by Rinelle Grey
Rylee’s smile was replaced with a frown. “But aren’t they the ones who tried to attack you when we tried to find your brother? Won’t they attack you again? Aren’t they the ones who could be responsible for your clan’s disappearance?”
She got it immediately. Calrian wasn’t surprised. He nodded solemnly. “They are, and that’s exactly why they will know the answer. Rylee, I can’t find any evidence they’re still here, and I could be searching for years. If my clan are out there, I would not begrudge a minute of that search, but if they’re not…”
He let the sentence hang, not even wanting to say it. Right now the thought of finding out his clan was gone, of giving up searching for them, seemed horrible. He wasn’t sure how he’d cope.
He clung to the fact that even if his clan was gone, Rylee would still be here.
So long as she didn’t abandon him for even suggesting such lunacy.
But she didn’t pull back, and though the expression in her eyes changed, it wasn’t to anger or horror. It was to understanding. “If they’re gone, you need to know, and you can’t move on with your life until you do.” She squeezed his hands, gripping them tightly.
She needed to know too. And for the same reasons he did.
One way or another, the fate of Calrian’s clan determined their fate.
And he could see in her eyes that Rylee needed to know as much as he did.
That didn’t stop him being shocked when she said, “I’ll come with you.”
Her voice shook a little, and her hands trembled, but she met his eyes without blinking, and her jaw was set.
Calrian’s heart swelled with love, choking him for a moment. He wanted to forbid her to go, even as he wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her for even considering it. She was everything he could hope for in a mate. It didn’t matter in the slightest that she wasn’t a dragon—she had the heart of one.
He took a steadying breath and managed to reply without his throat closing up. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t let you. It’s too dangerous.”
Her jaw jutted out and she stared at him angrily. “Too dangerous for me, but not for you?”
“Well, I am a dragon,” he reminded her.
“Yeah, one dragon against a whole clan full of them. I don’t see what difference it makes at that point.”
She was right, of course. Calrian couldn’t really argue with that. So he tried a different line of reasoning. “I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
Her reply was quick. “You wouldn’t have to, you’d be dead.” But her voice shook on that last word. That was what was bothering her. “And if I wasn’t there, I’d never know what happened.”
That sentence, more than anything else she’d said, cut Calrian to the core. He knew just how that felt, and he couldn’t bear it if she had to live with that uncertainty.
But he just didn’t know what else to do. “I can’t let you risk yourself for me,” he said quietly. “You have Rowan to think about. If anything happens to you, he’ll be all alone. Or worse, have to go back to Eric.”
That gave Rylee pause, he could see the fear in her eyes. She would give in and let him go alone. She was a mother, and her first responsibility was to her son.
But she only wavered for a moment. “Rowan would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. He cares about you as much as I do. You’re the symbol of adventure and magic in his life, and you’re just as important as I am. So we’ll just have to make sure neither of us die.” Her voice sounded determined. She wasn’t going to give up.
And Calrian couldn’t bring himself to keep trying to make her. The truth was, he didn’t want to go alone. He was tired of being alone. Maybe, just maybe, if Rylee was prepared to do this for his clan, for him, then he could be with her no matter what.
Maybe that thought would help him hold on through whatever he had to face and sustain him even if his clan was no longer around.
But even so, he couldn’t let her risk herself. Even if she was okay with that, even if Rowan was, he wasn’t. He would only accept her coming if they could find a way that was reasonably safe. “And just how are we going to make sure we don’t die then?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
He could almost see her mind working through that. “Well, what does your enemy fear?” she asked.
Calrian’s heart sank. “Nothing. He’s not afraid of anything. Certainly not of me or of you. He has a whole clan behind him—we just have each other.”
Having Rylee at his side meant the world to Calrian, but he wasn’t convinced it would be a threat to Ultrima.
But Rylee didn’t give up. She pursed her lips and considered him for a moment, her head tilted to one side. “Did you find any hint of dragons anywhere in those newspapers?” she asked.
Calrian stared at her for a moment, confused. What did that have to do with Ultrima? Was she looking for another way to find his clan? “No, nothing,” he had to admit. “If my clan is out there, they’ve done a fantastic job of hiding.”
Rylee gave a triumphant grin. “Not only them, but the Trima clan did too. Meaning they’re afraid of being discovered.”
Understanding dawned on Calrian. “That’s what we use as leverage against them, but how? Maybe you do need to stay here so that I can hold that over Ultrima?”
But Rylee shook her head. “Your disappearance won’t endanger his clan at all. You don’t exist, and even if I go into town shouting from the rooftops that a dragon has disappeared and was killed by a dragon clan, no one is going to listen. But if anything happens to me there will be an investigation. I don’t even have to say it was a dragon. Just that I was going out to the mountain. If I don’t come back, the resulting police search would be hard for even Ultrima to avoid. There could be hundreds of humans out there searching for weeks.”
A gem of hope began to grow in Calrian’s chest. Maybe there was a way to do this without dying after all. “But how would we use this? If we’re both killed at the Trima lair, how would we ensure the authorities searched the mountain?” he asked with a frown. “I’d prefer not to reveal the secret if we don’t have to.”
