I work on her shoulders for another twenty minutes, feeling the tension gradually release. By the time I'm done, she's breathing easier. Her color is better. She's not quite relaxed, but she's no longer vibrating with stress.
"Thank you," she says, sitting up slowly. "I needed that."
"You needed someone to tell you that you're going to be fine," I say. "So I'm telling you. You're going to walk into that office tomorrow, and you're going to absolutely destroy him with your competence and your refusal to back down. And he's going to—"
I stop myself.
Because I was about to say something that would require explaining the entire paranormal supernatural ecosystem, and Audrey doesn't need that kind of information right now.
"He's going to respect you," I finish instead. "That's all you need to know."
She nods, gathering her things.
"You're a good friend, Tamsin."
"I know," I say. "Now go home. Drink some water. Sleep for like twelve hours. And then go destroy that dragon—I mean, that guy. That guy."
She laughs again as she heads for the door.
And I watch her go, thinking about what she's about to walk into.
About Valerius and his territorial instincts and his obsession with his financial empire.
About the way powerful, ancient creatures respond to humans who aren't afraid of them.
She has absolutely no idea what she's about to walk into.
But honestly?
She's going to absolutely destroy him.
And he's going to love every second of it.
The door chimes again at 10:15 PM.
This time it's Cyprian.
He fills the doorway like he always does—seven feet of slate-gray skin and folded wings and absolute possessive certainty.
His amber veins glow soft gold in the low light.
"Your friend left," he says. It's not a question.
"She did. She's got a nightmare audit contract with some reclusive crypto-billionaire. She's stressed."
"The dragon," Cyprian says flatly.
I blink.
"You know about Valerius?"
"Kael monitors significant financial movements in the supernatural markets," he says. "Valerius has been acquiring assets at an accelerated rate. He is... territorial about his holdings."
"That's one way to put it," I say.
Cyprian moves closer, his sprawling, towering frame reaching out to cup my face with feather-light gentleness.
"The dragon will be thoroughly challenged," he says quietly. "Your friend is exactly the kind of human who will not tolerate his possessive nature."
