No fucking way. If anything, I needed more distance, not less.
Myself, the Assassin, and Rafael’s twin sister all pulled together, raising the hoods on our cloaks before the Watcher sent us through.
The gateway spat us out in a back alley in Rannkin. I took a deep breath of the cool mountain air. It was night in this realm, too. But this was a city that never slept.
We didn’t even glance at the gate guardians—they were on Brock’s payroll—but unless we did something odd, they wouldn’t pay us much attention. I sensed them scan and dismiss us.
We kept moving. I had suggested a target along the ocean—Rannkin was an old, well-established city with a protected port. It was lined with warehouses, some of which were derelict and basically empty. Perfect for our purposes. As I led our group past the wharf—busy even at this time of night—and through the crates that lined it, I was aware of the eyes watching us. Assessing every detail. And deciding that we were not good targets.
It was mostly the assassin and myself that stood them off. I didn’t know Anna’s strengths, but there was no way the indigo Dragon would let anyone near her, anyway.
I kept going until we came to a warehouse that was almost falling down. Perfect. The lock on the walk-in door was almost as decrepit as the building itself, and the assassin had no trouble using his talons to slice it in half.
And we were in.
I left them there and returned along our route, found the other half of our team—the Dire Dragon, Cara, and Legion—and led them to our destination.
We had a lot of deadly Dragon flesh, but I wasn’t delusional—even with me, we weren’t enough to go up against Brock’s horde. But if all went according to plan, we wouldn’t have to. We were there to keep the other predatory bastards—the ones who lurked in the shadows—away from the children.
So many things could go wrong. And going after Rafael was ballsy. But I hadn’t objected to her trying.
Because I owed the guy.
No one mentioned our other purpose. That if the retrieval team got into trouble, we were their only possible rescue.
It wasn’t mentioned because if things went to hell, even all this Dragon muscle wouldn’t stop any attempted rescue from becoming a one-way ticket to the other side.
The Watcher glanced my way. I gritted my teeth and thought of a certain green-eyed female with a sharp tongue.
We’re in,I told her.
She answered with,We’re on our way.
12
Riley
I stood with Kiko, Vali, Lucas, and Maddy, and we watched the last group of the catch team pass through the gate.
Cara had watched me take a few more scoops of crystal dust before those chosen to be on the teams had arrived. In the ensuing chaos of planning, I’d managed to score a few more. Then, loaded some into a zip-top bag and tucked it into my pocket.
I already felt as though I floated rather than walked, but I sneaked another mouthful, feeling it tingle its way through me. I’d need every bit of what it could offer, if I were to get those kids out of there.
My second team member, Maddy, raised a brow but said nothing. Fortunately, Kiko was so distracted by the presence of all the muscley men that she didn’t notice. I sensed Vali’s eyes on me, though. Then they lifted to someone else.
“Remember that the doors are glass. Those guards will be able to see you if you aren’t careful.”
The deep voice was hardly recognizable, and when I turned to Marcus, the bones of his face shifted beneath his skin.
Maddy answered him. “I can Block us from their view,” she said.
“I may not be much of a fighter,” Lucas added. “But I am a master of distraction.”
“And I can Jump us out in an eyeblink if it all goes bad,” I reminded him. “The risk is worth it, if we can get the children out.”
“I know.” Marcus gusted a sigh, his eyes flashing silver. “Just wish I was the one taking it.”
I took a small step closer to him, and stopped. “Until you come to grips with what is inside you—”
