Page 19 of All's Fair in Lion and War
“Boys?” Lorelei stepped forward. The last thing she wanted was the death of children on her conscious. “You can’t send children after Rivian and his warriors.”
“Oh, no, honey. We call them boys, but they are Reylean wolves and tough as granite slopes on Denali. But they scout the mountain for us. They know not to engage, just to watch and alert us.”
“You have wolves in your tribe?” Lorelei continued to swallow her disbelief. Wolves were unpredictable and angry and cruel. Well, not as bad as Rivian, but the stories certainly made them sound close to the same.
“Oh yes, we have a very diverse group here in Mystery.” Naomi flashed another carefree grin. “Come on, let’s get you out of those torn up clothes. You look like you could really go for a bath and I have an enormous tub I can fill with hot water.”
Hot water? A bath?
Lorelei took another step toward the female dragon, ignoring all her years of conditioning. Dragons were feared. Respected. Avoided at all costs. They certainly didn’t invite others into their home and bathe and feed them.
“The male won’t mind?”
“Col?” Naomi asked, “No, of course not. If he did, he’d be growling and snorting about how you’re not welcome here. I promise, you’re safe. But we really should get you inside.” She turned to Saul again, who had yet to move. “Are you going to do what I asked?”
Saul’s shoulders sank and he bowed at the waist. “I would,Mahadhri, I just…” He met Lorelei’s gaze. “I need to know she’s safe.”
“See.” Naomi turned back to Lorelei. “I need you inside, so Saul will do what I need him to do.”
Lorelei couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. Saul was defying theMahadhri. Defying a dragon’s wishes. With no fear. Respect for sure. He’d bowed. He’d laid an excuse at her feet and refused to move.
“He meant no disrespect,Mahadhri,” Lorelei said, using the female’s title.
“Call me Naomi, and I know that. Men who see glowing women have a hard time focusing on anything else.” She chuckled and held out her hand for Lorelei to take.
It would be so easy to accept the help. To go inside and bathe and eat and let them care for her. But what would it cost her? What would it cost them to go against Rivian? To make him their enemy?
“He will come. He is horrible and cunning and smart and cruel.”
Naomi nodded. “We are two dragons, two bears, multiple wolves, lions, and a tiger. We got this sweetie. He won’t know what hit him.”
6
Saul
He lingered a few moments longer.
Naomi led hisshuarrainto her cabin. The door closed and he was still standing in the yard watching. He didn’t like leaving her, but they needed the whole tribe.
Lorelei hadn’t known how many lions were with Rivian. But he knew there were at least two groups. There could be more. If there was a whole pride…it would be a blood bath. Just like it had been with the wolf pack and Tara.
The door opened again and Col’s voice bellowed. “Now, Saul. Get the others and get back here. She will be safe, I give you my word.”
Saul nodded, annoyance at his behavior swirling through his conscience. He was behaving like a besotted youngling. Lorelei was his fated match, but he hadn’t earned her yet. And something was wrong with her mind. Something that made his beast’s instinct cringe with fear. They’d hurt her so deeply.
He turned and ran up the snow-covered road toward Penny and Kann’s cabin, shifting seamlessly into his beast and covering the distance in a few minutes. The second his feet touched the steps of the cabin, he shifted back. Pounding with his hand against the door.
“Kann, Penny! Kann, Penny!”
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
He kept pounding until the door opened, halting his fist in mid-air to avoid hitting Kann in the face.
“What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“I need to get everyone to theVraka’scabin. There are lions. Ka’lagh lions,” he said, knowing Kann would instantly recognize the threat.
Kann’s eyes narrowed and flashed gold. He turned away and shouted into the house. “Penny. Babies.” He turned back to Saul. “Go to Owen and Ava’s cabin. We are on our way.”
