by Anna Santos
Lord Carter cleared his throat. “I haven’t seen that language carved in an object for a long time. I thought they were just myths. If the dagger falls into the hands of Sir Baldwin, we are all doomed. I can’t believe the Keepers Organization was so reckless about this finding.”
“I’m not sure they were fully aware of the finding. Jason believed that they have a spy who was planning to give Sir Baldwin the dagger.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Alrekur was always greedy and delusional.”
“If he found my home, we must assume that he’ll come here next. We should prepare ourselves.”
“Do you believe he’s foolish enough to break the peace treaty? You don’t know him well enough. He’s sneaky and does all he can do to manipulate people into doing what he wants. Either he uses money or torture. The girl is a liability if she’s your friend’s sister and you can’t find your friend.”
Kayden moved in his seat. “About Barbara, I have an important thing to tell you.”
Lord Carter folded his hands and arched an eyebrow. “Lovers?”
“Barbara is my fated mate.”
“Oh!” Lord Carter leaned forward with a grin. “A lioness, that is unexpected but a good cause for celebration. Have you marked her? When are you going to perform the pledging ceremony?”
“I would appreciate if you kept it quiet. Only my brothers know. I don’t want someone to use her against me. I’m sure we must have spies somewhere reporting to Sir Baldwin.”
“Is she aware of what is asked of a dragon’s mate?”
“We didn’t have a lot of time to talk about our rituals. Once her brother is safe, I’ll ask for her permission to mark her.”
“We should all have lunch together. I can’t wait to meet her. You’ve waited a long time for your mate, Kayden. She must be something special.”
“You will like her. She’s a smart woman and extremely curious. Yet you haven’t told me the truth about the dagger. You keep changing the subject.”
Sighing deeply, Lord Carter rubbed his eyes and then his forehead. “This dagger was forged by the gods. It doesn’t simply kill dragons or other shifters, it also steals their powers.”
Frowning, Kayden asked, “What do you mean?”
“Whoever possesses it and uses it will have the shifting power of the one they killed. For example, if I kill a werewolf with it, I’ll be able to shift into a wolf once my DNA mutates. Now imagine someone using it to kill every type of shifter in the world and accumulating powers.”
“It would be…chaos. That person would be the strongest of us all.”
His uncle further elaborated, “Especially if he had the four dragon powers combined.”
“That is why Sir Baldwin wants the dagger. He could kill a fire dragon and steal our powers.”
“With all the powers of the dragons combined, he can rule the clans and incite them to go to war with humanity.”
Kayden planted his elbows on the armrests of his chair as his body tensed. “We need to destroy this weapon.”
“It’s nearly impossible. It’s not a normal talon dagger that we can use our fire on to melt and destroy it. It has incantations and protections.”
“It’s too much power for one person to have.”
“It was originally one of Seth’s powerful weapons.”
“Seth as in an Egyptian deity?”
Lord Carter nodded. “When are you going to show me the dagger? Don’t you trust me enough?”
“Cody needs it for the time being. It’s lunchtime, I should see if Barbara is awake and then I’ll show her your home, so we can have a family meal.” Kayden got up. “I’ve been trying to contact a few friends in the Keepers Organization, but so far I haven’t found out who is Jason’s handler. He hasn’t called back, and Barbara is worried. So am I.”
Lord Carter joined his nephew on the other side of his desk. “I’ll make some phone calls to my contacts and have a name for you in the afternoon.”
“I would appreciate it, Uncle.”
His uncle’s hand rested on his shoulder. “Sooner than you think, you’ll be the leader of this community. Finding your mate has been providential.”
Kayden put an arm around his uncle’s slender shoulders as they exited the office. “You’ve been telling me that forever. Still, here you are, holding on. I’m not eager to be a leader. I also want to bond with my mate and make our love indestructible. Maybe when Barbara wants kids, we can come to live here.”
“Always the wanderer, my boy,” his uncle said with a smile that reached his eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Two
After lunch, Barbara managed to convince Kayden and his family that she wanted to go for a walk around the compound, alone. Her mate offered to join her, yet he needed to call Farmer to know if everything was okay with his home and animals. Therefore, she used that opportunity to go unaccompanied.
The day was warm when Barbara stepped outside. There were mothers with children walking down the streets and a few couples. Barbara looked at the signs and studied the layout. She had to get to the public park before time was up.
People were enjoying the sun. Kids were running around, and some families were seated on the benches, talking and smiling without a care in the world.
Barbara sat on an empty bench and looked around, not knowing what to expect or how she was going to be contacted. A few minutes went by, and nothing happened.
Could it have been a sick joke?
A kid ran to her and gave her a phone. Blinking, she accepted it, and the boy ran away into the bushes without a word. She looked at the screen and pressed play on the video. With horror, she watched Jason being beaten and listened to the demands in the end. She must get the dagger and take it to some coordinates that would be sent to that phone. She couldn’t tell anyone about it, or her brother would be killed.
Shaking, she got up with the phone and resumed her walk home. On her way back, the phone rang with a message, underlining the importance of her not saying anything to anyone about what was going on.
When Barbara entered the living room, the twins were busy cleaning the weapons as if they were ready to go to war.
