Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

A fter a bit of cajoling the healer, and a few threats, Quinn was declared fit to leave the room. She took that as permission to do whatever she wanted. Which meant seeing what Kai had to show her. Nothing was stopping her from finding out the truth of this entire mystery.

Fortunately, this site he was taking her to was in the mountains. Convenient that she could get some more readings as they traveled even as Kai protested the entire way so far.

The ground trembled beneath Quinn’s boots as she gripped her seismic monitoring equipment, eyes fixed on the growing fissures in the icy terrain below. From their vantage point on the cliff’s edge, the kingdom stretched out before them—a panorama of crystalline mountains and deep valleys now marred by spreading cracks that spider-webbed across the landscape. The cold air bit at her cheeks, but she barely noticed, too focused on the disturbing readings flickering across her screen.

“These readings don’t make sense.” She adjusted the dial on her device, brow furrowed. “Unless your mountains are having some kind of geological identity crisis.”

Kai arched an eyebrow. “A what?”

“You know, midlife crisis, but for mountains.” The teasing words slipped out before she could stop them. “Though I suppose at your age, you’d know all about those.”

His lips twitched. “I’m in my prime, I’ll have you know.”

“Right. Just a spring chicken of what... nine hundred years?” She pretended to do the math on her fingers. “Practically a teenager in dragon years.”

“Says the woman who called me ‘ancient’ last week,” he rumbled, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“That was before I knew you could still move that fast.” She gestured at her monitoring equipment, sobering. “Speaking of moving, these seismic patterns are all wrong. The mathematical precision behind these waves—someone’s accelerating the activity deliberately.”

Beside her, Kai’s massive frame tensed as he surveyed his troubled kingdom. His presence radiated power and authority, but Quinn caught the subtle clench of his jaw, the slight narrowing of his piercing blue eyes that betrayed his concern.

The sight sent an unexpected pang through her chest. Over the past weeks, she’d learned to read the micro-expressions that crossed his stoic features—the tiny tells that revealed the weight he carried.

She fought the urge to reach out and touch his arm, to offer comfort. These impulses to connect with him physically were becoming harder to ignore. Instead, she focused on her readings, tapping the screen. “The vibration patterns are too regular, too focused. It’s like someone’s?—”

A bone-shaking roar cut through the frigid air, drowning out her words. Quinn’s head snapped up, her heart lurching as dark shapes materialized against the pewter sky. Dragons—at least half a dozen of them—their scales gleaming like polished obsidian as they approached with predatory grace. The sight stole her breath, not just from fear, but from their deadly beauty.

“I can’t believe this.” Kai’s voice dropped to a dangerous growl as he stepped forward. “Someone dares to attack me in the open? They will regret such a decision. Get behind me.” He positioned himself between Quinn and the approaching threat.

She rolled her eyes despite the tension crackling through the air. “My hero. You know, on Earth, guys usually just open doors or kill spiders to impress a girl. But no, you have to go full magic dragon mode.”

“Would you prefer I let them eat you?” There was that hint of dry humor she’d grown to appreciate.

“Depends. Are they better conversationalists than you?”

The protective gesture should have irritated her more. In the past, it would have sparked immediate rebellion against being treated as something fragile. Instead, warmth bloomed in her chest, even as she maintained her characteristic sass.