Page 63

The warrior returned with an older human female in tow. She looked to be at least seven centuries old, with silver hair and the kind of weathered face that spoke of a life lived in harsh conditions. But her eyes were sharp and intelligent, and she looked at me without fear.

"Your Majesty," she said, bowing slightly. "I'm honored."

"Elara." I forced myself to speak calmly, though everything in me wanted to roar. "Rhucard claims he brought you a gift yesterday. Is that true?"

"It is." She didn't hesitate. "He bought me a beautiful necklace from the silversmith—far too expensive, I told him, but he insisted." She pulled a delicate silver chain from beneath her tunic, showing me the intricate pendant that hung from it. "We stayed up late drinking with half the village."

The last of my rage drained away, leaving behind something worse. If Rhucard didn't have Leila, I'd wasted precious time coming here. I'd followed the wrong lead, and every moment I'd spent flying north was another moment she'd been in danger.

I'd failed her. Just like I'd failed Marion.

"Kavan." Rhucard's voice was gentler now, almost sympathetic. "What happened? When did she go missing?"

I couldn't look at him. Couldn't face the concern in his eyes when I'd just tried to kill him for a crime he hadn't committed. "This morning. She was supposed to have a video comm with the Prime. She missed it. Binwee found her room empty. We searched the castle and village and she's not to be found."

"And you thought I took her because I was in the village yesterday."

"You made no secret of wanting human mates," I said, the words tasting like ash. "You challenged the Earth restrictions at dinner. You flirted with her."

"I flirt with everyone," Rhucard said, and there was a hint of his usual humor in his tone. "It's part of my charm. But I would never take a female against her will, Kavan. You know that. And I sure as hell would never take your mate."

That word again. Mate. It hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning.

Leila was my mate. My blood singer. The recognition had come the moment I'd scented her, that symphony of wildflowers and sunshine that sang to something primal deep in my dragon's core. The bond itself was already written in her blood, in the way my instincts had known her before my mind could catch up. The envenomation would come later—would seal the bond formally, would give her the longevity and protections of a Drakhoni mate. But the bond itself? That had existed from the first breath I'd taken of her scent.

And I'd let someone take her.

"I have to find her." My voice came out rough, broken. "I have to—"

"We'll find her," Rhucard said firmly. He shifted his weight, and I realized he was moving closer, offering support rather than challenge. "You have my warriors, my resources, whatever you need. We'll tear this planet apart if we have to."

"Why?" I finally looked at him, meeting those sincere crimson eyes. "Why would you help me after I just tried to kill you?"

"Because she's your mate," Rhucard said simply. "And because I could tell from that first dinner that you two were meant for each other. The way you looked at her, the way she looked at you. I've seen enough mated pairs to recognize the signs." He grinned, though it was strained. "Besides, you fight like shit when you're emotional. Someone needs to keep you from doing something stupid."

Despite everything, gratitude flickered through me. Rhucard was arrogant and reckless and had challenged my authority more times than I could count. But he was also loyal in his own way, and right now, I needed all the allies I could get.

"Thank you," I said, and meant it.

Rhucard nodded, then turned to Sanyra. "Do you have any other leads? Anyone else who might have taken her?"

Sanyra opened her mouth to respond, but her comm device chimed. She pulled it from the leather pouch hanging at her neck, the only thing to survive the dragon shift. She looked at the device, her expression shifting from concern to something darker.

"It's Binwee," she said, activating the device.

The small blue Framaddi's face appeared on the holographic display. Even through the distortion, I could see the grim satisfaction in her expression.

"Sanyra," Binwee said without preamble. "I found something. You need to hear this."

"What is it?" I moved closer, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"I've been investigating since the formal reception," Binwee said, her voice carrying the weight. "I overheard some nobles talking. Nasty things about humans, about Leila specifically. The way they spoke about your attachment to her, Kavan. It set off every alarm I have." She paused, her expression hardening with determination. "So I started pulling threads. What I found is worse than I suspected. There's a sect operating on Drakhone. Has been for centuries, apparently. They're anti-human. Believe that humans are inferior, that Drakhoni shouldn't mate with them and are willing to use violence to get their way."

Ice flooded my veins. I'd know about the resistance, but this was far worse than I'd imagined. "How many?"

"At least two dozen that I've confirmed. Probably more." Binwee's expression hardened. "One of them is a servant in your castle. I've been interrogating him for the past hour."

"Interrogating." The word was a euphemism, and we both knew it. Binwee was one of Asad Intelligence's best operatives, and she had methods for extracting information that would make most Drakhoni warriors uncomfortable.