Page 41 of Dragon Awakened

Hardening my heart, I banish the memories assaulting me. The space isn't huge, but with only one bay actually occupied by a car, there's ample room to meet our needs.

I nod. "It'll do."

"Very well." Malik cracks his knuckles and sets up a lookout near the window.

Even though we've negotiated the next phase of our plan about a thousand times, I still waver. I look to Rafe and Jianyu. "Are you two sure about this?"

"As sure as we can be," Jianyu says.

"Back in five." Rafe swoops in for a hard, deep kiss that lights me up from my fingers to my toes but does little to quell my anxiety.

Jianyu rolls his eyes before claiming a good luck kiss of his own.

"Be careful," I tell him.

"I will." Jianyu tips his head toward Rafe. "And I'll make sure he is, too."

"Thanks."

A piece of my heart goes with them as they slip out. I have to clasp my hands together tightly behind my back to keep from running after them. I should be there with them--not sitting here, doing nothing.

"It's for the best," Malik reminds me.

"I know." Joining him by the window, I drop my head into his chest and close my eyes, breathing in his ocean scent.

Rubbing his broad hand up and down my back, he holds me close.

Because here's the thing--if all goes well, I'm going to take one look at Prince Fury, and I'm going to fall into the brilliant abyss of a fresh soulmate connection. I've done that in public two times with three different men already, and both times, it was a public relations disaster.

This time? In the hostile Air Kingdom? Where the Shadow King's soldiers have infiltrated the monarchy? And where I'm basically a known fugitive?

It would be a life-threatening emergency.

And that's a best-case scenario. If things go the other way--if Fury isn't my fated mate...

Well, then it'd probably be the start of a war.

So we stick to the plan. Rafe and Jianyu have a list of the places Fury likes to go at night. They'll find him, subdue him, and bring him back here. Then, from the relative safety of this garage, I'll look deep into his eyes.

And I'll find out what the Gods have in store.

After nearly an hour of waiting, I'm pacing a hole in the concrete floor.

Turning to start my loop again, I pause and bite my nails before asking Malik, "What if something happened?"

He smiles placidly and shakes his head. "You'd feel it, beloved."

Of course I would.

My connection with Rafe and Jianyu is as strong and vibrant as ever. Dropping my hand from my mouth, I close my eyes for a moment. All I feel from my mates is focus. They're unharmed, unafraid.

I need to trust them. And I can't distract them.

So pacing it is.

The time ticks away at a snail's pace, until suddenly, the thread of my bond to Jianyu and Rafe pulls tight. I inhale sharply, going still. There's effort, adrenaline.

And then the tang of victory.

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