He was determined to get his wings back, but if he didn’t, he’d survive it. Because he had her.
Sucking in a deep breath, he said, “I was pumped full of black market suppressants and had my wings electrified to stop me from escaping. The nerves are shot.”
Theodore’s dark brows drew together with concern. “What did your healers say?”
Not wanting to get into the gritty details, he answered, “They’re concerned but cautiously optimistic.”
“You need to talk to my wife,” Theodore insisted.
“She has enough on her plate.” Taevas cast the elf a look. “Didn’t her grandmother get shot? And I heard her cousin is still missing.”
Theodore pursed his lips. “Sophie’s fine. Physically, anyway. And right now, Sergei is the only real lead we have on Ruby. If you can get him to talk, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you.” He paused. The scent of ozone and copper filled the air as his eyes went distant. After a handful of seconds, the elf added with a rueful twist of his lips, “My wife would like me to inform you that she considers it her duty to heal you whether or not you help us find Ruby.”
Taevas tried not to show his surprise. There were rumors that the pair shared a telepathic bond, and after spending time with them he’d been nearly certain, but Theodore had never confirmed it. What was shared between mates was sacred and private. To hear him so casually share it now was a show of trust Taevas didn’t expect and never would’ve asked for.
Touched, he looked away from the young elf and cleared his throat. “I’ll do what I can regardless. But if… if you could, I would appreciate it if you encouraged Margot to keep in contact with my Shiya. She’ll need a friend who understands what it’s like to live the lives we do.”
“Of course.” Theodore nodded toward the window. His chin lifted. “Now go get our answers.”
Clapping Theodore’s shoulder, Taevas stepped back and opened the door.
Sergei didn’t look up as he entered the room. He didn’t appear to notice or care when the door shut behind Taevas. The dragon sat with his hands cuffed behind his back, his wide shoulders slumped and wings held rigidly. His ankles were shackled too, but he didn’t appear particularly threatening with or without them.
The cocky dragon who’d thought to kidnap an Isand and claimhisAlashiya was no more. Left in his place was a dirty, injured man in chains.
Their fight had certainly done a number on Sergei, but as Taevas sat down in the metal chair opposite him, he couldn’t help but think that Alashiya was responsible for his worst injuries. Ontop of his bruises and slashes from Taevas’s claws, it was obvious where the grille of the SUV had split his cheek and cracked a horn — which was probably only a hint of the extent of the damage done to the rest of him.
The shotgun blast had hit the other side of him. Alashiya clearly hadn’t aimed for him directly, but it caught his upper shoulder, arm, and the corner of his jaw. A large swath of small, painful wounds had crusted over, clearly untreated.
It’d obviously been a rough couple days for the guy.
Taevas sat back in his chair. His tail swung in deceptively lazy circles to his left, the tip curling and uncurling reflexively. He couldn’t say he felt particularly sympathetic.
“It was damn stupid to try and cross into the EVP. You’re lucky the elves didn’t kill you.”
Sergei snorted. Still glaring at the tabletop, he rasped, “Like you aren’t?”
Thinking of his wings, his weeks of delirious captivity, and the grief and pain his people had gone through, Taevas replied, “I haven’t decided yet.”
Sergei rolled his injured shoulders but said nothing for a long time. When he did speak, his tone hardened. “What happened to the nymph?”
“Don’t talk about her,” Taevas snapped, tail rattling.
“I just want to know if she’s all right.”
Keeping his cool wasn’t normally an issue, but when Sergei spoke about Alashiya, his calm disintegrated. “You don’t get to know that. She’s not yours. You led Monty to her fuckingnest,you piece of shit.”
Sergei shook his head. Scowl grooving lines on his bruised face, he protested, “He knew her land. I needed his help to find you. Once I had you, I was going to take care of him. I told her I would. I don’t tolerate men who bully women.”
“And you think she would’ve willingly gone with you after you invaded her land and kidnapped me?” Taevasscoffed. “I didn’t think you were particularly smart, Sergei, but that is really fucking stupid.”
“Allof this was really fucking stupid,” Sergei snapped. Finally looking up from the table, he fixed a bloodshot glare on Taevas and curled his upper lip over his fangs. “None of this was my idea! None of this was whatIwanted! But I thought,why not?Why not take the one good thing I could get out of it? I could take her out of that shit hole and protect her and be a good mate. Icould.”
The heat of territorial rage burned in his chest, but Taevas was the one Alashiya Chose. He was the one who’d been welcomed into her ancient family.Hewas the one with the queen in his nest.
Sergei was just the big prick in handcuffs.
Speaking in a carefully measured voice, he asked, “Whose idea was it if not yours?”
