Unmade (Unborn #4) - Amber Lynn Natusch Page 0,24
come back at all—so I had Azriel keep watch until either you returned or the inevitable truth of your deaths settled in my mind.”
“What about your other leathery friends?” Casey asked, stepping forward. “You ordered those fuckers to attack us the last time we encountered them.”
“And I have not seen them since,” the Dragon replied.
“Are they no longer yours to command?”
He paused. “I’m not certain they ever were. Only Azriel has ever been truly loyal, as he remains.” The reason for Azriel to have faked his own death when Deimos had taken over the gargoyles and come for me became even clearer. “You will not encounter the gargoyles here, and you are free to stay for as long as you wish. This place is well warded and unknown by even those minions who once served me. This is my private sanctuary. Only Azriel—and now you—know of its existence.”
“You were holding out on me,” Casey said, his tone dry and devoid of emotion as he took in the majestic space
“That was never my intention,” was the Dragon’s only response. He gestured for us to enter the great space, and we followed him as he pointed out the various adjoining rooms. “I was not expecting so many of you,” he said as he led us around, “but I can arrange things to accommodate if sharing rooms is acceptable.”
“How many rooms?” Casey asked, eyeing the closed doors around the perimeter.
“Including mine,” the Dragon said, pinning serious eyes on Casey, “five.”
“I should go above to check in on the situation back home,” Sean said. “Things were…interesting when I left.”
Nobody dared to ask if the one he loved was at the epicenter of his issues. We all knew better than that—even Oz.
“Pierson and I will be fine together,” his twin said. The Dragon indicated a door, and the two headed for it, weapons drawn just in case.
Muses looked to Casey and Drew, then the Dragon. “Perhaps I will take a room alone. Sean can stay there if necessary. I don’t imagine the rest of you would be interested in rooming together, unless I can tempt you with such an offer, Khara? It’s nothing sexual, of course. I just find you…fascinating.”
“She has other plans,” Oz said from behind me. Muses’ wicked smile grew wider.
“I imagine she does—or at least you do.”
With that, he headed toward the room next to the twins’ and disappeared.
“C’mon, Drew,” Casey said, heading for the door beyond Muses’. “Be thankful I don’t snore.”
“That’s what you think,” Drew muttered under his breath as he followed behind Casey, leaving Oz and me behind with the Dragon. I tried not to notice our host’s disappointment at Casey’s choice of roommates.
“That leaves you and me, new girl.”
The Dragon pointed to a room well beyond Casey’s and Drew’s, and I could not help but feel as though we were being separated from the herd. Whether that was for their benefit, ours, or the Dragon’s, I could not be sure.
I drew a blade from my back just in case.
“You will find a private bathroom attached,” the Dragon said, “but I regret that there is only one bed in your room, where the others have two.”
“Not a problem,” Oz replied with smug satisfaction. “We don’t need two.”
The Dragon dared to let his amusement show. “I didn’t expect you would.”
“Keep speaking for me as though I am not here, Oz, and you will find yourself sleeping with Muses,” I said, heading toward the room. “Or the Dragon…”
I heard the Dragon wish Oz luck just as I opened the massive wooden door. The room was no less spectacular than the one I had just left. Gold and fire and dancing light filled the space, giving it a sense of grandeur, though it was far humbler in size and space. The bed sat against the far wall, spanning the vast majority of it. It was bigger than any I had ever seen.
“Perhaps this is normally the Dragon’s room,” I said, walking toward it. The midnight bedding seemed to absorb the light around it like a black hole.
“Or it’s made for creatures with wings—like you. And me.”
Suddenly weary, I sat down on the edge of the silk sheets and looked up at Oz, who hovered nearby.
“We need an actual plan,” I said, watching the light and shadow dance across his tight features.
“We do.” He took a step closer, the toes of his boots only inches from mine. “But that requires me knowing everything—which I don’t.”
His subtext was clear; it was time for me