Chapter 35
“I guess it’s good Baldwin made all this food yesterday,” Dash muttered.
I glanced around the living room, taking in everyone that Saoirse and Darius had gathered as allies.
Darius would speak for the wolves. Delphine the casters.
Sam and her three mates, Seán, Liam, and James, along with Connor, were here from the dragons.
And Cillian, who was staying in our pool house.
“This is a stupid fucking move,” Trace muttered.
Colt sent him a quelling look. “We don’t have time to waste. We need to get on the same page in case Patrick strikes quickly.”
Trace snapped his mouth closed and crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t one for outsiders in our home.
I scooted over on the couch and slid into his lap.
Trace’s arms went around me on instinct.
I pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth where his lip ring was. “Stop being grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy. I’m trying to keep us from getting dead,” he grumbled.
“You’re like a bear with a thorn in its paw.”
Dash chuckled. “She’s not wrong.”
“Whatever,” Trace mumbled, but he started stroking my hair, tangling his fingers in the strands. It was as if the action soothed him. A rumbling noise came from his chest that almost sounded like he could be a shifter.
He nuzzled my neck. “Don’t like having them around you.”
I pressed a hand to his chest. “I’m perfectly safe. You know that.”
Trace didn’t say a word. Because he wasn’t convinced I was. Not when we were about to tell this room full of people about my phoenix mark.
But it was the smart move. Better that they heard it from us rather than Patrick dropping that little bomb.
Colt stood from his chair in the living room, the designated speaker for our group. “Thank you all for coming. I hope you’ve gotten something to eat and drink.”
Delphine smiled. “Baldwin never disappoints.”
Colt chuckled. “No, he doesn’t.” He motioned for everyone to take a seat. “We have a serious matter to bring forward to you tonight.”
Whispers sounded in the small crowd, and my heart picked up speed.
“We’ve gotten word that Patrick O’Conner has plans to move against us.”
Delphine sucked in a sharp breath while several others looked pissed as hell.
“What is his reasoning?” she demanded.
Colt clasped his hands in front of him. “You know that he’s never been pleased we took in Ronan. Now Declan has defected, as well.”
I cast a look at the twins. Their faces looked more alike now than they ever had before. Matching masks of fury.
“He’s threatened by our growing power,” Colt continued. “But he found out some information about Leighton that he plans to use against us.”
Looks of curiosity turned my way. While Darius and Saoirse now knew what I was, the dragons and Delphine did not.
Colt’s reassuring gaze met mine, and he waited for me.
“I have the phoenix mark,” I said, trying to keep my voice as strong as possible.
Gasps sounded around the room, whispers building on each other. I couldn’t help but cringe.
Trace’s arms wrapped tighter around me. “It’s okay.”
“Enough,” Ronan barked. “Leighton was close to death when we brought her back, but she is already mastering her gifts.”
That might’ve been an overstatement, but I hadn’t almost killed anyone recently either.
Delphine cast curious eyes in my direction. “This is a most unique gift.”
“I’m learning to live with it,” I told her honestly.
Sam grinned at me. “I always knew you were a badass.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. And, oh, God, had I needed that expulsion of tension. “Thanks.”
Delphine scanned the room. “The phoenix mark can mean unwieldy powers. It can be dangerous.”
“This is true,” Darius said. “But Leighton has overcome everything that’s been thrown her way.”
She sighed. “I’m not a fan of Patrick’s machinations. I think he needs to be removed from power—and quickly. But he won’t go without a fight.”
“He won’t have a choice,” Cillian growled.
Our younger dragon friends weren’t exactly sure what they thought about the discovery of a new dragon heir who wanted nothing to do with the throne.
Connor cast an uneasy look in his direction. “If it were easy to take out the dragon king, it would’ve happened a long time ago.”
He certainly had a point there.
“We’ll have to work together if we have a hope in hell of pulling it off,” Seán said.
“He’s right,” Saoirse agreed.
Darius nodded. “And in the meantime, we all need to amp up our training without letting others know that’s what we’re doing.” He glanced at my bond. “That means playing along like nothing’s wrong. Classes, activities, parties.”
“There’s one tomorrow night,” Connor said.
I groaned. Parties, I’d learned, were not my thing.
Cillian let out a low growl. “We should be moving now before Patrick knows what’s coming.”
“We need to be prepared,” Ronan shot back. “We need a plan.”
Declan nodded, taking a step forward. “I’ve made a study of my father.
” He said the last word as if it tasted bitter.
“I know which guards he trusts the most. His habits. His routines. I know where he’s weak.
All we need is the right distraction, and then I’ll do what I should’ve done all along. I’ll end him.”