by Olivia Ash
A moment later, though, I pop out the fourth stone. A small tracker nestles against the diamond, hidden in a brilliantly clever placement along the base.
Without removing the stone, I never would have found this.
For a moment, I stare at the gems in my hands, at the necklace, astounded at the brazen attempt to both buy and track me, all in one.
The fools.
Frowning, I toss the necklace in the trash. Elizabeth Andusk is going to have to try harder than that.
Chapter Fifteen
When I walk out of the bathroom and into the ornate hallway of the castle’s east wing, I find Jace with his foot raised in the perfect fighting form. His gaze is locked on the doorknob, his hips angled perfectly to deal a deadly blow—and I’m fairly certain he was about to kick the bathroom door down.
“Well, hi,” I mutter, deeply entertained by whatever the hell I just walked in on.
“Thank the gods,” he mutters, grabbing my arms and pulling me close. He lets out a sigh of relief as he holds me to his rock-hard chest, and I can’t help but blush a little at his overt display of affection.
Usually, he would never do this in public—any snuggly moments I get from this guy are behind closed doors.
This poor man is exhausted. Far more so than even I realized.
“Jace.” My voice is slightly muffled as he holds me to his shirt. “You really need some sleep.”
“I’m fine,” he says, clearing his throat as he releases me. “Momentary lapse of judgment.”
“Uh huh,” I watch him warily, wondering if I need to sedate him to force him to get some shut-eye.
“This place is becoming more dangerous by the moment,” he says, dropping his voice to a bare whisper as he leans in. “I can’t leave you alone anymore. That’s final.”
I cross my arms defiantly. “If I’m on the toilet, I don’t have an audience. That’s my rule.”
“Rory, this is serious.”
“You think I’m not?” I gesture over my shoulder at the restroom as the door softly shuts behind me. “I had it handled, Jace, but thank you.”
He tilts his head, lips tight with annoyance. “This is about more than a private chat with the Andusk Boss,” he says. “There have been brawls in the forests. Blood drawn. One of the Nabal soldiers nearly died.” He stiffens, his brooding glare roving the halls around us as he leans in. “The armies are getting riled up, and it’s getting worse and worse the longer they’re here. Only my people and the Palarnes are keeping level heads, and just barely at that.” He grimaces. “I’m not sure how much longer before those forests erupt in an all-out war.” He pauses, his intense and stormy eyes passing over my face. “Dragons know how to hold a grudge, Rory.”
Hmm. “What if—”
Jace stiffens, his attention suddenly focused down the hallway to my left, and I pause to follow his gaze. Drew stalks toward us, casting a brief look over his shoulder as he nears.
Yeah, dragons certainly do know how to hold grudges.
I sigh, wishing the two of them could get along with more than a tense armistice, but I suppose I can’t blame Jace. As far as he’s aware, Drew killed his brother—very few people know it was really Milo.
I wish I could tell Jace the truth, but honestly, this isn’t my secret to share. He and Drew need to work this out—hopefully soon.
More than that, I wonder how much longer Drew is going to be willing to protect his big brother from getting some much-needed justice.
“We need to leave,” Jace says firmly as Drew approaches. “Immediately. We’ve done what we need to do, and—”
“Absolutely not,” Drew interjects, much to my surprise.
“She’s in danger,” Jace snaps, gesturing toward me. “This is worse than we anticipated. If the armies brawl, it could turn ugly. Fast. What’s to stop someone from kidnapping her in the chaos?”
“If it gets ugly, we fight,” Drew says simply. “If we leave now, she will appear weak. Scared. This is our one chance to make an impression, and they need to know they can’t scare her off after one little meeting.”
“Little?” I rub my tired eyes. “That went on for eight hours, Drew.”
“Oh, you sweet summer child,” Drew says with a dry laugh. “That’s barely a taste of the tedious interrogations of dragon politics.”
I grimace. “I’ll pass on future invitations, then.”
