No wonder they were armed.
And that dragon now knew where they were.
“Odson, how did you find me?” Ice was sliding through his chest.
“Your video broadcast gave your coordinates.”
Jori’s eyes flicked to the queen. Her expression unreadable.
It wasn’t just regular people this island was being protected from.
No fucking wonder Kymri had pulled a knife on him and was willing to cut him for some batteries.
Their lives really were at risk, should others find out who and where they were.
He jumped to his feet.
He fucked up.
He paced away from the table toward the wall needing to gather his thoughts.
He thought his mother was teaching him so that he could share the legends with the rest of the world. She was teaching him so that he could understand something of himself, without telling him all of it. Still protecting her people.
Jori turned toward the queen, “This is the reason for the assembly. Why I’m here.”
She inclined her head.
He put his fists on the table, leaning forward, head bowed. He finally looked up at Odson, “That’s how you found me. I’ve been Vlogging and streaming for a long time now. How can they have made the connection between me and the certainty of this place?”
“Jori.” The older man shrugged, his gaze flicked between him and the queen. “They believe you’re an infiltrator for the male tribe.”
“It’s become quite obvious he didn’t have full knowledge before now. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t using him without his knowledge,” Kolina said.
Jori’s heart dropped into his stomach.
How could they know? How could they know to make that connection?
Jori looked up at Odson, “What do you know of my mother’s disappearance?”
15
Anger rolled off of Jori’s body in hot waves. Kymri could feel it radiating around her.
His whole world was turned upside down.
She watched Odson Blackridge as he answered Jori’s question.
“Not much. Not anything more than your father knew to tell me when she disappeared.”
“When did this happen?” Kolina asked.
“About 20 years ago.” Jori said.
“You should have come to us.” The queen’s voice carried down the table despite her soft tone.
“With all due respect, your Majesty, as far as Elora’s wishes, you were all to have believed she’d disappeared long before that. I would not have been believed and likely would have been shut away as a traitor and a spy.” His gaze slid back to Jori.
“She disappeared when I was in my teens. Why then, why now?” Jori said.
“They know where we are now; we need to prepare. Three attacked us this time and we almost lost Zayli. We have to be ready for when they return, and if there are more next time,” Kymri said. “We’ve relied on the magnetic fields created around this place by the ley lines to shield us for a very long time. We knew it couldn’t last forever. You know we will protect you to the death.”
“None of you should have to, Kymri Steelscale.”
“They make it so that we have to,” she said softly. “None of us wish to exist under that kind of servitude, and none of us will allow our queen to submit herself to such degradation either.”
“Your Majesty,” Kolina drew her attention, “Allow Kymri and I to go to Blue Creek and speak to the Wolf family, they may have connections to help us.”
Odson said “There are some government officials in intelligence, friendly to the family. They may be able to help locate a general direction of their lair using satellite surveillance. If the family is reluctant to get involved, I’ll approach the individuals myself. I’ve interacted with them at the bar for paranormals.”
“Your majesty, if I may go too, I’d like to try to fix the mess I made with my broadcasts. Once outside the ley line grid I can send out another broadcast informing the world I am alive and well, to stop looking for me and let them all know there’s nothing to be found here.”
The queen looked at him long and hard, “You came all the way out here to prove our existence. Why should I believe that you wouldn’t take this opportunity to exploit us and make your fortune?”
Jori shifted, an expression of guilt drawing his features.
“I’ll go with them.”
The queen’s gaze slid to Kymri; she could feel the weight of her assessment. After a long moment she said, “Kolina, I need you here. Marli will travel with Kymri and Odson to speak to the government contacts.”
Relief tumbled through Kymri’s insides. Marli was safe.
The queen went on, “She has seen our attackers in their human form; she can identify them if needed. Jori will make his announcement. Kymri, if he tries to betray us, your orders are to kill him before he can. No matter your relationship. Our people’s lives are at risk.”
Nausea rolled through Kymri. She nodded, not daring to look at Jori.
“Your Majesty—” Odson’s voice was low.
“Those are her orders.” The queen’s words cut through his growl. “Dismissed.”
Kymri and Jori shifted to leave, but Odson didn’t move. “Your Majesty.” His low voice pulled everyone’s attention. “Initiate him.”
Kymri gasped, as did several others, all attention suddenly on the queen.
“No.”
“He’d be vulnerable if we’re attacked.”
“No.”
Odson’s jaw tightened, his fists curling in to stop the stream of curses she could sense he held back.
Kymri spared a glance in Jori’s direction. His expression was unreadable, his posture incredibly tense.
“Dismissed.”
No one waited to be told a third time.
Out in the hall, Kolina approached Kymri, “Before you leave, I will meet with all of you.”
Kymri nodded.
Odson cast Kolina a glance.
“Timing, Odson,” Kolina said.
The older man snarled and stalked away.
Kymri studied her mother’s face and dropped her voice, “Do you think she’ll do it?”
Kolina’s eyes followed Odson as he and Jori disappeared down the corridor. “Maybe.”
Excitement spiked in Kymri, but she tried to keep it under control. “Don’t get too excited daughter. He has to prove himself unswervingly loyal before she’ll ever consider initiating him, especially here. Otherwise, there’d have to be a major disaster that would make her desperate enough to put herself at such a high risk.”
“He wouldn’t harm her.”
“No, I don’t think he would. Not willingly. That’s the key, isn’t it? He didn’t willingly lead those three males here either, did he?”
“How could he have known?”
“There’s too much he doesn’t know. But he knows just enough to be dangerous to us and to himself.” She sighed and reached out a hand to Kymri, letting her fingers gently squeeze her arm. Kymri had never seen her look so weary. “If he’s not as you think—if you have any sense—he may betray us, you will have to silence him. Go to Blue Creek, make contact with the continental intelligence officers, and find out what you can about our enemies. Come back to us, have your child, and return to duty if that is your wish. I will help raise the youngling. If Jori’s smart, he’ll return to his life and forget about us.”