Five demons were still alive, because their corporeal forms remained on the ground. Two struggled to lift their heads, both turning in Reese's direction.
Evalle sent a quick message to Quinn. Those demons are still alive, Quinn.
I can handle them.
If Evalle could see them, so could everyone else, including Storm who had a ground-level view.
Three demons pushed to their feet and headed toward Quinn and Reese. Quinn pushed Reese behind him and took out three with his kinetic power.
Huh. That was interesting.
Storm made quick work of the fourth, ripping off its head even before the dust released.
Daegan came soaring in over the top of the ravine that was now drenched everywhere with rain. Evalle couldn't see any remnant of fog left, which meant the buzzing field had to be gone.
The fire pit had continued to burn through all of it. That would take more than dirt to douse at some point.
Cold air swept over her wings. Evalle looked up at the skies where the storm was diminishing. No lightning or thunder. The clouds had thinned and were no longer spewing rain.
Daegan slowed and landed in the clearing right in front of a demon that clawed the ground, scrambling on all fours. It was crawling toward Quinn and Reese.
The scary dragon stared at the demon as if he studied a bug, then Daegan punted the body forty feet into the air.
The demon burst into dust mid-flight.
Daegan's face twisted into what Evalle took to be a toothy dragon grin, enjoying his soccer goal moment. Did he even know what soccer was? Doubtful.
Evalle landed next to Daegan, dwarfed by his huge, red body, and she was no small potatoes.
Isak and Adrianna walked toward her and Daegan.
Evalle felt a rough tongue lick her leg.
She looked down to find Storm rubbing against her and giving her a look she easily read as "I love you, but you're in deep trouble."
She sighed, which came out sounding like a snort in her gryphon form. Oops. She hoped Storm didn't take it as a challenge.
Swiping his tail slowly back and forth, Daegan stomped into the camp with Evalle and Storm following. He sent a telepathic order to Evalle and Tristan. Shift back into your human forms.
Uh, Daegan, Evalle started. My mate will lose his mind if I shift into a nude woman.
The dragon swung his massive body around. His tail whacked Lorwerth's drooped body. The man groaned.
Storm stood in front of Evalle as if he intended to protect her from Lorwerth, even though she was a giant gryphon.
Go ahead and shift, Evalle. I will take care of clothing.
At that, Evalle called up the change, noticing that Tristan was doing the same. As her legs and arms formed, she felt cloth drape over her body. He'd put her in ... a shift-type dress.
Really?
She never wore dresses.
That choice probably made sense for a man who had lived two thousand years ago and didn't know enough about modern clothes to majik up the right thing, but a dress?
Tristan, however, ended up in jeans and a T-shirt.
She looked up at Daegan and snapped, "Sexist much?"
Storm shifted. When he stood behind her, put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't give a damn as long as you're covered."
The dragon grinned again.
Men.
Tristan complained, "Can't you cover him up?"
A puff of smoke blew out of Daegan's nostrils. He was getting impatient, but he put Storm in a pair of jeans.
Quinn and Reese joined them as Isak and Adrianna walked up to stand beside Evalle and Storm. Quinn asked, "Are you okay, Evalle?"
"I'm fine. Tristan's the one they tortured."
Storm muttered, "Those are love taps compared to what I'm going to do to him for dragging you into this."
Evalle spun around in his arms and whispered in his ear, "I need to feel you as soon as we get out of here. Can we skip the argument and go right to makeup sex?"
He answered her by pulling her around and giving her a kiss that ranked right up there with sex against the wall.
Tristan grumbled, "Give me a break."
That drew everyone's attention to him. Evalle turned in Storm's arms again, but this time he wrapped his around her front where she'd wanted them.
Daegan whipped his big dragon head down to face Tristan.
Evalle caught their telepathic discussion since Daegan must have decided to keep her privy.
Daegan asked, Why didn't you come to me, Tristan?
Tristan, probably not realizing Evalle was listening said, You trusted me with the knowledge that they can kill you in another realm. We need you to lead. I was trying to handle this without putting you at risk.
