by Amelia Jade
The Aurum Dragon shifter looked up sharply.
“With Dragonfire,” Blaine added.
“Are you saying,” Daxxton asked very quietly, “that they were attacked by one of us?”
By “us,” he knew that Daxxton wasn’t just referring to Dragonkind. He was also referring to someone who had graduated from Top Scale. Likely someone that they had taught, or at least that Daxxton had.
“I don’t see how it could be anything else,” Blaine said heavily.
The gold dragon was quiet as he poured out two fingers of amber liquid into a pair of tumblers and brought them over. Glass clinked softly as they exchanged cheers and took a sip, both deep in thought.
“Any clues?” his friend asked at last.
“Not one. They made one pass, and then took off.”
“Any survivors?”
“All of them. The only one who got hit was their own Fire Dragon, thank our lucky stars. So besides a suit, nothing was damaged.”
Daxxton nodded thoughtfully. “Everyone’s blaming Rhynne though, aren’t they?” he asked at last.
“Nobody is saying it yet,” Blaine replied. “But many are thinking it. It can’t be long until someone does though. I don’t believe for a moment it was her, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand their logic. She does have, to my knowledge, the most motive to want to attack them. It just so happens I know her well enough to know she isn’t that stupid.”
“She was also here all morning,” Daxxton said. “Make sure you let that get out.”
“Absolutely. I’ll keep you updated with anything we find out as well, of course.”
The big man nodded, his golden-flecked eyes narrowing. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
“Sort of,” he admitted awkwardly, no longer sure he wanted to talk about it.
Daxxton sat back and waited patiently.
Blaine eyed him, contemplating whether he wished to remain silent and let it pass. It was unlikely he would win that battle. Daxxton had a way of getting people to speak when they didn’t want to, of seeing things from different angles.
So he caved, no longer caring.
“I met a girl at the store the other day,” he said, the words coming hesitantly at first. “I knocked her stuff all over the place, actually. Anyway,” he continued hurriedly, the words coming faster, “we got along really well.”
Daxxton just sat there, eyeing him speculatively.
“So we had dinner together, and made plans to see each other on Saturday.”
“She stood you up?”
“No, not at all. I actually saw her earlier than planned.”
“Oh?” Daxxton asked, looking interested.
“Yeah. Klara Nova introduced me to her at the reception for the Fenris Delegation.”
Daxxton snorted, raising a hand to his mouth to try to cover the snickering laughter that was building up within him.
“It gets better. So much better,” Blaine deadpanned. “So not only is she a member of their delegation, but after we spent Saturday together in public, and I kissed her on top of that, I find out the best part Monday morning. We get called into the trial room. And who do I see leading their party in there?”
Daxxton couldn’t contain himself any longer. He burst out laughing.
“Oh Blaine. You can’t be serious! You’re falling for the head of their legal team?”
“Brilliant choice, right?”
The gold dragon shifter’s laugh subsided, but he took a long taste of his drink, savoring it before he spoke at last.
“I am sorry, my friend. I should not be laughing at that.”
Blaine waved the apology off. “It’s definitely a screwed-up situation, that’s for sure.”
“Sometimes we can’t control these things.”
“Perhaps. That wasn’t why I came here, though. I actually wanted to run a theory by you about the attack on the delegation. Something I just can’t seem to shake.”
The other man motioned for him to continue.
“I have absolutely no evidence to support this conclusion, but I can’t shake the feeling that the attack wasn’t just retribution against Fenris as a whole. I think it was directed at one person.”
“A vendetta?”
Blaine nodded. “I just can’t figure out why. None of them have ever been to Cadia before. So how would they have enemies here?”
Daxxton pondered that. “Perhaps they have traveled to Fenris, and made the enemies while there?”
“Shit, I never thought of that. That would narrow down the pool of suspects a lot. There can’t have been that many Fire Dragons who have been to Fenris in the past few centuries.”
“I would start there. In addition, make sure you read the files that we may have on the delegation members themselves. Maybe something was missed there.”
“Good point. I haven’t actually done that, which I probably should. So you don’t think it too far-fetched that this may be a personal thing?”
“That would make sense if it was a dragon who attacked them. We generally focus on individuals, not groups.”
It was true. Dragons were solitary creatures, often preferring their own company, or that of their mates, above groups as a whole. They could be social creatures as well, but much of their lifespans would be spent alone with their mates. So when they got angry, it was often an anger directed at a single person, not an entire group.
“I’ll have to inspect said files. Thanks.”
Business done for the moment, Blaine leaned back and took another sip of his drink, relaxing with his friend, discussing anything but the current situation.
Yet there at the back of his mind, a woman with white hair and blue eyes waited, never quite going away.
Cassi…
Chapter Twelve
Cassian
Above them the quartet of Guardians circled, an even split of gryphons and Pegasi just as Blaine had promised. They had flown at a respectful distance over the short flight from the Administrative building to the Consulate, and now they soared through the air like watchdogs. Cassi wasn’t sure what they’d do once her team was inside, and frankly, she didn’t care.
