by Rinelle Grey
He edged slightly away from the door, keeping his back against the wall, and staying as far away from Ultrima as he could. Nate did the same.
The Trima leader regarded Brad and Nate steadily, his silver eyes whirling slightly, but he made no move towards them.
For some reason, his inactivity just made Brad even more nervous.
“Do you think I should talk to him?” Nate’s voice sounded a little uncertain in Brad’s mind. “Maybe tell him I’m mated to Kyrian… Kytrima… Perhaps then he’ll consider us friends rather than enemies.”
“Probably not when he finds out Kyrian defected to Rian clan,” Brad pointed out. “That might just make him angry.”
“We don’t have to mention that bit,” Nate said reasonably.
Brad shook his head. “I think we should just stay quiet and hope he… doesn’t notice us.” It sounded stupid, even as he said it. It was hard for the Trima dragon to miss them. Even if their conversation with the police officer hadn’t tipped him off, the fact that they were in the same room as him would give it away.
Nate snorted, and for the first time, the dragon actually looked at them, his expression curious.
Why had Nate’s sound attracted the dragon’s attention? Then it hit him. Nate had just given away that they were talking telepathically.
Before Brad could even consider the implications, the dragon’s powerful, smooth voice filled his head. “Which Rian dragons are you mated to?”
“What are we going to tell him?” Nate demanded, his voice sounding uncertain for the first time.
Brad didn’t even know where to start. Either option was risky. The two combined…
“Anything but the truth,” he told Nate.
To Ultrima he said, “That’s none of your business,” letting his brother hear as well.
Ultrima’s eyebrow shot up. “Do you really think that defiance is going to help?” he demanded. “I could fry you right here in this room. Do you realise that?”
Of that, Brad was only too aware.
Ultrima had to know that Brad and Nate knew that. He was taunting them. Trying to make them afraid. Trying to manipulate him.
Brad knew exactly how to handle his type. He’d seen them many times before.
Still, he was glad his telepathic voice didn’t shake as he said, “If you were going to fry us, you would have done it already. But I’m guessing you don’t want to antagonise the police any more than we do. Because even if you could escape, if they come after your clan, you’re in just as much trouble as we are.”
Ultrima looked amused. “Touche,” he said lightly. “You are amusing to banter with. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you can outsmart me. I’ve been at this far longer than you.” He paused, and Brad was certain it was for effect. “Do the police know the two of you are mated to Rian dragons? They’ve been very curious about anything I could tell them about your clan.”
Brad’s heart skipped a beat at his words.
Even though he’d already suspected that Ultrima had been the one to tell the police about Rian clan, his words made him nervous. Did everything about Rian clan include their location? Ultrima was well aware that Rian clan had returned to their lair.
Did the police already know where the clan was? Had their questions been testing Brad and Nate?
No, Brad was sure the inspector’s smile when he’d given him a location had been genuine. Meaning Ultrima’s ‘everything’ didn’t include that.
But why? Why was the Trima dragon keeping the Rian clan’s secret? It didn’t make any sense.
Brad stared at him, wishing he could read minds instead of just talking into them. But the Trima dragon’s face didn’t give away anything. He just stared back at Brad, a ghost of a smile on his face.
Brad wouldn’t put it past him to sell them out to the police without compunction if it suited him. Which had to mean it didn’t suit him. Not right now at least. The question was, why?
Of course, the answer was as obvious as why Brad was keeping the secret. He had almost as much to lose as he and his brother did, if anything happened to Rian clan.
He might be their enemy in name, but that was all.
Brad leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, staring back at Ultrima. “You wouldn’t sell your lover’s clan out to the police, she’d never speak to you again.”
Ultrima’s eyes whirled, and his smile was gone. He leaned forwards, his eyes narrow and hard. “What do you know of that?”
Brad refused to let Ultrima intimidate him. The man might be a dragon, but his actions were as predictable as any human’s. Once you got past the scales and claws, they were far more alike than they were different.