When Daegan replied, his tone was soft. I do trust you without question, but that does not mean I expect you to battle our enemies without me. I will continue to share things with you, but you cannot decide to protect me without my knowledge. We must always show a strong front by joining together against any enemy. Understood?
Yes. I'm sorry.
No, never be sorry for doing your duty. Be proud, because I am. I couldn't ask for a better second.
Tristan nodded, clearly humbled.
Daegan shifted to his human form in the next instant. He must've had a reason for choosing leather boots this time, along with clothing that came right out of medieval times. He wore a huge sword strapped across his back in a sheath. She had no doubt a body that size could swing that sword with one hand.
He was one magnificent warrior, someone Evalle could follow into battle.
Evalle heard a low curse from her left. It was Isak. Evalle looked over her shoulder. "Thanks for the backup."
"You're welcome," Isak said, but he never took his eyes off Daegan. Isak didn't sound happy at all.
Adrianna gave Evalle a half smile. "Your turn to pick up lunch."
"You got it."
When Evalle turned back, Daegan was heading for Lorwerth.
She wanted to be there for that conversation, to find out who had been behind all of this and just who was Lorwerth.
Daegan called out to Quinn, "I may need your mind lock ability."
Quinn walked past Evalle.
She caught his arm and when he turned she said, "Daegan may not have understood that it's actually against your moral code to enter a mind without permission."
"That's not an issue this time. I would open up this enemy's mind with a sword and dip out what I needed if I thought that would work."
Whoa. That was more fire in Quinn's eyes than she'd seen since Kizira had died. Evalle glanced at Reese, who had nothing to say to anyone.
She wore her medallion again.
Why hadn't she left once she realized they'd found the tomb?
The small building was pretty damn obvious standing in the middle of the camp, still unopened.
Chapter 37
Quinn strode past the burned tents and into the center of the camp, sparing a brief glance for the silent tomb.
I'm sorry Kizira. I will find a way to keep you and our secret safe from our enemies.
When Reese left his side, wandering over to look at the tomb, he held his breath.
What powers, yet unseen, did she possess with that medallion?
She must have felt his eyes on her, because she turned around. She said, "Go. This is safe ... from everyone."
He had to trust her.
If she could spirit it away, she would have, right?
"Quinn?" Daegan called sharply.
Quinn stepped over to where Tristan and Daegan hovered near the person Tristan had identified as Lorwerth, who was no longer stuck to the tree. Quinn stopped short at the sight of a steel rod sticking out his back.
The tip jutted from his chest. "Can he be saved?"
Daegan shook his head. "I tried once and the wound ripped open. That is his doing."
Rain faded to a light drizzle as Daegan asked, "Where have you been since I last saw you,
Lorwerth?"
Tristan looked as surprised as Quinn. Daegan knew Lorwerth?
The dying man snickered in a nasty way. "I can't believe you're still alive. I get sent to Anwynn and you end up living like a king. Literally. Again." He coughed and blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
"You don't deserve any life, not after what you did to help Maeve capture me. My sisters died because of you and Maeve. Did you kill my father, too?"
Again, Quinn exchanged a look with Tristan at this new information on Daegan's past.
Lorwerth twisted up his face in disgust. "The three of you deserved what you got. I didn't kill the king. Miserable brother that he was, he left me nothing."
Daegan lifted an eyebrow. "You weren't even blood related. My father took you in as one of his father's bastards, then treated you as a full brother, and we respected you as our uncle. You inherited the crown. Were you so greedy that not even that was enough?"
"A crown is nothing but decoration. Your father hid the fortunes he'd amassed. I was left with enough to feed the castle each month. Nothing more. It was his fault I made the deal that landed me in Anwynn to begin with and your fault your sisters died. Not mine."
The man had to be insane to say such a thing to Daegan at this point.
