by Jaymin Eve
Tristall placed a hand on his mate’s arm. He didn’t say anything, like he knew better than to question her, but that simple gesture seemed to calm Lettie anyway. She pursed her lips, meeting my eye. “I’m sorry if my words offended you.”
I tried not to laugh, because I was sure she wouldn’t appreciate me telling her that was the worst apology ever. “Your opinion doesn’t really matter to me,” I replied honestly, since she apparently respected truthfulness. “I’m not hurt or offended.”
Her mouth dropped open and Xander let out a low rumble of laughter. With a brief nod, he turned his back on his family and half carried me to the transporter. “No one ever questions my mom,” he said, amusement lacing his words. “I should send fate some damn chocolates for bringing you into my life.”
It felt like a vise was squeezing my heart. Fate might have brought us together, but that didn’t mean we’d be able to stay together. Before I could reply, he was reaching out for one of the light strands, then we were on our way to Earth. With our friends right behind us.
The moment we stepped through the light at the end, every ounce of charm and cheer disappeared from Xander. In its place was a soldier. He planted himself in front of me and did a slow sweep of the area. Luckily, he’d allowed us to move a few feet from the ball of light, because people started pouring through after that.
“You were supposed to let some of the others go through first,” Tristall said, shaking his head at his son. “You are an overlord minor. You cannot risk yourself.”
Xander ignored his father, speaking directly to Lexen. “It’s all clear,” he said. “At least in this section.”
Tristall just threw his hands up and moved to stand with Lettie. The pair of them speaking in hurried words. They weren’t handling the new Xander very well, and I couldn’t blame them. If you’re used to controlling your child as much as they clearly were, his sudden streak of I-don’t-give-a-fuck was probably very disturbing. Another thing for his mother to hate on me about.
Lexen gestured for us to move closer. He was already pulling out a cell phone. “I’m plugging in the coordinates,” he said as we started hurrying along the rose-covered path.
By the time we were out on the main street, followed by an actual army, Lexen had found the spot. “Colombia,” he said. “Right on the border between Colombia and Ecuador.”
“Well, those are some safe countries to just be strolling in around digging holes,” Maya said, with a decent level of sarcasm.
Chase laughed. “You questioning my skills, Maya Anne? I can protect you.”
She shook her head at him. “Against an army of drug lords? Actually … you’re probably right. They’d think they were high on their own product if you shifted into a tree.”
“How are we going to get there?” Callie said. “Your private planes need a decent airstrip to land on, and a helicopter is very noisy and could bring us unwanted attention. We need … something between the two, with a lot of stealth.”
Colita popped up behind us, and as I turned I blinked at the sheer number of Daelighters there. “The human government and Daelighter council have been combining our technology,” she said in rushed whispers. “You might have noticed that the helicopter ride you took to Oregon, Maya, was over much faster than normal. Well, that was because we have a few little secrets up our sleeves.”
Maya’s eyes went very wide. “I’d never been on a helicopter before, but now that I think about it, it did move very fast. And I didn’t get scared like I normally would, because it was so smooth and airy.”
“You have an aircraft we can use?” Daniel cut in, impatience in his voice. “Where do we find it?”
A cell phone rang and Colita lifted the one she held, pressing it to her ear. “Yes. We’re in place … okay … yes, I will tell them.”
She hung up then and said, “We have an aircraft. It’s ready and waiting for you at the airfield nearby, where your private planes are. Some of our warriors and the council will follow behind in a second aircraft. Not close enough to be detected, but close enough to help you once you find the stone.” She let out a low breath. “Now you just need to convince Laous that you’re willing to trade the stone for the freedom of all Astoria’s people.”
She backed up a little, her eyes clouded with worry. “Good luck.”
Chapter 19
The overlord majors remained close to us as we ventured toward the large main gates that blocked off the street. The rest of the warriors stayed back. We didn’t want to act like this was straight-out war yet. We had to get word to Laous first. As we got near the gates, I noticed a rippling in the air in front—the barrier Roland had erected to stop them from entering.
We paused for five minutes so Emma could check on her guardians, who were safely inside their house, then we continued on. “Are we just going to shout over the fence and hope Laous hears?” Callie asked when we were a dozen feet away from the shimmering barrier visible above the high wood fence.
“Someone will hear and get in contact with him,” Roland replied. “He definitely has his army stationed close to our street. There has been strain on my field.”
I loved how calm and confident Lexen’s father was. His confidence boosted my own, and God knew I needed all the boosting I could get.
Xander startled me when he took my arm and pulled me back. I wondered what was happening for a moment, until I noticed the white lights around Lexen. His body started to change, literally. It grew larger, those lights crisscrossing all over it, and I almost stumbled when wings sprang out of his back and scales appeared across his much larger face and body.
“Holy shit,” I breathed, blinking, and then blinking some more as I tried to wrap my head around what I was seeing. “He’s a … a … dragon.”
So much for me playing it cool. No doubt Lettie was giving me a scathing stupid-human look, but … dragon.
Lexen turned and winked at me. “Brace yourself, Ava, you’re about to see a Draygo in action.”
