Page 107 of Dragon Unleashed

“I’ll seal the deal, magically,” I promise.

Drink sloshes over the side of his glass, down his front, and hits the floor. He doesn’t seem to notice. “You’d do that, for me?”

“Despite your mistakes, you’re loyal and I appreciate that. I need your help. It’s only fair that I owe you.”

He puts the glass down with force and pulls himself up to his full height. His gaze dances around the room, his nose wrinkling as if he’s only now recognizing it’s a pigsty.

It doesn’t take long to discuss what we need, but by the end he looks ten years younger.

“I can use my credentials to get into the office, to log into the cameras, only, I’m not very good at tech.”

“We just need you to get us in. The academy has upped the security. With a bit of time, we could probably still get through it. But we don’t have time. Raff and Alarick know their stuff once we’re inside. If there’s anything to find, they’ll find it.”

Within half an hour, we’re huddled in the control room behind the dean’s office. Max even has a clean set of clothes on. But it’s taking too long to watch the footage. What’s happening to Lorelei while we sit and stare at a screen? I drum my fingers on the desk.

“There.” Raff jabs the monitor and I strain forward to see the grainy image of Lorelei just as she vanishes through the portal.

“But she’s blocked,” Max says, confused. “She can’t go anywhere unless a professor verifies it’s for schoolwork, and someone goes with her. We’ve all been told that.”

“She can go home,” I say.

“Home?” Raff cocks his head.

“The Virrey is her guardian. Her ?home’ is his mansion. She’s there.”

Alarick hits a few keys on his own tablet and the portal at the Virrey’s mansion flickers onto his screen. “His security is lax. I can see his portal activated the same time Lorelei left here. I can’t get a visual of who arrived, but…”

He doesn’t need to finish his sentence. It’s obvious where she is. My demon strains at my control. I’ve got a bad feeling, andmi mamitaught me always to listen to my gut.

“Go get Zephyr, and come after me. I’m going in, now. I’ll distract the Virrey, you get her out.”

Chapter Fifty: Lorelei

“Look who I found, sniffing around outside,” the Virrey says, his voice piercing the darkness.

The single bulb in the room containing my cell flickers on and everything comes into sharp focus. Chano is at the Virrey’s feet. Unconscious. I stifle a gasp.

“He can rest in here with you until I have time to clean up this little complication. The world won’t miss one gangster.”

Two unfamiliar soldiers appear behind the Virrey. They each take a foot and drag Chano toward me. His head lolls, hitting the ground with every step. Unlocking my cell, they pull him inside. My gaze darts to the open door. Even if I could get past them, I can’t abandon Chano. The soldiers back out again, eyeing me warily. The door clangs shut and I rush over, dropping to my knees beside him. His heart beats in a reassuring, steady rhythm.

Alive.

The Virrey locks us in, casts a sealing spell, and walks off, humming to himself. The soldiers follow him. Small mercy they left the light on. I run my hands over Chano, checking forinjury. There’s a bump on his head but not much else. Assholes. Cradling his head in my lap, I rock back and forward. What now?

Chano groans, his eyes flickering open, then widening in recognition.

“What are you doing here, idiot?” I whisper.

“Saving you,” he grumbles.

“Yeah, I see that.”

He groans again, and I soothe his brow with my palm. “Shh. It’s okay, I’m sorry. Just scared. Stay still. You got hurt pretty badly.”

He lies quietly for a few minutes, as I run my fingers lightly over his forehead, into his hair.

“Lore? I’m sorry.”

---