Page 44 of The Dragon's Warlock

“We already know you didn’t have much control, if any, during that time,” she said. “I’m not mad, and I don’t wish you’d done anything differently.”

“I didn’t stop anything. Kael took Darius in, but I also think he helped him escape. And the woman who was trying to protect you was never avenged. I’m not even sure what Kael did with her body. Only bits and pieces come back, and the harder I try to remember, the more it hurts. But you deserve answers, and if I could unlock more of my memories, I might be able to give them to you.”

“You’ve given me some answers. What I want to know is, do you think that guy has something to do with my sister?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” she asked.

The question hung in the air for a few seconds.

“I think you were part of his clan or related to him,” Gideon finally said.

“Clan?” As soon as she was starting to understand the supernatural world, another term was thrown her way.

“Bears have clans, and Darius was the alpha of the Colorado clan for years. He was evil, and if someone tried to leave his clan, he would kill them.”

“Do you think that’s why the woman was killed?”

At least he was telling her something and not keeping her shut out, and nothing he said changed how she felt about him. If anything, it made her feel closer. She would be dead if it wasn’t for him. He’d saved her. How could he possibly think she wouldn’t see that?

“Kirin is going to talk with Kia and see what they can find on Darius and the woman.”

“You think Kia can find Darius?”

“Honestly, I don’t know…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Darius has been on the list for years.”

That was one thing she knew. The shifter world had a most-wanted list, just like the human world had. There were even rewards attached to it.

“For killing people?” she asked.

“Yes. I think he had Kael’s help for years, and now he’s on his own. Kirin and Kia took down many of the men who worked for Kael. Darius doesn’t have as many people helping him.”

“So if we can find him, we can find my sister?” Diem thought the fairy had been crazy for sending her to Costa Rica, but it might have worked. They had a lead.

“It’s our best shot at finding him.”

“Why now? Why did he wait so long to come looking for us?”

“Those are good questions I’m hoping Kia can help us answer. Kael was close to taking over and using his army to take down the council. His end game was for shifters to rule the world. Most of us like living in the shadows. Others think we are better than everyone else. We’re not. Just because some can shift or use magic doesn’t make us any better.”

She worried the pitchforks would come out if people knew about shifters. “I’m surprised nobody has ever found shifters.”

“You’ve been in the council building. They watch all the news outlets, making sure our identity is kept quiet, and if someone catches something on the phone, it’s hacked and erased.”

“Even if Kael was close to”—she made air quotes—“taking over the world, why me and Kayda?”

“Kia’s looking into what exactly your sister did for the government. If she was working on something that would help lead Kael to his end game, he would use her. And Lucy said your body accepted the dragon gene easily because you have shifter DNA. When Kirin and his brothers first went into the labs, they found many dead bodies. A few people were transformed into shifters, and they are doing well. Others are still struggling. If the person isn’t open-minded, it’s hard for them to grasp.”

“So Kayda should be okay?”

“I can’t guarantee your sister is fine, but she has a better shot than most.”

The flight attendant knocked on the door and asked them to take a seat. Diem grabbed her clothes from the edge of the bed and got dressed.

Gideon took her hand, and they walked back out into the main cabin. The landing was quick. Once the plane had stopped, the flight attendant opened the door. When they walked down the stairs of the jet, something in the air had changed.

Diem didn’t have time to ask what was going on. Gideon threw his body over hers, and they fell six feet to the ground. He twisted while they were in the air so that she landed directly on his chest. Seconds later, he rolled her to the side.

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