Emma rolled her eyes at him, shooting me a wry grin. Lexen grinned as well, then his wings shot out and started to flap, lifting him into the air with ease.
When he was hovering just above us, he shouted out in a deep rumbling voice. “Laous!”
Storm clouds rolled in, lightning and thunder echoing across the sky that had been blue not one minute earlier. “Is Lexen doing that?” I whispered to Emma.
She shrugged. “Probably. He’s pretty good with the storm power. But it could just be Astoria. This place has the most random weather ever. It can be sunny and hot one second, and then freeze-your-butt-off cold ten minutes later.”
The thunder got louder, and I was pretty sure we were all thinking this was Lexen now. Scary-dragon-shifter Lexen. I couldn’t take my eyes from him, his powerful presence drawing all attention.
“Laous!”
I shivered as another blast of icy wind rushed along the street. I was still in just a shirt and shorts, and this felt like winter weather. Especially for someone used to Hawaii’s warmth.
A warm arm draped over my shoulders and I almost moaned out loud. “Daelighters run a little hotter than humans,” Xander said, settling me in close to his side.
Truer words had never been spoken. Just about everyone I’d met from their world—especially in the overlord bloodlines—was hot to the extreme, and that had nothing to do with their temperature.
The wind started really howling, Lexen’s face fiercer than I’d ever seen before. He looked like he was getting mighty pissed. “We have a treaty to discuss with you, Laous.” His words echoed out into Astoria. “Show your face before I come and find you.”
The gates slowly started to open then and I almost panicked, thinking that we were about to be charged. The barrier remained though, so hopefully this was not an attack.
Lexen lowered to the ground, his mammoth wings flapping lazily as he glided to stand at the front of the group. He shifted back into his human-looking form the moment his feet hit the pavement.
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We all crowded closer, and when the gate opened further, I swallowed hard. On the other side was a large group, as large as the one we had behind us. At the forefront was a Daelighter. I knew that because of the marks on his head. He looked stouter than I’d expected, with an unmemorable face. If this was Laous, I was going to guess that this all started because he was pissed about being the ugliest duckling in his world.
“You called for me, Lexen,” he said, spreading his arms wide. Fire burst to life on either side of his body, racing up into the air in an impressive show. “Here I am, waiting for my stone to be returned to me.”
Men moved in closer on either side of him, lots of men, armed with the biggest guns I’d ever seen in my life. What the hell were they? Bazookas? I didn’t have much experience with the army or guns, of course, but these looked like they should be on top of a tank, not in a person’s arms.
The Daelighters didn’t react, so I made sure not to as well. No need to show this guy that we were nervous. Or that they had the upper hand. “I’m waiting,” Laous continued. “My men here are getting very frustrated about not being able to kill any humans. They enjoy killing.”
His men had hard faces … mean, narrowed eyes, and … huge fucking guns. There was legitimacy to his statement.
“We don’t want the humans hurt,” Daniel said, moving to stand right at Lexen’s side. “They are innocents in this entire situation. So, as a good faith gesture, we will allow you to accompany us to the stone. Along the way, we will discuss with you your plans for the stone, and then maybe we can reach some sort of accord that satisfies everyone. This war has gone on long enough. There will be no more casualties.”
Laous grinned. “That was easier than I expected, which probably means this is some sort of trap for me. How about … you give me the location, and the four secret keepers. Then I can go and fetch the stone myself. We are all sure that these four … humans … will be required to retrieve the stone. Once I have the stone, I’ll return your ladies to you. And all the humans will go free.”
“Not a chance,” Xander shot back at him. “The power required to find the map took the eight of us. We’re all bonded. You’re going to need the eight of us to find the stone.”
Some of the cocky confidence faded from Laous’s expression. He looked between our groups slowly, like he was trying to discern the lie in Xander’s words. One of the men closest to him, an older guy with a dark beard-goatee combo, leaned in and whispered something.
Laous listened for a moment before nodding and straightening. “Fine, if you insist on the eight of you accompanying me, I will insist on leaving my men here to watch over this town. They are all in position to act with lethal force. Your little army will not have the time to stop them before there are mass casualties.”
Hopefully Laous was thinking that the Daelighters he could see was the entirety of our people. Better he didn’t know that a lot more warriors were still coming through the transporter.
We’d already expected to receive these sorts of demands, but we took a moment to pretend we were having a serious discussion about it. “Think he’s up to anything else?” Callie whispered, when our heads were close together.
I glanced over my shoulder to find Laous in a relaxed stance, arms crossed over his chest. He was definitely up to something. No one was that confident without a backup plan.
“We’re not going to turn our backs on him for one second,” Daniel whispered. “We even take shifts for sleeping, if anyone has to do that. Laous murdered my family to gain power. He killed his own damn brother. There’s nothing he won’t do to achieve his goals.”
We all nodded, and Daniel straightened, turning to Laous. “We accept that deal, as long as you promise nothing will happen to the humans if we cooperate.”
Laous smiled broadly. “Of course. I am a Daelighter of my word. I’ve never lied about my intentions. This would have been much easier if you’d just cooperated from the start.”