“Where’s Kayden?” Barbara asked, noticing the dagger on the table next to Cody’s right elbow.
Charlie raised his head and answered, “He’s probably drinking scotch with Uncle in his office.”
“I heard them talk about calling the Keepers Organization to talk with Jason’s handler. He’s worried about your brother,” Cody added.
Barbara folded her arms as a chill ran down her spine with the image of Jason being punched. “Thank you. I’ll be in my bedroom.”
“Are you okay?” Cody questioned, putting down the weapon and the oily rag. “You look pale.”
“I’m okay.”
“Maybe Kayden should let you sleep from time to time,” Charlie joked only to be elbowed by Cody.
“Show some respect to our soon to be sister-in-law,” his twin muttered.
Red rushed to Barbara’s cheeks as she reminded herself that she was part of their family now. She felt guilty for keeping secrets from them. “I always wondered since I saw you. Why do you have different eye colors?”
“Cody is a water dragon, and I’m a fire dragon.”
Tilting her head, Barbara frowned. “How is that possible?”
“Our mom was a water dragon. Cody was the only one who inherited her powers. Kayden and I are fire dragons like our father.”
“Interesting. Does that mean that one of our children can be a lion-shifter like me?”
“Didn’t Kayden tell you?” Charlie asked.
“What?”
Charlie looked at Cody who shook his head. His brown eyes aimed at her again. “He should be the one telling you.”
“Tell her what?”
Kayden entered the room. His voice startled Barbara.
“What’s wrong?” His hands rubbed her shoulders and brought her to his chest.
“About the marking,�
�� Cody answered. “And babies.”
Kayden smirked. “Dragons aren’t born from an egg. That’s a myth…”
Barbara spun around in his arms and placed her hands on his chest. “Darling, I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
Kayden’s face became serious, and he lost the happiness in his gaze. “Okay. What is wrong?”
“In my bedroom, privately.”
Without delay, Kayden grabbed her hand and guided her down the corridor.
Kayden was seated on the bed with the phone in his hand. Barbara told him what happened and showed him the video of her brother.
“I’m glad you told me. Mates shouldn’t have secrets and keep things from one another.”
“Jason sent me the dagger to keep it safe. I’m sure that he didn’t want me to trade the blade because he got caught,” Barbara said. “The rational thing to do is to keep the world safe. Yet he’s my brother, and I love him. My conscience and my heart want to do everything I can to save his life. But…I’m not stupid. I know they will kill Jason and me as soon as they have the dagger. I don’t know what to do, Kayden.”
His hand stroked her cheek, and unshed tears shone in her eyes.
“Jason’s handler told us that he was worried about him since he didn’t show up for their meeting. Now, we have proof that Jason is in the enemy’s hands. I saved him once, sweetie, I’m going to save him again. You are a smart girl, and I love you even more for that…”
“You love me?”
Kayden smiled and nodded. Leaning forward, he kissed her on the lips. “I love you. You are my mate and a part of me. All I want is to see you happy. Your brother’s death is not in my plans, no matter how important this dagger is. Sir Baldwin needs to be stopped. This time, we have the dagger, but we have no idea what else he’ll do in the future. His blackmail presents a precious opportunity to stop him and prove that he has become a liability to the dragon’s community.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tell me you love me,” he whispered with a grin.
Barbara’s cheeks flushed as she nodded. “I love you. You are my whole life now.”
“Then don’t be gloomy. I have a plan to save Jason, and you’ll have a key part in it.”
Barbara hugged him and felt a lot better when his arms secured her against his chest, and his fingers brushed through her hair.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The clock was ticking, and Barbara couldn’t help feeling anxious. Kayden and the twins were in the living room discussing what to do about Jason’s kidnapping. Charlie was on his computer, typing, while the phone that was given to Barbara was plugged into it. Apparently, the twins were good with computers. Barbara just knew the basics and knew nothing about hacking. But, if Cody or Charlie could use their knowledge to track down her brother, she wouldn’t refuse the help. Inside that room were the only people that she could trust with her life, her new family, and she was happy to have them by her side.
“It’s a cheap cell phone and doesn’t have a lot of information,” Charlie huffed.
“Any luck with the cameras, Cody?” Kayden asked, glancing at his screen.
“The footage outside our street was erased. Whoever did this has access to the compound’s security building.”
His older brother summed up the events, “They entered our home and placed a note under Barbara’s door. They must know us well. We weren’t home, and they knew in which bedroom Barbara was sleeping.”
“We should ask the housekeeper,” Charlie said, raising his head to look at his brother.
Kayden blinked a few times before rubbing the back of his neck. “Besides our uncle, only Emma has the key. Uncle was with me…”
“I’ll question Emma,” Cody said, getting up and marching down the corridor.
Charlie interrupted the silence. “They put a tracker on this phone, so they know where Barbara is all the time. I can disconnect it, but then they would know that we are aware of this. It’s best to let them think that Barbara is going to follow their instructions and fall into their trap.”
“Okay,” Barbara whispered.
