Page 77 of Dragon’s Rebel

She was holding him now, her fingers wrapped around his, both of them crushing the fragile grass.

“They were so wounded, their wings burning, but they wouldn’t let go of the edges of the spell net. Any of them. Finally, they pushed Zavrek through, sealing the portal with the last of their strength.

“I saw my father fall. I almost burst my heart trying to get to him, but he was gone when I got there. Lying on the ground, dead like the others. All in human form, burned almost beyond recognition.”

His voice was very soft. “I put their bodies in the volcano, so they’d return to the fire. And then I went back to the lair. The last of the Guardians.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“Don’t do that,” she said fiercely.

“Do what?”

“Make fun of yourself. After what you saw—after what you lost—you were still willing to be a Guardian. Knowing what could happen to you.”

He shrugged, looking away. “I couldn’t save them. I had to make it up to them.”

“You’re braver than I am. All I wanted to do was to forget.”

He put his hand over hers. “You were a kid. And you wanted to protect your sister.”

He was giving her an out. But he’d had plenty of outs in his life, and he hadn’t taken them. “I’m not a kid now,” she said, brushing the last of the tears from her eyes. “If you can face it, I can.”

Thorne gazed into her eyes, as if trying to see into her soul. Then he nodded. “Okay.”

He rose to his feet, holding out his hand to help her up. After a moment’s hesitation, she accepted it. As he turned to walk away, she pulled him to a stop.

“For the record,” she said. “I bet if your father could see you now, he’d be proud.”

Thorne snorted. “Sure. Proud. Of a son who not only isn’t a full Draken, but who just barely managed to find the first Seal, after searching for forty years, and who got stuck in dragon form just trying not to attack the wrong side while a human witch and a dragon/bear shifter hybrid did all the heavy lifting.”

He shook his head. “Don’t kid yourself. If my father ever laughed—which he didn’t—he’d be laughing his ass off.”

“It’s a good thing he isn’t. Because I’d have to kick it for him.”

Thorne pictured his father, who’d been approximately the size of Rebel’s house in dragon form, with formidable magic powers. He didn’t believe for a minute she could kick his father’s ass, but he had no doubt she’d give it her best shot.

“For what, exactly?” he asked.

“For dissing you,” she said. “You were really brave to fly into that battle. And to take his job, and sticking with it alone all these years. You’re brave and honorable, no matter what your stick-up-his-ass father thinks.”

Thorne felt warmth spread through his chest. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. “Don’t get used to it.”

He wrapped his arm around her neck and hugged her to him as he walked back to the others.

Rebel allowed Blaze to teach her the locator spell, but it didn’t help. She still didn’t feel anything. At least, not anything that felt like a Seal.

But there was something… she walked nearer to the woods, frowning. Something felt—off. Not natural. Magical?

The others were dogging her heels. “What is it?” Thorne asked.

“Is it the Seal?”

“Shut up,” she said. But they’d broken her concentration. The spell flickered out. “Now look what you made me do,” she said.

“Did it get stronger over here?” Zane walked toward the woods.

“It—yes. But…”

“Did you get a sense of how far away?”

“It felt like it was coming at me.”

Zane frowned. “That doesn’t make any—”

There was a crash of snapping branches and a feral snarl, and then a hellhound burst out of the underbrush and leaped straight at them.