“Only what L… the other dragons told me.” Brad hoped the lightning dragon had missed his near slip up. “You wanted to mate with her, and she refused you, but you haven’t given up.” That was putting a kind of positive spin on the story he’d heard, but then again, he’d also heard that the other side had a different story.
Ultrima leaned forward, staring at him without blinking for long enough for Brad to feel distinctly uncomfortable.
“Did they tell you why she refused me?” he demanded, his dragon voice loud and steely enough that it hurt Brad’s head.
“Uh, no. I…”
“It was not because she didn’t love me, didn’t care equally for me,” Ultrima said, his voice almost purring now. “Her family had decided that as the future queen, it was her job to marry one of our last, surviving life dragons. To create a royal life dragon. We hadn’t had one born in nearly fifty years, you understand, and they felt it was more important than our love for each other.”
Brad wished he could say that he didn’t believe that, but it sounded surprisingly likely. He’d heard the story of how one of the elders had tried to convince Taurian to do something similar.
Was it possible the renegade dragon leader really did have a valid complaint?
Then again, even if that had been the reason, if Lyrian’s sister really had refused him, then that was her right. Trying to force her into changing her mind, force her into the mating bond against her will, nothing justified that.
Not that Brad intended to say that to the Trima dragon. Not when they were locked up alone together in this room.
Instead he said, “Well, I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but maybe things have changed in Rian clan. It has been three hundred years since then. Maybe you have a shot at love, if we can ever get out of here.”
Ultrima stared at him, his expression considering this time. “Perhaps,” he said. “But right now, I have bigger things at stake. I have a responsibility to keep my clan safe, that must be my priority. Later though, we shall see.”
Brad stared at the lightning dragon, a little less intimidated than he had been a few minutes ago. Maybe that boded well for the truce Lyrian was organising for the two clans. None of that would matter if the police found them though.
If only there was a way to warn them. Brad regarded Ultrima thoughtfully. Was there any chance he had a way of relaying news to his clan? Was there any hope he’d relay a message to Rian clan?
Somehow, Brad wasn’t convinced the possibility was worth the risk. He wouldn’t put it past Ultrima to be trying to manipulating them somehow. He needed to find some other way. Taurian might just have to be prepared to leave the lair after all. If the clan evacuated now, while the police weren’t there, perhaps they could save them.
Trouble was, Brad had no way of relaying that news.
Chapter 4
Lyrian stared as Ultrima’s life dragon, Latrima, strode through the entrance to the main cave. Kelrian, the warrior who’d been sent to bring her, hurried to catch up to her, his forehead furrowed. When he caught up though, all he did was throw the dragons an apologetic look.
“Please tell me you didn’t call me all this way, only to have already solved your problem?” Latrima demanded. “I was told there were police harassing you, but I see no signs of police.”
/>
Lyrian had been so busy focusing on what to do to help Brad, she’d almost forgotten that they’d sent Kelrian to bring her here.
Her presence right now wasn’t a help. It interrupted their plans to wake Sarian. Although… what if the life dragon could help them get Brad back in some way? A flicker of hope flared in her heart, but she blew it out ruthlessly. She would not rely on a Trima dragon to help her, she would rescue Brad on her own.
“I’m sorry if you were inconvenienced,” Taurian said smoothly. “We did manage to solve the problem ourselves.”
Latrima’s frown deepened. “All the more reason why you should not call me for every slight problem. I don’t have time for this, and I certainly didn’t make a truce with you so that I could rush over here and rescue you all the time. I made a truce so we could wake Princess Sarian and prove that she does, indeed, love Ultrima, and put an end to this war once and for all.”
Lyrian winced at the life dragon’s words, even more glad that they’d managed to solve their problems without her help. They didn’t need her.
She was the one who needed them.
