Chapter Twenty-Four

Silas

It was late by the time we left the ballroom, arm in arm, ready to head home and end the night the proper way. Together. I could fly through the clouds, but at that moment, I was walking on them.

I'd never been happier.

"Remember when you slapped Isaak?" I chuckled, shaking my head. "That look on his face will live on in my memory for a long, long time. That arrogant prick. Totally deserved it."

Chloe laughed, leaning her head against my shoulder for a few steps. "I still can't believe I did that."

"Me neither. But, boy, did that make the others stop and take notice," I told her approvingly, pausing to look down at her. "They'll be talking about it. Saying you have the heart of a dragon. You proved yourself to a lot of people tonight."

"Not your father, though," she said, her eyes clouding over.

"Hush," I said, placing a finger to her lips. "We're not going to ruin what's been an amazing night by talking about him."

"An amazing night?"

"Yes." I stared down at her, never wanting to take my eyes away from her. She was just perfect, from the soft oval of her face to the pert nose and stunning green eyes that drew my attention from the start. "It was. The best night I've had in a long time."

"Really?" Chloe's cheeks dimpled as she smiled, the skin turning a rosy hue.

"I mean it," I said, resuming our walk. "And it's all because of you. You made it that way. I can't stop smiling. You're the—"

I stopped talking as Chloe's attention flicked away from me. Her body language didn't change much, but her fingers tightened on my forearm, and her eyes widened ever so slightly.

Something was wrong.

Turning to see what was behind me, I moved to keep most of my body between her and whatever was there. What I saw wasn't good.

Coming down the hallway was a trio of dragons led by Seth, and he had murder in his eyes.

"Silas," Chloe said uneasily. "What do we do?"

"You," Seth growled, lifting a finger accusingly.

"Not much we can do," I said from the corner of my mouth, trying to think about what Seth's plan was and how I could best counter it.

Seth had us in a bad spot. With the Peace Gala in its later stages, the halls were mostly empty. The guards were closer to the ballroom itself or on the roof, escorting people home. We were alone. We could run, but I didn't like that idea. It reeked of weakness.

Unfortunately, there were no doors or other hallways for us to turn down and buy some time with either.

Which left confronting him, which I also didn't like. While I doubted he would resort to violence in the palace, the entire family had been acting wildly lately. I didn't want to assume anything. If he did take a swing, my aim had to be to protect Chloe. She was too fragile.

Too important.

"What do you want?" I barked at Seth as he came to a stop, interrupting whatever he was going to say. I was angry. He'd ruined an amazing evening by stalking me like that.

"Want?" Seth asked, rearing back slightly, his eyes ablaze with fury. "What I want is for you to rein your little freak in. Teach her a lesson."

"What lesson? How to be an asshole in public? Maybe Isaak could come and teach her then," I snarled back, not giving an inch. "He deserved what happened to him, and you know it. You just don't like it because she's human. If a dragon had done it to him, you'd have called him an idiot and said he earned it. Quit with your double standards, Seth."

By the time I'd finished, Seth was quivering with rage, his dark beady eyes flickering with flames as his dragon shone through.

"This is twice now you've embarrassed my family in public, Silas." His words were like ice, so fraught with barely repressed anger. "Both of them because of her. How dare you bring her here tonight, and rub it in everyone's faces you chose a human over Lilith."

"Go whine to my father," I said, rolling my eyes. "I've told you already I didn't have anything to do with that or with your sister. If anyone had bothered to ask me, I would've told you no before anything was made public. So, get it through your thick head, Seth. This isn't my fault."

"You embarrassed us," Seth growled. "In front of everyone. Because you think you're so much better than the rest. Above us."

"I'm not your damn enemy," I told him, holding up my hands. "You're making this bigger than it should be."

But Seth was done talking. Done giving me time to stall and hope someone else came by.

"I know my father gave you another week, but I'm done waiting," he snarled before sucker-punching me.

