Chapter Thirty

ARCHER

As soon as it was dark, we went flying. I warned Ollie I needed to fly alone for a while, as high as I could go where I could flame the clouds and let go of the memories in visceral dragon bugles. Let go of the fear that my accusation had wrecked everything with Ollie beyond mending. I'd underestimated Ollie when I'd believed that, and it was a mistake I'd never make again.

When I dropped back down, he flew to me and snuggled against me, until I gave a throaty warble of pleasure at having him there. He'd heard everything and had taken my side without question, even though I'd been a scared kid trying to hold my family together when it might not have been the best thing for them.

He was so warm and comforting, pressed along my side. Right up until the fact he was only flying on one wing in order to cuddle me caught up with him, and he fell away, towards the canopy of the trees below. I dived after him hard and fast, coming up beneath him as he regained his balance.

We didn't stay out much longer. I wanted to lay him out in my bed and show him how much he meant to me. I kept making mistakes, but none of them compared to how badly I'd messed up with him earlier. Yet he'd forgiven me, instantly and completely.

I still worried that I wouldn't be able to make him happy, but I knew one thing for sure—I wouldn't fail for lack of trying. Not with Ollie.

OLLIE

"You mentioned a fault line in the family," I said to Archer as we drove back from the woods. "Are June and Chris on the other side of that split?"

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "Chris would be head of the family if the challenge had been successful all those years ago."

That might explain why Chris had behaved as he had when Archer had taken over. Better to be the power behind the throne than to have no power at all. But he'd underestimated Archer, badly. As June had today, thinking a cheerful, chatty exterior could lead him to overlook what she'd done. Presumably she'd carefully chosen her time to pay me a visit, not expecting Archer to return early from his surgery.

"I don't understand why Chris hasn't either tried to become head or made things up with you, instead of this cold war thing they have going on," I said.

"If they'd broken away when I'd just taken over, the rest of dragon society wouldn't have been too impressed with them not giving the new head a chance, no matter how young I was. And I guess some of my family would have stayed with me out of loyalty to Dad." His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "As for now… Honestly, I've been expecting it any day for the last several years. I can only think they're still too uncertain how the rest of dragon society would view it. It would be a hell of a gamble on their part."

That was true. If June and Chris were seen to be the perpetrators of some sort of coup, they wouldn't be welcome generally amongst dragons. On the other hand, if they could present it as a justified grievance, the blame would fall squarely on Archer's shoulders.

"My best guess is they've judged the risk too great," Archer said, as if reading my thoughts. "But if I ever gave them an excuse, or if they could find proof about that historic claim, they'd seize on it immediately. Until then, they reluctantly acknowledge my headship in order to stay part of the family."

I didn't ask any more. I didn't want to keep reminding Archer about it. But long after he fell asleep beside me, I lay thinking. I understood now what drove him to patrol the Court most nights, to sit protectively watching over his charges. What that level of vigilance was doing to him, I didn't know. No wonder he so often looked tired and weighed down. But I didn't know how to stop it, not when he'd had so much taken from him. I didn't know if it was even a conscious impulse on his part anymore, to guard his family.

The way he spoke about his mother… I was supposed to believe he'd forgiven her. He was supposed to believe he'd forgiven her. But I had the feeling he'd pushed it down inside himself and ignored it. Which was a perfectly good coping mechanism most of the time. I was all for denial when it came to me, but it worried me to think of Archer ignoring such a huge emotional wound.

My mind was jumping from one topic to another, and each time I tried to follow a line of thought, another intruded. Why had June decided to overlook ten years of being banned and turn up on the doorstep today? She'd said she wanted to see me, but she could have messaged and we could have met anywhere. When I thought back over our conversation, it was clear she'd been trying to find out from me what Archer thought of Chris, but why did she suddenly want them to be on good terms again after so long? Maybe it was uncharitable of me, but I didn't trust her an inch. She was up to something.

I reached for my phone and sent Jack a text. Spill the tea on the Smythes. June Smythe in particular .

Two minutes later, he replied. Do you have any idea what time it is, you wanker ?

Do Not Disturb's a thing.

Not if you're expecting a baby , he pointed out.

Fair enough. Smythes?

Never heard of June Smythe, but the family are two-faced snakes. One of them married into the Clarkes and tried to mount a coup about ten years ago. It didn't go well. Flaming may have been involved but neither family will speak about it so all we know are rumours .

Dragon-on-dragon murder was probably not something either family wanted to advertise. Shit, I sent, because though we joked about flaming, and I knew dragons were dangerous, I didn't think that sort of thing happened these days.

Maybe it's unfair to tar the entire family with the same brush, but Dad warned me before the moot to be careful if I ran into any of them. Now can I go to sleep?

Yeah. Thanks.

Why are you asking? Jack's brain seemed to be waking up.

