The Warrior King (Inferno Rising) by Owen, Abigail (online e book reading txt) 📗

one uses this suite,” he said. “There’s a mirror in the bathroom.”

Meira paused beside her uncle. “You might want to listen in on this.”

Tyrek raised his eyebrows at Rune, who gave them both a flat-lipped glare. “I’d like to be in on it, too.”

Samael stepped between her and Rune. “Fine. But you don’t come near her and stay the fuck out of line of sight.”

“Dragons,” Meira grumbled behind him, then gently pushed him out of her way. “If my uncle trusts this man, and Skylar trusts him, then so do I, and my other sisters should, too.”

Knowing Skylar, given how long they’d been kept waiting, she might be burning down Ararat by now, trying to find Meira.

Before any of the men in the room could protest or question, Meira stepped before the mirror and did her thing.

“I’m here,” she called out even as the image was changing.

“Fuck me, that’s a handy trick,” Rune said under his breath.

Samael shot him a cautionary glare.

Immediately, Angelika’s and Skylar’s faces appeared in the reflection. “About damn time,” Skylar snapped, her white-blue eyes practically shooting sparks.

“Sorry.” Meira compulsively reached for the mirror as though she could touch her sister, then stopped and slowly lowered her hand. “We ran into…complications.”

“What kind of complications?” Skylar demanded.

“A gold dragon was waiting for us at our old home.”

Silence greeted that.

“You went home?” Angelika asked quietly.

Meira nodded. “Someone ransacked the place, and now it’s missing the roof.”

“Did you recognize the dragon, Samael?” a male voice called a second before Ladon stepped into view.

Samael glanced at the woman beside him. He hadn’t had a chance to tell her this yet. “Hard to be sure in dragon form, but I’m pretty sure the dragon was Brock Hagan.”

Meira whipped her head around, and he sent her an apologetic glance. They hadn’t exactly had time to discuss.

“Fuck.” Ladon groaned and ran a hand over his jaw.

Samael’s thoughts exactly. “Please inform Brand.”

The blue king gave a single nod. Brock was a direct threat to the gold throne, the son of the previous king, Uther, whom Brand had killed. They’d been pretty damn sure Brock was dead, too, killed in a fight for Ben Nevis.

If they were wrong, they had a big problem. Especially if Pytheios was involved. Given where Brock had shown up, a place only the rotting king had known about, that was a pretty damn good bet.

Meira continued to glare his direction, and Samael grimaced. “Sorry. We landed here and then dealt with this asshole—” He hooked a thumb at Rune.

“Is someone else there with you?” Skylar demanded.

“We ended up in a safe place with our uncle,” Meira acknowledged. “I thought he and the man he hides with should hear this. They’re here with us, though, listening.”

After a silent beat, Skylar flashed a grin. “Give the old man a hug from me.”

“My hearing is still as sharp as ever,” Tyrek answered for himself, voice desert dry.

Skylar’s grin widened. “And if the men who I think you’re with are there, tell the red and black dragons they still owe me.”

Rune’s flat expression didn’t change a hair, though he was likely the black dragon who owed her. Samael had no idea whom the red dragon Skylar referenced might be.

“I’m pretty sure helping me is about to cancel that out,” Meira said slowly. “And we don’t have much time. I’ve used my powers too much today already delivering our message to the black clan.”

Every person on both sides of the mirror snapped to attention.

Samael stepped closer, studying her, taking in the slight tremble to her hands. Dammit. Why hadn’t she told him she was weakening?

Quickly, Meira filled them all in on what had transpired the last two days. Then Skylar did the same, Angelika smartly remaining quiet.

The situation was worse than Samael expected. His clan had gone radio silent, those in direct attendance at the mating already having left Ben Nevis, presumably for Ararat.

Brand’s tenuous hold on the Gold Clan was showing, thanks to his not growing up in the clan and spending most of his life rogue. His numbers were dwindling daily, either languishing in his already overflowing dungeons or having left, likely to join other clans. Or perhaps join Brock, if any knew he still lived.

Ladon wasn’t in as bad shape, having been chosen by the people he’d grown up with to overthrow the previous king. His clan already trusted him implicitly.

Pytheios’s propaganda stunt at the mating ceremony had inflicted the damage the High King had intended.

Which reminded Samael that he needed to get in direct contact with his beta after this. The contact with the clan hadn’t been enough. That much was clear.

“Even people in the colonies got that message,” Rune informed them.

“What are your thoughts?” Samael asked. His gaze told his old captain that he’d better answer wisely.

Rune shrugged. “I’d say it’s pretty obvious my men and I don’t trust the current regime.”

So a rogue—a man who swore no allegiance to a clan and therefore would typically be hunted down and killed—was on their side. Great.

“Who is this other phoenix?” Skylar said. “That’s what I want to know.”

Rune turned his stare on Tyrek.

Meira’s uncle didn’t acknowledge him. He did, however, take a step forward. “I’m afraid I can’t help answer that.”

“Did you know all our names?” Meira asked. An obvious question, but one Samael hadn’t thought of.

“No.” Tyrek swallowed. “When your mother got in touch years ago to set me up as a safe haven for Skylar in the event of Serefina meeting a violent death, she only told me about Skylar. She implied more children, but not how many or any other names. I eventually heard about you. Whispers, mostly.”

What was Pytheios’s play here? Samael couldn’t see it yet.

Everyone absorbed that information in silence.

“If this woman is a phoenix, she may not be our sister, but she’s our kind,” Meira said. “We have to help her. We can’t leave her with that monster.”

Skylar glanced off to the side, likely at Angelika or Ladon. “Agreed.”

“First, we must find my king,” Samael said,