Charlie continued, “They weren’t clever enough. I’m pinging the location of the other cell phone’s number, and it’s giving me a ten miles radius of our compound. They haven’t turned on the device’s GPS, so I can’t ascertain the right position. They can’t be far from here, though.”
Kayden’s interest was piqued. “So, Sir Baldwin must be close, too.”
“Yeah. They need to be close if they are planning to send coordinates to Barbara to take the dagger to them. They must take Jason with them for the trade. We’ll have them as soon as they send the message. But we need uncle’s help.”
Kayden sighed. “I’m not sure who I can trust. We have a spy…”
“When Cody returns, he’ll access the cameras around the park and see the footage. Someone must have given the cellphone to the kid.”
Kayden nodded. “Knowing that would play in our favor.”
“You should schedule a meeting with the elders of the other clans, nevertheless. They should be aware of Sir Baldwin’s plan for the dagger.”
“I thought that, too, at the beginning. But the dagger is too powerful, more than we thought. In the wrong hands, it can cause a lot of damage. If the other clans find out about its existence, they will want it for themselves. And they will be afraid of the power that our clan holds by having the dagger.”
“What are you not telling us?” Charlie asked Kayden.
Cody entered the living room with his hands in his pockets. “I’ve talked to Emma. She left to get groceries in the morning. She has the receipt to prove it. She said she closed the doors before leaving. What bugs me is that we were home and didn’t hear or see anyone.”
“They need to be familiar with the house to know this,” Charlie said. “Are you going to check the footage or do you want me to do it?”
Cody walked to his seat and slumped on it. “I’m on it. I just need Kayden to grab both daggers and see if he can spot the fake one.”
“Both daggers?” Barbara asked as she rubbed her sweaty hands against her jeans.
Her mate clarified, “I asked Cody to carve a fake dagger, so we could use it to trick our enemy if the situation presented itself.”
“We used a whale’s bone, and I helped with my fire to make it look ancient,” Charlie said.
Kayden got up and walked to the table where he grabbed both daggers from a backpack and examined them.
Barbara followed behind him. “Which one is the real one?”
Cody’s lips curled into a broad smile. “If you can’t tell, then it’s another job well done. High five, Bro.” He raised his hand, and Charlie high-fived him.
“I told you they looked the same,” Charlie said without raising his eyes from the screen.
“They look similar, but I know which one is the real one. Nice work with the engravings. Yet dragon’s bones are heavier than whale’s. This will do the trick,” Kayden said with a grave look as he placed the daggers on the table.
Barbara nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m assuming that I’m taking the fake dagger to the encounter?”
“We are,” Kayden corrected her. “You are not going alone. Once they send the instructions, we’ll leave together. I don’t care what they say. You aren’t going alone, so they can kill you and keep the dagger without delivering Jason. They will think twice before doing something stupid. And I want to meet Sir Baldwin and punch him in the face for sending his goons after you.”
Cody spoke in a calm manner. “We still need to find the spy, so we can request backup when we face Sir Baldwin’s army of mercenaries. I’m sure he didn’t come unprepared.”
“I had no luck with the security cameras on our street. We don’t have any cameras on the backdoor. Whoever did this…they knew how to cover their tracks.” Charlie rested his back on the chair and looked at the ceiling. Huffing, he added, “It has to be someone close to our family becau
se they knew Barbara was with us. Our arrival wasn’t announced to the community.”
Cody interrupted his brother’s reasoning. “Someone like uncle’s security chief, Cameron Thompson?”
“Why?” Kayden moved behind his brother and looked at the footage that he was watching.
Cody pointed at the screen. “He’s in the street that leads to the park twenty minutes before Barbara arrives. There he is speaking on the phone, and he looks angry.”
“More like terrified,” Kayden added.
“Fast forward, and you can see how he hangs up and takes out a new phone to check a message. I can’t zoom on the screen because the image will get blurry, but it seems to be the same phone that Barbara received.”
“He leaves,” Charlie pointed out.
“He moved. We have no idea if he left. Barbara arrives here, waits for a while, and then a kid goes to her and gives her the phone.”
Kayden’s arm circled Barbara’s waist when she watched herself in the video reacting to the images of her brother being beaten.
Cody narrated aloud the events as they happened. “When she gets up to leave, you can see him showing up again while talking on the phone as he follows her. He’s probably reporting to the enemy.”
“He was at the meeting last night. He knows about the existence of the dagger, and he’s in the position of stealing uncle’s spare key and coming to our home. I saw him this morning when I went to speak with Uncle. He knew Barbara was here, and you were sleeping because he asked me about you. I didn’t find it suspicious at the time because it was casual talk, and he’s been in our community for a long time now.”
Charlie bumped his fist against the table, startling Barbara. “We should grab him and make him confess to being a traitor.”
“Or,” Kayden said as he rubbed his stubble. “We can use this to our advantage. He has no idea we are onto him. They’ve instructed Barbara to steal the dagger, unaware that she was my fated mate and would tell us what was going on. We can fake an emergency in which Barbara steals the dagger and runs with it. We will ask for an urgent meeting with the elders, summon a tracking team, and he can report to his friends that Barbara has the dagger. I’m sure that they will contact Barbara with instructions to deliver it in exchange for her brother.”