Surprisingly, Daegan agreed. "Aye, it was as much my fault. My arrogance as much as your betrayal, but you acted in hate and I acted in love. I don't care why you ended up in Anwynn, but who pulled you from that place and for what reason? Was it Macha?"
"That goddess still around? I have nothing to do with her."
Storm had joined them and announced, "Truth."
Daegan nodded his thanks and asked, "What about Queen Maeve?"
"I was to deliver the body to her."
"Truth," Storm confirmed then added, "but he's holding something back."
"Who else is involved?" Daegan pressed.
Lorwerth stared at him with bold defiance.
Daegan told the dying man, "This ends here and now. You tell me who is behind this."
Lorwerth laughed hysterically, which turned into racking coughs.
Everyone looked to Daegan, who stared at Lorwerth with hate that was palpable.
Quinn asked, "Is he so far gone that he doesn't realize he's about to die?"
Lorwerth breathed in and out, his lungs gurgling. The smell of his blood tinged air left fresh by the rain. "I know exactly what will happen, but you don't, Daegan. This is not the end. This is the tip of what's coming. I've wanted to die for thousands of years. I'm ... I'm getting the best of the deal. I finally get to rest."
Daegan turned a dark face on Quinn.
Quinn warned, "If the same person who shielded the minds of these guards protected his as well, his mind may disintegrate as soon as I break through that layer. I can try, but I'll very likely just kill him when the shield implodes."
"You can't get through," Lorwerth rasped with smug authority. "My mind is more secure than any of the guards. I can control my own protective layer."
Quinn checked Storm, who nodded.
Standing up, Quinn said, "Well, that answers that. But ... I can try, if you wish for me to finish this."
Evalle said, "Quinn?"
He lifted a hand to silence her.
If Lorwerth died because of refusing to allow Quinn to enter when the man knew who was killing innocent people at will, then so be it.
Daegan shook his head. "I will never ask you to do a task that is mine alone."
Lorwerth looked confused. "What are you saying?"
Daegan reached over his head and withdrew a sword from the sheath on his back. "As the last of the dragon kings, I declare you guilty. You shall die by the sword, as that is the punishment as decreed during the time of dragons." Daegan lifted the sword.
Fear flushed color into Lorwerth's pale face, then a thought lit his eyes with mean amusement. "You don't know, do you?"
The sword hesitated in midair. "What are you talking about, Lorwerth?"
The crazy guy cackled a dead man's laugh. He coughed up more blood and spoke in a ragged voice. "I love it. You don't even know about the others."
Quinn watched Daegan's face lose its calm determination and turn into the face of one who looked like he'd been given unexpected hope.
Daegan ordered, "Who are you talking about?"
The sickening sounds coming from Lorwerth were getting softer. "Blood kin ... she ... "
Daegan lowered the sword and dropped to a knee. "Tell me. Of whom do you speak?"
Lorwerth's eyes rolled up.
Cursing the man, Daegan stood and shoved the sword into its scabbard.
Quinn would have liked to find out more about that exchange, but he had to make sure no one had tampered with the tomb. He needed a plan for what to do about the Tribunal meeting breathing down his neck.
So little time left to make such a big decision.
He told Daegan. "Give me a minute to check the tomb."
Daegan waved him off, then the dragon king turned to Evalle and Storm, talking about cleanup.
Quinn's gaze went straight to where he'd last seen Reese.
Where was she?
Chapter 38
After a last check to see that Storm and Daegan could handle cleanup, Adrianna returned to where Isak had his mother in a bear hug. The woman was rock solid and hadn't whimpered or complained, even for a second. Adrianna respected Kit for the front she'd shown, but tonight Kit had faced real monsters that were a whole different level of terrifying.
The sooner Isak got her out of here, the better for Kit, who would not want to break down around the boys.
Adrianna checked on the twins, since Evalle would expect her to do that. She had to be careful not to wound their young manly pride.
She asked Kellman, the always calm and levelheaded of the two, "You guys going to be okay?"
"We're good." His wary gaze drifted to Isak. "I don't think he's ever going to let us near Kit again."
