Page 48 of Hot for the Dragon

"Well, you did say I needed practice." She grinned up at him.

"That I did." His hands squeezed her shoulders once before letting go. "But first, let's see who our uninvited guest is."

22

ARCHER

Archer positioned himself between Daphne and the approaching dragon. His muscles tensed, ready to shift at a moment's notice as adrenaline coursed through his veins. The massive bronze dragon hovered at the edge of his property, wings stirring up dust and fallen leaves in rhythmic gusts.

"I can handle myself now," Daphne protested behind him. "You did just spend the last couple of hours training me."

"Humor me," Archer replied, not taking his eyes off the intruder. His protective instincts were in overdrive, especially after Ned's attack.

The stranger shifted and transformed into a lean man with dark hair who immediately raised his hands in surrender. He stayed at the edge of the property, keeping his distance.

Archer's nostrils flared as he scented the air but detected no familiar markers. This wasn't someone from his past. Still, that meant nothing.

"I just want to talk," the man called out. His voice carried across the yard, steady but cautious.

Archer's jaw clenched. He didn't recognize this shifter, which made him even more suspicious. In his experience, unexpected visitors rarely brought good news.

"Five minutes," Archer barked, crossing his arms. "Convince me you're not the enemy before I decide to show you exactly why people still tell stories about me." He felt Daphne's silent amusement at his posturing but ignored it. Sometimes a little intimidation went a long way.

The stranger stood there, hesitating, and Archer's patience began to wear thin. He flexed his shoulders, feeling the dragon within him stirring, ready to emerge at the first hint of trouble.

"The clock's ticking," Archer said, his voice carrying an edge of warning.

The stranger cleared his throat. "My name is Terry. I was part of the Crimson Wing before Carmen took over."

Archer's muscles remained coiled tight, ready to spring into action if needed. He knew of the Crimson Wing - they'd been peaceful enough, until Carmen had crushed their leader in combat. His gaze flickered to the distance between them, calculating the seconds it would take to reach Terry if this turned ugly.

"Carmen forced our loyalty through combat," Terry continued, his hands still raised. "It's our way - the strongest leads. But when I heard her..." He glanced at Daphne. "When I heard you speak about standing up against what we know is wrong, it struck something in me."

Archer felt Daphne shift behind him, likely wanting to step forward, but he subtly blocked her path. Terry might seem earnest, but Archer hadn't survived this long by taking chances.

"I want to help," Terry said, his voice gaining strength. "Carmen's planning something big, bigger than just taking over the town. She's gathering forces from other territories, making alliances with darker elements. What she did to my wing - forcing us to follow through fear and tradition rather than loyalty - it isn't right."

The wind rustled through the trees, carrying Terry's scent to Archer. No trace of deception, but Archer had been fooled before. His jaw clenched as memories of past betrayals surfaced.

"I know I'm taking a risk coming here," Terry added. "If Carmen finds out..." He swallowed hard. "But someone needs to stand against her. And after seeing what she's done to the town, hearing what she plans to do next..." His eyes met Archer's. "I'd rather die standing up to her than live following her."

Archer felt Daphne's restless energy behind him before she darted around his protective stance. His hand shot out to catch her arm, but she slipped past with the grace of someone who'd been dodging his attempts all morning during training.

"You mentioned Carmen's making alliances," Daphne said, her voice warm. "With whom?"

Archer suppressed a groan. Of course she'd jump right into questioning Terry like they were all friends having coffee. Her inherent trust in others would get her killed one of these days - if he wasn't around to prevent it.

"Mercenaries," Terry replied, lowering his hands slightly. "Any skilled fighters around the area who might give her an edge in battle."

Archer moved closer to Daphne, his shoulder brushing hers. "Seems awfully convenient timing, showing up right after we started making progress against Carmen's operation," Archer's voice cut through the yard like steel.

Terry shifted his weight, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"I mean, if I were Carmen," Archer continued, crossing his arms, "I'd want to know exactly what we're planning. What better way than to send someone playing turncoat?" He felt Daphne's disapproving glance but ignored it. "So tell me, Terry, why now?"

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the wind. Archer's dragon instincts screamed at him to grab Daphne and get her inside where it was safe, but he forced himself to wait. Sometimes silence was the best interrogation technique.

"You're not exactly helping your case here," Archer drawled when Terry remained quiet. He felt Daphne's elbow dig into his ribs - her subtle way of telling him to play nice. He responded by shifting slightly closer to her, his protective instincts still on high alert despite her apparent ease with the situation.

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