Page 13 of Dragon Blood (Dragon Island #3)

H and over her racing heart, Astred watched from the cool shade amid the palm trees and tropical flora as Kai emerged from the ocean, gaze seeking.

So much more could go wrong—was already going wrong.

Is this the right move?

He would never know how relieved she was to see him, or how many times she’d forced herself to stay away from his room these last few days.

How many times, she nearly gave into the need to seek comfort in his arms, as she used to do.

She succeeded only because she reminded herself that she no longer had the right. He’d made that clear on the beach when he’d said goodbye. Something she hadn’t even afforded him.

Astred knew, deep down, that he’d never close the door in her face. It wasn’t his way.

All she’d have to do is ask.

I can’t.

Waiting for his approach, her fingers slid over the scales protecting the most vulnerable point of her torso.

She couldn’t know anything more than what the vision had shown her.

That Kai was linked to whatever she needed to do to save her mother and her people.

The vision made that clear.

They barely spoke as she led him to the Crimson Claw, awaiting them in a narrow inlet, sails furled.

Aboard, she wasted no time issuing orders to her crew, as she strode toward the quarters her mother had occupied during the journey from Perenga’s island to Aeleftheria.

At the threshold, hands on hips, she scanned the small but comfortable bunk where Regina had fallen ill.

Is Kai the problem or the solution?

That part of the vision wasn’t so clear.

He hadn’t been the last to see her mother before her illness struck, but Astred couldn’t shake the accusations council matrons had hurled, calling for his imprisonment and execution.

Their answer to every problem that involved males appearing on the island.

It was all she could do to stall them, until she finally asserted her regency status, right before arranging for Kai to be moved along the underwater smuggling caverns.

They won’t be happy I’ve disappeared.

She rubbed a hand over the back of her neck.

They’ll be frothy, and no doubt assume that Kai has somehow managed to kidnap me and be out for blood.

At least my absence hinders their power, somewhat.

I hope.

Her hand slid over her chest as her eyes flicked over every inch of the room, doubts slamming into her conscience.

I should be by Mamma’s side, representing her in her absence. I’ve left Aeleftheria without a captain—a queen.

Astred glanced to her right where her first mate, Tundi, stood ready.

And soon the Crimson Claw would equally be without her captain.

She didn’t need to glance to her left, where Kai waited. Her body was hyper aware of him. A piece of her tugged her toward him as it always had, since their first moments together.

I’m not running away, she sent me that vision.

Astred jerked her head against the internal argument.

She’d said everything would change after Kymri’s wedding.

She blew out a breath, shoving the sudden replay of the unnerving images that Regina shared with her.

Astred drew a deep breath, stepping into the room that had already been searched for evidence. The prickling at Astred’s nape told her there was something more. It would be small. Subtle.

Simple.

Her gaze landed on the indigo flowers occupying a small corner of the built-in bureau. The flower buds that her mother had worn for the wedding rested in a small bundle atop the time-worn wood, their edges just starting to curl.

Approaching, she lifted the curled petals, cool satin slid along her fingertips.

Beneath the flowers, the aged wood had several fresh scratches. A few jagged lines with random divots, just enough to mar the patina. Astred followed the line with her fingertip, still cradling the undeveloped blooms, reminding her of a section of familiar coastline. And that divot, set some distance from the line, looked suspiciously like it could be the rough location of a town she also knew very well.

That nagging feeling at her nape returned, bringing with it the image of the ancient bent tree from the vision.

Black River.

Connected in some way to the white tigers?

Studying the second set of lines and divots, she glanced up at Kai. “Do these marks make any sense to you?”

Kai stepped toward the bureau, his scent infusing Astred’s senses in the small space as he leaned in to see where her fingertip rested.

He frowned, glancing up at Astred and back down to the mark, grunting. “Maybe.”

She turned, studying his impassive expression, lips set.

They did.

Turning to Tundi, she leaned a hip against the aged wood, replacing the blooms as they were. “You’ll sail the Crimson Claw back toward Perenga’s island. Use the gray sails to give yourself more time.”

“You want us camouflaged from the patrols?” Tundi lifted a brow.

