enough to go without you. They know what they’re doing.”
“You want me to abandon them?” she asked in a soft voice. “And be mated to a stranger?”
Drake snorted, red flames drifting out of his nose and around his horned face, giving him an almost demonic appearance.
Cami came out of the dark, probably having landed farther away, sidling up to him. She rubbed herself against him almost like a cat. “You don’t want that, either,” Cami said, letting Lyndi overhear.
Drake shook his head, the action more violent than resigned, like a bull about to charge a matador’s cape. “You’re my sister. My family.”
“And the boys are my family, too. This is what I have to do. Like you thought you had to leave the team—and me—without a word and go off to die. This isn’t a choice, Drake. Can’t you see that?”
He shook his head again. Then his sides heaved with a long-drawn breath. “You’d better stay alive out there.”
“I’ll make sure she does.” Levi appeared beside her.
Lyndi jerked her head around to stare at him. “No—”
“I’m not asking, min eneste.” He spoke in that spooky calm voice he used only when he was deadly serious. Suddenly his lips curled back in a dangerous grin. “I have to travel to the Gold Clan anyway. We tell them I’m your escort. The Alliance won’t be surprised that a female can’t escort this group on her own and needs a big, strong man to help her.”
Because the world was stupid, he wasn’t wrong. But what if they were caught? They’d kill him. “I can’t ask you to do this.”
He focused on her in a way that she knew the next words were for her ears alone. “If you think I’m letting you walk away—”
“This had nothing to do with that.”
“This has everything to do with that.” He stepped closer, the charred scent of his fire curling around her, woodsy and wonderful. Dammit. “Someday, when you finally realize what this is between us, you’ll know why.”
“Not to step on your tail, son,” Deep’s voice chimed in.
Lyndi jerked at the sound of Deep’s voice. When had he arrived? She searched the skies. Where was he anyway?
“I know my timing is for shit. I’ve heard most of what’s happened, but you need to know that I found that missing mate of Shula’s.”
Oh gods. Lyndi wanted to shut her eyes against what came next. She’d almost forgotten her promise in the panic.
“Where?” Levi asked.
A shadow of a flicker helped her lock in on where the red dragon was coming from, still a few miles out.
“In the Alaz headquarters. Hagues Peak. From what I was able to determine, he’s been ordered to get the dragon who turned her and turn them both over to the Mating Council. I already warned Shula. She and I are going after Bree. I could use help.”
Every dragon in the air surged forward, but Deep’s next thought beat them to it. “Just one.”
Even from the ground, she could see the way Deep’s gaze cut to Levi, and she realized who Deep wanted to take with him.
“Why me?” Levi asked.
Deep dropped in the air, coming in for landing, flaring his wings wide at the last second to slow his momentum, the way he touched down gingerly just another sign of his age. “It’ll be a distraction, cover for Lyndi and the boys to get out. After we’re done, you can follow her, make sure no one is on her trail and meet her at an arranged place.”
No. Hell no. Lyndi wanted to scream it. But she’d made a promise, and Levi would no doubt appreciate the idea of her getting away safely as he acted as a distraction.
But an idea—finally her brain seemed to be swimming out of the shock—hit her all at once. If Bree was being held in the Alaz headquarters, then maybe, just maybe…
Killing Tineen was the answer to all of this. They had to stealthily get Bree out. If they did their jobs right and no one knew who had helped her escape, and if Tineen happened to die in the process, who could possibly lay that at the Huracáns’ feet?
“I should go,” she said.
“Lyndi…” Levi said slowly.
No way in hell would he let her if he knew what she was thinking. She swung the bulk of her body around to look him in the eye, pleading with him to support her in this.
“Think about it,” she rushed to convince him. “I’m smaller, and so dark I can pass for