The Dragona dashed his hopes in an instant. “We are trying to find Tyrez.”
The grin vanished. “He was here a while ago. Asking for an address, and then directions.” His dark brows lowered. “I let him use my gate. He hasn’t returned?”
The concern in his voice—Dani’s heart twisted. The Satyr was now worried too.
“Where did he go?” Sirki asked.
“To a onetime slave dealer in the Karank realm. He was just going to affirm that the dealer was, in fact, residing at his mountain fortress. But he’s had more than enough time to do that. He should have been back by now.”
Tyrez had gone on a scouting mission, alone? Surely that wasn’t Legion protocol. Something had gone wrong. Dani could feel it.
“Can you take us there?”
Jacques’s eyes widened. “It’s hardly a place for you two.”
Sirki crossed her arms. “If Tyrez is in trouble, we have to help him.”
“Then get Razir, or one of his other Legion cronies,” the Satyr stated. “I can give them directions.”
Dani glared at him. “Razir is mating Aranta. And we’re wasting time.”
“I have completed my warrior training,” Sirki pointed out. “I am prepared if we run into trouble.”
Thinking of the human version of Sirki as a warrior was almost laughable, but the Dragon was far different. Between her teeth, her wicked talons, and the fire in her eyes—maybe Dani was selling her new friend short.
The Satyr was unimpressed. “These are slavers, Sirki. Not ones to mess with.”
Dani stepped closer to Jacques and bared her teeth, letting her fangs drop. Then she gestured to the rock placed decoratively along the walk, and raised it five feet in the air.
The Satyr’s eyes almost bulged clear out of his head. Sirki shot Dani a look, astonishment written on her Dragon face.
“Take us there,” Dani growled as she let it fall back down.
“Just a moment,” he said, and disappeared. Dani heard the low murmur of his voice as he spoke to his companion, and then he reappeared, this time minus the Phoenix and wearing his trademark trench coat.
“My gate is this way,” he said, leading them along a path that wound deeper into the forest.
They followed him to twin trunks that wound together, forming an arch. The fine hairs on Dani’s arms stood on end—portal energy.
“I left it focused on Karank so he could use this gate to return,” Jacques explained. “So we’re good to go.” He reached a hand to each of them.
Sirki rolled her eyes as she took it, and Dani just stared at him.
“If we aren’t joined, there might—”
“Time bump. Right.” Dani moved around to grab Sirki’s arm instead.
Jacques almost pouted as he stepped through the portal.
They emerged in a dark alley between two buildings. A large metal container sat in the shadows with trash all around it.
Immediately, Sirki began to shift form. She wasn’t as fast as her brother, but still quick.
“They might have spies in this town,” Jacques warned her. “We should proceed on foot until we’re clear.”
“That will take too long,” Sirki protested.
“Can you carry both of us?” Dani asked the Dragona.