Rylee released one of his hands to wave hers airily, and Calrian tried not to feel too bereft by the loss. “It’s an old trick. You leave a note for someone and tell them to open it if you’re not back by a certain time,” she explained.
“You’re good at this,” Calrian said admiringly. He couldn’t believe she had the answer for everything. He was becoming more and more certain he needed to make her his mate, no matter what happened. With her help, he might just survive this encounter.
Rylee took his hand again and shook her head depreciatingly. “It’s not my idea. I read it in a book.”
He didn’t argue with her, she clearly couldn’t see how brilliant she was, but that wasn’t going to stop Calrian from believing it.
“So when do you want to go?” Rylee asked eagerly.
They were really going to do this.
Suddenly Calrian didn’t feel so sure. Was he really willing to risk Rylee’s life? He would give his own without question, that was his duty, but Rylee’s?
Her plan was sound, but if he knew anything, it was to expect the unexpected. No matter how carefully they planned, there was every chance it would all fall apart.
Maybe it would be better to just accept his clan was gone and move on with Rylee? That would be the sensible approach.
But he knew he couldn’t do it. He could never move on if there was any chance his clan was still out there. He needed to find out, and this was the only way.
He stared down at Rylee’s determined face and somehow he didn’t feel so afraid. They could do this.
Together.
Chapter 6
As she drove out towards the mountain, Rylee’s hands were shaking from a mixture of exhilaration and nerves. They were going to do it. They were going to face up to Calrian’s enemy and find out once and for all if his clan was still alive.
She hoped th
ey were, for his sake, even if it meant he’d probably leave.
If that happened, Rylee knew she would cope. She’d grown so much in the last week. She’d stood up to Eric and her father, and she’d managed to find her and Rowan a place to stay until they got back on their feet. Calrian had helped her believe in herself and realise she had good ideas and was a capable adult. And those changes would remain, even if Calrian had to leave.
Somehow, no matter what happened, she’d manage.
She’d never be able to repay Calrian for all he’d done for her, but helping him find his clan was a good start.
But as they pulled up at the base of the mountain, the nerves started to outweigh the exhilaration. Was going up against an enemy dragon really the best idea? What if he didn’t care about being discovered as much as she thought? What if he laughed at her pitiful attempts at protecting them?
The letter she’d left with Martha just a short while ago suddenly seemed like very weak insurance.
But as she looked over at Calrian’s determined, hopeful face, she couldn’t back out now. She wouldn’t leave him to do this on his own.
Somehow, they’d make it work.
Rylee parked in the shade of some trees at the base of the mountain, and both of them stepped out of the car and stared up. Somewhere up there was a dragon clan. And they probably already knew she and Calrian were coming.
Calrian started stripping off his clothes and folding them neatly on the front seat of her car. “We’re going to have to fly.”
Rylee just nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.
Calrian didn’t seem inclined to converse either. Once he’d undressed, he began to shift in the small clearing, his naked human form growing blue scales and sprouting wings.
For some reason, the change comforted Rylee. They might be going to face up to a dragon, but Calrian was a dragon too. Maybe he could find a way to connect with the other clan. They had, after all, once been part of his clan.
Maybe they’d be sympathetic to his plight and help him find his own clan.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Calrian asked into her mind. “You can wait here. It would be the safest option.”
Rylee shook her head immediately. “I’m tired of playing it safe,” she said firmly. “I want to do this.”
For a moment, she thought he might change his mind and refuse to take him with her. But after a brief pause, Calrian nodded his head. “Let’s go then.”
Rylee picked up his clothes, figuring he was going to want them later, then climbed onto his back and almost held her breath as he launched them into the air. For a second, she was distracted by the view as they circled around the mountain, rising higher and higher. It was only when she saw a cave opening behind a ledge up above that she remembered what they were here for—they were going to confront an enemy dragon clan.
Strangely though, as they landed on the ledge, there was no one, dragon or human, around. In fact, Calrian had time to shift back into his human form and even dress.
Only then did a young woman appear out of the shadows, as though she’d been waiting for the right moment. “Prince Calrian,” she said, inclining her head slightly. “Ultrima is waiting for you.”
Calrian’s eyes widened slightly at that, but he just nodded back. “Thank you.”
Rylee had no idea what was going on. Calrian had been asleep for hundreds of years, hadn’t he? How was his enemy still alive? She wanted to ask him, and wished she could speak to him in his head the way he could into hers, but that was impossible. Instead she had to settle for glancing over at him and raising an eyebrow.
“I have no idea,” Calrian said privately. “I had not expected him to still be around. The fact he is does not bode well for our mission. If Ultrima is still in charge, then it is unlikely the Trima clan will look kindly on anything I say.”
Despite the dire nature of his words, Calrian’s tone was even. Rylee couldn’t tell if he was still feeling confident, or if he was just hiding it well. Just in case, she slid her hand into his and gave it a squeeze.
Calrian squeezed back, and Rylee thought his step lightened a little, though it was hard to be sure.
