Maybe she was right. Iwasa failure to her. That was all there was to it. I should have onlyscrewed up by not finding Milly. That should have been the only thing I did wrong. Instead, I had compounded my error.
Some mate I was. Always forgetting what was important, what was right in front of me.
At some point during my speech, both women had turned to look at me. Sitting side by side on the rock, same posture, same unhappy look on their faces, it was easy to recognize them as friends, if not sisters. The body language was too identical not to be.
“What’s the holdup?” Anna asked, more curious than angry. “That much money should make it easy. To them, she’s just a clippy. They should be happy to sell her for a higher sum.”
“In theory,” I growled, my dragon and I aching at the distance between us. I needed her calming touch, keeping me grounded and clear of thought. The longer I’d been gone, the worse it had gotten.
The truth was, I was back because I couldn’t stand to be another day away from her. The fog and the pain and the protective fury of my dragon wouldn’t have let me.
“So why not then?” Ella asked, head cocked slightly to the side. Her eyes were sharp and curious.
“The hunters have gone to ground. They aren’t opening up their ranks to anyone. If there’s another market—and I’m sure there isat least one, if not multiple smaller ones—they are keeping it incredibly close to their chests as to where.” I smacked a hand into my fist in frustration. “That’s the problem. If we could find one, if we could get in among them, it would be much easier to track her down.”
“And catch your elite in the act.”
I nodded. “If I can prosecute Bryna, show that the use of the grounded as “wage” slaves is forbidden—”
“Then there will be a sudden influx of freed clippys,” Ella said in understanding. “And you’re hoping one of them is Milly.”
“Wing-Clipped. Grounded. Not that,” I said sternly, catching Ella’s eyes until she nodded at my meaning. “But, yes. Unfortunately, I can’t find the markets anymore. They’re too well hidden.”
“From you.”
Something about the way Anna spoke plunged nails into my spine. Worry pooled like snowy waters in my stomach. My dragon was coiled restlessly, not liking what it was seeing from her or her body language. “What do you mean?”
Ella was looking at her friend now as well, nudging Anna in the shoulder and trying to break her eye contact with the ground.
“Anna. What are you thinking?” she pushed.
“We’re going about this the wrong way,” she said with a tight, unhappy smile.
“We are?” Ella and I exchanged confused looks.
“Yes. You’re trying to infiltrate the market as a buyer.”
“I suppose that’s one way to look at it, yes.”
She finally met my eyes, and what I saw there made me shake my head. My dragon flattened its wings against its body. “Whatever you’re going to say, the answer is no.”
She sighed wistfully.
Ella jerked, comprehension dawning. “Anna, no …”
“What?” I asked, stepping forward worriedly. My dragon roared, her wings spreading. It couldn’t sense the problem, but it was ready for a fight, ready to protect its mate at any cost. “What is she suggesting?”
Anna and Ella shared a look, and then Ella spoke for her. “That if you can’t get in as a buyer, you need to get in as merchandise.”
As merchandise. But that would mean—
“No!” I howled, my dragon surging forward and pushing me to the edge. The world glowed bright silver as the monster sought to break free, to coil around its mate and shield her protectively from everything. Including herself.
Ice spread out from my feet in a slow oblong circle shape as my anger leaked through. Blades of mountain grass and stones alike were covered in a pure white sheet two feet across. Then three.Then ten.
“Caz,” Anna warned as the frozen tundra approached their rock.
I was losing control.
