Blue Blood (Series of Blood Book 3) by Emma Hamm (books to read this summer .txt) 📕

2

Gravel dug into his side and the persistent sound of dripping water drove him mad. Worse, he didn’t know what time it was. He didn’t know what day it was.

He didn’t know how long he had been gone.

Jasper licked his dry lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been provided water. Food was scarce here, or so it seemed. The prisoners were rarely tended, and the “gifts” of water and food were barely enough to keep them alive. The Mermaid was the first he saw taken. More prisoners were dragged off every day, from cages he could not see.

He ached for water. Clean, cold water trickling down his throat and cooling his heated flesh. Water — beautiful water, like the delicate little Siren who had forgotten him.

She couldn’t remember him, or she would have been here. Lyra would fight tooth and nail to return him to her side. Memories of the many battles they had fought side by side played in his mind’s eye until he could see her standing before him. And yet, he was in a dank, dark cell. Alone.

“Jasper?”

The croaking voice pierced through his consciousness. Not so alone after all.

He rolled over to glance at the Unicorn who still remained porcelain smooth. “Yes?”

“Do you think they forgot about us?”

“I hope not.”

He did not know the answer to that question. Jasper had no sense of day or night. It was always dark in this illusion of a cave. He might have been here for a week or for months on end. He would have no way of marking time apart from the cycle of meals and water, but even that had no regularity.

Ella winced as she shifted. “I need water.”

“Me too.”

She laughed. It was an ugly, grating sound. “And your escape plan? Have you thought of it yet?”

“No,” he muttered. “I’m going to save that as a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?”

“Can’t have you knowing all my tricks. When you least expect it, we’ll be breaking out of here.”

She rolled to face him, her skin pale but not yet sallow. “Where will you go?”

“Home,” he said quietly. “I’ve got a family waiting for me. Friends, a job, a life that I enjoy immensely.”

“That sounds lovely. I’m not sure where I will go. Likely into hiding again.”

“Hiding?”

She seemed to draw back into the shadows at his question. Jasper was confused by her reaction. Perhaps he had struck a cord in the fragile creature who was always hunted. The horn growing out of her forehead was more precious than any other material on this planet.

Her voice cracked as she spoke, “Tell me about your family and drive away these blasted shadows.”

Now that was something he could do. Jasper settled himself closer to her and ignored the heat of the bars pressing against his skin. The pain did not distract him as it might have at the beginning of his capture. Maybe he was becoming immune to the effects of iron. Or maybe he was so used to the acidic burn that he didn’t notice how much it hurt.

“They are a strange bunch, but I’m pleased to have found them. There’s Burke, a Dream Walker who just met the love of his life.” He did not explain what Wren was. The walls had ears, especially here. “And then there’s Lyra.”

“Your voice changed when you said her name.”

Bluebell snorted. “Of course it did. Foolish man.”

He knew there was no love lost between his Fairy and Lyra. They had never gotten along particularly well, for reasons Jasper did not understand. It likely all started with the Fairy, who had instantly disliked the Siren from the moment they first met.

“I’m not surprised it changed. I’ve been in love with her my entire life,” Jasper mumbled.

“Oh.” Ella sighed. “That’s so lovely. Tell me about her.”

“She’s a Siren. We met when we were children, staring into the window of a jewelry store. She wanted to steal something but didn’t feel it was right, so I stole it for her.”

“You grew up on the streets?”

“Oh, no. I grew up on a farm.” The streets had come after that. After the rolling green hills, the quietly snuffling horses, and the neverending sunshine. “I had to travel into the city to sell our produce with my family. Lyra and I ended up living on the streets together though, when we were older.”

“She must be lovely,” Ella whispered.

Jasper snorted. “Lyra is the most obnoxious person I have ever met in my life. She’s insensitive, she’s impulsive, and she doesn’t know when to stop pushing. But she makes me laugh on a regular basis.”

“I suppose that’s all anyone wants from a partner.”

“Oh, she wasn’t my partner. She’s someone else’s, actually.”

The memory stung. He comprehended some of what Lyra told him on the eve of battle. Yet, Jasper would always love her because it was safer that way. Lyra had always been it for him and, in a way, she was his shield against the world. She had loved Jasper in her own way, but that didn’t excuse her actions. She had run off with a man who was half dead and who appeared to care very little about her.

Except Wolfgang had given up his humanity to help her. To save her. Even Jasper’s jealous mind understood that meant something.

“She’s with someone else?” Ella’s voice cut through his musing.

He hesitated for a brief moment before begrudgingly responding, “Yes. A good man.”

As much as it pained him to admit it, it was true. Lyra deserved the world on a platter. She had found one of the few men in existence who might be able to give it to her.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Ella said.

“He’s better for her anyways.” He glanced towards her and winked. “Perhaps it shall be you and I who find love in this prison.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

“Really?” Jasper asked while the sting of bruised pride ached in his chest.

“Don’t you know anything about Unicorns?” Ella laughed