Chapter 52

• “Dragonkin of my lair, thank you for gathering with me tonight at such short notice,” I said as I stood in the front of the ceremonial hall, watching my people.
• My family stood to one side and Hannah was seething. Jennifer had been crying the whole day and they were all angry. Jasper wanted to be there but I asked him to stay away because I was afraid that he’d kill the Elders out of pure rage. I still needed them to grant me execution rights for Joseph and Carson McIntyre.
• “The Elders have requested your presence so that my punishment can be executed tonight and they want you all to bear witness to my humiliation. What they don’t realize is that this isn’t humiliating for me. I take these lashings proudly because I stand with my decision to turn Jennifer Halstead and make her a proper member of our lair,” I said and wild applause erupted.