Emma growled, no doubt thinking that this started when he killed her parents. Lexen, reacting to his mate’s pain, let out a much louder growl. His eyes went a blinding white as he took a step forward. Laous actually flinched back, just a brief reaction that he quickly covered. But we’d all seen it.
“We have a private plane waiting for us,” Chase said.
Laous, once again wearing a confident expression, nodded. “I will be bringing a few of my people with me, so make sure there is room.”
We all had no idea what this special government-Daelighter aircraft was like, but we didn’t argue. They could squish in somewhere. Laous again murmured something to the man at his side, who then turned and hurried away, reappearing a few moments later with three others. The first was a very tall man, with a scarred face. Rao. This had to be Daniel’s brother.
Daniel took a step forward. I could already feel the heat pouring off him. “Rao stays here,” he declared.
Laous shook his head. “Oh no, my son will be coming with us. He’s disappointed me. His betrayal on Hawaii was not expected, and now he cannot be trusted to be away from me.”
Rao did not look up. He didn’t meet Daniel’s eyes—anyone’s eyes. The scars on his face looked quite raw. I’d been under the impression that the burns were old, but … unless the sort of burns he had didn’t really heal, his were fresh.
“Rao…?” Callie’s voice was low, filled with pain. “Has he been hurting you?”
The big man lifted his head just a touch and my eyes grew hot and damp. He looked shattered. Defeated. And somehow he’d still managed to reach out to Colita. Still tried to warn us so we had a plan in place.
“We have to get him back,” Callie said, almost panicked as she lurched forward. Flames burst to life around her, and only Daniel’s hand on her arm stopped her going right through the barrier to Laous.
I blinked a few times, watching the fire dance across her skin without burning her. Holy shit. I was pretty sure there were some things about this world I was never getting used to.
“We will save him,” Daniel said, his words bit out in quiet rasps. I wasn’t sure Laous could hear their conversation, but he looked pleased with himself anyway. Just seeing that he had caused unhappiness was enough for him.
Why were there so many evil people in the world? In all worlds, apparently? I mean, when did it become the norm to expect that your needs trumped millions of others? Who the fuck did this Laous think he was? My hair started to move around my body, like it did sometimes when I lost control of my emotions. Xander noticed straight away, reaching out to brush his hands across the long strands.
“Your hair is definitely a by-product of the ancient energy you carry,” he told me. “Very few Royales’ hair responds to emotions like that.”
If I had been a less mature person, I would have turned and stuck my tongue out at Lettie. See, not completely useless, powerless, and un-Royale.
“Time to go,” Lexen said, striding forward. He touched the barrier and a small opening appeared, large enough for each of us to exit single file. “The barrier stays in place,” he told Laous as we moved closer to him.
The overlord majors pressed close to the other side of the barrier, prepared to help their children if Laous tried anything. There was a heavy layer of tension in the air as we crossed closer, and not just from our side. One of his men started to fumble at his gun, half lifting it, but before he could point it at us, Chase shot out a long branch from his body and snatched it right out of the man’s hands.
Yes, a mutha-effing branch. Tree-shifter.
Noise broke out and Laous threw both of his arms in the air, fire crackling off his fingertips in long plumes. He was either having a lot of trouble controlling his energy, or he was trying to act tougher than he was, but he had power leaking everywhere.
“Enough,” he shouted. “I will be back with the stone very soon. Then the power and money we deserve will be ours. Until then, remain in position. Craig will be in charge while I’m gone. The line of command rem
ains the same after that.”
The noise slowly died down. These men were very used to following orders. Craig reached out and grabbed onto Laous’s arm as we got closer. “Don’t betray us,” he said, his voice loud and clear. “We want what you have promised,” he said.
Laous nodded as he shook him off. “I’m a Daelighter of my word. I will share the power with you. Together, we will rule Earth.”
That surprised me, and I could see I wasn’t the only one. “You only want Earth?” Roland asked from where he was standing right behind the barrier.
Laous nodded. “Yes, the stone is extra powerful here, in a world without any network or true power of its own. This is where I will use it.”
No one said another word. I was starting to see the cracks in Laous now. Up close, his eyes were feverish, his face flushed with a manic sort of look. Like a junkie coming off a high, or ready for the next one.
“Are you ready?” he gasped, clenching and unclenching his hands.
We all nodded. Chase and Lexen turned and bowed to their parents. Xander was still angry with his mother apparently and spared her no more than a single glance. She looked pained by the way he was leaving, but there was nothing I could do to fix the situation she’d caused. I still had sympathy for her though; he was her son, and she no doubt believed she was doing the right thing for him.
As we moved forward, sticking close as a group, Laous fell into step beside us. The Gonzo parted for us to move through them. Rao, and a man and woman, remained on either side of Laous—the Daelighters or humans he was bringing along.
Callie seemed to know at least one of them. She growled in the direction of the chick. “Worn anyone’s skin lately, bitch?”
Daelighter then. The bitch grinned and said, “It took me weeks to get the stench of your dead mother off me. Humans are truly disgusting.”
Callie lunged forward, Lexen and Daniel both catching her before she could land a blow. “You better watch your back,” she yelled, “because I’m going to fucking kill you the first chance I get.” Callie growled, flames springing up across her arms.