“So, no idea what Taurin wants?” she asked after they all finished shifting into their human forms.
“Not a clue, but I suspect we’re about to find out,” Maurille said as the doors opened and the man in question walked out, waving the staffers away.
“Thank you gentleman,” Taurin said. “You are dismissed. Cassian, please stay.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
Cassi forced the anger away from her face, though she couldn’t stop her fists from clenching tightly together as the remaining members of her team filed past Taurin. Maurille stopped and gave her a helpless look, mouthing an apology before he disappeared inside.
Defying Taurin was a quick way to end one’s career at a minimum. Do it too strongly, or too often, and one might lose their life. She wouldn’t ask Maurille to do that. Cassi was strong enough to handle it on her own anyway.
“Taurin,” she said as he walked up to her.
“Cassian, my dear,” he said with false concern, his arm automatically grabbing hers and holding it.
She hated being called by her full name by anyone. At the same time, she desperately did not want him calling her Cassi either. That would indicate a sense of closeness between them that she, at least, absolutely did not feel.
Taurin unfortunately felt otherwise as he began to walk her through the gardens that took up much of the outdoor space on the inside of the stone walls that surrounded the Consulate.
“You’re okay?” he asked. “From the attack earlier, I mean. That dreadful thing.”
She made sure her eyeroll was a mental action only. Like Taurin had any idea what it was like to be attacked. Perhaps during his training days, centuries before. But now he lived a life of luxury that probably prevented him from even imagining what had happened.
“I’m fine,” she said bluntly. “Maur
ille was the one who took the brunt of it.”
“Yes, I’d heard,” he said. “Such a shame to lose a suit like that.”
Her jaw nearly dropped open at the utter lack of caring for her friend’s well-being. Even for Taurin that was a little callous.
“At least he survived,” she replied, a little more coldly than she’d intended.
Taurin picked up on that, his head turning slightly to look at her. “Yes, of course. It would have been terrible to lose him to such a cowardly attack. Just the sort of thing I’d expect Cadians to pull on us.
Although Cassi had only been in Cadia for a handful of days, she was beginning to wonder about the truth in that statement. It had been drilled into her, and most Fenrisians, that Cadians were an arrogant and cowardly lot who would resort to any level of trickery and skullduggery to get their way.
Her experiences, however, had shown her that either the majority of them were the best actors on the planet, or that what had been taught to her about them was completely wrong. Overthrowing a century and a half of indoctrination wasn’t easy, and she was still very wary, especially after being attacked.
But every day she believed the claims about them a little less.
Blaine was playing a big part in that she knew, and if he ever revealed himself to be a liar…
She shook her head, unwilling to entertain that thought just then.
“What I don’t understand,” she said, “is why they would do it in the first place? That just doesn’t make sense.”
“Most of what the Cadians do doesn’t make sense,” Taurin said with a wave of his hand. “That’s just how they are.”
Privately Cassi didn’t believe that for an instant. Nobody would attack them like that and risk being exposed, without a very, very good reason. So there had to be one; she just hadn’t figured it out yet.
“I don’t want you to be concerned with that though.”
Not be concerned? She’d almost been killed!
“You need to maintain a clear head about all this. To keep your wits about you during the trial.”
Cassi’s mind was working furiously as she tried to decipher what the fuck Taurin meant by all this. Where was he going with it?
“I am trying,” she said, which was the truth. “Obviously, almost being killed has taken some of my focus away, but once we get back to it, I’ll be fine,” she promised, hoping that was what he wanted to hear.
Taurin just sort of clucked at her, like a hen trying to control her chicks. Clearly that hadn’t been what he’d wanted to hear.
With a tug on her arm he pulled her under some trees. She glanced over her shoulder, but they were now out of sight of the Consulate, hedges and trees blocking them from view. There was nobody around.
A dull sensation entered her stomach as she realized what this was all about. Had he not gotten the point yet? What more did she have to do!
“Now, Cassian. You should know that you can come to me if you have any problems, if you need help relaxing so that your mind can focus on things.”
Taurin stepped closer, his lock on her arm preventing Cassi from moving away as he entered her personal space.
“If you need anything,” he hinted expectantly, as if she were supposed to just cave and do as he pleased right then and there.
I don’t think so. Hasn’t worked yet, isn’t going to start working now!
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, her voice devoid of all emotion as she purposefully looked in another direction.
Taurin practically hissed.
“You know, Cassian, I would have thought you of all people would be most invested in making sure you won this case. That you would have more of a drive to ensure that Garviel comes away free.”
Her insides turned to ice at his comment.
No. How could he know?
But there was no denying the meaning that had been hidden in the venom of his words. He knew it, and his eyes leered at her as he relished her surprise.
“So, are you sure you don’t want to, ah, shall we say, reevaluate your decision?” he asked suggestively.
