Filed To Story: A Claim of Fortune Book PDF Free by Jaymin Eve
My energy remained flat as I glanced around the street, noting that while a lot of shifters were watching the spectacle of the dragon, many of them had also taken off back to their homes. Thankfully, I couldn’t see any of the children any longer.
“Why aren’t the enforcers here already?” I asked, angry that we’d been alone in dealing with this attack. Again. “Surely this strong of a magical disturbance should have registered, especially since they’re usually patrolling near our street.”
Hunter’s boots hit the ground hard as he paced. “They’ve been working around the clock, so we gave them the afternoon off. I figured with this many alphas in the street, we should be safe. We didn’t anticipate it would be Jewels’ magic, which is registered and accepted in Golden Claw, to take us down.”
“She stole our fucking essence!” Kellan rumbled, sounding very un-Kellan like. “Stole it and used it to bypass any security measure we would have against her.”
“She didn’t see the super dragon coming though,” Finley added, his lips twitching. “I mean, who could have seen that coming?”
Kellan’s fury eased into a stare of contemplation. “I swear I’ve read a book where two magical beings joined together in that way. They ended up being crazy powerful and saved the world.”
We all turned to take in the giant beast, in time to see him fall down again.
“He’s a work in progress,” I said quickly, and despite the situation, even Hunter smiled at that.
“They haven’t changed back yet,” Kellan noted, still staring. “Do you think they’re having an issue with that?”
Finley laughed. He’d kept his hand against my face, thumb sweeping gently over my cheek. “It’s an issue I have a lot of experience with, and for me, Emme is the key to transitioning back. It’ll probably be the same for those two.”
I stared at the dragon, and then down at my friend. “Cora will be fine until healers arrive, right?”
Hunter nodded. “There’s nothing we can do for her. She’s trapped by her wolf, but isn’t in any immediate danger.”
I’d bet she was going through exactly what I had after I’d been stolen and forcibly bonded: her beast retreating to keep her sane.
“Then I need to help the dragons,” I said, and Hunter got straight in my face.
“Don’t even think about it,” he snapped. “You can’t keep risking your life for others. I don’t care who they are, or how important they are to us. You are all that matters, and you need to remember that without your influence, the rest of us will make sure there’re no shifters or cities left for anyone to save.”
“Correct,” Finley said, backing him up.
Kellan just stared at me with an expression so broken it was as if I’d already been cut down.
“Talon and Slade are my mates,” I reminded them. As much as I loved their all-encompassing way of loving me, on days like today it was a fucking pain in the ass. “I won’t take any risks, but I know they won’t hurt me. Think about the role I play here in our pack, the way I fit with the rest of you. I might not fight with my fists, but I’m just as essential to our survival?-“
A bellow rang out down the street, and Cora stirred. My heart soared when a beaten and bleeding Warrick stumbled toward us, pushing through the shifters still standing around.
“CORA!” he shouted again, and the anguish in that one word had my eyes burning.
Cora’s arm twitched, and I knelt beside her again. “He’s bringing her back,” I said in a rush, just so happy to see them both alive.
When he fell to her other side, his glowing eyes were locked on her face as he leaned down to press his cheek against hers. Her lashes fluttered as she rasped, “War…? Wh-what happened?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, so relieved to hear her voice, and got back to my feet to give them some space. Finley and Kellan stepped in on either side of me, Hunter at my back, and I was grateful for their strength surrounding me.
Especially when Warrick said, “They attacked us at home, baby.” He lifted her upper body into his arms. “A magical bomb detonated when we stepped out the front door. It knocked me out, and when I woke, you were gone.” His voice broke. “Marcus was the closest to the blast and… he didn’t make it. I left his body with Richard and Sierra and got over here to you.”
“Marcus is gone?” Cora sobbed, and I pressed my hand against my chest, wanting to shatter apart with her.
I’d feared it was Warrick her wolf mourned, but Marcus was almost as bad. He was one of their quintet. A brother. Their family. My best friends were suffering, and I couldn’t help them.
Tears streaked Warrick’s face too as he held her-mates locked together in grief.
Eventually, they got to their feet, and I had no idea what to say as they stared at me.
“Where did the witch go?” Cora asked, her voice growing harder.
I shook my head. “We don’t know. She transported herself out of here as soon as super dragon appeared.”
They both blinked at that, and I pointed toward the other side of the street, where Slalon had finally figured out how to use his giant body. The huge wings were spread wide for balance, and he had started to move more easily.
Warrick narrowed his eyes on the beast. “What in the goddess’ design is that?”
“They’re twin souls,” Hunter said, with a shrug. “Slade and his twin, Talon, merged during battle. We don’t know what it means or what this form is capable of, but I would guess it’s a much stronger beast than their individual ones.”
“When the fuck did you find a second dragon?” Warrick growled, and I got the sense he was pissed we hadn’t shared that information with him.
I met Cora’s gaze, wondering why she hadn’t shared it, but she only shrugged. “You trusted me to keep that part secret and I did.”
Goddess, I loved her for her loyalty and true friendship.
Warrick’s expression softened as he glanced down at his mate. “You’re too good for our fucked-up world,” he told her, and I could see his utter relief that she was alive and relatively unhurt. Unlike Marcus. When he returned his attention to us, it landed on me: “How does this other dragon fit with you?”