The woman lives, Saber called from where he was still stalking around the drake, making sure to keep himself between the threat and the child. Her heartbeat is uneven, but there is strength in it.

  A pained moan accompanied his words. I still have time. Kicking one of the down dragons on my way to the pair, I rushed to the fallen female. Carefully scooping her up into my arms, I barked at the boy. “Come on, kid.” Trusting the child to comply or Saber to herd him if he fell behind, I raced out of the shadowed space and crossed the street. Thank the Old God Tollas’s clinic is only two blocks away.

  Saber came alongside me—a nightmare cat of green, tan and black, his twin tails dancing behind him. The kid should be terrified of him, but somehow the charismatic beast had convinced the child to ride on his back like a pony.

  Thankful I didn’t have to slow my steps to accommodate the child. I picked up speed. What seemed like hours later, I pushed through the front door of the medical clinic.

  “Alec,” I shouted as soon as I landed in the waiting room. Alec rushed from the back, looked at the woman limp in my arms, and beckoned Saber and me forward.

  “Alyssa. I need Tollas. Incoming trauma.” Alec shouted.

  A red-haired young woman, not much younger than Alec, peaked her head out of a doorway. Concerned gray eyes behind wire-framed glasses got one look at me before darting back the way she came.

  There was a sense of familiarity about the girl, but if we’d met before, it didn’t immediately come to mind.

  Alec urged me into a private exam room. I set the woman down on the bed and took a step back. Alec didn’t waste time. Out of nowhere, he had a pair of scissors in his hand and was cutting open the woman’s shirt. Tollas rushed into the room, golden light surrounding his hand. He wasted no time applying his brand of magic.

  Saber purred, trying to ease the distressing noises coming from the child still perched on his back, clutching his fur tight. It failed, though the kid tried to muffle the sound in the crook of his arm. But the blood on his hands only reminded him of what had happened.

  Scooping the boy off Saber’s back, I left the room. There was a smaller waiting room for family members next door, and I sank into one of the chairs, allowing the boy to bury his face in my shirt. Wetness spread as his silent tears soaked into the material.

  My phone rang as the kid continued to express his fear and sorrow. Careful not to disturb the boy, I answered. “Not a good time Curtis.” I patted the child’s back in a soothing motion.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll keep this brief.”

  There was a note of defeat in his tone. “Lucan, you failed a key.”

  Chapter 21

  Lucan

  Curtis’s words hit me like a punch to the solar plexus, and if it weren’t for the boy curled in my lap, I would have collapsed to the floor.

  Keeping my magic locked down tight, I couldn’t help the pain broadcasting through my tone. My soul shattered. “So that’s it. She’s lost to me. Even if I find her, it won’t be in time to keep the bond.” And it was all my fault.

  “No!” Curtis’s tone was firm. “It was a minor key. But be warned, if you fail the next key, there will be no getting back to the most desired future.”

  “Can you tell me why I failed?” So much had happened in the last few hours I couldn’t narrow down the trigger.

  “Yes, I can.” Curtis took a deep breath over the line. “This key was about morality. You’ve done something against her moral code. Something that would have hurt her to witness.”

  Fuck. I knew instantly what Curtis was talking about. It wasn’t about using my power offensively. When outnumbered, you use every advantage you can. But instead of using my gift to defuse the situation, I’d made it worse. I goaded those shifters into a fight because I needed to hit something. I’d crossed a line.

  “Lucan, do not fail again.” Curtis hung up before I could respond.

  The boy’s distress increased, and I put aside my pain with great difficulty and focused on him. “Shhhh, kid. Your mom’s got the best healers in the city working on her. I promise they’ll do everything they can to make her okay.”

  The boy hiccupped as I continued to make soothing noises. Finally, his breathing evened out, and the tears stopped flowing.

  Saber padded into the room and butted his head against the child. I heard what Curtis said. We knew the road to getting her back wouldn’t be easy, and we might stumble along the way.

  “I should have listened to my gut. Instead, I let my anger rule me. Mackenzie would have done better,” I responded.

