Legions of Bone: Dragon Rider Book 3

Chapter 2: Silver Threats

I don't think meth is working out for Thomas.

So I learned from my editor that didn't edit Quinn's chapter that 3rd person present tense writing doesn't exist. So I'll be going back into Quinn's chapter sometime soon to edit and also I'm experimenting with new writing styles so I decided to switch everybody's POV's that NOT Norah to 3rd person. I know it's a lot of changes and I don't normally do this but I'm just trying to mess around with my writing abilities and see which styles work for me.

: )

Holland

The morning had been uncomfortably silent.

Not from Riveta or Holland or his parents who had stayed the night, but from Norah. She sat on the kitchen island stool, body stiff as a board as she watched Holland and his parents cook breakfast. She had said nothing, ate nothing, and disappeared up the stairs at one point long enough to make Holland wonder if she was heaving.

"I've been working with Cedric," Holland said, voice echoing in the tiny medical room. It sounded too loud in the silence. Too loud and too abrupt. Like distant thunder.

Norah flinched.

"It's only been a day," Riveta said, as if they hadn't talked about this last night and then this morning as they were getting dressed. "You're working fast. That's good."

Holland, perched on the chair Riveta currently sat in, said, "Stopping the gods may be the only way to stop the war and get The Darkening out of Norah. The faster that happens, the better."

"Is that where you were last night?" It's the first words Norah said all morning. And they were as flat as Norah's eyes as she stared at him. They tightened something in Holland's chest, her words. The vacancy in her voice.

"Yeah," he said a bit softly. He had spent most of the previous day and night talking with Cedric and his inner circle. He updated them on everything about The Darkening and gods, Norah, and Chiver City. They had debTed various plans late into the morning before Holland returned home to find Norah and Mor sitting on the couch criticizing people on a house renovation show. It had warmed his heart to see the two already getting along, but he didn't fail to notice the way Mor nudged Norah every time her eyes dropped and fluttered shut.

"Cedric and I were creating plans to help you," he said and Norah sighed, shifting on the medical bed and crinkling the paper beneath her.

"Like what?" asked Riveta, unzipping her black winter's jacket and draping it on the back of the chair.

"Farren has his men guarding the house," he said. "We won't see them, but they'll be there."

Riveta's eyes sparked, her lips spreading in a smile. "Did he let you talk?"

Holland dipped his chin, brow raising. "Barely."

How many times had Holland walked into his house to find Farren blabbing away to Riveta as they cooked while Igren sat stoic and silent at the kitchen stool and Cedric listened and tasted food.

"Whose Farren?" Norah asked.

"Cedric's Spymaster," Holland answered. "And someone who, ironically, can never shut up."

Norah held his stare and Holland wasn't sure how she'd react to being spied on all day and night.

She said, "So Dagen can't walk around the house naked?"

Riveta snorted and glanced at Holland. "He took off his cloak."

Norah made a face, rubbed her eyes. "My eyes," she said. "They're burning all over again."