They followed the young woman down a twisting tunnel until it opened out into a larger room filled with people. They sat on stone benches near the walls and stood in small groups. Almost all of them had silver hair.
And all of them were staring at Rylee and Calrian.
For a moment, Rylee felt like hiding behind Calrian. She hated being the centre of attention, even when the attention wasn’t coming from a whole heap of people who were probably dragons in human form. But she was here to support Calrian, and hiding behind him would not be supportive.
So she lifted her chin and tried to ignore all the stares as the woman led them to the centre of the room. “Please wait here.” Then she disappeared down another tunnel.
Calrian nodded and stopped walking, and Rylee stopped next to him. Luckily, before she had a chance to let the nerves overcome her, another dragon appeared from the tunnel where the woman had disappeared.
His hair was also silver, pulled into a short ponytail behind his head. His expression, as he stared at Calrian, seemed friendly enough, but for some reason, it sent a shiver down Rylee’s spine.
“Well, well. This is a pleasant surprise,” Ultrima said in a drawl. “I have to say, Calrian, you were the last person I expected to see.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Calrian said guardedly. “I didn’t expect to find you alive after all this time.”
Ultrima waved a hand airily. “You didn’t expect me to just give up and die, did you? No, I’m still waiting for my princess.” His eyes narrowed. “And I’m hoping you are my key to reuniting with her.”
Rylee hid a frown. When Calrian had told her the story of what had happened between Ultrima and Sarian, she’d felt a little sorry for his sister, who had chosen to mate for the good of the clan over love. But Ultrima’s actions had killed any such similar feeling she might have had towards him. Surely he must realise Calrian would not be sympathetic to his cause?
But to her surprise, Calrian was evasive. “I’m afraid I can’t speak for my sister, and I actually didn’t come here to discuss that.”
Ultrima raised an eyebrow. “You disappoint me. What did you come for then?”
This was the moment. Rylee glanced over at Calrian and squeezed his hand again for support. To her surprise, Ultrima’s keen eyes were suddenly on her and their clasped hands. He smiled, though the expression did not make Rylee feel at all comforted.
Calrian took a deep breath, and then spoke. “I want to know if you can tell me where my clan is. They are not at our lair, and there is no sign of them ever having been there.”
Ultrima considered his question for a few moments. “No, they aren’t.”
A statement of fact that they both already knew. Why was Rylee not surprised Calrian’s greatest enemy wasn’t being at all forthcoming.
“Do you know where they are?” Calrian persisted. “Are they… are they still alive?” His voice faltered mid-sentence, and Rylee winced. Showing weakness to the enemy was not going to help their cause.
Ultrima’s eyes hardened. “And why do you think I’m going to answer that for you?”
Rylee could see why the princess had refused to marry him, and she had no trouble at all imagining he had tried to force her hand when she’d refused him. She felt anger building up in her at the enemy dragon’s attitude towards Calrian and his clan.
When Calrian spoke though, there was no sign of the anger he must also be feeling. “Because we were once brothers in Rian clan, and because no matter what else has happened, I’m sure you can imagine that not knowing is far worse than any answer can be.”
Ultrima actually laughed. “Your family cast me out when all I wanted was to mate the dragon I loved. Why would I do anything at all to make your life easier? No, I have no interest in answering your question. Not unless you have something to offer in retu
rn.” His tone grew smarmy on the last sentence, and it didn’t take a genius to know what he meant.
“Look, whatever has happened while I’ve been asleep, whether you’ve defeated my clan entirely or they’ve gone into hiding, it’s clear that you’ve won. Surely I deserve to know how you did so?”
Calrian’s tone was even and polite, but Rylee could guess what the admission had cost him. She wished there was some other way, but she couldn’t see one.
Ultrima though, didn’t seem to care. He laughed again. “If you’re admitting that I’ve won, then you must know that you can’t dictate the terms of your surrender to me. Why, if I wished, I could simply kill you where you stand. You tell me why I shouldn’t?”
A chill ran up Rylee’s spine at his words. Yes, she’d known this was a possibility when she’d come, but hearing the words from his mouth was different. His tone of voice was far more threatening and real than she’d been prepared for.
Calrian though, didn’t even blink. “Do you think we’re not prepared for that? If you kill me the world finds out about your existence. And while you might have been able to defeat my clan, do you think you can defeat the hundreds of thousands of humans that now inhabit this world?”
For the first time, the dragon leader looked slightly impressed. “You are willing to reveal the existence of dragons to get what you want, and you’ve figured out a way to do it. Maybe you’re not as weak and blind as the rest of your clan. But it will still not be enough.” His eyes narrowed, and he regarded Calrian for a few moments before saying, “Wake your sister for me, and I will not only give you your answer, I will let you live.”
“Not a chance,” Calrian said immediately. “Counter offer—remove your guard dragons on the Mesmer chambers, and I will wake all of my siblings. Then Sarian can tell you again that she has no wish to be with you while she’s surrounded by her angry brothers and sisters.”
“Do you think that will matter?” Ultrima sneered. “You couldn’t defeat me last time. Do you really think anything is going to have changed while you slept for three hundred years?”