“That’s why I prefer settling things in the arena.” Drew grins and cracks his neck. “Way more exciting.”
“Listen closely, Darrington.” Jace jabs Drew’s chest with a finger. “While you’ve been comfortably situated up here, I’ve been patrolling. I’ve watched the deals made behind closed doors. I’ve seen the soldiers out there, shifted and roaring, ready for blood. I know what’s at stake, Drew. You don’t.”
“I know what’s at stake up here, and it’s just as deadly.” Drew nods in the vague direction of the Bosses clumped together in the lavish dining room not too far away. “I know what my father will think if she leaves tonight. I know what the Bane will do. I know what the Nabal will say. I’ve lived my life among these people, Jace, and I know how the conniving assholes think. Give me some damn credit.”
“Here’s a thought,” I interject, gesturing to the hallway around us. “Maybe we don’t have confidential discussions out in the open, hmm?”
Jace and Drew each turn their intense gazes on me, but only Jace shows any emotion. While Drew watches me with that same stony expression he always wears in public, Jace gives me a curt nod. With a huffy sigh, he waves for me to follow him. “We’ll get you back to the villa.”
As we leave, I can almost feel the gazes of the Bosses on my back. I wonder how many cameras have been planted through the castle, or how many secret recording devices I may have missed. It’s hard to scan a room to make sure it’s secure when everyone’s eyes are locked on me. Worse than that, the elaborate dress I’m wearing limits movement.
In this castle, I’m the center of attention, and I despise how little freedom I have to move.
I ache to sneak. To slip unseen, if only for a few moments, through the shadows. But it doesn’t look like I’ll get that here—and if Jace has his way, I may never get to do it again.
Chapter Sixteen
When I’m back at the villa, I can finally put on something more comfortable. As beautiful as the dress is, I can barely move in that thing.
With Drew and Jace off somewhere arguing in hushed tones, I stretch my aching arms and walk into the living room as my tired muscles hum with relief. Getting out of that dress is like taking off weights strapped to my chest and legs.
I can finally breathe.
The house is quiet, and after a few moments of straining my ear in the silence, it’s clear I’m alone. It’s hard to believe they left me unsupervised, but there’s a chance they simply forgot in the heat of all their bickering.
That same aching need to steal through the shadows thrums through my chest, and my lip curls mischievously as I debate indulging it.
Just a little.
Safely, of course.
No one will even know I was gone.
I’ll be smart about my target. It’s not like I want to get caught, and I realize the dangers this place poses.
I purse my lips as my mind wanders. Maybe I can pop into the castle and scope the hallways for hidden cameras. Though I kind of want to sneak into the forest and see the six armies for myself, I resist the impulse to go. That would truly be tempting fate, and I’m no idiot.
The castle it is, then. Maybe I’ll stick to the employee areas, or the vacant parts. I don’t need to gather any intel—I just want to stretch my legs. Staying in the bits of the palace that dragons aren’t allowed in will keep me out of trouble.
Probably.
Carefully, I slide open the back door and pretend to gaze out at the night, in case any of my men are watching. I survey the darkened grounds, eyes narrowing as I study the villas with lights in their windows.
Perhaps the other Bosses have some surprises hidden in their villas, something I can steal—
A rush of wings and air flies at me. Before I can so much as pivot to see who’s coming, a giant claw rushes out of the dark night. It pins my chest to the wall of the villa, and I instantly summon my magic to defend myself.
If someone’s going to be brazen enough to attack me in the open, he’s going to die a painful death.
White light coils and curls around my fist as I lift it, taking aim, only to find Levi’s beautiful blue face before me. He snorts a blast of frost across my cheeks, a furious tilt to his eye as he glares at me.
“Damn it, Levi,” I snap, shaking my hand to release the magic I nearly used to take him out. “Don’t surprise me like that.”
I grab one of the toes in his claw to open our connection, and his emotions instantly bleed through.
