He gives me a sympathetic look. “The wolves are amassing. The Red Growlers, the pack that’s closest to the Dark Dragon, are preparing for war. Zyrian’s calling in allegiances from the foxes, the bears, the wolves, even other dragons.”
The shifters don’t concern me. The dragons, on the other hand, are far more troubling. We are solitary creatures, and we don’t tend to form alliances. Especially not with Zyrian. The memory of the dark days after the curse is still fresh in our minds.
“Four young dragons flew to Alaska last week,” he replies. “They’re from lesser families. Stupid fools. Just because their families weren’t targeted in Zyrian’s purge doesn’t mean they’re safe.”
Last week. When we were busy searching for a way to block Zyrian’s access to Aria’s mind. Damn it. The Dark Dragon has been active on many fronts. Unlike me, whose only focus is to protect Aria.
I’m glad I came to see the Helferich Alpha. Tomas is back in New York, protecting Silas Archer, but I need to get him to investigate this.
“What is he offering them?”
“What do dragons care about more than anything else? Power, of course. He’s told them he’s remaking the Council of Thirteen, and he’s offering their families a seat at the table.”
“Zyrian will never form a council,” I reply flatly. “He doesn’t share his power. They’re even stupider than I would have thought. I need names, if you can tell me who they are without endangering your agents?”
“I’ve pulled them out,” he replies. “Things are too unstable right now.” He smiles ruefully. “Wouldn’t it be something if we could fight the way the Norms do? Avoid the battlefield entirely and drop bombs from the air?”
If only things were that easy. Maintaining a shield is elemental magic. You don’t even need to be a mage to do it. I haven’t been to Castle Jaeger in twenty years, yet the shield I took over when I came of age still stands, as strong as it was on the day I created it. It doesn’t work on people, but it definitely blocks mindless and magic-free Norm objects like bombs and bullets.
To kill Zyrian, we need to storm his castle, and it sounds like the mage is shoring up his defenses.
“Aria’s safe,” I reply. “For the moment, that’s all that matters.”
He sighs heavily. “I hope you’re right, Bastian.”
He looks every inch of his eighty-odd years. I feel for the Alpha. Whether we like it or not, Zyrian is preparing for a fight, and Pack Helfrich, as my allies, are bound to get caught up in it.
I get to my feet. “Thank you, Derther. For everything.”
He rises too. “You’ve shouldered the responsibility for the curse alone and unaided, but all of us have a stake in this. Pack Helfrich and House Jaeger have been allies for centuries, my Lord. But more than that, I consider us friends. We are ready to fight, Bastian. If you call for aid, Pack Helferich will answer.”
6
Aria
Rhys finds me in the study at six in the evening, reading a book on my phone. “Change of plans,” he says. “I was going to take you into the city for dinner, but Bastian wants to talk to us.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m sure everything’s fine,” he assures me. “Bastian went to see the Pack Alpha. I assume he wants to tell us what he learned.” He grins cheerfully. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll stay in for dinner and go out afterward.”
I tilt my head to one side and look at him. “You’re being very mysterious. What do you have planned?”
His smile widens. “If I tell you,” he says with a wink, “It’ll ruin the surprise.”
My lips twitch. “You’re just quoting me.”
“It seems so apt, don’t you think?” He sits next to me and leans against my shoulder. “Did you enjoy your magic lessons?” he teases. “It certainly sounded like it.”
My face flames. The dragons seem perfectly unperturbed by the fact that I’m making out with all of them—except Erik—but I’m much less casual about it. “Tell me something,” I ask Rhys. “Does it bother you that I have five mates?”
“No, love. I’m very good at sharing my toys.”
I punch his bicep. Hard. “If I were you,” I advise him, “I’d rephrase that sentence.”
He winces. “Sorry love,” he says immediately. “That came out wrong. You’re definitely not a toy. You know that, don’t you?”
I pause and let him sweat for a few seconds, biting back my smirk. Of course I know Rhys doesn’t think of me as a possession. If I had the slightest doubt about something as important as that, I wouldn’t be here, curse or no curse. I take pity on him when his expression turns concerned. “I’m just messing with you.”
“Is that so?” His eyes gleam with wicked amusement. “Tell me something, Aria. Are you ticklish?”
I shoot to my feet. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
Mateo walks into the room at that moment and catches the last bit of our exchange. “What wouldn’t Rhys dare to do?” he asks.
“I was just asking Aria if she was ticklish,” Rhys replies. “From her reaction, I’m guessing that’s a yes. Next time she isn’t cooperating in a magic lesson, maybe we could use it for a little motivation.”
They are ganging up on me now? I am so screwed.
Mateo chuckles. “That’s a good idea. Aria does a lot better with creative teaching methods.”
I glare at the two of them. “You know you guys are assholes, right?”
They both laugh at my expression. I’m wondering if I can manipulate the threads of magic surrounding Mateo without him noticing when Bastian walks into the room. Erik and Casius are right behind him. “Sorry about your date,” he says apologetically to Rhys and me. “But Derther Roth had some news that I thought you should all hear.”
He fills us in on the conversation. “So Zyrian’s bracing for war?” Casius asks. “Why now? We’ve never been able to storm his castle before.”
Erik looks grim. “Maybe he thinks that we’ll try harder. Now that we have Aria.”
I give them an inquiring look. “Does Zyrian know about the prophecy?” The moment I ask the question, I realize the answer. So you are the mate, Zyrian had said to me back in New York. Of course he does.
Mateo nods soberly.
Okay then.
“We’re not going to attack,” Bastian says firmly. “Not until we’re better prepared. I’m not planning on fighting a war that I can’t win.”
“I always thought the BloodGift was a rumor too,” Casius says thoughtfully. “It’s never been mentioned in any of the scrolls or manuscripts I’ve read.”
Erik frowns. “You can’t write it down,” he says, as if everyone should know that. “There’s a gaes on it.”
Bastian runs his hands through his hair, looking frustrated. “Derther asked us if we ever talked to each other. Damn it. I never knew that. Why didn’t you tell us?”
Erik doesn’t reply.
Because thinking of Zyrian reminds Erik of his mate, I realize. It brings him back to a time when she was in his life.
We’re all under a lot of stress. I don’t want to think too much about Erik’s loss, and I don’t want the dragons to get into an argument. I cut in before they can start squabbling. “So if you bleed on the Bloodstone, it’ll absorb it?”
“It used to,” Erik replies tightly. “Not anymore. Mateo, you have the gem?”
Mateo hands it to Erik, who sets it on the coffee table. The golden dragon is back in position again, hugging the stone tight, hiding the chip in the ruby. “Watch,” he says. He stares at his right hand, and his nails grow into talons. Holy crap that’s both scary and awesome. Then, with a casual gesture, he slashes his left palm.
“What the…” I bite back my instinctive shout and glare at Erik. “Next time, warn me, will you?”
His lips lift in a smile. “It’s just a scratch, princess.” He holds his hand over the ruby. Blood wells from his cut and falls on the gemstone, but as Erik had predicted, nothing happens.
Or…?
There’s a pressure in my head. I can feel the Bloodstone strain to soak in Erik’s blood, but something’s stopping it. There’s a barrier around it, and it won’t be penetrated.
Not yet, something inside me whispers. The time has not yet come.
“See?” Erik says quietly.