Page 28 of Red Marked

We take the switchback trail up out of the gorge and along the ridge. He walks between my females, calm as anything.

By now, the Draig females will be in the cave with guards at the entrance. The call went up the moment he entered the ravine, and they know what to do. They’ll be safe. That’s what matters.

The camp is quiet when we come down into it, the fire pit burning low. I point him at the stone on the far side of the flames.

“Sit.”

He does. Several of my females spread out around the perimeter of the pit. The rest stand guard further out.

I sit on the stone across from him. The light from the low flames moves on his skin, over the ridges of his chest and the blood drying on his arm. I fix my eyes on his face. His jaw is covered in light stubble.

“Who are you?”

“I already told you, I’m Flint from Draig Island. Until a few months ago, I was second-in-command at Security Central, under Magma.”

“And what is a Draig male doing on Mistveil?”

“I’m here on a work permit. My first posting was border patrol, bolstering the containment line that keeps the ferals inside this jungle. There was a major breach some months back. It was my job to make sure it didn’t happen again.” His voice is deep and even, made for the dark. “Now that the border has successfully been secured, my new role is as head of security for the new rehabilitation clinic at the border of the jungle. My job was to put security measures and SOPs in place. Right now, I operate the capture team and evaluate the SOPs for the rest of the site on a weekly basis. The team is responsible for bringing in feral males who have been earmarked for rehabilitation. I spent nine weeks setting up the clinic. It’s been operational for a few days.”

“And already you found your way to my ravine.”

This is a trap.

Crap!

“Yep. I noted that the dragons we encountered yesterday were female, and that two had no markings.”

So, it was Flint and his team who the females in the ravine saw yesterday. Not a group of ferals, which is, hopefully, good news.

His eyes hold mine.

I stand and circle him while we talk. He tracks me, turning his head, then waiting, easy and unbothered.

“Did you report your findings?” I ask.

“I filed a report through official channels.”

Crap!

No!

“A Council representative flew out earlier today.” His voice turns dry. “He told us that we were mistaken about seeing females. Then he closed the entire northern face of this mountain range.”

“And yet here you are…against orders.”

“Yes.” He nods. “I know what I saw, so I obtained permission from Draig officials to investigate further. They know I’m here. I left a team at the mouth of the ravine as well.”

“You are lucky to still be breathing,” I tell him.

He shrugs. “I hoped you wouldn’t kill a Draiger who didn’t fight back. I’m glad you came to my rescue. Your second wants me dead.”

I hold his eyes. “What happens if you don’t fly out of here? Will your team attack? I have to warn you that they will be killed. Every last one of them. We are ready.”

I try hard not to show my fear.

How many of them are there?

Is the group as big as the one Scar saw yesterday?