That makes me smile. I’ve done a good job of hiding my trail, which is why I’ve been able to gain as many items as I have. Besides, I never wanted my antics making it back to my parents or Lord’s clutch. Bad enough they had to save my ass once, though I suppose that worked out for Valentino.
“I’m no threat to you, Rune. I’m just a dragon living my life.”
“Except for the part where you hunted me down and tried to attack me.”
“I was never planning to attack you. I only wanted something you have. That’s not so bad, is it?”
“But why that amulet? How do you even know of its existence? It’s not talked or written about. There are no pictures of it. You had to have special knowledge to know about it.”
Shrugging, I tear off a piece of croissant. “I run in some pretty exclusive circles.”
His expression hardens. “I won’t give it to you.”
“Then I’ll have to take it.”
“You could tell me what you want with it. Then maybe I’d help.”
“You won’t.”Trust me on that.
“Fine.” He gets to his feet. “I have all the time in the world to wait you out. The sooner you tell me the truth, the sooner I’ll consider your release. You got yourself into this situation.”
“Story of my life,” I mutter, chewing my pastry.
“Hmm. Just so you know, your colleagues will never break my magic.”
The warm, vibrating pulse inside me gives me confidence that they will. “We’ll see about that, Rune. Maybe you’ve met your match.”
“Doubtful.”
“We found you, didn’t we? It wasn’t even that hard. All we had to do was find Alenor.”
His eyes narrow. “Yes, well, I’ve paid many times for my association with him, but this is different. This is mine. Not even those who share blood with me can break this magic. Your friends are no match.”
I would be worried if it weren’t for the tendril of insecurity weaving through his words. My dragon’s never really been keen on picking up on body language except when it comes to getting some shiny thing we want, but that doesn’t mean he can’t. He’s calm, almost smug in the knowledge that Drax will move mountains to get to me.
Where would I be if I hadn’t put his mating ring on? I rub it, sending a flood of appreciation to Drax, smiling when I feel it returned. He’s still there. Still working on finding me. He’s going to save me, and for that, I’ll owe him.
“Believe what you want, Rune, but I will leave this place, and I’ll take the amulet with me. Maybe you’re the evil one.”
He chuckles, tossing his shaggy hair back. “I always heard you dragons were an arrogant bunch. Enjoy your delusion. I’ll be back later.”
He snaps and he’s gone, leaving me with my new Roman backdrop. I can almost feel the sun on my skin. So yeah, he’s a powerful one.
All I can do now is hope Drax has a plan that works.
SEVENTEEN
DRAX
Beingable to feel Mac through the bond while I lie in bed without him is worse torture than anything I could ever have dreamed up. He’s sleeping. Over the last few days, I’ve grown more in-tune with each different sensation and tug at our bond, and this one is familiar. I stroke a mental finger along the tether of our bond and get a longing shiver in response before he lapses back into the peaceful, quiet rhythm of sleep.
I’m glad he’s comfortable and safe enough to slumber. As far as I can tell, Rune hasn’t done him any harm, aside from keeping him prisoner. That’s good news for Rune. If there’s a single hair on Mac’s head out of place, even one scale on his body, I’ll tear the mage limb from limb. I don’t care who his family are or how powerful his magic is, if my mate is harmed in any way, I will make Rune suffer.
All the pent-up frustration from days of feeling helpless pulses in my gut, and I sit up with a growl in my throat. How can I lie here in bed without my mate? I need him like fire needs oxygen—a necessity for my survival. I rub my chest and force down the urge to howl at the indignity of not having Mac here with me, then I throw back my covers and get out of bed. Ihaven’t slept for days, and I don’t want to until Mac is in my bed next to me.
The halls are oppressively silent, making every click of my claws against the floors echo as I pace. We have a trade to offer Rune, but what we haven’t worked out yet is how to get to the mage to even make the offer. It’s not like we have his phone number to give him a quick call. Roman suggested “sliding into his DMs,” but I’m fairly sure he was joking since he laughed himself to tears when I asked which part of Rune was his DMs.
I round the corner and catch the flicker of candlelight coming from the library. Is someone else awake? I slink down the hallway and peek into the library. Atlas’s massive shoulders are hunched as he leans over the table, clearly absorbed in whatever he’s reading.
