Chapter Thirty-Five
Remy set me on my feet and began straightening my gown. I couldn’t even muster up a blush as I looked over his shoulder at Mandal. It felt like all the blood left my face—and other parts of me—to thump painfully through my heart.
“Did he look pissed?” I asked Mandal.
He wasn’t wearing a mask, so I saw every nuance of Mandal’s jaded expression as he said, “He certainly wasn’t smiling.”
“I won’t let him hurt you,” Remy said, giving my voluminous skirt a final tug. Now all of it was back on the ground.
I snorted. “I’m not worried about me. I’m not the one who pissed in several bowls of his proverbial cornflakes today.”
“Only after he pissed in mine,” Remy replied calmly. “Mandal, you know what to do. Raine, you can stay up here while I go see him.”
I snorted again. “Like hell.”
Remy gave me the briefest smile. “I thought not.” He extended his arm. “Shall we?”
I took his arm. “Looks like it.”
Remy walked us to the opposite side of the walkway that acted like a large balcony over the ballroom.
There was another staircase there, and he took the steps in a confident, unhurried manner.
He even had a little smile on his face. Meanwhile, I drew on all my experience to school my features into controlled competence to hide my anxiety.
These dragons were easy to kill.… Daegal’s over a thousand years old, and one of the most powerful dragons alive.…
I pushed those thoughts back. They might be true, but they also wouldn’t help. Besides, even if Remy wasn’t a powerful Warden who’d vowed to keep me safe, I’d already killed one dragon today. If Daegal tried to slaughter Remy, me, or anyone else, I’d go for two or die trying.
This staircase ended near the orchestra, which was tucked into a discreet corner by the front of the ballroom.
As soon as we walked around the musicians, I realized Mandal must’ve had exterior spotters notify him the moment Daegal pulled up, because the dragon entered the ballroom right as we looked toward the stately Grecian pillars framing its entrance.
At first, I didn’t think Daegal was wearing a costume.
No mask shielded his features, and his black suit with scarlet braiding looked vaguely military.
Then he spotted us and his strides increased, billowing his long red cloak behind him.
Its hem split, rising up around him in twin arcs shot through with flames that seemed to eat through the plain red fabric.
By the time Daegal reached us, his cloak had transformed into a pair of large, fiery wings.
Okay, he was evil, but that was cool.
“Lord Morsyn,” Remy said. “How kind of you to join us.”
Daegal looked at the opulent ballroom with its aerial performers, mystic light show, orchestra, silken dining tents, and stunning flower displays.
“What an unimpressive gathering. I remember the balls your grandmother used to throw. Those were a real sight to behold. This is yet another way that you pale in comparison to Juli.”
I blinked. Of all the things I’d expected from the dragon, being a petty little bitch wasn’t one of them.
Remy only smiled. “My grandmother did throw extravagant balls, but that’s not all she was renowned for. Juli also gave some of her guests personalized gifts. That’s a tradition I’ve decided to follow, so here are the gifts I’ve personally prepared for you.”
Several tuxedoed attendants cleared a large area around Daegal. I soon saw why. Even more attendants approached the dragon, all carrying white satin boxes. They set those boxes near the dragon’s feet, until Daegal was soon surrounded, as if they were presents and he was a Christmas tree.
Remy’s icy smile made me bite my lip. Earlier he’d said something about returning Daegal’s dragons to him, but none of these boxes were big enough to hold a body. Unless…?
No. Remy was pissed, but he wouldn’t be that twisted.
Daegal’s brow arched as he picked up the nearest box. He flipped up its lid and looked inside—
“You fucking bastard,” Daegal snarled.
Oh shit, Remy was that twisted!
“What’s wrong?” Remy asked in a ringing voice.
“These dragons attacked me, as evidenced by the mess they left on my side of the Allegheny Mountain range. But you would never authorize that, right? If you did, that means war. If they went rogue and betrayed you, you should be grateful that I took care of them for you. So, either thank me or admit that you failed to assassinate me in a pathetic attempt to commandeer my lands.”
Gasps sounded in the ballroom.
“Dragons?” I heard a few people say in confusion.
That’s right, most of the guests were human. Remy would have a hard time explaining this to his bigwig friends.
Red crept up Daegal’s collar, darkening his pale skin with rage.
I didn’t dare look at him through the Beast’s gaze right now.
I could already feel it coiling within me.
If I drew on its power to see Daegal, the Beast might burst out at the first glimpse of the dragon’s bloodred aura or huge, spectral wings.
“Well?” Remy challenged him. “Which is it?”
Setreg moved to my right, as silent as a shadow.
Daegal’s gaze flicked to him and narrowed in contempt.
Jessica and Owen strolled over to Remy’s left. Owen was still drinking from a mostly empty glass, and he rested an elbow on Remy’s shoulder like they were hanging out in a bar instead of representing a united wall of Wardens in front of Daegal.
“’Fraid I drained the last of the ’69 Macallan,” Owen said with a contented belch. Then he glanced at Daegal as if he’d just noticed the dragon standing there. “Ah, Lord Morsyn.” Owen raised his glass in salute. “Helluva party, right?”
Daegal’s lips curled into a sneer. “As I said, I’ve attended much better. As for you, Remington,” he almost spat his name, “of course I had nothing to do with any attack on you.”
Tension escaped me like water gushing from a geyser. There wouldn’t be a fight! The dragon was actually backing down!
“But you can forget my thanking you,” Daegal went on. “You know you shouldn’t have interfered in a dragon’s affairs. I would have punished these traitors myself for their betrayal.”
The arch of Remy’s brow said “bullshit” loud and clear. “It’s hardly interference to eliminate those trying to kill me.”
“And that’s why I’ll forgive … this,” Daegal said with an incensed look at the elegant satin packages.
Forgive? What an arrogant ass—
“You,” a man’s voice said with shaking fury.
Remy’s head whipped around. Shock creased his features as a tall, gray-haired man pushed his way through the crowd.
I didn’t recognize him at first. His perfectly coiffed hair, striding gait, imperious expression … nothing was the same. Only when he got close enough for me to see that his eyes were periwinkle blue did I realize I was looking at Brendan.
Brendan, wearing a suit that was made this decade, let alone this century. Brendan, whose body seemed to have gained height and muscle even though I realized it was just him standing up straight. Brendan, staring at Daegal with so much naked violence, it made the Beast’s gaze overtake mine.
And oh my God, Brendan’s aura. It was no longer the dazzling white that had so surprised me when I first saw it. It was now swirled with grays, blues, purples, and reds that grew as he raised a fist and swung it at Daegal.
“You got Juli killed!”
Remy grabbed his grandfather’s arm, stopping the punch before it landed. Daegal was so shocked, he hadn’t even moved.
“Brendan?” he said in disbelief.
Jessica and Owen also exchanged amazed glances. Even Setreg rocked back on his heels.
“Let me go,” Brendan ordered Remy.
Remy gave me a single glance that no one else noticed because they were too busy staring at Brendan. Then Remy hauled his grandfather against him and clapped a hand over his mouth.
“You’re confused,” Remy muttered. “Let’s get you home.”
But Brendan wasn’t confused. For the first time since I’d met him, he had all his mental capacity as he glared his hatred at the dragon. Only Remy’s gaze was more laser-like when it landed on me, shouting a question only I could decipher.
What have you done?