Page 76 of Creatures of Chaos

“Oh, I think it matters a great deal. My Uncle Drake has influence. More than you probably even know. He’s a member of the dragon council and—” Talon’s eyes go wide. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re trying to get that dragon shifter you think you’re in love with out of the arranged life-mating.”

My heart rate spikes. “How do you know about the arranged life-mating?” I ask, choosing to ignore his comment about me being in love with Becks. He might be right, but it’s none of his business and certainly not up for discussion right now.

Talon snorts. “You don’t have to be a dragon shifter to know their business.”

Just like Talon. A non-answer answer. Well, two can play that game.

“It doesn’t matter what I need the blackmail for, I just need you to get it. Can you? If so, I’ll do what you want me to: I’ll throw the next Chaos trial and get myself expelled from the competition.”

Talon considers me. His gaze turns contemplative, and I can’t help feeling like I’m as transparent as glass. “Not to talk you out of anything. If this is what I have to do to get you to pull out of Chaos, I’ll do it. But have you given thought to whether or not he’s worth it? I have no doubt that Becks wants you. It’s clear to anyone with eyes. But why go to these lengths for a guy who won’t even go after what he wants?”

My face heats when he says it’s clear Becks wants me. I’m not comfortable talking about my relationship with Becks to anyone just yet, least of all Talon, who enjoys baiting Becks whenever the opportunity arises, but I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut about it either.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I know exactly how Becks feels about me.”

Talon’s eyebrows rise and he cocks his head. “Finally made a move, has he?” He rubs his jaw, a sly smile forming on his mouth. “I’ll bet our performance the other night pushed him into it, didn’t it? Dragon shifters are a possessive bunch.”

My stomach knots when Talon pokes at the one spot I was already insecure about. My face heats, but this time it’s not from embarrassment. “Shut up, Talon.”

He puts his hands up like he means no harm. “Don’t get me wrong, if I was in his position I would have claimed you as well. I wouldn’t want to share my female with anyone either. I’m only saying it’s about time.” He cocks his head. “But let me guess, he’s keeping you a secret.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it though? If he really wants to be with you, why isn’t he staking a claim and letting the world know.”

“You know we can’t go public with that life-mating hanging over our heads.”

Talon makes atskingsound with his tongue and I suddenly want to rip it out of his mouth. “Make no mistake. Your dragon heir has a choice. He just wants his cake and to eat it too. And you’re letting him.”

“I don’t need to justify myself or Becks to you or anyone else. It’s no one’s business but our own. But nowyouhave a choice to make. Will you give me what I’ve asked for or not?”

He stares at me hard, his gray-blue eyes drilling a hole into my forehead. I can tell that some part of him wants to say no but it has nothing to do with having scruples over digging up dirt on his uncle, and everything with proving he’s right about Becks. But I’m betting that part of him won’t win out in the end. Talon’s too calculated and wants Shadow Striker too badly to deny me this request.

Taking a step back, he leans against the stone railing, his body going from rigid to languid before my eyes. His mood swings give me whiplash. “Fine. I’ll get you what you want.”

Relief is sweet as it rushes through me. “Once I have the information I need from you?—”

“No,” he says, cutting me off. “I won’t deliver you blackmail material.”

I furrow my brow. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re reckless to believe you’d be able to blackmail my uncle into doing anything. Drake’s ruthless when it comes to protecting himself. He’ll bury you the moment he gets wind of the threat, and I do mean that literally.”

A chill runs through me. “But you just said you’d get me what I want.”

“And I will. I’ll get your princeling freed from his arranged life-mating. That is, after all, what you really want, isn’t it?”

It is, so I nod, feeling like I’m walking into a trap, but not knowing any way else to move.

“How are you going to do that?” I ask, starting to think that Becks might have been more right about Talon than I had wanted to believe, and that there were layers to him I haven’t even begun to understand.

Talon flashes me a wolfish smile full of teeth and charm. “Thatis none ofyourbusiness.”

I bristle that he’s using the same argument against me that I used against him. I cross my arms over my chest. “And you just expect me to trust that this is something you can do on your own?”

He shrugs. “I expect you to realize that you don’t have any other option but to trust me.”

I press my lips together, agitation toward Talon growing by the second. “I won’t fail out of the next trial until after you deliver.”

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