Hadrian took the pen.
I’ll bank the fires. Can you take me in dragon form?
Rania winced and shrugged. That was a lot of mass to move.
He nodded in understanding and wrote again.
Then I’ll shift once my pulse is low; you can take me there and I’ll shift back. You’ll only need to be there for the blink of an eye.
Rania nodded and took back the pen.
2. I’ll go to Maeve’s court, as if I’m bringing a Pyr victim to kill in front of her to fulfill our deal, but in the end, we’ll turn the tables on her.
I’ll need a volunteer.
Hadrian nodded.
3. That battle will provide a distraction for someone—also a volunteer—to steal the gem of the hoard and get it to you in the armory.
4. Meanwhile, the Others will invade Fae, using Sebastian’s sword to open a portal between realms, and make as much trouble as they can while we free my brothers and escape.
Hadrian gave her a thumbs-up. He wrote Thursday Night beside the fourth item, ASAP beside the first one, then lifted his hand, inviting her suggestions on the timing of the other steps.
Rania tapped the word volunteer in item number two and met his gaze.
He indicated Balthasar and Alasdair, then shrugged, implying that one of them would step up. That would be one detail resolved. Rania circled someone in item number three and offered Hadrian the pen. She thought he might make the same answer, that either his cousin or his friend would volunteer for the first role and the other would be the thief.
Hadrian tapped it for a minute, then wrote.
A djinn.
Their gazes met and held. A djinn was a perfect choice. They could be terrific thieves and spies, given their ability to disappear into mist without warning. They were elusive and silent.
But they had to hate Rania. No djinn was going to be in a hurry to save Rania from the Dark Queen’s clutches. She pointed at the bichuwa, the holster back on her hip, and Hadrian sighed.
He took the pen.
You could apologize and ask for help at Bones. That might convince the Others to join us.
Rania exhaled and took a step back. She frowned at the very idea. She’d never spoken to her victims until Hadrian, and had never faced the consequences of her actions. She certainly wasn’t in a hurry to meet anyone who hated her, but she met Hadrian’s gaze and found understanding there. He nodded gently.
Maybe she could explain.
Maybe they’d help for the sake of the greater good.
Maybe her apology would make the difference.
She took the pen, hesitated, then wrote something she’d never expected to confess.
I’m afraid.
Hadrian smiled with that alluring confidence and reclaimed the pen, his fingers brushing over hers.
It’s only sensible. But I’ll have your back.
He winked at her, as cocky as ever, and Rania found herself smiling. Maybe she could do it. It certainly was worth a try. She nodded and Hadrian caught her close, rewarding her with a kiss that had the Pyr protesting that they weren’t paying attention.
But they were.
And they had to find a djinn to help.
Hadrian was so proud of Rania that he thought he might burst. It couldn’t be easy to face the crowd at Bones, given her past, but she took them both to New York in a flash. Once the decision was made, she didn’t hesitate or try to avoid a hard task. He respected that she was so unflinching.
It was late in Manhattan and the sky was dark overhead. Hadrian couldn’t see the stars because of the ambient light of the city. He was surprised, as always, by the noise level. He could hear cars honking on the closest avenue and the sound of traffic, buses rumbled and hissed, the subway growled deep beneath her feet, making the concrete vibrate. There were voices in the distance and the persistent throb of dance music. A door slammed and dogs barked, something clanged in an alley and a cat howled at a distance.
The door to Bones was steel and not the most welcoming entrance Hadrian had ever seen. Rania regarded it with obvious trepidation and he dropped his hand to the back of her waist. “We should go in,” he said and she smiled up at him, her uncertainty clear. He would have done this for her, if it had been possible, but she had to make the appeal.
“Are the Others there already?” she asked, obviously confident that his keen senses would reveal the truth to him.
Hadrian nodded. “All of them. It’s time.”
“And the other Pyr?”
“Some of them. He narrowed his eyes and knew he shimmered blue a bit as he assessed the situation. “Drake, Theo, Arach, Rhys, Niall. Hey, Sloane is here, too.” He smiled at her. “The Apothecary of the Pyr,” he explained.
“I hate groveling,” she muttered and Hadrian chuckled.
“Then don’t. Just apologize.” Hadrian put his arm around her and leaned closer. “Everyone makes mistakes. And a lot of those here have been cursed on enchanted against their will. What’s going to count is your sincerity.”
“I am sincere.”
“I know. And they will, too.”
She exhaled, obviously uncertain. “If you say so.”
“Trust me.”
That prompted her smile. “I do.”
Hadrian gripped the handle and opened the door. A waft of scent and smoke assaulted them both. He smelled roasted meat and barbeque sauce, fat in a deep fryer, the press of human bodies, cigarette smoke and beer.
A woman dressed in black turned to face them and blocked their passage. Her eyes were cold. She looked between them but didn’t move. “We’re closed.”
“I’m Hadrian MacEwan and this is Rania Hingston. We requested an audience at the meeting of the Others.” Hadrian stepped into the bar and let the door close behind them.
The woman’s eyes narrowed.
Rania held up her wrist to display Maeve’s red cord. “It’s time to break free.”
“No one’s going to help you here,” the hostess said with hostility.
“We’ll see about that.” Hadrian led Rania right past the medusa hostess.
He felt everyone in the bar survey their progress, and heard the whispers of speculation. He was aware that he shimmered blue, on the cusp of change, ready to defend his mate.
“Trust a dragon to bring a Fae assassin into our midst,” muttered a heavy-set guy and there were nods from the group.
“Dragons always have to run the show,” agreed another.
“Dragons are unafraid to mix it up,” countered Theo. He was standing on the far side of the bar, with the rest of the Pyr in attendance. Hadrian headed toward them but Rania stopped beside the bar.
“I’ve got this,” she murmured to him and he felt a surge of pride. “Go to the Pyr.”
He looked into her eyes for a moment, wishing her all the luck in the world, then nodded and strode to sit with his fellow dragon shifters. They clapped him on the back, moving to include him but making sure they all had space to shift in case his mate needed their help.
Hadrian had a feeling she wouldn’t.
The bar was crowded with Others of all kinds. Hadrian couldn’t even identify all of them. He’d heard about Wynter Olson, the leader of the mates of the Alaskan wolf shifters and readily identified her both by her proximity to Arach and the golden glow of the firestorm between them. He wished his buddy luck with that. There were bear shifters, and he recognized Caleb, the alpha of the Manhattan wolf shifters, as well as a number of Others from the Circus of Wonders. Mel was at the bar with Murray, pulling beers and pouring shooters. He was aware of the red string on Mel’s wrist and the way Theo avidly watched her. Sylvia was sitting at the bar alone and kept glancing over her shoulder. Hadrian wondered whether she even knew that Sebastian had left town. There were noticeable absences, too, a hint of the damage Maeve had caused.