  Saber chuffed a feline version of a laugh, then licked the kid’s face. The boy had stopped crying, and the rasp of his tongue had the child scrunching his nose.

  Knowing what you do about her past, do you honestly think she has not stumbled? Was her road paved in precious gems with nary a bump in sight? The rebuke came through loud and clear. What matters, what will matter to her, is what you do now. Will you learn from this incident, or will you continue to fall back on your past mentality?

  I would never admit it aloud, mainly because it would make Saber even more of a smug bastard than usual, but for being the equivalent of a teenager and spending most of his life in a cage, the monster cat was damn insightful.

  Change was hard. Finding a balance between the black-and-white use of magic was even more problematic.

  Nodding my acceptance, I returned my attention to the boy. No longer buried in my chest, he rested against me, seeking comfort.

  “What’s your name?” I asked, wanting to get his mind off his terror for a moment.

  “Trey,” he answered in a small voice.

  “Hi, Trey. I’m Lucan. Want to tell me your mom’s name? I can tell the healers when they come out.”

  “Amber,” He nuzzled deeper into my chest. I tightened my arms.

  “Amber’s a pretty name. Can you tell me what happened?” I asked. Alec and Tollas would need any information I could get to treat the boy’s mother.

  Fear welled in the lad as he started to recall the earlier events. Reaching out, I tipped his chin up with a finger. “I know it’s scary. But it’s important. If you want, I can help a bit.”

  Shaking, Trey asked, “How?”

  “My magic can help make your sadness and fear a little easier to bear.” I tried to explain it in a way he could easily understand.

  Nodding his consent, I let my magic do its thing, and as I took the top off his fear and sadness, I kept an emotional eye on Trey. If the memories got too much, I would stop him.

  “Mom and I were walking home from my after-school class. She works in Unity square, and I go to Mrs. Gryphos’s house when she’s at work.” He readjusted in my lap.

  “I was telling mom about a gryphon history lesson. Mrs. G was telling me about the root of gryphon magic today, and it was neat. Mom always likes to hear about gryphon stuff. She’s cool like that.” I ran my hand over Trey’s hair, a tactile reminder that I was still there. His fear spiked. I altered my power to compensate for the surge.

  Saber pressed up against the boy simultaneously, sensing the child’s distress. “Then those jerks started talking to mom. They said I should be with my own kind, and that made mom mad.” Trey pressed his hands together. “She grabbed me hard and tried to get us away, but the dragons wouldn’t leave us alone.” Trey paused.

  “What happened next, Trey?” I kept my voice light.

  “Two more came up behind us. Mom called out to a stranger walking by, asking for help. He looked at her and said he only helped his own kind.”

  My heart grew hard. “Can you describe this dragon?”

  Trey nodded and then began to rattle off a disjointed description. “He was taller than mom but not as tall as you. He was wearing sneakers, and he looked thin. He had brown hair. I didn’t see his eyes, but he had a jacket on. It had a silver dragon over his heart.” It was more than I could have hoped for from the traumatized child.

  Rage boiled within me anew, but I was careful not to let even a speck of it leak. I knew that shifter, that dragon. And as soon as I knew that Trey’s mom would be okay, I would hunt the bastard down and kick his ass.

  Done recounting the events, Trey turned his face away. Shame and self-loathing built in him. Not understanding the cause, I asked, “What’s up, kiddo?”

  He paused, then took a deep breath. “Mom told me to run, but I couldn’t. I was too scared. I should have run.”

  Rubbing Trey’s back, I made more soothing noises. “Not your fault. Even adults freeze in situations like that.”

  Curling deeper into my chest, he whispered, “Are you going to make me live with another family?” His small form trembled so hard I worried he might hurt himself. “The bad men who hurt mom told me I would soon have a family who would understand me. That I didn’t have to live with a human anymore.” He looked at me with panicked eyes. “I don’t want a new family.”

  I held the kid as a new wave of emotion broke his fragile composure. It was too much even for my power to take. Easing what I could, I let the rest wash through him naturally. My dragon rumbled, vibrating my chest, trying to soothe the heartbroken child.

