My words met silence; however, before it could stretch, Lark pulled out a forest-green scrawl. “They’re wealthy. Stockpiles for winter. Trade contacts too, but we don’t have the manpower to hold their land.”
As much as I wanted to help them out of the kindness of my heart, power made the world go round. “We’ll have to leave it for a different family.” I looked right at Abernathy. “One of our allies who trusts us regardless of our mentalist actions.”
Abernathy narrowed his eyes but nodded once.
‘Summon Cayden. He needs to be here for this,’I said to Ezra.
My lover stepped into my shadow and vanished.
Morgen narrowed her eyes. “If they don’t want our help, are we going to force the issue? It’s what you did with Professor Holiday.”
And what made my monster so uncomfortable was now on the table.
“I did nothing to Professor Holiday.” I splayed my hands, demonstrating my innocence. “In fact, I had no control over that situation, as my screaming at Quinn to get away from him should have made painfully obvious.”
Morgen stiffened. “Quinn unraveled him with a touch.” Her voice cracked. “She could unravel any of us.”
“I don’t think she can.” I pressed my hand to my chest. “She’s used her Majekah on others, and they’ve not turned into dragons.”
“Others like Professor Holiday?” Morgen asked.
Ezra’s five stood frozen, watching.
“Is there anyone truly like Professor Holiday?” I asked. “She was drawn to him. Instead of fearing her, give her room to learn.”
“I fear no one,” Morgen snapped.
I didn’t believe that for a moment. “Quinn’s still unclaimed, and I will have her in my family. Don’t test me, Morgen. Not on this.”
The pink-haired monster narrowed her eyes, the air between us sharp as a blade. For a heartbeat, I swore her hair was already splitting into branches, her fingers curling into gnarled claws. The tension cracked only when a new sound bled through: the unmistakable voice of Quinn.
Morgen hissed and scurried across the room, and unease prickled down my spine. I’d seen her slaughter hundreds in the name of survival, striking down threats before they could act. Peace had held for seven years, but only because no one in my family had crossed her. I couldn’t afford to be the first.
Men lowered their hands from their weapons. A few wiped cold sweat from their brows. Completely unaware of the tension, Ezra rejoined us with Quinn and Cayden following behind.
Quinn’s eyes lit when she saw me, then dimmed. I ached to pull her close. “Feeling better?”
Quinn nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
She shuffled as if suddenly unsure of herself, but there was nothing I could do to fix it. Jeans, a faded green hoodie, hair in a high ponytail with streaks of crystal in the red—ordinary and otherworldly all at once, and more beautiful for it. I didn’t ever want to look away from her.
A tiny roar split the room. A dark blur slammed into my hip. Pain radiated, and I grunted, gripping the table to stay standing.
Two of Ezra’s five rushed forward to defend me, a little late.
“No, bad dragon!” Quinn, trying to hold back a laugh, jumped forward and grabbed the thing by its tail. The tip of its horn pulled out of my hip with a squelch. Blood soaked my tunic.
“Oh my God.” Quinn let go of the dragon and rushed forward. She placed her hand just above the puncture. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I mean, it’s been harmless.”
My head swam from her proximity, and it took me a moment to retrieve my tongue. “It’s fine. It’s only a flesh wound.”
Quinn pursed her lips and looked at me. “You wouldn’t know that’s from Monty Python. It’s not bad?”
Ezra looked at me with concern, and I suddenly realized every eye in the room anxiously waited for my answer. Quinn’s dragon hadn’t just stabbed me; he’d stabbed the Architect, and without me, my family would fall apart.
Quinn untucked my tunic, oblivious to the eyes on us. “I mean, do you need a medic? It’s bleeding a lot.”
Heat flushed my face. The wound throbbed with pain I refused to admit. Ezra’s usual stoic expression fought to hide a laugh. I reached for her hand and brought it to my lips. “I am a medic. Thank you.”
