Page 74 of Dark Dragon’s Mate

After a moment her head dipped, and she let Trish have her body. But she stayed in the back of her head, watching and listening.

Emon gathered Trish into his arms. “Are you okay?”

She took a deep breath, hugging him back, but she didn’t let herself sag against him. “I’m fine,” she said. “I don’t suppose you can make me some clothes?”

Immediately she was dressed—in armored leather. “Tell me what happened this morning,” he said.

Trish told him the story of Grange and the sheep. “He set me up,” she said. “I just don’t know why.”

“To get you and Noah out of the way,” he answered. “Just like he got me out of the way. That mountain was stable. That mine was stable. He must have rigged an explosion—”

“But how?” she interrupted. “He hasn’t left the castle since I’ve been here.”

“He must have made a portal,” Emon murmured, half to himself. “The King’s Key, maybe. If he found it, he can make the portals go anywhere. The mine. The Dragonlands. Earth.”

“Gen-X,” Trish added. “Do you think he’s been in with them all along?”

Emon shook his head. “Don’t know. Don’t care. All I know is I have to get back there before he tries to hand Mayah and the others over to whoever he is working for. And then I have to kill him.”

“I’m coming too,” Trish said immediately. When he hesitated, she added, “Those are my friends back there. My pack. A little boy, for fuck’s sake. If you think for one minute that I’m not going to fight for them—”

Yes, Layla said. Good shifter. Fight. And then spoiled it by adding, Finally.

Chapter 37

Emon flew in from the south, cloaked, but staying low behind the trees anyway in case Grange had some way of detecting him. He put Trish down by the portal entrance leading back to Silverlake.

“Keep that communicator,” he said, indicating the one he’d given her before he flew them back here. “I’ll get the spare out of my jacket.” A jacket appeared on him, and he reached into the pocket, coming out with a golden ball.

“Nice trick, Draken Prince.”

He said, “Your communicator will open the portal—it’s keyed to the House of Al-Maddeiri. Just hold it up to the hand plate.”

“What? I’m not going through the portal. I’m going with you.”

“I need you to get backup from Silverlake,” he said. “Who the hell knows how many people Grange might have in there by now. I may be a dragon, but once I’m inside I have to go human, and there’s only one of me.”

She opened her mouth to protest, and he said again, “Please. I need you to bring the Enforcers.”

“I’d rather bring Kira.”

“So would I, but we already tried that.” She’d tried to reach Kira on the way, while he was flying, but there had been no answer. Her communicator was probably in a drawer somewhere in the Bad Blood territory.

Emon cupped Trish’s chin in his hand. “I’m counting on you.”

“Be safe,” she whispered. “And flame their sorry asses.”

“Will do.”

He gave her a hard kiss, and then he Changed and took off for the castle, winking out of sight as he cloaked himself.

Trish took a step toward the panel that opened the portal, set into a rock formation. Then she stopped, pressing her lips together. This was just wrong. The Enforcers couldn’t get mustered and get here in time to do anything. She was just running away.

Yes, Layla said. Do not go. Fight.

We still need backup.

We need no one.