Hidden Passions (Hidden, #7)(64)

"I am Cass," she replied. "Keeper of the Sevryn Clutch."

She inclined her head regally, more like the Snow Queen than Snow White.

Admiration sparked in him. Cass was a single half fae against nine purebloods, but she wasn't giving them an inch. Chris abruptly understood how she'd won Tony over, and why he thought his brother was lucky. The girl dragon cawed in support of her mistress, causing the Guild head to look down at the beast and smile.

The condescension in his expression set Chris's tiger teeth on edge.

"Before you put you foot in it," Cass said, "if you've come to take these dragons back to Faerie, you'll find that plan is a non-starter."

The pureblood seemed startled by her guess. "We're the Dragon Guild."

"And I'm a free citizen of Resurrection. As are my brood. The mayor himself put them on the city rolls."

Chris concluded this information was a stumper. The Guild head blinked like a man who'd lost a staring contest but wasn't ready to cede the war. "The brood will be safer in Faerie, under our protection."

"Hardly," Cass snorted. "Faerie was so unsafe, my father--your guild member--felt compelled to conceal them here. During that time, the worst threat they faced came from your country, from a pair of fae who cracked your Guild's secrets. The dragons' enemies had one of your magic swords. I'd say your protection hasn't been exemplary."

This reminder didn't sit well with the proud pureblood. "Are you certain you'd have done better?"

"Look around you," Cass said. "Most of these folks would lay down their lives for this brood. They protect everyone they care about--and perfect strangers too. They don't need magical swords or secret blood oaths to goose them to it. Their hearts guide them, and their sense of justice. Resurrection is so much more than a fae creation. It belongs to its people. The Sevryn clutch is going to grow up here. They're lucky this is their home."

Chris realized she'd included his tigers in the protectors she mentioned. His clan members had drawn close to the standoff too. Whatever their differences with the wolves or amongst themselves, they set them aside to stand up for these special scaly residents.

Touched and proud, a sudden burning warmed Chris's eyes.

"Do you even know what you're doing?" the Guild head demanded. "Dragons are more complicated than house cats!"

Cass was prepared for this. "We've been working with a local foundation, the Society for the Protection of Rare Creatures." She paused to smile slyly. "I hear they have a board position open. I'm sure they'd be honored if one of your members volunteered to fill it."

That she was offering him a carrot she didn't try to hide. The Guild head glanced down at the girl dragon, who tilted her head at him. Her wings were slightly lifted, their rich red color so intense, so gorgeous it was like she was showing off.

In spite of everything, the Guild head's expression softened. "They do look healthy," he admitted. "And they're certainly socialized."

The girl dragon butted his hand and crooned a sound at him.

"Fine," he conceded, obeying her demand that he pet her head. "The Guild accepts your offer, but we'll want two board seats instead of one."

"I expect they'll make room for you," Cass said.

Her tone was dry. Grimacing, the Guild head's focus shifted to the one pureblood at the party who wasn't standing in his duck line. Chris hadn't noticed the man before. His coloring was very like Cass's--a blood relation, Chris assumed. The faerie said nothing in response to the Guild head's attention, his expression as dispassionate as Rick's fiancee's.

The Guild head returned his gaze to Cass.

"You certainly are Roald's child," he said. "He was stubborn at your age too."

Chris had a feeling that was a long time ago.

"I don't believe he's outgrown it," his daughter said.

"Hmph." The Guild head peered superciliously down his nose. "I suppose you're hoping we'll award Ceallach's protector sword to him."


"That's your business."

"Your father has new commitments. He's no longer an appropriate choice. Also, you'll need two more protectors, since you have three dragons."

The Guild head obviously enjoyed dropping what seemed to be a small bombshell. Cass shut her gaping mouth and composed herself.

"Well," she said. "I trust the Guild will select candidates both the brood and I find acceptable."

This seemed to be a smart answer. Cass's father looked at his feet and smiled.

"Keeper," said the Guild head, offering her a curt bow.

"Guild head," Cass said in the same crisp tone.

Chris guessed the negotiations were over. The Guild head turned on his heel, stalking back toward the penthouse with his entourage trailing behind him.

He didn't notice the music had fallen silent until it started up. Conversations resumed, the party sounding like one again. Tony's brother moved to his future wife and hugged her. Love lit more than their faces as they held each other.

The moment seemed too private to stare at. Chris turned away, oddly uneasy. Part of him was waiting for another shoe to drop.

"Look!" cried one of the kids who was hanging on the pool edge. "The dragons are flying!"