Page 83 of Chained

“Dirk isn’t one of them,” I say as the Kijg’s scales start to turn an interesting shade of green. “They have his family, and he says he is trying to help us.”

Dirk makes some noises like he is agreeing with me.

“We have a mission, warrior,” I growl, as this has gone on long enough.

“A mission?” Klynn drags his eyes from where he’s clearly considering what to chop off Dirk first.

“A mission.”

Dirk is dropped to the ground where he clutches at his neck.

I now have one Gryn, my clever mate, and two…reptiles. And the Gryn I have is barely hanging on to his sanity as it is.

I’d say we’re probably vrexed.

CLEO

Maxym doubts his abilities. Even when he had been wanting some additional muscle, the reappearance of Klynn hasn’t given him the confidence he had hoped for.

The swirl of emotions from him is almost overwhelming. The return of his memory would have been something to be celebrated had it not taken place at this particular moment. He’s struggling to process everything, and what’s flowing down the bond is a male on the edge.

We could certainly do with Klynn. We could, however, definitely do with fewer males which is driving Maxym to distraction.

And, frankly, at the moment, we could do with a lot less distraction.

Maxym hands Klynn a sword and a pulsar pistol. The second Gryn’s hands shake slightly as he takes them, and I feel Maxym’s concern. Klynn looks very different to when we saw him last, his muscles highly defined and his cheekbones sharper than ever.

I scramble in the pack I have at my belt to find a ration bar, which I hand to him. I already know Maxym won’t like it, and I do my level best to shove something calming down the bond at him.

“When did you last eat?” I ask, quietly. “Have this.”

Klynn stares at the bar for a beat, then gives Maxym a feral look, tearing it open and swallowing it whole as he glares at my mate.

Thank the stars for the thoughtbond. Maxym gives him a dead eye before turning his back and shaking out his feathers.

Dirk is looking like he wants to do something unpleasant to both Gryn, and Nate is grinning like he’s got a ringside seat.

I can see why Maxym is concerned.

But while no one knows exactly why we’re here, we still have a chance to get to the info vault before Szek finds it.

“We’re going to the vault,” Maxym growls over his shoulder at Klynn. “Nothing is to stop us.”

It appears this is all the information the dark Gryn needs. He squares his shoulders, shakes a cloud of dust from his wings, and stalks off.

“I guess we’re going that way,” I say to Maxym.

“Vrexer,” he mutters, but there’s a softness to him which has me slipping my hand into his as we follow the direction Klynn took.

“He probably knows the way better than I do,” Maxym says as we come out into a strange vaulted area, the light dim but enough I can see the huge drop below us. “Take care where you step,” he says, gripping my hand harder as I peer over the edge.

Maxym snorts as we head for a rickety looking staircase, which turns out, fortunately, to be sturdier than it looks. He’s thinking how he normally flies through here and for a second, I’m flying with him.

A long way in the distance, there’s a low grumble. It reverberates through the space, growing louder until a warm wind hits us. Maxym and Klynn lift their heads and scent the air.

“It sounds like the Varangy have found what I’ve left for them,” Dirk says.

“Then we haven’t much time,” Maxym says. “Klynn, go ahead and secure the vault.”

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