“We should start at Rottbarry Manor,” Serafina answered before I could interject. “That’s where the wendigos captured Speck and the others. From there, we can locate one of their tunnels, find the prisoners, and set them free.”
I tapped my fingers on the table. “A simple plan, except we have no idea how vast the tunnels are or where the captives are held. There might be miles of underground terrain to cover. We could end up running around in circles or lose our way, never to resurface.”
“Hold up.” Drazen waved a hand. “You didn’t say anything about going underground.”
“That’s why I thought an athos would come in handy.” I faced Serafina. “Kronk can manipulate stone and earth.”
“While I bring light to the darkness.” Not one to be left out, Drazen snapped his fingers, setting them ablaze.
Serafina eyed his tiny flame, appearing unimpressed. After all, she’d seen bigger and better.
“We could capture a ghoul, then follow them into the tunnels,” Kronk offered.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bad idea.
“My magic seems to attract them,” Serafina admitted. “Also, I’m pretty sure they’re hunting me. I could help lure them out.”
“What kind of magic?” Drazen arched a brow, studying her with curiosity that made my dragon stir.
“Absolutely not,” I cut in before she could answer.
“Why?” Her auburn brows furrowed.
“You’d be defenseless down there. A liability.”
She let out an indignant squawk. “I most certainly am not defenseless. Ask Alaric.”
“What’s this?” I swiveled to my brother. Had something happened during her training?
At least she appeared hale and hearty, but Alaric… Now that Ilooked closer, there were lines of strain carved into his rugged brow, his scales lackluster and dull. Whereas Sera had healed the injuries he received from the hunters, he still favored his right flank, keeping his wing tight against his chest.
“You would be safer here,” the dragon said to her through our mental link, his response far from the angry snarl I’d expected.
Serafina’s jaw hardened. She answered aloud, “But I’d be more useful in Nefarr. Should I choose to go, you and I both know you can no longer force me to stay.”
Alaric said nothing. He only stared at her, stone-faced. If I weren’t in both of their minds, I’d think they shared some silent understanding. I didn’t appreciate being on the outside of some intimate secret. What the hell had happened while I was gone?
Both Drazen and Kronk must have picked up on the sudden tension, both falling quiet, their gazes pinging between the three of us.
“Is there something the two of you would like to share with me?”I asked, voice loud in the silence.
Shadows shifted behind Alaric’s reptilian eyes. At length, he gave a kingly nod. “Serafina may go.”
My breath stilled in my chest, my muscles tensing.“You can’t be serious.”What was he up to? Why put her life in danger? And against my wishes.
Serafina propped her chin on her palm, looking far too pleased with herself. “You heard him. The king has spoken, Thorne.” She cupped her hand to her mouth, fake whispering to Kronk and Drazen. “Just to catch you up, Alaric agrees that I should go with you.”
I gaped at my brother, not bothering to use our link. “Have you lost your mind? Every time she’s left Pyrrhus, some creature has tried to kill or capture her.”
“Serafina is my ward and under my command. My decision stands.”
My dragon stirred at the possessive tone in his voice. Isnarled through our link, “And it’s my flame that burns inside of her, and I say she stays.”
Icy tension thickened the air between us, the room falling quiet. Alaric’s deadly tail scraped across the floor like a drawn blade. Until now, I’d not mentioned my own claim.
“Told her about the flame, did you?” he growled in my mind. “Did you also tell her the only way to break the bond is through death? I’m surprised at your reluctance to send her into danger. From the moment I brought her here, you desired to be rid of her at any cost.”
At Alaric’s admission, Serafina’s narrow gaze pinned me, heavy enough to bow my head. A dull ache warmed the center of my chest. Her emotion or mine, I couldn’t tell.