Or would have, if I hadn't seen it coming. I blocked the punch before it gathered much momentum, then drove my head forward, slamming it into the bridge of his nose. Seth staggered back, his eyes going blank for a moment. A second later, blood began to pour from both nostrils.

"Fucking get him!" he spat.

From then on, I was on the defensive. I had to be. It was the only way I could hope to protect Chloe. If I went at them, one would slip behind me and grab her. And that couldn't be allowed to happen.

The trio rained punches down on me as I worked to block them as best I could. Here and there I struck back, but the bruises continued to mount.

One of them slipped in to the side, and I jerked upward as his fist broke something in my side, a rib most likely. The groan of pain was the only sound in the hallway besides the meaty thud of fists on flesh.

Chloe whimpered as I staggered back several steps under the onslaught. It was all I could do to prevent any of Seth's cousins from getting past me and at her. My dragon was roaring, its fury all but useless in the defensive war I was waging.

Then Seth was there, swinging something hard that shattered against my shin, but drove the leg out from under me at the same time. I went down to one knee, a forearm raised above my head to deflect the blows raining down.

"Get her," Seth snarled.

Chloe yelped and turned to run. With a roar, I flung the pair attacking me back and grabbed the one going after Chloe. My fingers closed on his hair, and he roared in pain as I tore half of it out while hauling him backward.

"Run!" I told her.

"Stop her!" Seth said, dancing up behind me and driving a bull hammer of a fist into my kidney, sending me crashing to the floor.

There were footsteps, then Chloe screamed.

I inhaled, preparing to shift. It might bring part of the palace collapsing down on us, but if it kept Chloe safe as she ran for it, it would be worth it.

Something happened then as I kicked out at a nearby leg, taking a foot to the chest in return.

There was a grunt. And then the sound of wood shattering. A second, louder bellow. The one-two-three hammer of blows landing on bare flesh in lightning fast succession.

And then the unmistakable sound of bodies hitting the floor.

Battered and bruised, one eye refusing to open, I looked up, confused.

"Come on, wuss," Caleb said, sticking out a hand. "They'll recover soon. We need to go."

I let my younger brother haul me to my feet.

"You look fucking terrible," he said, cocking his head back to look me over.

"You should see the other guys."

"I did. They were standing over you, beating the shit out of you when we got here."

For the first time, I realized he wasn't alone. Shi stepped into view of my other eye, Chloe at her side.

"Thank you," I said. "How did you find us?"

"I saw you leave," Shi said. "And then Mattias went hurrying off looking far too happy. I knew something had to be up. So, I got Caleb, and we came looking for you."

"Good."

Together, the four of us headed for the main hallway. "Wait," Caleb said as I turned to go to the roof. "We can't leave yet."

I looked at him. "Getting Chloe home is my only priority right now," I growled protectively, pulling her close.

Caleb nodded. "I understand. But what if this is part of something bigger? What if they go after others tonight? We have to warn Father about what happened."

I stifled a groan. He was right. If Caine was making a move, the entire family could be in danger.

"Don't worry," Shi said, patting my shoulder. "I'll get her home safe. Nobody will catch me."

Hesitating, I looked between her and Chloe. Shi was one of the fastest dragons there was. She'd proven that before mating with Caleb in several of the annual races. If she said she wouldn't let anyone get her, I believed her.

But that still meant letting Chloe out of my sight. Which I didn't like.

"It'll be okay," Chloe said, leaning up to plant a kiss on my cheek. My lips were in no position to do much kissing. "Go. I'll see you back at the house."

"As fast as you can," I told Shi.

"I'll be a blur," she promised, taking Chloe by the arm and running up the stairs to the roof.

They would get into the air safely, I knew that. The guards on the roof would ensure nothing happened.

"Let's go," I said, tearing my eyes away from Chloe's retreating back. "The faster we warn the others, the faster I can get back to the house."

We jogged back to the ballroom, my mind racing. Everything had just changed with the attack. That much I knew.

What were their end goals, though? And what was going to happen next? I didn't know, but we had to find out—and fast.