After the Satyr left, I said, “I don’t know how many people I can transport at once. How many children are there?”
“There are seventeen youngsters and six teens,” she said. “Numbers are something that might build with time. Like training to lift weights, you get stronger.”
“Doesn’t help us now,” I pointed out. “The last time I Jumped to Marcus—it led Isobel’s Dragons right to us. As soon as I get the first groups out, they are going to know I’m there.”
She grimaced. “That is a big issue. When you Jump realms, it is like a beacon for a Watcher, and the Bellatis will sense it too.” The Watcher tapped her fingers on her chin. “The shorter the Jump, the less energy you disperse. If you are just hopping a mile or so, I can feel you, but only because I’m attuned to you. If there is a lot of competing energy sources in an area, a short Jump would be difficult to sense.”
“But I’m going to have to Jump realms to get to them.”
“Not if you gain access to the realm like everyone else,” she said with a wide smile.
“You want her to gate in?” Vali asked.
Cara grinned. Not a mild expression, but a full-on, I-have-a-brilliant-idea, full-tooth beam that reached and illuminated her eyes.
It scared the fuck out of me. Before I could ask for details, though, the suite door opened and Kiko entered, followed by a young man I’d never seen before.
About Vali’s height, he was slender, with a whipcord kind of wiry strength. He had short black hair and eyes rimmed in brilliant green. I was so mesmerized by them, it took me a moment to notice the freckles running across his temples. That, and his black scaled bodysuit.
He had to be a Dragon shifter. But he was much smaller than any I’d seen so far.
“Riley, this is Lucas,” Cara stated as though she were unveiling the latest in super weapons. “Lucas is a Morph.”
“A what?”
Vali was staring at him with interest. “Morphs can absorb the DNA of others and then shapeshift to their form.”
Cara elaborated. “Most shifters have an animal side, but Morphs do not. They can shapeshift to almost anything, so long as it is close to them in size.”
“Cool,” I said, and I meant it. “That is quite a talent.” I glanced at his scales. “So—you’re not really a Dragon?”
He smiled this time. “I am a Dragon now, too. One of my mates is one, she gifted me with it.” He held up his arm. “The big muscles don’t automatically come with it, sadly.”
My gut twisted. His fate could easily be my own. “So, you can turn into a Dragon any time you like?”
“Yep,” he answered, looking wistful. “Which definitely has its perks, because one downside of being a Morph is that we can’t stay in our borrowed form for very long. It takes effort to maintain. But I can fly as a Dragon for as long as I like.”
“I flew once,” I said. “It was wonderful.”
While Lucas looked confused, Cara cut in, “Back when he used his powers for evil, Lucas was a thief,” she said. “Now, he is the perfect spy. And there isn’t a lock he can’t pick.”
Ah. Now I got where this was going. I met his eyes. “The guy I want to rescue is chained and manacled. You think you can set him free?”
He nodded. “As sure as I can be, without seeing it.” His gaze slid to Cara. “Are we going into Isobel’s stronghold?”
She nodded. “It belongs to Xumi’s son, actually.”
Lucas hesitated. “Even if we Jump in, we could use Maddy. She can Block us once we’re there.”
“Block?” I asked.
“Maddy is a Blocker,” Cara explained. “She can convince people that you aren’t there. Won’t fool a Watcher-level Liberi, and the Bellatis will be tough, too.”
“Still sounds pretty useful,” Vali said.
“It is another person for Riley to transport, though.” The Watcher looked concerned.
“I once Jumped a full-sized Dragon,” I told her.
