The Protector (Fire's Edge #4) - Abigail Owen Page 0,65

a black dragon at night, and Rune taught me himself. If any of us can get in and out, it’s me. But, more than that, if they happen to catch us, I have an excuse to be there…the mating thing. You don’t. The rest of the team…same thing. It’s a plausible story.”

Levi seemed to search her face for… What?

“Lyndi should go with you, Deep.”

Had the world just stopped turning on its axis, or was stress making her hear things now? Had he really just agreed to this?

He was nodding now. “I take the boys and hide them. You’re the logical choice to go with Deep.”

She stared at the golden dragon beside her, almost not daring to breathe. This was a huge risk. Monumentally huge. But Levi, instead of letting that overprotective thing override logic, was trusting her to get it done. He was also asking for her trust, that he’d care for the boys, even if she was taken.

“You know that if I’m captured, I won’t let myself be mated.” She wouldn’t put into words the extremes she’d go to, but she saw in the way his eyes flamed that he understood. “We leave in two hours. I’m going to the house to get the boys ready.”

So saying, and screw anyone watching and what they might be thinking, she turned and leaped into the air.

…

“Tell me you were able to track anyone who left when I arrived.” Tineen sent the thought ahead of himself to his second. Roan had allowed him to sense his presence miles away.

“No luck. A large group, mostly younger dragons, flew out all at once.”

“Were a blue male and female mated pair among them?”

“I can’t be sure. There were several blue dragons, though.”

“Which way did they head?”

“Are you kidding me? I couldn’t follow every dragon as they split up, boss.”

“Excuses.” No ire filled the word, just stating facts.

“Fuck you.”

Roan knew him well. He must be able to tell Tineen had come out of the Huracán headquarters in a pleased mood. And he had. Finally, things were falling his way. He’d have that team demolished in less than a month.

That bomb he’d dropped on Lyndi Chandali about their upcoming mating had worked exactly as he expected, though he’d had to back off slightly. Her brother had come damn near to taking off his head. So had the beta, Levi. They hadn’t made a move, either of them, but his instincts had told him to beware. So he’d finished the inspection and left them stewing.

The way he saw it, Lyndi had two options. Either she ran—and took her orphans with her after that brilliant none-too-subtle threat he’d made concerning them—in which case he’d have all he needed to bring the Alliance down on the team. Or she stayed and went through with the mating, a political coup for him as well as a string to pull to make the Huracáns dance to his tune.

Either way, he won.

“Did everything go to plan?” Roan asked.

His beta was closer now but impossible to locate at night unless he wanted to be. Not like a black dragon, but dark green blended almost as well at night and the man was smart.

“Even better than I thought. Aidan Paytah has been there,” he informed his beta. “Recently, I’d say.”

“The fuck you say?”

“With Sera. Impossible not to remember her scent.” Or the rookie who’d stolen a mate out from under the High King’s nose. Yet another sign of the Huracáns’ true loyalties. They should’ve killed him on sight, not sheltered him.

Suddenly Roan appeared at his side, swooping in and leveling off to fly beside him. “How’s that a good thing? The Huracáns may have captured them and they escaped. You have no proof showing otherwise, and the scent will be gone by the time we return with Mathai.”

“Proof for us…our assumption that the Huracáns are harboring Paytah and his mate had been confirmed. Their next moves will be what they hang on.” Savage satisfaction ripped through Tineen.

He’d spent his entire life defending and protecting his people and their way of life. First as a personal guard to the King of the Black Clan, now as an enforcer. Do his duty and represent this clan with honor. Exactly what he’d done for over two centuries.

That he couldn’t say the same of the Huracán enforcers sent rage clawing through him. His dragon wanted blood, but he’d take their downfall.

They were dangerous. Insidious. Divisive.

Unworthy of the title, of the position of leadership their kings had honored them with.