“I don’t know,” she said softly.
Ginny hated speaking on the phone—usually she’d have emailed him. Which meant that something important was going on.
“The chimera had a bad dream—or a vision, who knows. He says he saw you suddenly gaining in power. And he saw you surrounded by a circle of flame and shadow.”
Timothy was silent for a moment. “I found my mate tonight. That’s why he must have felt my element gain in power.”
They hadn’t mated yet—once they did, Timothy would come into his full power. As an alpha dragon, he’d be the true master of his element, and the dangerous, immense power would be balanced by the mate bond, so that he could wield it without going mad.
“Congratulations.” Ginny’s quiet voice was filled by surprised warmth. “You’ll be careful?”
“Very careful.” Already Timothy’s dragon was in full protective mode. “If the chimera felt me rise in power, then maybe, whatever cursed fire dragon caused the fire plinth to appear in the council chamber could have felt it as well.”
“Do you want me to tell the chimera you need backup?”
Timothy contemplated her offer for a moment, then shook his head, even though she couldn’t see it. “No, just tell him I’ll be careful. I’ll ask storm and earth for help if I need it. She’s asleep right now—tomorrow, I’ll tell her about what’s going on. Those fire dragons won’t get past me.”
From the window, he could hear Braeden’s snort.
Okay, there was one fire dragon whom he’d have to keep lugging around like an iron ball at his leg. But hopefully, now that he’d found his mate, the chimera would decide that Braeden had seen enough of the human world and could be locked back into his cell.
“Night Ginny, and thanks again,” Timothy said, then ended the call. He gave Braeden a pointed look. “I think it’s past bedtime for you.”
The fire dragon rolled his eyes at him, and then, finally, retired to his bedroom.
Which meant that Timothy should probably do the same. It was very late. The sun would rise soon. And tomorrow, he had a date to look forward to, and an explanation to come up with that wouldn’t send his mate running...
Energy was still thrumming through him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep—not now, after he’d held his mate in his arms for the very first time, and after he’d been told about the chimera’s worrying vision.
After a moment, he took the private stairs that led from his penthouse onto the roof. He locked the doors behind him.
If Braeden wasn’t yet asleep and noticed that Timothy had left, he wouldn’t be able to cause any trouble that way. With his powers locked away, the worst the fire dragon could do was to order some pay-per-view movies—though Timothy was pretty certain that Braeden still thought that the remote was some evil magic.
As soon as he stepped onto the roof, his worries fell away from him. The cool night air felt good on his face. The sky was still dark, and for a moment, he tilted his head back and looked up at the stars.
He took a deep breath. Even here, at the center of the bustling human city, with lights spreading below him to mirror the stars above, and buildings rising almost as far as the eye could see, he was always aware of the ocean. It was just half an hour’s flight from here.
The water sang to him, promising him comfort and sleep, but he shook his head.
He missed the ocean—but he would return soon, with his mate by his side. Not yet.
Then he spread his arms and gave himself over to his dragon.
Power rushed through him. He shifted in the blink of an eye. He lifted off immediately, beating powerful wings to rise from the top of the skyscraper.
He was invisible to all humans below in his dragon form; still, he never allowed himself to linger for long, just on the off-chance that a drone might collide with him.
Today, he was even less in a mood to play in the currents of air around the tall buildings.
He needed to ensure that his mate could sleep safely through the night, with no fire dragons to disturb her sleep.
It took him no time at all to reach the apartment building where she lived. Most of the lights were still off; everyone was asleep.
He landed on the roof of the building next to it, and then remained perched there. As he folded his wings, he concentrated on the fragile connection to his mate until he thought that he’d found the window of her bedroom.
The window was dark as well. Liana had to be asleep already.
Shifting his wings slightly, he settled in, the cool night air washing over his body like waves on a beach as he kept watch over his mate.