling them. “You don’t want to do this. Listen. I haven’t told anyone else because I need Roy’s help.” She frantically tried to think of why she needed it. Getting to class wasn’t a good enough reason. She needed Rian. He was good at stuff like this. But dragons weren’t allowed in the headquarters. She almost grinned. Dragons weren’t allowed in the headquarters. Perfect.
    “I won’t betray the Knights,” Roy said.
    “I don’t want you to. You’re the only one here I can count on to look out for me. If something happens to me, my dragons would make sure everyone knows about you. They can’t be in this building to protect me, but you