Page 50 of Phoenix Burn

His eyes widened. “Hey,” he greeted.

“Sorry to bother you, but is Ryan back from Eras?” I asked. “We have a question for him.”

“Yeah, he’s in the shower. Should be out in a sec. C’mon in.”

Kitani was sitting in the living room with a twin on each hip, both fast asleep. They were clothed, which was a rarity for children that spent a lot of time as beast cubs. Little fuzzy pajamas with action figures on them.

Their mother’s eyes glowed with more than just her beast as she looked at me—they glimmered with tears. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you, Anna.” Her arms tightened around the twins. “Thank you. For this.”

“It was mostly Sebastian,” I said with an embarrassed shrug. “I was just the backup crew.” But her gratitude warmed something within me.

Cody was in the kitchen, pulling mugs out of cupboards. He paced back and forth unproductively before he paused, and I realized he was still wound so tight he wasn’t thinking straight.

He caught me staring. “Coffee, tea, or beer?”

Matt sighed as he plunked down on a chair. “Beer, mate. Always beer.”

The Sabre ghosted a smile and opened the fridge door. “Man after my own heart.”

“I’m good, thanks,” I said, taking the other single chair.

Cody emerged from the kitchen with four beers dangling from his long fingers. He dropped one into Matt’s waiting hand, then popped the cap off one with a claw, before setting it down beside Kitani. Plunked one on the coffee table, and then opened the final one and took a long swig.

“Hey. Thought I heard voices.” Ryan emerged from the hall in what I had come to interpret as the classic shifter gear—sweatpants and a tee, although his weren’t the academy’s black. His damp auburn hair had been neatly combed back from his handsome face.

True to his calling, his gaze immediately fell on what Matt had set down beside him. “Where did you get that?”

“That’s why we’re here,” I said, as Matt raised the sword and handed it to Ryan. “It belonged to Talakai.”

The way the Sabre took it from him spoke volumes—he handled it as though it were made of glass, running his hands over the ancient scabbard.

“If I’m right, I’ve only ever seen one of these,” he said reverently. He drew it from the scabbard and swallowed, running his fingers along the etchings. “Every owner is inscribed onto the blade. This sword—you said he left it behind?” His voice had risen at least a full octave.

Matt shot me a look before answering. “It has a long knife with it.”

“The set is intact?” Ryan’s eyes were like saucers. “Do you know what they are worth?”

Cody rolled his eyes. “I swear, weapons are better than sex for you, dude. Why don’t you tell us?”

Ryan shook his head. “I don’t actually know. To my knowledge, these swords aren’t ever sold. They are gifted, usually from master to apprentice when the time is right.”

I swallowed. “Are you saying Talakai was given this sword?”

“He said weapons were his job,” Matt hedged.

Cody cleared his throat. “He came into the academy as an underworld weapons dealer, but we have reason to believe he was Guild.”

My throat closed, but I managed, “Sebastian told us that much. Do you think he was still a slave?”

“Not anymore,” Cody stated. “According to our intel, he’s a free agent now. But an underworld Dragona has a contract out on him.”

“Grabbing the girls could have bought him out of it,” Kitani said through clenched teeth.

My mind spun. There it was again—the perfect motive for him being involved in this. “He wasn’t there,” I said weakly, my heart feeling as though it were tearing in two.

“He set it all up, took his cut, and buggered off.” Cody’s tone indicated he’d already written Talakai off.

A spark of outrage galvanized me. “Has anyone asked Aaron?” I queried. “He should know if Talakai was involved. Is he here, or did the Dragons take him too?”

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