Page 30 of Shadows of Light
“He’s taking out her enemies,” Maverick said.
“Even with them gone, he’s still her main protector; he won’t go far from her. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and I can almost guarantee he’s found a place to hideinDragonia.”
Orin tapped his chin while he pondered this. With his inability to open portals in and out of the realm, it would be more foolish and difficult for Cole to remain in Dragonia, and his brother was far from stupid.
However, Orin wasn’t thinking like an idiot in love because he wouldneverbe one. He was thinking like a killer, which was something he wouldalwaysbe. His brother was a killer too, but love dominated his motivations now.
“He can use the shadows to cloak his movements,” Orin said.
“Exactly. He could slip right past the guards at the Dragonian portals without them ever knowing he’d been there. Once out of Dragonia, he can travel anywhere the shadows direct him to,” Brokk replied.
“Where in Dragonia?” Maverick asked.
“Fuck if I know,” Brokk said. “That realm is huge. I don’t think he’d go far from Lexi, but there are countless caves, mountains, valleys, and who knows what else near the palace. He could be anywhere there.”
“How do we draw him out?”
Orin shrugged. “Threaten Lexi’s life.”
“Orin,” Brokk said as he glanced around. “Don’t joke about that. Cole didn’t have much of a sense of humor before; I’m pretty sure he haslessof one now.”
“The remains of those behind us would agree,” Maverick said.
Orin ran a hand through his hair as he tugged at the ends of it. “So, howdowe draw him out?”
Brokk shook his head. “I think you may have said the one way we could do it, but he might kill us in the process.”
“So, let’s put that option on hold,” Maverick said.
Orin couldn’t help but agree. Threatening Lexi could end up being their only option, but it would be their last resort.
“What do you think pissed him off so much about this group?” Orin asked. “I’ve seen a lot of what he’s done recently; none of it’s as bad as what happened in there. He didn’t brutalize the Lord this badly.”
“Hell if I know,” Brokk said, “but if someone else is in his way or on his list, I almost feel sorry for them.”
“So do I,” Maverick murmured.
Orin didn’t, but he was glad he wasn’t one of them.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
“Your Highness,”Yamala greeted as she gave a small bow to Lexi.
Lexi smiled back at the woman and her entourage of sirens. Unlike the first time she met them, none of the women were in their half human/half bird form and they all wore clothes as they stood in her scrubbed throne room.
The scent of lemons permeated the room, but she could still detect the coppery tang of blood beneath it. And no amount of scrubbing could take away the scorch marks on the floor.
Sahira offered to cast a glamour over the room to cover the marks, but Lexi refused. They would forever remain a testament to the lives lost here.
Yamala’s ruby red hair glistened in the rays of sun filtering through the opening in the ceiling. A dozen dragons perched on the edge of the roof. Behind Lexi, Alina curled around the throne while Astarot, Belindo, and Nithe yipped while playing at Lexi’s feet.
Lexi suppressed a laugh when Nithe attempted to fly and face-planted instead. Her ass went up, and her chubby hind legs kicked in the air before Astarot grabbed her tail and pulled her down.
Alina shooed them away before settling behind the throne again. Lexi couldn’t see them anymore, but they continued to yip while they played.
Standing to Lexi’s right, her dad shifted and looked over his shoulder. On her other side, Varo stood ramrod straight. He exuded an aura of strength she hadn’t seen from him since the war, but she suspected most of it was pretense.
He could pretend strength, but inside, like her, he was a mess.
