Page 7 of Red Marked

“Two of them didn’t have red markings.”

He cocks his head. “The sun must have been in your eyes.”

“I know what I saw,” I insist. “In fact, it wasn’t just me who saw them. Atlas and Rift did too. They’ll back me up. They were females, and two of them were Draig dragons. I suspect that they are two of the three she-dragons who went missing when the ferals attacked Draig Island a few months ago.”

He blinks a few times. “That’s impossible.”

“Why? It could be them.”

“They would never have survived all of this time.” He snorts.

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“I know these ferals, son. There’s nothing on this side of the island but males. No female would survive for any length of time.” He shakes his head.

“Ask the others. They will verify that there were around a dozen females, two with no red on them.” I hold his gaze. “There has to be an explanation. Your Council must know about this.”

He shakes his head. “I doubt they know about it, or they would have said something to me. There has to be a reasonable explanation.”

“I need answers as soon as possible. Those females could be in real trouble. If I didn’t have the humans in tow, I might have gone after them. I hate that they are out there.” I point toward the mountain range in the distance. I suspect they’ve been hiding. Doing their best to survive.

“I’m glad you didn’t do anything rash. I’ll put in some calls right away. If there’s an explanation, I’ll find it. If not, I will obtain orders on how to proceed.”

“Thank you. I am going to notify Draig Island of my discovery,” I tell him.

“Of your suspected discovery. You don’t know for sure.”

I fucking do.

“I will inform them of what I am sure we saw today. My Council has a right to know. The families of those missing females have a right to know that their loved ones might still be alive. I am quite sure that Mistveil Council will be more willing to disclose information and inclined to help if need be.”

He nods. “Of course, but don’t get people’s hopes up for what is more than likely nothing.”

“My Council will expect answers.” I turn toward the door. “We need to help those females before it’s too late.”

“Agreed,” he says, picking up his phone. “If there are females to help.”

I hold back a growl of frustration.

I know what I saw.

3

Star

The second screech hits me right in the gut, and adrenaline surges through my veins.

Skin ripples into scale before my feet leave the ground. Claws break through my fingertips at a dead run, wings unfurling a heartbeat later. My shift happens so quickly it’s almost painful. I’m airborne in the next moment. My heart is beating wildly in my chest.

Shit!

Shit! Shit!

We’ve drilled this until it’s instinct, and every female in this camp knows exactly where they’re supposed to be.

Retreat.

Ambush.