  “You did your best,” I said in a serious tone. “We all do things we regret. But you know what.” I forced him to look at me. “The most important thing is that you get back up and keep going.”

  I took Trey to the washroom and helped him clean the blood off his hands. Then we sat in silence. Saber alternated between rubbing the boy with his cheek and licking his face to clean the tears and snot. I thought it was gross, but Saber scathingly informed me that this is what one did for cubs. Whatever. To each their own, I guess.

  Alec came to find us about forty-five minutes after we’d rushed in. Blood dotted his coat, and his eyes looked haggard, but there was also a smile on his face. I relaxed. Amber would be fine.

  Crouching down in front of Trey, Alec held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Alec. I helped your mom.” Trey cautiously reached out to shake the healer’s hand.

  “Hi,” Trey’s said, his chin wobbling, but he held back the tears.

  “Your mom’s going to be okay. I know it looked scary, but she wasn’t hurt too badly. Whoever hurt her, hit her head. It made her sleepy.”

  I gave Alec a look of gratitude. Head injuries weren’t something to sneeze at, but if he said it would be okay, I believed him.

  “Would you like to go see her? She’s awake now.” We watched as Trey jumped out of my arms and bowled Saber over. Then, unconcerned, he rushed past Alec and into the next room. I shook my head ruefully when the kid didn’t even look back.

  I am glad the woman will be alright, Saber said, his twin tails flicking independently behind him.

  “Me too.”

  Alec scratched Saber’s head, then slumped into my seat. “It was touch and go, Lucan. Without my healing magic, she wouldn’t have made it.”

  I growled, and Alec gave me a concerned look. I waved him away. “I’m okay,” I said. Alec crossed his arms and continued to stare, not quite accepting my statement. “I just realized something.” The pair gave me a look that screamed, ‘AND?’

  “Curtis warned me months ago to be careful on my way home, and when nothing happened right away, I forgot about it. But, by the Old God, Alec. What if I hadn’t decided to walk?”

  Alec looked at me, his eyes kind. “Then there would be nothing you could have done. Sometimes, even with a warning, what happens is out of our control. Don’t torture yourself with the what ifs Lucan. You’ll only drive yourself nuts.”

  “Easier said than done, Alec.”

  “Thank you for bringing her here.” Alec put his head in his hands. After a minute, he whispered, “I know her.” Then, seeing my curiosity, he explained. “Not personally. She’s one of the few people Mackenzie was building a friendship with. Kenzie helped Amber get her job at the Hall of Records.” He raised his head and looked me in the eye. “Amber got a lot of flak from the Triad because she didn’t want to get rid of her shifter child. She wanted to keep him.” Alec’s tone was hard. “Why would anyone give up a child just because they’re different? It’s plain wrong.”

  Agreement thrummed through me. My father fought tooth and claw so that I would never doubt his love for me or that I was a valued member of our family. I want to think if I, or any of my siblings were born with a different, or no beast, he would fight just as hard. That was the kind of man my father was. The man I was trying to become again.

  Alec sighed. “They attacked her with the intent to kill, and take her child.” Blue light glowed around his palm, his water affinity expressing itself in his anger.

  I didn’t speak for a long time. Too busy wrestling for control of my emotions. Saber pressed down harder on my feet, and Alec laid a hand on my forearm, squeezing it in sympathy. Then, finally, when I could speak, my dragon was in my voice. “She asked a man walking by for help. He told her she wasn’t worthy because she was human and not a shifter. Do you know who that man was? Because I do.”

  “His name is Deacon. He’s the man who replaced me as the Dragon Protector.”

  Chapter 22

  Lucan

  Storming out of the clinic with Saber, a silent shadow at my side, I was determined to confront Deacon.

  How the hell have things gone so wrong, so fast? It’s only been a few months.

  Regardless of who it came from, my trainers would never have allowed me to ignore a cry for help. My chest constricted as frustration surged within me. Some of it leaked, causing Saber to growl softly.

