But he still didn’t like it.
His dragon spoke up.Between us, Lochguard, the UHI diving team, and Holbrook’s people, there won’t be many chances for them to harm or attack anyone.
That doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
You looked into everyone’s background, and patrols cleared the area.
Before he could reply, someone knocked on his office door and entered.
Cooper Maxwell, the second-in-command of Lochguard’s Protectors, nodded in greeting. “All right?”
“So far, aye, everything looks good and is going according to plan.”
Cooper entered, and a younger Protector named Zoe Watson walked in behind him. The dragonwoman nodded, and Camgestured toward the map on his desk. Once they were close enough, he pointed as he said, “We’ve been keeping an eye out for boats, drones, or anything suspicious in this area. Holbrook’s team is watching from the nearby cliffs on land.”
Cooper asked, “And do you have the equipment for us to contact them in the water?”
“Aye.” Cam removed the devices he’d received from Antony—large squares with a single button to be worn around a dragon’s neck—and handed one to each of the Protectors. “These will send a distress signal to Holbrook’s team on land. They’re waterproof, and big enough to press with a talon.”
Cooper studied the device. “No doubt Iris helped him improve it. He had another version that was far too small to use before.”
“All that matters is that they work.”
Zoe raised an eyebrow. “Of course. But you’d better get your head in the game, aye? Or the overprotectiveness of your female will get people hurt.”
His dragon huffed.I told you the same thing. Maybe now you’ll listen.
Ignoring his beast, he replied to Zoe, “I’ll be fine once we’re all in the water. Although relying on Holbrook makes me uneasy.”
Cooper snorted. “Aye, I know the feeling. But he’s proven himself, and he’d rather die than fail Iris.” He slapped Cam on the arm. “Let’s just focus on protecting those in the water.”
Zoe and Cooper had visited in the past week to survey the area they’d be protecting and get the lay of the land. Cam hadn’t worked much with the pair before this, but he almost liked them.
His dragon spoke up.You do like them. Stop letting the past interfere. Cooper and Zoe were young, too, when Lochguard pushed us out. They couldn’t have done anything to stop it.
Aye, I know. But old habits die hard, and all that.
Then make new ones. As Seahaven’s head Protector, it’s part of your job to set an example.
Cooper’s voice brought him back to the present. “As much as I hate to interrupt, we should pack up and escort the dive team to the boat. We have four hours to take them out, have them dive, and bring them back.”
He nodded. “Dean should be waiting for us at the van. I’ll give the last-minute instructions as we walk.”
As he and the other Protectors hashed out their security plans, Cam was grateful for the extra help. It hadn’t been easy asking for it in the first place, but to keep Emily safe, he’d do whatever it took.
Chapter Thirteen
An hour later, Emily sat in her diving gear on a boat, doing her final safety checks, and waited for the dragons accompanying them to appear so they could start their dive.
They soon flew over them before slowly descending to just above the water. The sight of Cam and the three other dragons hovering just above the sea was beautiful and made her smile. She waved, and Cam nodded back before he made a signal, and one by one, the dragons dove into the water. About twenty seconds later, their heads emerged, along with the tops of their wings, which they used to help stabilize their positions.
Dr. Adam Keith spoke up beside her. “All right, if everyone’s safety checks are complete, then let’s start the clock and head toward the designated areas with the plant and shellfish we need.”
Emily nodded. “Yes, and I know, don’t unclip from the guideline unless it’s a life-or-death situation.”
The dragonman nodded. “Aye.” He looked to the rest of the diving team—all humans from UHI—and added, “Any last-minute questions?”
They shook their heads, and then Dr. Richardson spoke up. “My team will go first, taking the guideline to the left. We’ll check back here in an hour.”