Fury.
Impatience.
Disbelief.
You were leaving, he accuses me. Here, surrounded by the enemy.
“It was a walk, at best,” I lie, knowing full well I’ve been caught. “A little—”
Rory, just stop, he snaps, a low growl building in his throat.
A flood of energy bubbles through our connection from him, the sensations bleeding together in a confused flurry. Devotion. Lust. Desire. Love. The ache to protect.
Every sensation is choppy and rough, blurred and barely stitched to the next one. The feelings funnel into me like waves on a beach, ebbing and flowing, never consistent.
“Fine,” I snap back at him. “I’ll just stay here and be bored.”
Levi presses his massive blue head against my forehead, and for a moment, the world stutters. There’s a tug at my navel before I realize what he’s doing, and he instantly drags me into his mind. The color around me fades.
Within seconds, I’m in his human arms, in the depth of his mind once again.
There are no words—only feelings. He cups my face and kisses me fiercely. Frantically. His lips are cool against mine, like the air when it snows, and it steals my breath away.
As quickly as it began, it’s over, and I’m once more pressed against the exterior wall. My chest rises and falls as I struggle to breathe. His brilliant blue eyes snare me as he softly growls, and a moment later, he releases his hold on my chest.
What. Was. That.
For a moment, I just stare at him, blinking as I try to get my bearings. It was all so raw. So real. I had startlingly little control over any of that, and it concerns me how impulsive he’s becoming as his dragon slowly takes over.
“I’m sorry,” I confess. “I was just bored. I didn’t mean to—”
Levi snorts impatiently and nods toward the open door back into the villa.
I set my hands on my waist, annoyed at his pushiness. “You’ve been hanging out with Jace too much.”
Levi snaps at the air far above my head, growling a bit in frustration, but he takes a few steps backward and nods once more to the door.
I roll my eyes and indulge him, looking back over my shoulder as I slide the door shut. He stares intently, watching me like a blue ghost in the night, just waiting for me to leave again.
His head shifts abruptly, and he snarls at something I can’t see. Instantly, he soars over the roof, toward the front door.
Moments later, the doorbell rings.
I narrow my eyes in suspicion, but cross to the entrance and peer through the peephole.
A beautiful Asian woman, maybe eighteen at most, stands on the porch in a stunning green dress that clings to her hips. Her elegant black hair is pinned artfully to her head, and she waits calmly for me to answer. A wrapped present sits in her hands, the ornate bow taking up most of its surface.
I scan the open field behind her, wondering where Levi has gone, but he’s likely on the roof preparing to pounce. The wide stretch of grass between us and the castle is empty, and it’s clear she came alone.
Carefully, I draw my gun and hide it behind my back, tilting my body so that the woman won’t be able to see it when I open the door.
The door creaks slightly as I confidently open it—after all, I don’t want to peek through a slit in the door like some terrified little girl. I’m armed, and there’s a dragon on the roof—if she tries anything, she’ll get a painful reminder of where my boundaries lie.
The woman smiles warmly as our eyes meet. With a slight bow of her head, she offers me the gift in her hands. “My name is Jade Nabal. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Quinn.”
Oh, well isn’t this interesting.
Aki’s daughter is here on my doorstep with a beautifully wrapped present, and I wonder just what kind of tricks the clever Boss is trying to play.
The easiest explanation is that he suspected his gorgeous daughter would appear non-threatening, but I know enough about her to be wary. She’s an ice dragon, like her father, and just as powerful. I’ve even heard she’s as quick with a weapon as any Spectre, and I don’t for one moment trust her.
“What can I do for you?” I ask dryly.
“Nothing at all,” Jade assures me. “I’ve simply come with a small token from my family. Something to let you know you’re not alone in all this chaos.”
Honestly, I’m tempted to shoot the box while she’s still holding it to make my opinion on presents from any Boss well known. I don’t want that damn thing anywhere near me—because I don’t trust anyone here.
