Fire spilled from Slade’s mouth.I can’t find even the slightest crack in their shielding to take advantage of. It’s got to be the most thorough shielding I’ve ever come across.
Agreed. Even without an extensive knowledge of magic, I was aware that there was always a point of origin with a spell. It was this point you needed to start unraveling the spell.
Jewels has to be behind this, I said, stretching my wings out, which were strong and sure even with our hours of flying today.She’s the only one with enough power for this.
Yes, it’s looking more likely. We need to figure out how they have power hooked up here, hidden beneath the shielding. I have no idea how far we’d have to travel to find that source.
I tilted my long neck to take in the silver glow.My guess would be that city.
Slade took off toward it, and though the sun was long gone, our vision remained clear. He banked toward the city, hovering over the power station on the edge of town.
I wonder if they’re drawing from here, he said, examining it from all angles.
Let’s call Hunter, I suggested.We can investigate while they fly out to us.
Slade’s hesitation was strong, even in dragon form.Just Hunter and Constantine, I think. We can’t remove Emme from the protection of our house, now we know she can be attacked in her dreams.
Will she be safe there without all of us?
Slade didn’t answer immediately, and I was about to ask again, when he finally replied:Okay, I managed to get a message through to Hunter, now that Emme has eased up on blocking us. He agreed that she should stay for now. She has Kellan and Finley, and as an extra, I’ll keep the enforcers around the compound. I really believe we might have the location here, which makes Golden Claw the safer option.
Emme would be pissed with us, but as long as she was safe, I didn’t care.Okay, we bring them out just to check what we’re dealing with before we involve Emme.
Slade rumbled his agreement.We’ll only be gone another day at most, he said.
We need this to be over, I bit out, resigned to my fate for the next twenty-four hours.We need the threat to be eliminated and our mate safe.
Slade’s wing brushed against mine, and it was weirdly comforting.It will end one way or another. We’re closing in. I can feel it.
Part of me knew he was right, while another sensed it wouldn’t be as easy as that.
It never was.
CHAPTER 39
EMME
We were in the middle of dinner when Hunter lurched to his feet and grunted, “Fuck.”
His gaze remained unfocused for about a minute, and then he shook it off.
Dropping my fork into the lasagna, I watched him closely. “What’s wrong?” I asked, searching through my bonds for Slade and Talon, to find them flying around as they’d been most of the day.
Hunter leaned over and grasped my hand, his eyes thankfully stormy without any gold. “The twins might have found something, but it’s being strongly shielded. They want me and Constantine to head for Silver City and help them investigate.”
Constantine, who’d managed to make it to dinner, stumbled to his feet as well. He looked exhausted, as if he was already at the end of his magical strength, but there was no lack of determination to help. “Whatever you all need,” he said, confirming my thoughts.
“We’re coming too, right?” I asked, surging out of my chair.
Kellan snarled as he pushed to stand. “You can’t leave us out, Daddy Alpha.”
“Pack sticks together,” Finley added as he too rose, bear rumbling in his chest.
Hunter sucked in long draws of air, his nostrils flaring with each inhale. “Normally I’d agree, but in light of the magical attack on Emme this morning, we think it’s best if she remains here behind Constantine’s wards. Until we know for sure what we’re up against.”When I opened my mouth to protest, he wrapped his arms around me, bringing our bodies flush together. “The more time you spend out in the world, beyond our protections, the easier you’re making it for Jewels to find you.”
There was literally no rational reason for Jewels to be targeting me above the others. I’d never been her target before; it was always my pack she needed.
“I’m safest with you,” I whispered, my mind rebelling at the thought of more than half my pack out there, beyond Golden Claw’s protection.
