I had to stifle a shudder at the very notion of something being completed by adding more captured dragons.
It didn’t bode well for the dragons who were being imprisoned, first and foremost.
Secondly, it meant that thereweremore dragons who’d been imprisoned for who knew how long. On the other hand, it might also mean that Sexton’s father was still alive as well. That could be a good thing, even if the very idea of dragons being held in cells simply for being dragons made my skin crawl.
Davin was the one to answer my father, since I was too distracted by my own thoughts. “They can fecking come for him if they think they can take him. Even if they succeed, they won’t keep him long, because I’ll tear them to bits with me bare hands if I have to.”
I blinked at the vehemence, and so did Sexton, who had just arrived back in the doorway with his own mug of some kind of soup.
Paul, on the other hand, was nodding. “I hardly think Ms. Knight or her people would allow anything to happen to her son either. And you all keep implying the kitten is a dangerous creature. I’m never quite sure if that’s a joke or not.”
Twist turned to look at him and bared her tiny little needle teeth as though that was a threat. Or maybe more like she was trying to mimic a human smile.
“It’s definitely not a joke,” I answered Paul. “Twist is...we’re not sure what, honestly, but something special. And she’s already killed at least one vampire to protect me.”
“No one will hurt my father while I am present,” she insisted.
And that was...well, it was fucking sweet. I reached up and scratched behind her ears. “I know kiddo. Having you around makes everyone safer.”
She leaned into the scritches and purred, but also complained to me. “Father, they will not take me seriously as a warrior if you pat me as though I am a child.”
“I don’t think you need to worry. Everyone who knows you knows you’re a badass. But if you insist on calling me Father, that makes you my kid, so you get pats.” And at that, she gave in and accepted the petting.
My father seemed charmed, smiling at Twist, then at me, but a second later he gave a jaw-popping yawn that reminded me of his crash and subsequent unconsciousness. He’d been drained like Sexton, likely many times over the last thirty years, so he had to be exhausted, whether I’d given him back a tiny measure of his own power or not.
“You need to sleep,” I told him. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to wake you up and get more food into you in a bit, but you seem like you’re about to crash. Is there anything else we need to know right this minute?”
He blinked, slowly, once, twice, then forced his eyes open again. “I...told you they were coming. Right? For...for you and Sexton.”
“You did,” I agreed. “But maybe now it’s time for some more sleep.”
He made a face that reminded me of a toddler at nap time, like he was considering whether it would be best to throw a tantrum or go ahead and fall asleep. But then, he smiled at me again. “Want to learn everything about your life so far. Bet Fiona was the best mother.” Another yawn. “She was always...so...”
The last word stretched out for a long moment, but nothing came after, as he literally fell asleep while he was saying it. I leaned forward and helped rearrange him so that he was comfortable in his sleep, rather than still sitting up, and turned to the others. “I think we should go to the kitchen and have tea. Tea?”
Paul looked at me like I was nuts, Sexton rolled his eyes and turned to head back to the kitchen, and as was becoming his habit, Davin smiled at me like I was something adorable and precious. “Tea would be fine, love.”
CHAPTER 12
The tea was fresh, at least, since we’d gotten some the night before to send along with Sexton, and I’d insisted on sending one of Amelia’s breakfast blends.
“Are we taking them all to your mam’s?” Davin asked as I passed out mugs. Even Paul, who had at first declined and said he was “more of a coffee man,” had smelled the tea brewing and decided that he would take a mug after all.
I frowned at the idea of waking my father even enough to move him to another bedroom. The man needed rest and food, and frankly, as much as my mother was a badass who could fight most anyone off, the island simply seemed like a more defensible position to me. Mother lived in the middle of Avalon.
Okay, fine, the outskirts of Avalon.
Point being, Mother lived with land on every side of her. People could just walk onto her property from any and every direction. The island? That took a more concerted effort, and they had to start by knowing where the island was.
I considered a moment, then brightened with a realization. “Hey, if my dad is alive, I don’t own an island.”
Paul’s brow knit over his tea, but he nodded. “Assuming he left it to you, that would be true. Is that...a good thing?”
“Seriously good. What kind of weirdo owns an island?”
“Your father, apparently,” he answered, and it was...so strangely guileless. Like he didn’t actually mean anything except what he was saying.
I blinked at him, staring for a minute, then turned to Davin, who was shaking his head.