“That’s not necessary,” I say instead.
Instead of dropping her guard or frowning at me, like I expect, her smile only broadens. “I understand how this must seem. I told him not to do it.”
I chuckle. “He should listen to you more often, then.”
“I’ll make sure to relay that advice.” She laughs, the sound warm and relaxed.
“You can give it back to him,” I say with a nod to the box. “Sorry to waste your time.”
“Not at all, Miss Quinn,” Jade says. “But if I may make a suggestion?”
I quirk a skeptical eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Even though you have every right to be skeptical, I believe you will want to see this.” Effortlessly, she lifts the top on the box, revealing that it wasn’t wrapped at all—it was nothing more than a cleverly disguised lid.
I tense, ready to shoot her in the face if I have to. I expect a flash of light, or smoke, but inside is a simple manila folder. She lifts it effortlessly and sets the now-empty box lightly on the porch beside her.
“Take it,” she says with an elegant nod toward the folder, offering it to me.
Curious, I cock the still-hidden gun with one hand and reach for the folder with the other, never taking my eyes off the woman before me. She never stops smiling and barely even moves as I slowly retrieve it.
“You’ll want to look at those alone.” Jade nods to the folder with a knowing smirk as she retrieves the box from the ground beside her. “Not all of us are enemies, Miss Quinn,” she adds as she begins to walk away, back toward the towering castle behind her.
There’s not a single piece of tech I know of that could hide in plain sight on paper. In theory, it should be safe to at least look. I still briefly debate incinerating the folder in my hand, letting my magic burn it to ash, but I refrain.
The Nabal trade in information—and it would seem they just gave me some, for free.
Levi drops onto the grass outside, snarling as he monitors Jade’s retreat toward the castle. The young woman walks with calm confidence, her hips elegantly swaying in the moonlight. A low thunder builds in Levi’s chest, and I figure he was none too happy with her visit. After a moment, he tilts his head toward me.
I shrug, not entirely sure what to make of the young woman, either.
He soars back to the roof, and I close the door. After holstering my gun, I spread the papers out on the counter—and to my surprise, there are only five sheets.
They’re files—on me and my men.
I grit my teeth, eyes nar
rowing as my nose wrinkles in disdain. The unspoken threat is clear. He knows who I love, and he knows things about them he shouldn’t.
I scan each of the files. They knew Tucker was part of a secret organization, but they couldn’t guess which one. There’s a shortlist of ideas beneath his picture—CIA, Knights, Interpol. They have a surprising amount of detail on his technical ability, but they seemed to have missed his connection to the General.
Thank goodness.
Drew’s file is slim, but everything on it is accurate. Darrington family line. Lone wolf. Seemingly endless web of connections, resources, and wealth. It also mentions one mansion in Malibu, so I make a mental note to let him know to sell that one.
Jace’s file is similar to Drew’s, and it’s clear they want me to ask for more. They give the barest highlights, lists of battles fought and medals won. His ascension to master of the dojo, and the dragons he had to best to get there. It even includes a string of lovers he’s had in the past, which just feels like a low blow.
I roll my eyes at Aki’s attempt to stir up drama.
My file is empty, nothing but my picture and a blank page. The photo looks like it was taken while I was on the run, back before I went to the dojo. The snapshot shows smudges on my face as I look cautiously over my shoulder at something off camera.
I grit my teeth at the thought of them following me. They were aware, very early on, of who I was—and where I was going.
Sure, the Nabal tend to do that. They find out things they shouldn’t know, but I don’t like this one bit.
The last page is Levi’s file, and much to my surprise, his is also blank. His name is in bold at the top—Levi Sloane.
Interesting. I never learned his last name. Yet Aki Nabal seems confident he knows who Levi really is.
Only a picture of his face covers the otherwise empty page.
His human face.
It would appear the Nabal do know who he is.
