Page 41 of Marked Dragon

There was only one thing I could do.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

Trusting my gut,I forced my legs forward. My dragon roared as my chest clenched since I wasn’t standing beside my mate, fighting, but I had to get my sister to safety first.

My lungs burned. I thought to my dragon,I’m coming back to him. But what do you think will happen if I try to help and become an easy target because I’m holding my sister? The dragons know we’re mates. They’ll use me against him. I’m protecting him better this way.

Some rage ebbed, so I continued toward the SUV.I’m not happy about this, either.

Just like when I’d handed myself over to Drake, my dragon begrudgingly relented. She was all about protecting Thorn too, but her instinct was more animalistic. She wanted to fight everyone that threatened him.

I connected with Thorn,I’ll be right back. I’m just going to put my sister in whatever getaway vehicle King Arman arranged for us.

Stay safe,Thorn replied.The three of us can handle them, and I can focus better if you’re not in danger, especially after being apart for so long.

My heart panged. He hadn’t meant to hurt me, but we’d been apart because I’d been foolish enough to trust Drake. Granted, I wasn’t sure what would’ve happened if I hadn’t snuck away. For all I knew, things could have been worse, but they might have been better.

At least I’d learned we couldn’t trust Drake, even when it came to dragon law. He’d confirmed that he thought himself above it, by word and deed, and he’d intended to keep or kill all five of us despite what he’d promised.

Saphira reached Brenton and shoved him in the chest.

His emerald eyes widened as he stumbled back, and the sun reflected off his dark brown complected head. He straightened, rubbing his hand through his black goatee. “Clearly, you haven’t been informed who the getaway driver is.”

She laughed bitterly as her irises darkened. “Like I’d ever trustyouagain.”

“Saphy, he’s telling the truth,” Errol murmured. “The king asked him to wait for us here. In the tunnels, you even mentioned needing to protect him and Tyson, and this is why I said not to worry about it.”

The sounds of dragons roaring and swooping filled the air, adding to the tension. I didn’t care that Brenton had betrayed us, because Thorn could take his dragon if he led us back into danger.

“I didn’t mean to betray you that night.” Brenton tensed. “I was followed, and I only became aware of it a few minutes before you three showed up. You arrived just as they got into position. I had no way to tell you.”

I reached the SUV, a black Nissan Pathfinder. Someone was in the passenger seat, but the windows were dark enough that I couldn’t make out their face. “Who’s in the car?”

“What?” Saphira gasped and rushed to the driver’s side window. “You brought Tyson into this?”

“Like I said”—Brenton’s nostrils flared—“we’re going with you. We aren’t coming back.”

I’d have been more worried if Tyson hadn’t been in the vehicle. That would mean Brenton did plan to come back. “If we take their phones, any electronics, and switch cars at the first opportunity, we can ensure they don’t contact Drake.” I nodded to the empty road. “Unless you can make another car appear out of thin air?”

Saphira fisted her hands as Errol placed a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Brenton is telling the truth. Drake overheard my conversation with him and was suspicious. He assigned guards to watch him, and I couldn’t warn him because Drake forced me to stay with him.”

Her face was lined with worry, but I didn’t have time to stand here while their drama unfolded. I adjusted Eva in my arms and opened the back driver’s side door. I gently placed Eva in the seat and spun back around in time to see Cassidy fire the first shot.

The navy dragon that had been attacking her flew back, but I didn’t see the bullet pierce its skin. There was no blood or injury, as if the bullet had bounced off its scales, making it flinch back.

Thorn’s hands glowed as he held a hunter-green dragon’s lower jaw, forcing its head up. The dragon’s mouth was open, trying to bite Thorn, but its body was shrinking.

Our bond sizzled like before when he’d taken the dragons of the warriors at the wedding. It was different from our fated-mate jolt, and I guessed I was sensing his magic.

To my mate’s left, Vlad held both a gun and a knife. He slashed at the talons of the lemon-yellow dragon trying to lift him.

Though things appeared under control, that could change in a moment. “Saphira, please keep an eye on my sister.” I took off running toward my mate and his parents.

“Yeah, sure,” Saphira deadpanned. “Not that you gave me a choice.”

Under normal circumstances, I’d have grinned, but not when my mate was being attacked.

I had to get to him.

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