No longer feeling the need to be polite, Cassi pulled her arm away from him.
“Oh, I’ll be ‘reevaluating’ it, that’s for sure. Just not in the direction you hoped for, you pig,” she spat. “Trying to blackmail me? Seriously?”
His leer became a snarl. “Be careful, Cassian. Your looks will get you far in life. But if you are unable to accept help when it’s given, don’t be too surprised if people stop offering it. If you’re too rude about declining, you might find they are willing to go in the opposite direction.”
She snorted. Taurin would never speak openly, but his words were about as close to a threat as he could get. The translation was: come to my bed, or else I will make your life a living hell.
The political game was one she hated playing, just like Blaine. But Cassi had learned how to play it, and had done well. This was the price to pay though, and she was getting tired of being propositioned by men like Taurin.
I wonder if this sort of shit happens in Cadia too.
Perhaps she would ask Blaine about it.
“I’ll be sure to be careful,” she told Taurin, rolling her eyes and walking away from him.
“You should. Otherwise you might get burned,” he said viciously, and she heard him storm off, his shoes clacking on the stones underneath.
Yes, she was definitely going to go ask Blaine about how women were treated here.
A ridiculous thought slipped through her mind, bringing a sharp barking laugh from her throat.
That was a rich idea indeed. Move to Cadia, ha. As if they’d let me!
Chapter Thirteen
Blaine
“Thanks.”
He grabbed the far too thin stack of files that Guardian Intelligence had on the entire Fenris team and took a seat at a nearby desk. He laid them out in front of him, looking at the names on the front.
Taurin Havernaugh.
Cassian Karkasy.
Maurille Venoire.
Korban Schulte.
Jameson Winwood.
Nothing about the names stuck out in his mind, so he tabbed open Taurin’s file and began reading. He was the oldest and most well-known of their party, so naturally his file was the thickest.
“Could be harder to narrow down who doesn’t want to kill this guy instead,” he muttered after finishing the second page.
Taurin was a career politician who had trained at Hawk’s Nest to become a Ward of Fenris before entering the political sphere. There he’d betrayed and blackmailed whomever he could until he was in a position of power where people had to come to him. He’d then used that power to amass “favors,” which he used to help elevate him even further. Now he was, roughly speaking, the fifth, maybe even fourth most powerful person in Fenris.
So why the hell is he here in Cadia?
That question bore some more thinking.
There were easily a dozen other people that Fenris could have sent. Garviel, to his knowledge, was fairly well-known in Fenris, but not to the point that one of the top few people needed to come oversee the event. No, he had to have an ulterior motive. Taurin was also the oldest of the shifters, which meant he’d had time to develop the most enemies.
Yet according to his file it had been over a century and a half since he last visited Cadia. While that wasn’t a horrifically long time as dragons live, it was still a very solid chunk of time.
However, he hadn’t been part of the group that had been attacked. Blaine supposed that whoever the mysterious attacker was, they could have been mistaken and not realized that Taurin hadn’t been with the group.
Shaking his head, he moved on to the next one.
Cassian Karkasy.
Her file was relatively thin, no more than a couple of pages, most of which he knew would be the bare minimum of stuff.
It surprised him to realize he was stalling. The trepidation he had about reading her file was real. What coul
d he be afraid of finding out?
When no answer floated into his mind, Blaine steeled himself and opened the folder.
“Shit!” he exclaimed as his phone went off in his pocket at the same instant, startling him more than he cared to admit.
The desk worker hushed him, but Blaine just ignored him. Picking his phone up, he saw it was Cassi.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” came the response.
His senses came full alert as he recognized the tone in her voice, even as he continued to scan the page in front of him.
“We need to talk.”
His eyes froze on the words in front of him as she spoke. That phrase was never, ever good. Yet there was something that told him whatever it was, she wasn’t breaking things off. Just something in the way she spoke.
“Okay. When?”
“Sooner rather than later.”
“Is everything okay?” It was a cliché question, but something about her was off.
“Just more of the same from people who don’t know when to take no for an answer. Nothing I can’t handle at the moment.”
“I’m at the Guardian Headquarters. Where are you?”
“The Consulate.”
“Okay, meet me out in front of the grocery store where we first met. It’s almost halfway between us.”
“Done. I’ll see you soon.”
He hung up the phone, but his eyes wouldn’t budge. They were locked onto the words on her file.
Cassian Karkasy.
Parents: Deceased shortly after birth.
Adoptive Parents: Elora and Thorum Brunhem.
Brunhem.
All of a sudden it became clear why Cassian was in town. Why she had volunteered herself to head up their team. And why someone would want to kill her. The only real question was…
He pushed the folders back into a pile and walked over to the desk, handing them over to the Guardian working the records area that day.
“Do you keep a list of who requests what files?” he asked.
“No.”
Damn.
“To the best of your knowledge, has anyone else asked for these particular files?”
If someone else had come looking for them, he might have an angle on who it was behind the attacks.