Page 70 of The Dragon Recruit
Sharing responsibilities didn’t make her a failure. If anything, she now had multiple people capable of stepping in and getting the job done.
And so Iris formed a plan with everyone else, and was soon on the way to Glasgow, hoping they would get there before it was too late.
Chapter Twenty-Two
During the drive, they’d learned that Glasgow Central Station had old passageways and platforms beneath it, creating a labyrinth mostly unavailable to the public.
Joseph Doyle had reached out to some of his contacts to ensure the underground tours were cancelled for the day. While unlikely they’d have to explore any areas used by the tour guide, they didn’t want to chance it.
Now, she was walking with her assigned partner to one of the old underground entrances, kept secret from almost everyone in case it was needed during an attack or war. Antony’s department and MI5 were the only ones who knew the location. At least, until today.
She wondered just how many secrets Antony protected. Once she found him—because she would—she’d make sure he promised not to keep any from her.
Max walked next to her—he’d somehow talked the others into allowing him to accompany and hang back with Iris—and asked quietly, “You’re quite sure you’re not claustrophobic?”
She resisted rolling her eyes. “I told you, no.”
“Just making sure. Until my brother is back and well, it’s my job to look after you.”
She glanced at Max, noticing how serious he was. “I appreciate it, but I’m fine, aye? The ride down did wonders, and my ribs are as good as new.”
“You may be physically fine, but there are other ways to hurt.”
“You’re more astute than I thought, aye?”
He winked. “You’re getting to know the real me. Just try not to fall in love with me, because Lavinia won’t like it. She’s quite possessive, and rightly so.”
She huffed a laugh. “I’ll do my best, I promise.”
They reached the address where a secret basement door led to the underground passageways. However, they went to the front door, knocked, and were let inside. Killian O’Shea and Kerry Penrose stood to the side, waiting for them.
Iris didn’t want bodyguards, but they’d agreed working in teams would be best.
The female dragon, Kerry, smiled at Max. “Too bad you’re mated. You’re definitely the better looking brother.”
Iris growled, but Max merely bowed at Kerry. “Alas, I am mated. You’ll just have to resist me.”
Killian grunted. “Enough. If we don’t want to get too far behind, we need to go.”
Each team had been assigned different sections to explore. Iris argued and persuaded everyone that she could look at the areas closest to the entrance. She nudged Max. “Come on, or I might tell Lavinia you’re flirting whilst she’s back home, pregnant and digging in the dirt.”
He narrowed his eyes briefly—so briefly only Iris would notice—before falling back into his easy-going persona. “Tut, tut, we can’t have that, can we? Lavinia is the moon and stars, my empress and queen.”
Killian turned without another word and headed downstairs, followed by Kerry, and then Iris and Max. They arrived at adoor guarded by Nikki Gray-Hartley and Rafe Hartley, a mated dragon-human pair from Stonefire. Nikki was a Protector, and Rafe was human and an army liaison with the dragon-shifters.
It didn’t escape her notice that a human and dragon guard team would have a better chance at surviving some sort of chemical attack.
Although Iris hoped nothing would happen. Nikki was brilliant at her job, and they’d banded together a few times during the intra-clan meetings on Stonefire and Lochguard.
Her dragon spoke up.Nikki knows what she’s doing. And for a human, Rafe is okay.
She mentally snorted.Rafe is more than merely okay, dragon.
Maybe. If you like the muscled, scowling type.
Suppressing a smile at her beast, Iris followed the others through the door and down the stairs, down some more, and yet some more, until they were pretty far below street level. They exited onto an abandoned platform from Victorian times, and Killian motioned for Iris and Max to wait while he and Kerry scouted ahead.
Iris surveyed the space, noting a few old doorways to what must’ve been maintenance rooms, when Kerry’s voice shouted, “Gavin? What are you doing?”
