Page 43 of Forged in Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #5)

And I feel Riven’s matching contentment. His slow adjustment to belonging somewhere, to having people who matter. The careful walls he built around his heart are crumbling piece by piece, replaced by something stronger.

Connection. Trust. Love.

The sun sinks lower. Conversation flows around us, comfortable and familiar. Plans for the future, memories of the past, the easy intimacy of people who’ve chosen each other.

This is what I fought for without knowing it. Not just Kieran’s freedom, but this—a place where we belong, people who understand the darkness we carry, the peace that comes from knowing you’re not facing the world alone.

I’m drifting drowsily when Viktor’s emergency phone starts ringing.

The sound cuts through conversation, sharp and insistent. Viktor’s expression changes instantly, military composure sliding into place as he reaches for the device.

“Parlance.”

The voice on the other end is too distant for me to make out words, but the tone carries urgency that makes my shadows stir restlessly. Around the terrace, conversations falter as people notice the shift in atmosphere.

“What do you mean ‘no signal’?” Viktor’s voice hardens. “How long ago did you lose contact?”

Instinctively, I hold my breath. Contact. Lost contact with who?

Beside me, I feel Riven’s instant alertness, his body shifting into combat readiness even though we don’t know what the threat is yet.

“Are you certain?” Viktor’s face has gone pale, his features drawn tight with strain. “No distress call? No emergency beacon?”

The terrace falls completely silent now. Even the evening birds seem to sense the change, their songs fading to nothing.

“Understood. Begin search and rescue operations immediately. Full mobilization.” Viktor ends the call, but doesn’t put the phone down. His hands shake almost imperceptibly.

“Viktor?” Vanya’s voice is carefully controlled, but I catch the mother’s fear underneath. “What’s happened?”

He looks up, meeting her eyes across the terrace. When he speaks, each word sends dread spiraling.

“The helicopter carrying Luke, Mara, and Ember has gone down.”

Vanya makes a sound I’ve never heard before—raw, animalistic, the cry of a mother whose child is in mortal danger. Hargen’s arms go around her instantly, but she pushes away from him, rising to her feet with desperate energy.

“Where?” she demands. “Where did it go down?”

Viktor’s answer destroys what’s left of our peace.

“The Carpathian Mountains. Not far from the chamber site.”

Of all the places in the world, they’re down in the most dangerous one. Where the Syndicate just lost a major operation. Where Circle of Fire remnants might still be operating. Where ancient power sleeps beneath stone, and any number of hostile forces could converge.

“How long?” Caleb asks, already shifting into mission mode.

“Communication was lost six hours ago.”

My God. They’ve been down for hours, in hostile territory, with no backup and no way to call for help.

“Why the fuck are we only learning this now?” Hargen barks, his features set in grim lines.

“Because there was no reason to suspect anything was wrong until they didn’t return as expected,” says Viktor.

“Fuck,” Hargen mutters, rubbing a hand over his face. Fatherhood is still new to him, but it’s clear he’s settled into it.

“Search and rescue is already mobilizing,” Viktor continues, but his tone suggests limited hope. “But the terrain is treacherous, the weather is deteriorating, and—”

“I don’t care about the weather!” Vanya snaps, her composure completely shattered. “My daughter is in those mountains!”

“Our daughter,” Hargen corrects quietly, his own face carved from stone. “And we’re going to get her back.”

Around the terrace, the peaceful family gathering transforms into something else entirely. Warriors awakening. Protectors mobilizing. People who’ve survived too much to lose anyone now.

“We need immediate deployment,” Caleb says, already running calculations. “Full tactical team, medical support, extraction specialists.”

“We’ll go,” I say immediately.

“You’ve just returned. We’ll send a team that doesn’t need recovery time—” Viktor starts.

“We’re fine,” I interrupt, standing up. I sense Riven’s instant agreement, his protective instincts flaring to match mine. “We’re going.”

“Iris—”

“Those are our people down there.” My shadows respond to the emotion flooding through me. “Luke protected us in Romania. Ember risked everything to help us understand what we were facing. And Mara… Well, she’s Mara. We need her.”

The mate bond flares as Riven rises beside me, his own power stirring in response to mine. Fire and shadow, ready to burn down anyone who threatens our family.

“We’re not leaving them,” he says, voice carrying deadly certainty. “Not in that place.”

“The Syndicate will investigate the crash site,” Kieran says, his mind already working through implications. “So will Circle remnants. So will anyone else who knows about the chamber.”

He pauses, eyes meeting mine across the terrace.

“I know those mountains. I know their patrol routes, their safe houses, their contingency plans.” His voice grows stronger with each word. “Let me help.”

Viktor studies the three of us—the mated pair still testing a new bond, the recovering prisoner whose intelligence could save lives. I can practically see the calculations running through his head.

Then he nods.

“Fine. You’re on the team. Emergency deployment in one hour. Full combat loadout.” His voice is steady. “We bring our people home.”

The peaceful terrace explodes into motion as people scatter to gather gear, contact support teams, prepare for another trip into hell. But this time, we’re not going to stop ancient rituals or prevent magical disasters.

We’re going to save the people we love.

And God help anyone who tries to stop us.