Read Wounded: Book 8 (A Rylee Adamson Novel) for Free Online

voice rang in Liam’s head. He lifted a hand to the stallion. How was he going to warn them without setting the ogres off? He didn’t want to take the chance they would be overheard, even this close to the unicorns. So he played it safe and couched his words, hoping Nikko would understand.
    “Rylee wants to set up a perimeter on the other side of Doran’s house. Would you be willing to move your crush?”
    Nikko bobbed his head. Of course. When?
    “Right now.”
    Mer started, her eyes narrowing. “The ogres are capable.”
    Again, Liam lifted his hand. “I know. But this is what Rylee wants, and she’s running the show.”
    Nikko’s eyes met Liam’s and he wished he could send thoughts like with Blaz. Instead, he held the stallion’s gaze, flicking his eyes once toward the ogres who stood twenty feet away. He could only hope it would be enough.
    The stallion didn’t question him, but instead gave a soft nicker that floated in the air, his eyes never leaving Liam’s. Almost as a unit, the herd woke, heads and horns lifting into the air. Liam did a quick count. There were less than thirty unicorns, and that was including Calliope in the mix.
    Take my daughter with you. We will circle around. There was an edge to Nikko’s voice that Liam caught. The savvy unicorn knew something was up, and he knew better than to come right out and ask.
    “Of course. Come on, pretty lady, let’s go see Rylee.”
    Calliope trotted over to them and put herself next to Mer. Without hesitation, the ogre dropped her hand to the filly’s withers. Calliope gave a snort and butted her nubby horn against Mer’s thigh.
    Mer gave a soft gasp and Liam glanced over to see her face healing. “Don’t forget to thank her.”
    The green ogre bent and kissed the tiny unicorn on the nose. “Thank you, precious one.”
    Of course. Calliope’s voice was a tiny echo of her father’s; the power was there, but not the iron hardness. At least, not yet.
    Liam started them across the long walk to Doran’s home, each step ratcheting up the tension along his spine. Something bad was coming and he was pretty damn sure he knew it would be in the form of ogres trying to kill them. Mer’s back straightened as they walked, but he noted she didn’t offer to stay now that the worst of her wounds were healed.
    “He wasn’t always like this. He’d never hit me until after the ceremony with Sas to break ties with the rest of the ogres.” Mer glanced at him.
    “Not here. We can talk about it later.” He bit the words out. Calliope turned her eyes to him.
    Is something wrong?
    Many eyes were on them as they walked, and not one was kind, or even just curious. Hatred flowed through the air like an overwhelming perfume. Someone had heard what Mer had said, and it was going through the ogres like a wildfire.
    “Mer.”
    “Yes?”
    “Protect the foal at all costs.”
    He counted the moments in heartbeats. When he hit six and they were forty feet from the ogres’ perimeter, Raw stepped in front of them. He lifted his massive hand, a flame appearing above his fingertips.
    “Going somewhere, precious ?”
    Liam put himself between Mer, Calliope, and Raw.
    “She’s coming with me, sweetums.”
    Yeah, he had truly begun to take on some of Rylee’s lesser qualities. Like pissing off the bad guys when he shouldn’t. Raw’s face dipped into a shade of red that was almost purple.
    “Mer.” Liam put his hand out, pointing at Doran’s, but didn’t take his eyes off Raw, “Take her and go.”
    Mer didn’t hesitate, just scooped up Calliope and bolted the last forty feet past the ogres who reached for her. She managed to dodge them all and then she was in the clear. Good enough.
    “Our master doesn’t care about a unicorn foal and an ogre whore,” Raw said, laughing. “But you, you are important to him. He will be so very pleased when we hand him your head. Do you know that this knife”—he pulled out a dull, copper blade with a wooden handle—“is