The heat of it warmed her skin but didn’tmelt it away. The fire died off, and the smoke parted; as themoonlight touched her skin, it began to glow. When the silvermarkings spread over her arms, she realized she’d forgotten toerect her shield.
The dragon landed and ran a few steps towardher before skidding to a halt twenty feet away. Dirt flew up aroundits talons as its wings folded against its back.
When Lexi met its golden eyes, she sworeshock resonated there before the creature released a bellow thatblew her hair back as much as its fire had. However, this bellowsounded more upset than furious.
The creature bowed its neck until its chinrested flat against the ground. There was something almost yearningabout the dragon’s golden eyes. It called to her, but before shecould think on it too much or go to the beast, like she longed todo, Kaylia slammed the door shut.
“Go!” her dad yelled as he grabbed her armand spun her away from the door; he pushed her toward the portal.“Go!”
With the spell of the dragon’s stare broken,Lexi stumbled toward the portal and into it. She staggered forwardas reality descended in a heart-crushing wave. A sob lodged in herthroat as grief for the home and land she loved so dearly struckher.
When she exited the portal, she found herselfstaring into a gray hall of locked cells. A bunch of loud whistlesand some pretty lewd comments alerted her that she was naked.
“Here,” Maverick said in his gruff voice.
She looked down to discover his jacketdangling from one of his fingers. She took it from him and hastilyshrugged it on. Wearing Cole’s clothes made her feel like a child;wearing Maverick’s made her feel like a toddler.
The sleeves fell way past her wrists todangle comically. She tried to roll them but gave up when they keptfalling. The tears blurring her vision didn’t help, and she wipedthem angrily away as her dad draped his arm around hershoulders.
He pulled her close as Orin led the way downthe hall. Lexi cringed when prisoners started pleading for theirfreedom from behind the cell doors. She huddled deeper intoMaverick’s jacket as the desperate words followed them down thehall.
“Get her away from them,” her dad snarled atOrin.
Orin didn’t look back as he turned a cornerand entered another hall. Tucker and Sunny stood at the end of thehall; when they saw her, they lifted their heads and nickeredbefore trotting toward her.
Lexi stopped to pet their velvety noses. Sheburied her face in their necks, hugging one and then the other asshe inhaled the familiar, much-loved scent of horse beneath thesmoke.
She couldn’t think of Darby and Cricket,still out there, alone and frightened. They’d saved these two, andshe might be able to find them. When she finally pulled away fromTucker and Sunny, they turned and trotted down the hall again.
“I’ll have someone come and find them in abit. They can’t get into any trouble before then,” Orin said as hestarted walking again. “They’ll be fed and put somewhere safe.”
“Thank you,” Lexi murmured.
She glanced at the barren walls as theywalked. Though doors were closed to it, they weren’t cells, and shewas grateful for that.
“Where are we going?” Maverick inquired.
“Our quarters are downstairs. We have extrarooms there.”
“What about Cole?” Lexi asked.
“I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” Sahira said asshe rubbed Shade’s head. The cat didn’t look happy at all, but hepurred for her.
“Of course he will,” Varo said as he touchedLexi’s arm.
Lexi smiled, but her concern was growing. Notonly was she worried about Cole’s safety, but she was alsoconcerned about what was going onwithhim. What wouldhappen if he called more shadows to him and allowed them to killagain?
Each time they responded to him, she sensedtheir hold on him solidifying, and shehatedit. Whathappened at the ball was brutal, but it was also cruel, and she’dnever known Cole to take pleasure in cruelty.
She tried to tell herself it was because Colehad been planning to kill Malakai for months, but she feared it wasmore than that. She worried he was beginning to enjoy the power anddestruction of the shadows.
CHAPTER 66
“Who are you, by the way?” Maverick askedKaylia before turning to her dad. “And when thefuckdid youcome back to life?”
Her dad chuckled. “It’s been a long time,Mav. We have a lot to catch up on.”
“Obviously,” Maverick retorted before turningto Kaylia. “And you are?”