Talk about a heart wrenching sound in Kellman's sad voice. That ripped Adrianna's own heart, which hadn't had the best of days already.
But Isak had shown signs that he might be rethinking his harsh reaction when he'd first learned of his mother's kidnapping.
He's only human, Adrianna reminded herself with a chuckle at the truth.
She told the boys, "Give me a minute to find out the travel arrangements since I came here with Isak. I'm fairly certain he had all your camping gear and his mother's SUV picked up by his men. There should be plenty of room for all of us in his Hummer."
At least the rain had quit, but now the night air was turning cool. Her body was tired of the bouncing weather changes.
When she walked up to Isak, Adrianna asked, "How are you doing, Kit?"
Kit unfolded herself from her overprotective son's embrace. "I've had better days, but I count that we're all safe as a blessing."
Evalle came running up to the group, really fast with the return of her super Belador speed. First she grabbed the boys and hugged them.
The relief on their faces warmed Adrianna's heart.
Seeing Evalle hug anyone was quite a change from when Adrianna had first met her.
Technically, the boys were legally adults. They'd grown up on the streets of Atlanta, but from what Evalle had shared with Adrianna, they'd gotten mothering from Kit that they'd never experienced. Clearly it had been good for them.
Kellman and Kardos might need a touch of that mothering now.
Evalle left the pair off to the side and walked up to Isak. "I'm glad everyone is okay."
He said nothing. The man had a head as hard as granite.
Kit told Evalle, "Thank you for coming to get us and please thank Tristan."
"I will." Evalle looked at Isak then Adrianna during the uncomfortable silence.
Kit cleared her throat and announced, "I need to talk to the boys."
Isak said in a firm but gentle voice, "Kit."
All Kit did was lift a finger, pointing straight
up, and Isak gave up his argument.
That small woman had some kind of power in that one finger.
Impressive.
Adrianna might have to ask Kit for lessons.
Walking away on shaking legs, Kit might be still rattled, but she was not one to cross.
"Stay away from her," Isak said in a quiet voice that Kit wouldn't hear, but Evalle and Adrianna couldn't miss the order he'd issued.
Evalle didn't even try to hide her shock. "What?"
Adrianna didn't want to believe he'd act this way now. Not right after everyone had risked their lives to save Kit and the boys. She asked Isak, "What is it you think I'm going to do to her?"
"Nothing, because you're never going to be around her again."
That was as final as it got.
Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Adrianna reminded herself she'd faced worse in her life without showing any crack in her mask.
She wasn't about to give him the benefit of knowing how deeply his words cut. She reminded him, "Staying away from Kit might be hard to accomplish since you made me come here in your truck."
"Not a problem. One of my men will be waiting for you and the boys."
She had survived years of poor treatment from her Sterling witch family and missed her sister desperately since her twin had died so that Witchlock would not land in the wrong hands.
If Isak thought he could break her, he was wrong, but he'd done a damn good job of knocking the foundation out from under her heart.
She gave an abrupt nod and started to leave, but Evalle grabbed her arm. "Wait a minute."
Then Evalle took Isak to task. "How can you be that way to her?"
He was just as cold to Evalle. "I'm done with you people."
"You people?" Evalle asked in a tone of warning.
Isak made it clear he was unwilling to say more than, "She can take the boys home or you can. Kit's going with me."
Evalle sounded ready for another throwdown. "She has a name. It's Adrianna."
He ignored her and said, "I don't want Kit around witches, demons or any other things again."
Looking over at Kit and the boys, who thankfully weren't listening, Evalle said, "Why are you being an ass, Isak? Bad enough that you treat Adrianna this way, but Kit loves those boys and they love her."
Adrianna sighed. "Give it up, Evalle. We'll never be more than strange things to him."
That must have pushed Isak's pissed-off button harder. "Kit is all I have. I don't want anyone to ever put her in that kind of situation again. The best way for me to ensure that never happens is to keep her away from ... nonhumans."