Page 40 of Dragon Blood

They followed her past an entire floor-to-ceiling wall of framed photographs, into the oven-warmed kitchen. The aroma of bliss filled his nostrils and lungs as he breathed deeply of Heidi’s baking efforts. Kai had never seen anything so… domestic—both expansive and comforting all at once.

“Thank you, Heidi. We won’t be staying long.”

Heidi glanced up from the coffeepot with a nod, gaze darting between Astred and Kai. She hit the button on the grinder, the sound filling the kitchen for several breaths. “More dragon politics?”

Astred’s laugh was short as she slid onto a stool at the island counter, brushing her wind-tousled hair from her forehead. She linked her fingers, resting her hands on the counter as she leaned forward. “I need to visit the nexus.”

The scoop carrying fresh coffee grinds clattered against the top of the machine as Heidi’s eyes widened. Catching herself, she finished her task and set the machine to brew. “I can arrange that. You’ll tell me what’s going on?”

“Mother’s fallen ill, and I was hit with a vision.” Astred’s gaze flicked to Kai. “No one knows we’re here.”

Heidi’s face paled as she gripped the countertop, gaze flicking between Astred and Kai. “Go on.”

Vision?

Kai turned, studying Red’s drawn features again.

His thoughts bounced right back to Regina’s scratched map hidden beneath Aeleftherian buds.

Astred recounted the main events since the wedding with clipped efficiency.

“Kymri & Jori?”

“I’m keeping them out of this for as long as I can. This is internal.”

“Not the Consortium?” Heidi poured the coffee, handing them each a mug.

“Maybe? But we haven’t caught the traitor that’s been conspiring with them yet, to know for sure.” Red brought the mug to her lips. “I need to see Odson, too.”

“And the vision?”

“I can’t make sense of it, other than that the Nexus was very clear.” Her gaze slid toward Kai, but she didn’t meet his eyes. “And that Kai’s clan—or Kai himself—is somehow connected.”

What the fuck did that mean?

Kai stiffened as his pulse upticked, “I assure you, we have nothing to do with the queen’s current state.”

Though the reality was that he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure why Bayn was at the wedding. Maybe the air dragons were moving on something.

They wouldn’t, would they? The Watchmen were neutral—andwhywould they?

Astred nodded, slid her warm fingers over his hand, whispering. “I know.”

The unexpected contact sent conflicting emotions tumbling through him after so much time. They hadn’t touched since that encounter on the beach the night before the wedding.

Kai slammed that memory back into the vault of his mind and spun the lock.

Removing his hand from her reach, he grasped the coffee mug and brought it to his lips.

Heidi blew out a breath. “Okay. I’ll reach out to Charmaine, and she’ll gather the Wardens.” She pulled a cell phone from her pocket and slid it across the counter toward Astred. “Leave me your number. It may take some time. And Odson is out at the camp, helping clean up after a recent storm. Cell service is a luxury out there, so you’ll have to go in person.”

“The refugee camp Marli & Kolina mentioned?”

Heidi nodded, turning to collect a blank recipe card and pen, scribbling directions before handing it to Astred.

Taking the card, Astred slumped on her stool, suddenly looking tired as she rubbed her face, murmuring. “A place like that should never need to exist.”

“It’s not ideal, but they do alright. Especially with the locals helping out when they can. Speaking of, would you mind dropping off some supplies? I have extras that wouldn’t fit in Odson’s car when he came by.”

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