“Then it’s perfect timing,” Verrian said smoothly. “We were just discussing the fact that this is a good time to wake our sister, Sarian.”
Lyrian turned to stare at him. “Why are you telling our plans to the Trima dragon?” she demanded into his head.
“Because the deal was that she would be present when we woke Sarian, to be sure we weren’t influencing her answers,” Verrian replied, his dragon voice reasonable.
Lyrian bit her lip. She hadn’t known that bit of information, but she could hardly argue with Verrian. He had been here. She hadn’t, even if it did make the situation slightly more difficult.
Latrima jerked her head in a nod, though she didn’t look particularly happy. “I will overlook your weakness just this once then,” she said, her voice haughty, “but I’m not sure Trima clan really wants to reconcile with Rian clan, if it means we will spend the rest of our lives rescuing you.”
Lyrian bristled at that. She was about to speak, but Taurian beat her to it. “As you can see, we didn’t need your help. We solved the problem ourselves,” he said smoothly. “I’m sorry for bothering you, it won’t happen again.”
Taurian glared at Latrima, who glared back. Neither of them moved.
Lyrian would have liked to join in, she had every wish to glare at the life dragon herself, but that achieved nothing.
“You are the one who needs our help, at this point,” she said softly.
The life dragon broke off her staring contest to glare at Lyrian. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go wake Princess Sarian.”
Taurian interrupted again. “Though I am in as much of a hurry to wake our sister and find out the truth as the rest of you, there are preparations to be made before we go. And my sister needs to sleep, she has been awake far too long as it is, and has a baby to care for.”
Taurian’s statement earned Lyrian another glare from Latrima. Lyrian was sure she heard her mutter ‘weakling’ under her breath.
“I’m fine,” she said flatly, ignoring the weariness that pervaded her very bones. She refused to let the Trima dragon see her as weak, no matter how tired she was.
Of course, Anarian, who had been asleep in Karla’s arms, choose that moment to wake and begin to cry.
Even the sound made it harder for Lyrian to keep fighting her exhaustion.
“You’re not fine,” Taurian said stubbornly.
Latrima glanced towards the crying baby. Lyrian expected her to frown, but she didn’t. She stared at the baby thoughtfully for a few moments, then nodded her head. “A wait is acceptable,” she said. “That will give me more time to plan too.”
Lyrian didn’t know why she was being agreeable, and it only made her more irritated. “I’ll feed Anarian while the rest of you get ready,” she said roughly. “I couldn’t sleep anyway.”
And it was the truth. As exhausted as she was, there was no way she could relax, no way she could let herself sleep while Brad was missing. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins and worry about Brad clouded her mind.
She wanted him home. And she couldn’t rest until he was.
Latrima’s face was sympathetic. “Feed your baby,” she said gently, “Then I will help you sleep. You can help your mate far more successfully if you are well rested and alert.”
Lyrian stared at her for a few moments. How had the life dragon known what she was thinking? Could she read Lyrian’s mind? That thought made her more than a little uncomfortable.
Karla handed Anarian over, her face registering relief as soon as the crying baby was free of her arms. “She’s right, you know,” she told Lyrian. “Exhaustion isn’t going to help you or Brad.”
Taurian didn’t add anything to his mate’s comment, but the look he gave her said it all. There was no doubt which side he was on.
Lyrian didn’t want to hear it, even though she knew it was true. She didn’t trust the Trima dragon to help her sleep, not one little bit. In fact, she didn’t even feel comfortable sleeping while she was in the lair at all.
How could anyone trust a dragon who could read your mind or influence your thoughts?
A sneer twisted Latrima’s mouth, as though she again knew what Lyrian was thinking. “Fine, don’t accept my help then,” she said flatly. Latrima glared at her.
Startled, Lyrian glared back.
Both of them stared at each other for one long moment, then Latrima started to laugh.
Lyrian was so surprised, she stopped glaring. What was the Trima dragon laughing at? Lyrian could see nothing funny in this situation.
