Page 70 of Dragon’s Rogue

How do you know?

He heard her snort. “Didn’t you see Tyr’s face last night when he was talking about Tempest? He’s already in dragon-love with her. Which means he’ll go to her shop and try to protect her. It also means—if we really are the Three Mates—that Rebel is destined for Thorne. Are you telling me his dragon won’t know exactly where she is?”

Ah, hell, she was right. If Rebel was Thorne’s mate, then he would home in on her like he would on his hoard, whether he realized he was doing it or not. In dragon form, in the middle of a Portland neighborhood.

This was going to go so, so wrong.

Where’s the house?

“11435 Maple Street.” Blaze’s pendulum still contained the map from her tracking spell. She projected an image of it into the air in front of Zane, including the pin over the house.

Damn, you’re better than Google.

“Where do you think my map came from?” she said. “Better memorize it. I’m still low on energy, and it sounds like I’m going to need all the power I can muster. Holding this image will just waste it.”

Got it, he said. You can let it go now. Hold on, we’re going in.

Blaze was right. Rebel was in St. Johns, and so was Thorne. They could hear him before they got there. As they approached the Maple Street house, Zane felt Blaze cast an illusion spell. A tree service company, working at Rebel’s house—with chainsaws. Hopefully that would take care of any neighbors who heard the noise.

It worried him how exhausted she was. He was still so connected to her, he could feel the wave of dizziness that washed over her.

It made his dragon angry. She is weak. She should not be here. Zane agreed, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now.

He came down onto the roof. Lucky that Blaze had done the illusion spell—Thorne was definitely not cloaked. He filled the backyard, tearing up grass and knocking limbs off trees.

And he had Rebel grasped in one huge front claw.

At first all Zane saw was blood dripping down Thorne’s claws, and thought he’d hurt Rebel. Then he realized it was the other way around—Rebel had a knife out and was stabbing Thorne’s talons with it. The blade glowed with magic, which was why it was able to pierce his hide at all.

He was roaring in anger, but he didn’t let her go.

Zane could hear the thunderous shouting in his head. THIEF! THIEF! GIVE ME THE SEAL! The fury in Thorne’s mind was overwhelming—a churning lava flow of possessiveness and rage and desire.

Even if Rebel could hear him, the way Blaze heard Zane, she probably couldn’t understand a thing he was saying.

Zane’s dragon roared, telling Thorne to stand down, but Thorne was beyond hearing him. His eyes were glowing red-gold, and his human side had been totally obliterated.

“What’s wrong with him?” asked Blaze.

Treasure fever, Zane said. When part of their hoard is lost or stolen, some dragons get so obsessed with it that it completely takes them over. They go berserk and lose control until they get it back.

“But the Seals aren’t part of his hoard,” Blaze said.

Would you like to tell his dragon that? Because I’m not having much luck here.

Thorne gave another roar, this time at Blaze and Zane. MINE! LEAVE US OR DIE! He sent a gout of fire shooting towards them.

Zane whipped Blaze into his dragon arms and turned her away from it, shielding her from the flames. Then he breathed in, taking the fire inside his own body to keep it from burning her—or the house.

Furious, his dragon trumpeted a challenge. HOW DARE YOU FLAME MY MATE!

LEAVE US! Thorne shouted back, his eyes whirling with red. He shook Rebel. GIVE ME THE SEAL! MINE!

He flapped his wings, trying to carry her away. Blaze cast the same stasis spell she’d used on Jean-Claude’s balcony, trying to stop him. It didn’t freeze him the way it had then, but it did slow him down enough to keep his wings from getting him aloft. He thudded back down to the ground, bellowing in frustration.

God. It was like dealing with an addict hopped up on PCP—nothing stopped him, and there was no way to make him see sense.

Tyr arrowed in from the direction of town, and Zane Changed to make room for him on the roof. Tempest isn’t at the store, Tyr said. It’s closed. I think she’s here. If Thorne hurts her, I’ll—