  If the new Dragon Protector were being derelict in his duties, I’d bet my tail Jasper was behind it. I might have lost my status, and my Tribe may hate me, but I’d be damned if I walked away from this. Everyone had the right to walk the streets in safety. Human, shifter, mage, it didn’t matter.

  Even though I was angry, I wasn’t stupid. Backtracking down Wing Street, I entered Unity Square from Market Row. Since I came from a public place, Toban and his team couldn’t deny me entrance.

  It was early evening, and people were pouring out of buildings. Ignoring them as I marched across the square, I noted when Saber peeled away. He melded with the shadows cast in the rapidly lowering light.

  I will wait outside, he said, disappearing into the shade of the library.

  What? I teased. Are you afraid of the big bad dragons?

  No, Saber replied in a dry tone. That place is full of sheep masquerading as people. I don’t want to end up with wool in my teeth.

  Barely holding in a chuckle, I appreciated the cat’s ability to lighten my mood. Now that I’ve calmed down, maybe I can get through this without punching someone in the face.

  I re-evaluated myself. Nope, not happening. Someone was getting punched today.

  A bystander must have spotted me when I crossed the threshold to the square and tattled. Because as I hit the bottom stair of the Hall of Justice, Toban, the Dragon Enforcer, was waiting in the middle of the stairs, his arms crossed, and a glare pinching his features.

  “You can’t be here, Lucan,” he called as I started to march up the steps.

  “Like hell I can’t, Toban.” I snarled as I jabbed a finger at him. “This is a public place where anyone can air a grievance.”

  Toban huffed irritably. “Not anymore.” He crossed his arms.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” I ground out through clenched teeth. I was fighting the urge to feed Toban my anger.

  “It means,” Toban marched down and grabbed my arm. Swinging me around, he started to escort me out of the square. To anyone watching, he was aggressively removing an unwanted guest. “That the Square is no longer neutral ground. The Dragon Head has taken back the land. Only authorized people are now welcome to enter. Effective immediately.”

  Shock ran through me. Was Jasper suicidal? The square had been neutral ground since the city was re-founded. Hubert P. Riverside had gifted the two Clans the space on the premise that it would be an area to foster understanding and peace between the different peoples.

  I growled. “What the hell Toban? He can’t do that. It’s in the property deed.”

  Toban shook his head and lowered his voice. “Jasper greased the right palms. While they can’t change the deed, the city passed a by-law. You now need a permit issued by the hall of justice to enter the square. It doesn’t specifically state that a non-shifter can’t get a permit, but the Hall of Justice has the final say on their distribution. So far, Jasper is only issuing them to dragons, gryphons, and the stone elite.”

  “The Purity Movement is gaining ground, isn’t it?” I told him as we passed by the fountain dominating the center. It was a beast of a thing, with members of all the races carved in stone. Everyone had stupid smiles on their faces and held hands like hippies. Even before the Movement, it was a meaningless symbol left by an idealistic founder. Now it was a goal. Whatever it took, I would see actual unity in this city. Or die trying.

  I told him about Amber. “Please tell me Deacon wouldn’t have walked by, that it was a mistake.”

  Toban closed his eyes. “I wish I could. Jasper has decreed that any humans found in dragon lands are trespassing and fair game. If it’s another Mythos or a Terran shifter, they are to be encouraged to stick to their own spaces.”

  “What about mated pairs in the Grey Zone?”

  “No exceptions. Jasper has offered Annabelle’s services to anyone wanting to break a mating bond at no charge. If the pair want to stick together, they must move out. He’s given them to the end of the month.”

  Toban clenched his teeth. “There have been fires, Lucan. The fuckers are setting fire to dragon homes, knowing that the dragon will survive, even if the mate doesn’t.” Dragons had the advantage over drakes and wyverns. They were immune to all fire, including dragon fire.

  “How the hell are people putting up with this shit.” I ripped my arm out of Toban’s grasp. Bystanders gave us a wide berth, occasionally throwing irritated looks at me from the corner of their eyes.

 

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