“You were sleeping,” Luka stated, as if that explained everything. To the beast, it clearly did.
But something was still bothering her. Something she’d forgotten and needed to remember. It scratched uncomfortably at her brain. “Where’s Dashiell?”
Luka turned his big head to look down the beach. “I’ve been watching him. He’s tied up, and going nowhere.”
Izzy followed his gaze to see Dashiell lying curled on his side on the sand. He was probably cold and hurting from his wounds, but waves of animosity poured from him as he lifted his head and glared at her.
Luka growled back, then lifted his head and whistled. The sound was a strange combination of high-pitched melody and underlying rumble. It was all beast, but somehow still conveyed the military combat signals she recognized.
Seconds later, an answering whistle echoed back, and Luka rumbled with satisfaction. “They won’t be long now.”
Something crashed in the temple above them. Izzy flinched, but Luka seemed pleased. “That’ll be the portcullis.” He stood, shook himself, and prowled toward the hoist shaft. He looked over his shoulder at her. “Cover your ears.”
As soon as her hands were over her ears, he let out a sharp roar that echoed and reverberated all around. “Shane! We’re here!”
Voices rose, orders were shouted, and at least one drake bellowed from above. Luka stepped back from the hoist and raised his wings, putting her behind him with her back against the wall. His tail snaked out and wrapped around her ankle possessively.
See, her beast muttered smugly.
Sure, but what happened when the beast was put away again? She didn’t ask the question. She didn’t really want to think about it. There would be time to face reality when they were home.
Seconds later, soldiers wearing the silver-inlaid leather armor of the castle guard rappelled down the shaft and flooded out onto the sand. In their midst came Ryland and Shane. Both had the haggard, unkempt look of men who’d spent the stormy night awake and deeply worried.
There was a moment of confusion as the soldiers assessed the strange cove and the massive drake guarding Izzy against the wall. Then orders were called, and more soldiers flooded onto the small beach. Izzy leaned back against the stone, and for a second, she lost sight of Dashiell.
Where’s the blade?
She laid a hand on Luka’s scaled shoulder. “Where’s the dagger?”
“In the water,” he rumbled, turning to look at her.
“Are you sure Dashiell never moved?” Izzy insisted.
“He did move! Fuck, he was wet!” Luka growled. His head swung back toward the beach, but as he turned, someone yelled. Soldiers ran, and a whistle pierced the cove.
Luka snarled and stalked forward, opening a path through the guards, just as Dashiell—needle blade in his fist, ropefalling away in tatters—flung himself into the water. He powered through the sea as if he’d swum through that jagged opening many times.
“Follow him!” Shane thundered, and soldiers threw themselves into the waves after him. But they got in each other’s way, got stuck on rocks, and turned around. Dashiell had waited for the perfect moment to escape—when Luka wasn’t watching him and there was enough disorder to give him a few extra seconds—and he clearly knew exactly where he was going.
“Get out of my way!” Luka roared violently, pushing forward with his wings extended, but he was slowed by the chaos. Guards splashed out of his path, and he launched himself into the air. Izzy held her breath as he ducked his head and cleared the cave roof by a whisker, his claws sliding through the frothing waves.
Luka’s roar of rage and frustration echoed over the water even as Shane barked an order to Ryland to stay with her, stripped down, and launched himself out to join Luka. They whistled, roared, and called to each other, but Izzy didn’t have to be out on the mountainside to know that they couldn’t find their prey.
She leaned heavily against the rocky wall. Mother of the gods, she was tired and her entire body ached. The fading roars outside brought back the old helplessness and loneliness from when Rayan was missing. Luka and Shane were together, and she was stuck on the ground alone. She’d wanted Luka to stay with her and hold her then too. But he’d left her then too.
Izzy understood why he’d chased Dashiell. She wanted the former guard to pay for what he’d done just as much as Luka did, and they needed to know who else he was working with, who the baron was, and where Dashiell planned to meet him. But there were other people who could have gone after him this time. She’d almost died. Luka could have stayed with her or, at the very least, come back to her now.
She sank to the sand and helped herself to an oatcake while Ryland stood guard beside her, calling out orders. More soldiers pulled off their armor and dove into the water, exploring it thoroughly, until a particularly strong swimmer returned with news. There was a narrow tunnel hidden under the water in the rocky side of the mountain. He’d followed it until it rose sharply, emerging inside another cave. It was pitch-dark but scented of candles and recent flame. Feeling around, he found several paths, some with stairs, but without light or any way to follow, he’d been forced to return.
Ryland set a pair of guards to keep watch on the water near the tunnel and another pair to climb back up to the temple and call to where Luka and Shane flew searches over the water. Then he organized a team of the best swimmers to kit themselves with ropes, flints, and candles in wax-sealed pouches for an underground search.
Hopefully, they would reach him before he got too far, but for now, Dashiell was gone.
And, once again, she was alone and hurting.
Chapter
Forty-One
