The dullahans looked to each other in silence, smiles frozen on their grotesque faces. Then finally, Mal spoke.
“Perhaps we have been rash.”
“Seriously?” Conri huffed. “Rash, he says.”
“You will have to face the Council for your crimes,” I said gently. “But it would go a long way in your favor if you would release your prisoners and come to the High Council of your own free will.”
“I think I have a better idea,” Mal shared a secret look with his fellow dullahans. “We'll hold onto our guests until the Councils issue a pardon to all dullahans.”
“What?” I gaped as Raza growled.
“Harm us, Lord Raza, and your son will be killed,” Mal's voice was regretful. “If we don't report back to the others, they'll know that we are compromised and they will kill all of the prisoners.”
“Now you shall die slowly,” Raza rumbled.
“The dullahan speaks the truth,” Alex confirmed.
“Do you really want to risk your son?” Mal shot back. “Get us a pardon and all of the prisoners will be released; alive and well. We'll give you a week to speak to the Councils on our behalf and scry us with their decisions. After that, I can't guarantee the safety of our guests.”
“You're blackmailing both Councils?” I asked in shock. “Taking hostages like bank robbers?”
“I'll do whatever I have to do to ensure my people's safety,” Mal sighed. “And I don't believe the Councils will pardon us any other way.”
“I know where Dathadair is,” Raza growled. “You're making a very poor decision.”
“The Coven will find you, wherever you hide, and we will destroy you!” Wasutke added her shout to Raza's. “You cannot hold my people hostage without paying a price.”
“Come anywhere near our village and your son shall be the first to die, Lord Raza,” Mal declared. “Followed shortly by one of your witches,” he sneered at Wasutke and then waved to his men. They disappeared into the forest as Raza roared.
Chapter Forty-Five
Fire shot out in curling streams of citrine and diamond to blast the trees in front of me down to cinders. My body started to shake as Raza literally lost his cool. I wasn't sure if I could talk him down this time but luckily, I didn't have to. He regained control himself; shifting back to man form and dropping to his knees to wail as he pounded the earth with his fists.
Everyone just gaped as the monster became simply a father, tormented by the possibility of his child's death. I rushed over and laid my hand to his bent head as I knelt beside him. He didn't look at me, just lowered his wings around us and used them to pull me in closer. I slid my hand across his shoulders and just held him as he breathed hard, trying to get his emotions under control.
Finally, he sighed and looked up at me. We didn't say anything, just stared at each other. He knew what I would have said, I saw that in his eyes, so I knew that I didn't have to say it. We would get them back, at any price. Neither of us would stop until all of those people were safe again. I wiped the tears from his face swiftly and smoothed his hair back into place before nodding curtly.
He squared his shoulders, stood, and took a deep breath, then held his hand down to me. I took it and let him help me stand. Then I gave him a little grin and waved at his nudity. He shrugged and folded his wings so that the tips angled in front of his most personal parts.
“Does anyone have an extra pair of pants?” I called back to the others before I smirked at Raza. “Why do you keep getting naked?”
“Why do you keep trying to clothe me?” He shot back.
“Because you're much less intimidating when you have clothes on,” I shook my head and walked the few steps back to where everyone had gathered.
Tiernan pulled me off to the side,“I understand, I do. But if I have to watch you comfort that dragon one more time, I just may end up smashing my fist into his forlorn face.”
“Noted,” I nodded with a smile.
“So what now?” Sarah asked everyone in general. “Do you think your Councils will issue the pardons?”
“I don't know,” I sighed. “They may, in light of the lives it would save.”
“Or they may decide they don't want to negotiate with terrorists,” Councilman Teagan added.
“They're not going to help us,” Wasutke scoffed. “We're on our own.”
“If we attack them, we put my son at risk,” Raza joined us and accepted a pair of pants from Ainsley. “Thank you,” he nodded to my knight.