“We are so determined to mistrust each other, we see problems where there are none,” Latrima explained, still laughing. “Of course you don’t have to accept my help, I understand your hesitation, and promise I won’t take it personally.”
The life dragon’s face was friendly and open, and it made Lyrian feel a little silly.
What harm could the life dragon do to her here in the lair, surrounded by her brothers and her clan?
She smiled back at her. “It is easy to be suspicious,” she agreed. “It’s safe and comforting. It’s much harder to take a risk and put your trust in someone you’re unsure of.”
Latrima’s laugh faded away, and she nodded seriously to Lyrian. “It is indeed.”
The Trima dragon was putting as much trust in them as they were in her. She had come here alone, and even with her life dragon powers, she would be no match for the entire clan if they attacked her. She was the one who had taken the risk, and it was only fair that Lyrian extend a hand of trust and friendship in return.
“I would appreciate it if you could help me sleep,” she said gravely. “I am exhausted, but too stressed to sleep on my own.”
“I would be honoured.”
“You will wake me when it’s time to go to Sarian?” Lyrian asked Taurian.
“I promise, sister.”
Lyrian headed to her room, Latrima following. She lay down and fed Anarian, who nuzzled at her chest hungrily.
She would have expected it would feel weird, having the life dragon there, watching her, but it was strangely pleasant. Latrima didn’t try to make conversation, just watched Anarian feed, a smile on her face.
She realised she didn’t really know very much about the life dragon at all. How old was she? Who were her parents? Did she have any family? A mate? But somehow, all those questions seemed a little too personal, a little too much like prying, so she didn’t ask any of them.
Instead she said, “I’m sorry I was rude.”
Latrima shrugged her shoulders. “If you can’t be rude to your enemy, who can you be rude to?”
Lyrian stared at her in surprise for a few moments, then gave a laugh. “True. Well, I hope we won’t always be enemies. I would love to see our clans reunite, and our children be able to grow up in peace.” Her voice was wistful. It was a beautiful dream, but she wasn’t sure how realist
ic it was.
Latrima might be here, working for peace, but that was while Ultrima was absent. Who knew what would happen once the Trima leader returned.
Would he be as interested in peace as they were?
And what if Sarian didn’t wish to mate with him? She had no wish to see her sister pressured into mating with the lightning dragon if she truly didn’t want to, but if it was mate him or put her clan at war, she could easily see her sister letting that convince her to claiming a love she didn’t feel.
Lyrian frowned. How could they avoid that possibility?
How could they possibly find out what Sarian really wanted, when the princess was surrounded by so much pressure?
How could a future queen, with the weight of the entire clan resting on her shoulders, ever been free to make decisions for her own happiness?
Chapter 5
Brad was a little relieved when the police officer came to fetch him and Nate the next morning. Though Ultrima had opened up to them a little, he still couldn’t convince himself to trust the lightning dragon.
He and Nate had taken turns sleeping on a stretcher on the opposite side of the room. Brad had tried to sleep, knowing he’d need his energy, and he must have dozed a little, but far from refreshing him, the fitful sleep had only made him more groggy.
He rubbed his eyes and stared at the female officer with the ponytail. Her again. “Come on, get a move on, your lawyer is here to see you.” She didn’t sound pleased.
Brad stumbled to his feet, staring at his brother. Lawyer? They hadn’t called a lawyer. Where had one come from?
Nate shrugged. He had no idea either.
Ultrima watched them, his silver eyes whirling. The Trima leader’s expression was impossible to read. Brad wondered if it had occurred to him to call a lawyer. Did he even know that a lawyer would be useful?
Would a lawyer represent a dragon if they were asked?
There was no time to really consider that possibility, the officer led them back into the main office and Brad was painfully aware of everyone stopping work to stare at them. Brad tried to ignore the stares, instead scanning the crowded room to pick out the lawyer.
