“We do,” Kingston continued. “We need to intimidate him, overwhelm him with the unexpected.”
“Get him off his game. Got it.”
“Except Braxton is far more than he will ever be,” I reminded everyone. “His Dragon powers are unlike anything Raithian has ever seen.”
“And that is how we bring the fear of the Gods on him.” Imogen’s eyebrows wiggled with excitement, letting me know she was relishing this. “When he runs, and hewillrun, you have him.”
“Hmmm.” Braxton glanced towards the Dragoon crown impaled into the dresser. “I think I have an idea.” He walked towards it, causing all of us to tense.
“No, Baby. Please,” I begged, holding his arm to stop him.
“You cannot wield that again. It might kill you,” Kingston protested.
To our surprise, Braxton grinned. “Right. But Raithian doesn’t know that.”
* * *
“Hello, loves,” Skylar greeted with a warm smile the moment we entered her forge.
Curiously enough, she was not working at the furnace, but sitting at her desk with Thea, her newest found sister, while the other women forged what looked like new weapons. They were always searching for new ways to perfect their craft.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of my queen and king’s visit today?” she asked, standing, and coming to our side to hug us.
Thea followed, bowing her head to me with a smile before warmly greeting Braxton and her friends.
“We need your help, Skylar,” Braxton began, “we have a very important project, and you are the only one who can make it happen.”
Her eyes widened with enthusiasm, and a sliver of amusement. “Ooh, that sounds exciting. Is it a secret project too? I love secret projects.”
Exchanging a glance with me, he nodded. “Very.”
“Done! You need not say more. I’m your gal. Except, that is going to cost you.”
“Skylar…”
“Larie…” both Kingston and Asher chided, standing next to Brax, but she dismissed them with a wave.
“Do not interfere. This is between the Dragon Master and me.”
“Sure, what can I do for you?” Braxton asked, both amused and a bit confused, like we all were.
A mischievous smile tilted her lips, and she leaned over the counter, motioning with a single finger for him to lean closer, like there was a huge secret she had to share.
“Will you please start calling me Larie?!” She smacked the counter dramatically, making Brax jump back from the start. “You keep using my full name even after I’ve told you many times that my friends call me Larie. It’s like you are my old man, scolding me for misbehaving!”
“Skylar!” Kingston immediately growled.
She gestured to him, giving my mate a pointed look. “See?”
Laughing, Braxton nodded. “I’m sorry. I will definitely call you Larie from now on.”
Chuckling, I shook my head. Kingston’s daughter was something else, and we loved her for that. She was a force to be reckoned with, for sure.
“Thank you.” She rubbed her hands enthusiastically. “Now, what kind of trouble are we getting into?”
“The kind that requires your specific brand of magic,” I answered, silently asking Quinn to hand Skylar the leather bag.
At this point, we didn’t even want Braxton to have to touch it. It was an unnecessary exertion of his power and now that we knew the fight was near, he needed to conserve as much energy as he could.