June Talbot née Smythe keeps inviting me to things and I was wondering if she had ulterior motives . No way was I telling him what they'd done to Archer years ago.

And why are you awake at ten past two? Oh God, no—you're with Mr R, aren't you? Jane Eyre just got ploughed.

Extremely thoroughly , I informed him.

Fuck off , he begged.

Putting my phone aside, I speculated about what the dragon tea on the Shaws might be. Maybe I'd ask Archer tomorrow. I thought we were probably seen as average, normal dragons who minded their own business.

I wondered how well June and Chris had got along with Archer's father, but I didn't want to bring up old, painful history to Archer. His dad sounded as if he'd been a liability as head of family, but he was still his dad.

I should visit Lillian tomorrow. She'd know the family history, and I could make my queries sound like general interest in the Talbots. She'd evidently been close with Archer's grandmother because they'd catalogued the library—

The library. I'd been drifting off to sleep, but that thought brought me fully awake. June's concentration on the library when she visited might have been meaningless if Chris hadn't been so insistent about it when talking to Lillian. The library meant something, I was sure of it.

Archer was still asleep. Pressing a light kiss against his temple, I slid out of bed and dragged on my jeans. The house was warming up as spring advanced, but it wasn't exactly cosy.

I made my way along the landing and down the stairs, wincing at the creaking floorboards and hoping they wouldn't wake Archer. He needed to sleep after the day he'd had. I hissed as my bare feet touched the stone flags of the hallway. So much for it being spring. If I was going to stay here, I'd need to get some slippers before next winter.

I froze, and my heart thundered in my ears. If I was going to stay? Archer had never even hinted that was what he wanted. Yet somehow, I thought he did. And I didn't want to leave my Mr Rochester now he was the softer, more open hero at the end of the book. Sure, I'd have shagged the earlier Mr Rochester until I couldn't walk, but I hadn't loved him. Now, though, I loved Archer more than anything, I knew that he loved me, and I wanted to stay with him.

Well, that was straightforward. My mind made up, I crossed the hall to the library, seeing a strip of light under the closed door. We must have left the lights on earlier. Neither of us had been in a fit state to notice on the heels of June's visit.

I pushed the door open and wandered in. I didn't know why I was here, just that the library seemed important. And now that I was standing here with freezing cold feet in the middle of the night, I looked at the shelves upon shelves of books and realised what a stupid undertaking this was. Archer might have some idea, or we could ask Lillian what was so important about the library. I was sure she'd have some acerbic words about the ignorant youth of today, but if anyone knew, it would be her.

Right now, I'd go back to my nice warm bed and cuddle up to my nice warm dragon for the rest of the night.

As I turned back towards the door, I saw him.

"What—"

Chris came at me fast, grabbed me by the throat and slammed me back into the bookshelves. Fuck. The hard edges of shelves thumped against my skull, back and hips, making me grunt in pain.

"Where is it?" he demanded.

I clutched at his wrist and opened and closed my mouth to demonstrate my problem—his hold was stopping me from speaking. Impatiently, he relaxed his grip a little, but he didn't take his hand away.

"Where's what?"

"The fucking family bible."

About to tell him I didn't have a clue it even existed, I changed my mind. His eyes weren't right. They were shining, over-excited. And the strength in him… In that instant, I knew he'd break my neck if I upset him.

"It's been moved." I played desperately for time as my mind raced. Could I tell him it was in the priest hole and shove him inside as he peered in, shutting the door on him? Or tell him Archer had it in his room—no. If he kept hold of my throat, I wouldn't be able to warn Archer, and I'd left him fast asleep. He'd be vulnerable and defenceless.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Archer's growl, deep and furious.

He stood in the doorway, exuding menace and authority even though he was barefoot and wore only his burgundy sleep pants. For an instant, I thought I could see the shadow of his wings outstretched in threat. "Let Ollie go."

Chris's fingers tightened, and I choked.

Archer stalked towards us, his dragon visible in his eyes, rage and violence swirling around him.

" Stop ." Chris barked it out. "Or I'll break his neck." He meant it. This was really, really bad, and everything was going dark.

Archer froze.

Chris's grip loosened slightly, and I sucked in much-needed air. "He's on drugs," I got out in Archer's direction, needing to warn him Chris wasn't rational.

"What do you want?" Archer demanded of Chris, taut with tension.

"To take what's mine." Chris's face twisted in rage. "Give me that fucking bible."

Confusion bled through Archer's ferocity at the unexpected order. "What? Why?"

"Don't act clueless. If you don't give it to me, I'm going to take it, and you know what? I want you to try and stop me. This has been a long time coming."

"I have no idea where it is," Archer said. "And I'm not going to fight you, Chris."

I wished he hadn't sounded so contemptuous, because Chris's fingers jerked around my neck.

"You will if I kill your little fuck toy."