Page 79 of Smoke and Moon

It shouldn’t be Morlie.Her sister had plans with her friends and, by now, should already be eating or dancing in the great hall.

A few steps from the door, she glanced over her shoulder to check if Aodh was there.Not seeing him, she grabbed the handle and began to pull.

Thankfully, the male on the other side helped her by pushing with one hand.

She recognized the man.Ladon.

Why has a guard come?Aodh’s voice boomed in her mind.

“Good evening, Ladon.Is something wrong?”The young man had been one of the guards assigned to watch her sister.However, she hadn’t seen the young man since that detail ended.

“Forgive the intrusion, Aguya Kai.”The tall man stared down at her; his brow pinched with what appeared to be concern.

It made her nervous to observe his expression.

“I’ve been asked to come get you.”

“What for?Why?”It couldn’t be Aodh because he was still on the route and would have said something if anything had happened.Wouldn’t he?

I would, little flame.I am over the suite now.

“I am here to inform you that your sister has fled the territory,” Ladon declared.

Morlie.Kai shoved by the big frame filling her door and darted down the stairs.

Mate.Mate.Kai!

Kai ignored Aodh’s gravelly voice as she continued toward the door.She rushed and leaped down the mammoth steps, focusing on getting outside and discovering what happened to her sister.

Not paying attention, she didn’t realize she had stepped wrong.The rough cement edge grazed her heel, and she flew, the concrete landing coming up fast to greet her face.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her breath was whizzing out of her lungs as she stared at the ground a foot from her nose.Strong hands held her like a band around her arms and chest, slowly bringing her to her feet.

She investigated the clementine flames blazing high in Ladon’s gaze.

“Careful, Aguya.Careful.”Caution and agitation laced his tone.

For a moment, she stood there, confused by his response, only for her body to shudder at her anxiety.She recalled that she had a right to be concerned about her younger sister, but she had something precious that solely depended on her.It didn’t escape her comprehension that she carried the key that unlocked new life for the Drahk on multiple levels.If something happened to this baby, she wasn’t sure what that would mean for all the other women who were trying to conceive with their mates.Yes, she needed to take care.

Ladon’s heavy footfall echoed behind her.Once she was through the archway, her feet skidded in the dirt as Kai saw another guard with dark skin and long dreads extending to the center of his back, standing at the forest’s edge.His sword was on his back, signaling he was on duty.

“What happened?”She stomped toward the man.

Before he could answer, the ground below their feet rumbled as a giant, royal Egyptian blue-scaled dragon landed in the clearing around the building.Its long, thick, snake-like neck extended out toward her.Unlike Aodh’s dragon, this one had only two horns on its head and several on its tail; it banged on the ground.

“Liekki.”Kai didn’t know how she recognized the beast before her, but she did.

In a blink, Liekki shifted to his male form with his ever-present cocky smile as he strutted toward them.“Kai, Ladon.Zmei, when did Morlie leave?”

Kai found it strange that Liekki didn’t ask what was happening but spoke to the guard as if he knew.

Zmei, the man with the locks and shaved sides, pivoted to the side and looked back at them.“I was headed to the great hall for the evening meal when I spotted the human female dash into the forest,” Zmei began.“I scanned the area but didn’t see anyone after her.”

Liekki nodded as he moved closer to Zmei and stared along the path.“Any sign of her stopping or coming back?”

“None, Liekki.”

“Morlie!”Liekki’s bellow shook the trees before them.Then, he stood still as he peered into the dark forest.

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