Page 96 of Dragon Fight

“The prince told me to mention the code word.” The general’s air of mild confusion disappeared, and he went still and silent. “Felix?”

“Bloody hell…” He shook his head slowly, then stood to the side. “You better come in.” The moment the door was closed, the general poured a shot of whiskey for each of us, then commenced pacing back and forth. “It’s Raina, isn’t it? She’s the one behind this.”

“To ensure the prince’s compliance,” Brom confirmed. “In the absence of having access to Pippin at the keep, she needed something else. Those lads are just a means to ensure he would do as she bade him. But there’s more.”

“Of course there fucking is.” The general shot me a rueful look. “My apologies—”

I held up a hand. “No need. It's the only word fitting for this situation. I can tell you exactly where they are in the garrison and what state the boys are in, but you’ll need to move very fast. The garrison commander will be sure to have sent word to the queen and I have no doubt she’ll move them again if we don’t act now.”

A quill, ink and paper were set before me on the desk. I sat and scribbled down my best mud map of the place, my hand flying across the page.

“Stay here,” the general instructed. “Don’t wander off or return to your quarters until we get back. You’ll need to stay out of sight so no one connects you with this mission. Raina may guess at it. But without concrete proof? It’ll make her less likely to move on you.”

“Of course, sir,” Brom said, rising to his feet as the man exited the room.

56

Once the door was closed, my husband came to sit down beside me, taking my hand in his and stroking his thumb across my knuckles.

“It seems a ridiculous thing to discuss, but…” Brom’s breath came out in a long hiss, and I knew he heard the echo of Draven’s order, just like I did.

Come to me.

Autocratic as always, ignoring everything that had gone on since we’d last been with each other. His disappearance, the presence of Beatrice at his side, his pretence that nothing that had happened in Dragon Home was real, it was all swept to one side in the face of his demand.

And we were going to accede to it, I knew it.

Because when I looked at Brom’s face, I saw a twin to my own expression. Desire and need stifled, tamped down until the other person had said their piece, until they gave their permission. I smiled.

“You’d say no to him forever if that’s what I asked, wouldn’t you?” I said.

“Always.” He grabbed my hands with his, pulling me closer. “You are my wife, my love, my first priority.”

“But he’s your love too.” I rubbed my thumb across his skin.

“And yours?” Brom’s question was a careful one and I laughed in response.

“I wouldn’t say that. What we have is…” I shook my head. “Beyond explanation and not in the sense of the word in any lovely, poetic way. Just… He’s like a damn bull at a gate, demolishing all of your objections.”

“Gods, yes.” The sight of Brom’s smile lightened something inside me. “Though there is something real behind it. He doesn’t let those barriers down for just anyone. If he lets you in under his skin, you’re there forever.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Whether you want to be or not.”

“So…”

My mind revisited the image of Marcus and his lad kissing. The act between them had a kind of ferocity that women couldn’t match, the two of them almost like equals wrestling for control and I wondered if that’s what it would be like with Brom and Draven. Would they…? My mind seemed to stutter at the possibilities, but even as I tried to piece my thoughts together, Glimmer jumped up on the desk.

Put the egg here, she said, tapping the desktop with her claws.

What?

They’re leaving now. Give me the egg so I can follow them.

But how…?I didn’t finish the question, plucking the egg from my pocket and placing it before her. We all watched it as it began to glow.What are you doing?

Seeing what they see, what their dragons see.

At her reply I felt it too, and I drew in a breath as the office fell away, replaced by the whipping winds of the night sky. The number of them pleased me, the jewel tones of the dragons muted in the dim light, but I could see blues, reds, greens and orange, even deep purples like Wraith, in the air. They flew in a loose formation, discipline fraying a little at the desperate state of the mission. When they landed in what felt like moments later, the garrison was in an uproar.

Soldiers ran everywhere as dragons landed within the gates, on the training grounds around the building proper. Some dragons made a beeline to the place I’d marked out on the map. My heart felt like it jumped into my throat when soldiers came running out with flintlocks raised, ready to shoot.

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