All Chapters of The Birthright Series: Chapter 211 - Chapter 220

GREDEL WALKED WITH A HAND on Phroma's neck, mind far away while he imagined the estate and what Citaan and Rirae might be doing. His daughter's tiny face and the delighted smile she made when he bent over the carved wooden cradle beside their bed, brought a smile to his face. The crazy curled mop of turquoise hair, the same shade as Citaan's and those beautiful big gold eyes creasing with laughter when he teased her, pretending to bite a tiny slipper covered foot.A loud shout pulled him out, and he spun to look back, sword in hand.'It's Cat!' Phroma thought in alarm.The blaze of light was so bright he couldn't make Cat out at the centre, then his stomach dropped when he spotted the focus of her fury. Gredel bolted, shoving through the gathering soldiers.'Catherine! CAT, STOP!'It took only moments to reach Loushka. The griffon bent her knee just as he jumped, seizing the edge of the griffon's shoulder armour, and swung up to crouch in front of Cat. 'Cat, stop it!'Cat jerked

LESEACH HANDED ME A STRIP of fabric and I tied it around my forehead, tugging gently to make sure it slid into place easily. The thin fabric still allowed me to see through it but might deflect the flashes. I didn't want to be completely blind. Everyone else did the same and when I looked around laughter bubbled up. I clapped a hand over my mouth when a giggle squeaked out and those near turned to stare at me. Fully armoured centaurs, goblins, soldiers, and Nyjens wore them, the Halenine fae too. The serious stern expressions coupled with confused frowns at my giggle proved my undoing and I doubled up, laughing harder than I'd laughed in months.Loi turned my way and grinned. 'Mass ninja induced hysteria?'I held my knees for support and managed a nod, laughing more at her comment. When the laughter reduced to giggles, I worked at stopping them and straightened up, face flushed, and attempted a serious expression. The crowd of confused ninja faces set me off again.WHILE IT MADE H

THE LIZARD STEAKS MADE AN interesting addition to dinner. Afterward, while the girls and their guys retired for the evening, I stayed up late playing cards with Belsesus, Ignatius, Gredel, and Chaieth. Playing against the Lieutenants and Gredel, who all had decades of practice meant quite a bit of sitting out for me in the beginning, I lost so quickly. Then they paired me up with one of them each game, considering it a personal challenge to beat the others while teaching me how to play.'No,' Belsesus murmured in my ear. 'Play that one.'I shifted on his saddle, my perch for this game, and offered the card up for the others to see. Belsesus plucked the card from my hand and dropped it on the pile. The other three regarded it suspiciously, with speculative glances at their own hands. The deck of cards belonged to Gredel, the same deck we'd used those long months ago while traveling to the castle. There were four classes in the deck; water, air, earth, and fire, and the cards bore imag

IGNATIUS POSITIONED HIMSELF BEHIND LESEACH and Rashid in the line, walking with the Cavalry soldiers and the goblins who rode them, their raspy voices echoing queerly within the hollow chambers. The soldiers reminisced of various battles and he joined in, absently correcting numbers or dates, while his mind drifted.There was an assumption amongst some of the noble houses of Elion, that those who entered the Guard did so due to a lack of intelligence. After all, why be a soldier when you could become a diplomat or work toward becoming a member of Council. Ignatius' father tried both positions and settled on soldier.'It puts you in an excellent position,' his father explained to Ignatius when urging him to consider entering the Guard. 'You have the brains but will always be overlooked due to our lower status. However, enter the Guard and you can rise as high as you like. With your abilities, Ignatius, you could go far and get close to the crown. That's where the possibilities lie, no

RASHID GLANCED HER WAY THEN looked ahead, not wishing to annoy her. Leseach appeared calmer today and he wondered if the venom was responsible.'Yes. With so many venomous creatures we have to build up a natural resistance.''How long does it last? Do you need to do it constantly?'They stopped to watch Loushka leap to a high ledge that led to the next tunnel, Catherine leaning forward in the saddle. The griffon waited at the top for them.Rashid bent to one knee and offered his clasped palms to Leseach. The beautiful angles of her face hardened in an instant at the offer and she took two steps back then made a running jump up the rock face, catching a grip three quarters of the way up and with two impressive liftsno foot holdshauled herself up onto the ledge. The look she shot him when she gazed down made him close his eyes for an instant and will away the urge to smile.She had no idea how she looked standing there, glaring down at him with those striking eyes and full lips purs