“I still can’t picture Rían as a troublemaker. That sounds like a Liam thing to do.”
“Yes, well, we all change as the burdens of adulthood press down on our shoulders.”
“Does that mean the answer is no? That we’re each responsible for our own actions?”
“Our inner dragons can and do influence us, but they amplify what is already within us. When they act in ways that appear as though they have coerced you into fulfilling their wants or needs, you must search within yourself to find the root cause of their actions. Those ambitions and desires are yours, and those whosuppress their emotions or fail to acknowledge their truths have the unruliest dragons.”
“Hmm.” I rubbed the warm scale through the fabric of my shirt. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“I can say this much, and it might help set your mind at ease. Your situation is unique, and it’s bound to impact how you establish your relationship with your dragon. Just remember that she’s part of you, and if you find she fixates on a person or thing, especially from your past, then you should reflect on why that is and how to resolve the issue before she does it for you.”
“I’ll do that,” I mumbled, lost in thought as I returned to Sloane.
Odd how even when explaining how my dragon and I were the same, he still distinguished her as if she were her own entity. Wolves did the same. Other shifters too. Did that mean it was a matter of opinion, whether the beast in our souls was its own creature or simply a shadow part of us?
I wasn’t sure, but she and I had a lifetime to find out the answer together.
eleven
The restof the day passed in a blur of last-minute planning, adjusting pairs and teams, and bringing Dane up to speed on our plans. He stuck close but gave me space. He stood at parade rest behind my right shoulder most often, unmoving except for his eyes, a granite monument to enforcer perfection.
Sloane and Liam had been corralled in my room to minimize escape options. The lone window had been locked from the outside with a gadget meant for indoor use, but it only had to survive a few hours. Their jailer had even given them each a laptop with access to streaming services and Bluetooth headsets.
I got the Big Sis discount from said jailer, thank God, because renting equipment from Goldie cost the earth.
To back her up, Fayne handpicked six enforcers who were more afraid of her than retribution from Liam. That was as secure as we could get them without resorting to chains on their ankles or silver-lined cages.
As afternoon bled into early evening, the planning session broke apart, and I stepped out for a breather.
“The first time is always the most nerve-wracking.”
I would have tripped over Rían if he hadn’t spoken. Okay. That was a lie. No one could miss a man of his size sprawledacross the lowest step, his legs spanning the wooden planks from post to post. But I might have startled and fallen when I spotted him if he hadn’t given me a heads-up.
Which would have given him an excuse to catch me and then give me a thorough exam…
Argh.
I really had gotten spoiled to living within the safety of the wards and pursuing my relationship with Rían in stolen moments. Since Brentwood had rejoined the outside world, there were no moments to be stolen. It was wrong of me to pout, even if I hid my disappointment to avoid making him feel guilty.
Too much had gone wrong for us to slip away and see where our attraction led us, and it wasn’t like I had to lock him down fast or risk losing him. We were already betrothed, and he had made incredible sacrifices to be with me before he even met me. He had been patient. I could be too. Probably.
That didn’t make me want to smooch him or count his abs any less.
Sigh.
“Are you here to see me off?” I sat on the step above him. “I missed you last night.”
“I peeked in Sloane’s room before I left the clinic, but you were already asleep.” He traced the seam of my jeans with his fingertip. “I didn’t want to wake you, so I figured I would come wish you luck instead.”
“Thank you.” I couldn’t suppress a shiver, a wish his fingers would continue their exploration. “Hopefully, after tonight we’ll be one step closer to ending this.”
Thismeaning the threat of Carmichael forcing me to follow in my mother’s footsteps, the bombs, the poisonings. All of it. I wanted it over and done. I wanted these people, who had been nothing but kind to me, safe.
Faster than I could blink, Rían dragged me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on the top of my head. He drew his legs in too, trapping me against him. He made a happy sound, down deep in his chest, and I relaxed against him, allowing him to tighten his hold.
Ear mashed against his chest, I chuckled. “Are you sure you’re not a boa constrictor shifter?”
“The long legs make me think not.”
