Page 77 of Ash

No one called him back. But as he stalked along the pathway—his thoughts swirling with multiple Torshins, Ash never flying, and what Rindek had done to Dani—footsteps ran up behind him.

“Are you leaving?”

He turned to Dani, whose dark eyes glowed bronze with her beast.

“It would be best if you stayed here.”

Dani’s gaze rose above his head, and only then did Tyrez realize that his wings had once more broken free. Twice, in such a brief period of time—it sent a stab of unease through him. Was he losing his mind?

As he folded them behind his back, Dani ripped her eyes off them to glare into his own. “That’s it? I didn’t have anything useful to add, so you’re leaving me here?”

“You’ll be safe here, so long as you don’t leave the Watcher’s protections. I can’t help you the way she can.”

“You really don’t give a damn, do you? You seemed angry about what Rindek did to me, but now that I’m useless, you just want to dump me.”

The words finally penetrated his mental muddle. Her indignation surprised him. He’d thought she’d be relieved to not stay with him. Dani’s meltdown had proved to him that she belonged somewhere where she could get help. Cara was not only a soothing and experienced presence for the traumatized, but she was female. Much more suitable for Dani’s current situation. “No. That isn’t it at all. You are better off here.”

“Don’t I have a say in this?”

“You are having a say,” he pointed out.

Her eyes blazed bronze as they narrowed. “Does this have anything to do with that red Dragon lady?”

The question was like having ice-cold water thrown on him. “Aranta?”

“Yeah. She said she was your mate.”

Shards.How could he forget about Aranta? The Dragona would come looking for him—likely with the sunrise. Why did the thought fill him with such dread? “Yeah. It would be better if you weren’t around for that. She can be—difficult.”

Dani frowned at him.” I want Rindek dead. Preferably a horrible, lingering, painful kind of dead. I think you do too. Our interests dovetail nicely.”

Tyrez considered. He really didn’t need Dani’s help. But the thought of hunting with her did something odd to his insides. The memory of her warm legs around his neck as they soared—he gave himself a mental shake.

Dani sensed his hesitation. “I’d rather come with you than stay here. I’d feel safer.”

Tyrez’s heart did a silly little flip. Very disconcerting. “You would?”

“I would.”

“Why?” He was Dragon, and male. Hardly someone she should feel a longing for.

She hesitated. When she spoke, her voice had dropped to almost a whisper. “You rescued me from Rindek. I know you had your reasons; you didn’t do it just to save me.”

Tyrez wanted to deny it, but he’d be lying. It surprised him that if she was in danger now, those reasons might be different. But that night in the cemetery...

Dani wasn’t finished. “Ash saved me too. He helped me through my first change.” She shrugged her narrow shoulders. “I owe him for that, so I want to help you save him.”

Ash. What Millie had seen—Tyrez’s heart hurt. “We might already be too late.” His voice was so hoarse he barely recognized it.

“It takes a survivor,” she said, “to recognize one. Ash is as strong as they come.”

Tyrez found he couldn’t answer. A voice came out of the darkness. “I can send Aphostra to Dani at the palace,” Cara offered. “She can work with you there.”

Dani stiffened. “I don’t need help. I can manage this on my own.”

Cara’s lips straightened. “Well, the offer stands. Let me know if you want to take me up on it.”

Tyrez barely listened. Perhaps there was a way around his father’s edict.

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