Page 121 of Dragon Unleashed

The distraction was enough. He’s at his father’s neck, his dagger steady over the only vulnerable section in a wyvern’s armor. His blade nicks the delicate skin and a rivulet of dark purple blood trickles out.

“Iwilldo it, Father. Give me one excuse. Those men are ours. You’ve lost. Give it up.”

The wyvern freezes. The giant body dwindles down to human size. “What are you waiting for?” he screams at the rebellion. “Get the traitors!”

Not a single soldier moves.

The Virrey shrinks into himself, his shoulders coming up, chin tucked down protectively.

We’ve done it. I can’t quite believe it.

It takes only moments for the P.I.G. to cuff the Virrey, trapping his magic. But it’s not until they search his pocketsthat I’m sure we’ve won. Inside his wallet is a receipt to an environmental agent, a receipt for a very large bribe.

Silas winks as he’s led away in cuffs next to the Virrey. Suddenly it makes sense. His insistence he stay at the Virrey’s side, his sleight of hand as they stepped out of the vehicles. Heplantedthat. Silas is my hero.

“You know, kid…” one of the P.I.G. officers leans toward Farrell, looking perplexed “…if you’d killed him, it would have been self-defense.”

Farrell’s brow furrows. “Then I would have hadmyrevenge, but the people he’s wronged? The lives he’s wrecked? They wouldn’t see justice served.”

The officer nods slowly, unconvinced. Beside me, Zephyr sags. The light has gone out of his eyes, and he looks fragile. I scan him for injury. He looks bruised like the rest of us, but…nothing. No gaping wounds. His expression is blank.

“Zephyr?”

He shakes his head once, blinks, and walks away, head down.

Someone bumps my shoulder and I look up. Alarick grins at me, a huge camera balanced on one shoulder.

“Got it all on film for NewShift,” he says. “We’ll spin it so he looks like the monster he is.”

“Thank you!” I fling my arms around his neck in a quick hug, nearly toppling the expensive kit. A blush creeps up his neck and he awkwardly pats my back.

“Hands off my mate,” Chano snarls.

“Hey, I didn’t… She…” Alarick starts backing up. “Gotta go, L. This was NewShift’s way of saying sorry. For before, y’know.” He turns tail and bolts back to the rest of the camera crew.

Chano’s arm snakes around my waist and he pulls me to him. He takes a deep inhale, his nose buried in my hair.

“Missed you, chica.”

It takes only seconds for Farrell to appear in front of us. He jerks his chin toward the rebellion. Some have melted back into the trees, but the rest are watching.

Behind me Chano stiffens. Farrell bends toward me and places a chaste kiss on my lips, then my forehead.

“You did well today, Lorelei. I’m proud of you. Of us.”

He takes me by the shoulders, turning me into Chano’s arms until my face is buried in his pecs.

“I’ll go deal with the P.I.G. Lorelei’s had enough time inside police stations recently. Look after her, Chano.”

He lands one last kiss on the nape of my neck and strides off.

That was for show, wasn’t it? It felt so natural.

I shut off my racing thoughts and wrap my arms around Chano’s middle, burrowing my face into his chest.

***

I sprawl across Farrell’s ridiculously plush sofa, eyes glued to the screen. The Virrey’s mean face peers back. NewShift have really done a number on him, splicing in clips of his promises over the years then showing him breaking them, interspersed with scenes from our fight, stats about the chemical leaks taken straight from our thesis, and even a touching little tribute to how he turned on his own son.

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