Astred nodded. “For now. They’ll find an excuse to stop you, but if you can get to Carson, have him call Kane. Don’t show this desk to anyone but her. Not even my mother’s council if they board you. As far as anyone else is concerned, I’ve sent you to investigate on my behalf as to what could have happened to my mother.”

“And you?”

“As far as you know, I’m still in Aeleftherian territory—which we are.” Astred winked, then strode toward the door.

“Understood.” Tundi followed her out then veered off to issue orders to the crew while Astred kept going to her quarters.

Kai followed her out, but waited with his back to the wall, arms crossed as he looked out at the ocean, his bag at his feet.

Astred retrieved her waterproof travel bag, similar to Kai’s. “Let’s go.”

K olina stood on the guardian’s tower, watching as patrols came and went, relieved each time they returned empty-clawed and with no sightings.

Astred knew how to be invisible, even from their highly trained guardians.

Footsteps sounded on the worn stone behind her. The breeze shifted, dragging familiar scents across her face.

“Kolina,” Launia, her long-time friend and commanding superior of the patrol fleet, spoke.

It was time.

She knew it by her old friend’s tone. Soft for their centuries of friendship and affection, firm in her deep sense of duty.

Kolina wouldn’t make it difficult for her. She turned, holding her gaze, looking neither left nor right to the guardians flanking her. Zayli and Marli, by rank.

Protocol.

They would escort her to the Council. By force, if Kolina insisted. She wouldn’t. If she was seen to cooperate, it would earn Astred and Kai more time. She hoped they were long, long gone by now, to wherever Astred needed to go to find the answers to save them from whatever was brewing.

Zayli stepped forward, shackles in hand, stopping short when Launia held up a hand. Kolina lifted a brow, finally turning to meet her niece’s eyes. The spark in them told Kolina all she needed to know. Marli stared straight ahead, gaze locked on the horizon.

She wouldn’t have much more time.

Zayli believed that Kolina was complicit in a plot to injure the queen.

The scapegoating was in full swing.

Kolina’s heart beat faster.

Kai was gone. Kolina was not.

She straightened her shoulders.

It is time.

She nodded to Launia, who turned, leading her toward the passages winding down to ground level.

They would walk through the public spaces, visible to all, allowing the town and citadel citizens to see her being guided by the guardians to the council hall.

Theatrics.

Politics.

She wondered who would lead the inquisition against her as the locals gathered in whispers, following behind as they went.

As a member of the Queen’s Honor Guard, Kolina was known. Her mother and clan matron had been easing the way for her to take her place on the council. Grooming her.

Had been. Until everything had begun to change with the impact of a little plane on the tail end of their archipelago.

Her daughter Kymri’s destiny had crash landed, setting their little world ablaze, like toppling dominoes, until there was no room to replace the fallen tiles as they had been.

Not when the queen welcomed the stranger, albeit with caution. Nor when she left her sanctum to battle the invading enemy. And especially when she left her lands and people to make peace with that arch enemy.

The enemy that had for centuries threatened the autonomy of their sovereignty.

And Kolina had played her part in all of it.

She’d even done the forbidden and brought her male child to the heart of their protected culture.

The whispers grew to murmurs. Murmurs to grumbling, escalating to audible accusations.

“Traitor!” Someone shouted as they ascended the steps to the council hall.

She paused, turning to sweep the gathered crowd for the one with the bold voice at her back.

Many faces she knew, few she didn’t.

But there, on the edge of the crowd, she spotted one woman, a dragon shifter, like herself, next to her human companion.

One that worked in the citadel. Kolina recalled seeing her often carrying arm loads of linens between guest rooms.

A woman who’d born two sons and no daughters. Sons she’d had no choice but to give away in order to guard her place of freedom here.

Kolina suspected the woman’s true seat of anger lie in festering loss. Her jealousy challenged Kolina for daring to bring her son back to the very place they’d all been banished from.

Yes. How dare I?

She drew a deep breath, turning her back on the woman.

How dare I not?

It was time.

The queen was amenable.

Division was no longer the answer.

Perhaps if all went well, then this woman would also dare, as Kolina had.

Then she would know the terror of rejection that Kolina had faced and conquered. Not unscathed. But conquered, none the less.

And now she would pay the price so that it would not be in vain.