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Robin didn't show any fear. But she paused for just a second longer than necessary, and I saw her long throat work as she swallowed down her emotions. "Good. Well, I'll see you in a bit then. Be safe."

The dragon alpha finally released her omega and turned to regard the naga at her side. One red-gold brow lifted, and her expression turned flinty in an instant. "Do not let any harm come to her, or I will personally execute you in the most painful way imaginable." She signed that too, just to make sure he got the point.

Sadavir crossed his arms over his broad chest and returned Robin's glare, with an equal amount of haughty prince to match our haughty princess. He voiced his reply, something we all knew he hated to do, and reserved only for when he was very pissed, or very intent on making his point. His blunted speech was certainly clear enough for Robin.

"If I let harm come to her, I will not need you to take my life, dragon. I will not fail my mate."

They stared at each other. And fuck knew how long that would have lasted, if Ruya didn't shove them both and cluck her tongue at them like a disappointed mother. "Stop it."

And just like that, the tension cut off and Robin spun on a heel, switching over in an instant from heated alpha vying for a mate to cool, commanding alpha of a rebel court on a mission. "You all know your duties. Let's go."

I shook my head, thanking the universe that I was a gamma and not a fucking alpha with all their need to posture and preen. Or a beta, with all their need to fuss. Sanka and Cicely each tossed the witch a longing look and a few sappy words—at least I assumed the faun was speaking to the witch using mind speech—before heading out with the others.

I stiffened when the witch's gloved hand found my own and squeezed. "They'll be okay," she said firmly, as if giving me some much-needed reassurance. "I'll know the instant they are in danger. And you can fly fast as the wind. They'll come back to us."

I huffed. "I'm not worried. Don't be ridiculous. I have more faith in my alpha and the rest of my court than that. This is child's play for them."

But I found myself squeezing her hand in return before I released it and stepped away.

Sadavir's big body was tense and alert for danger as his keen eyes scanned our snowy, shadowed environment, but he stepped behind Ruya and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close, acknowledging her worry and fear as he kept watch.

It was disgusting.

Even if they did look good together, both tall, handsome, proud people emanating a strong sense of duty.

Sadavir glanced my way and smirked at me over the top of Ruya's head. Then he flicked his forked tongue at me. I couldn't help the shiver that rippled through me. Snake. The man was a giant fucking snake wearing human skin.

Robin also had a forked tongue, and that certainly didn't bother me. But she was a dragon. A giant magical lizard. Not a damned snake. I had watched a snake eat a dragonfly once. For some reason, every time that image flashed through my mind my imagination gifted me with a very vivid guess at what it would look and feel like if a pixie with dragonfly wings were swallowed whole by a giant serpent.

I bared my teeth at him and gave him the finger. "I know I'm hot and all. But do your job and stop leering at me, snake."

Then I turned away and followed my own advice.

It was quiet out here under the tall trees that lined the lawn. Too quiet. But then, it was always too quiet in pocket worlds. There was no wildlife to give the world that background hum of vitality. Everything here was an illusion. Solid and almost real, but lacking the life and energy of the outside world.

Still… I was a bit unsettled by the fact that no one had felt us enter this place. Sanka was a very powerful sorcerer, but even so… the emperor should be able to afford to employ others just as strong. How long before one of those hidden sorcerers broke through the disguise spell that kept us hidden here?

Robin and the others reached the estate. There was no need for subtlety here. The moment we were noticed, it would be apparent that Robin had death on her mind. I huffed a soft laugh when the front door of the mansion exploded in a shower of flames that lit up the night. Robin and Sanka stepped through the hole they had created, with the others trailing behind.

And still, no alarm sounded. No one came running.

"This can't be right," I muttered. Then I turned so the snake could read my lips as I signed badly, repeating my observation.

He nodded, his stupidly handsome face gone serious, thick brows pulling downward in thought.

Ruya turned in his arms to glance between us. "What is it? I'm not feeling any danger of death…."

I shrugged. "This just seems too easy. Too quiet."

Sadavir released his omega to sign to me. "Trap."

I nodded agreement. "It seems that way, doesn't it?" Then for Ruya's benefit, since she couldn't see the snake's signing. "A trap."

Ruya immediately tensed, her face drawing tight with concern. "A trap? Shouldn't we do something then? Send Odin? Why aren't you rushing off to Robin's side?"

I looked into those captivating blue eyes and shook my head, though she couldn't see me. "Because that's likely to make it worse. This is not our first dangerous escapade. Robin and the rest of us have been doing this kind of thing for decades. You've got to trust our court to handle themselves when things get tricky."

She took a deep breath, and I thought she might argue, but when she finally spoke it was with a resolute nod and a resigned sigh. "You're right. Robin trusts me to be here. You all trust me to be able to hold my own. I can hardly deny them that same respect. Especially when you've all been completing villainous acts for longer than I've even been alive."

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