"I understand very well," the Commander said quietly. "But it does not change the fact that you can do nothing to help her right now."
Dai was saved from saying something potentially career-limiting to his commander by Ash's phone beeping. Ash touched his hand to his earpiece, listening. His eyebrows rose fractionally.
"I see," Ash said. Unclipping the phone, he passed it to Dai. "It's Griff."
"Dai?" Griff's Scottish burr was more pronounced than usual, a sure sign of agitation. "We just got the oddest emergency call here. He called 999 and then asked for you personally. He won't give his own name or location, but I'm certain it's your dragon shifter."
Adrenaline surged through Dai's blood. "Can you trace the call?"
"I'm working on it, but he's on a mobile phone so it's not easy." Dai could hear the rapid rattle of computer keys in the background. "Do you want me to keep stalling him, or put him through to you?"
"Put him through," Dai growled. There was a click as Griff did so. "Bertram?"
"I will offer you this trade once, and once only." Bertram's icy tones struck Dai like a blow. He could practically taste dragonfire rising in his throat in response. "Your mate for the Dragon's Eye."
"I don't have it." Dai glanced over his shoulder at the pile of wreckage that had been his house. "Even if it's still intact, it's buried under a ton of bricks."
Bertram's scornful laugh rang in his ear. "Do you think me a fool? I know she gave it to you, so it must be on your person right this moment. No dragon would have put down such a treasure for even a second. You have thirty minutes to bring it to the site of Brithelm's burial mound. Come alone. If you try to trick me, your mate will burn."
"Wait—!" Dai found himself talking to a dead line. He lowered the phone, his forehead furrowing. He looked up to find the rest of the crew watching him in concern. "Did you all catch that?"
John nodded. "Do you actually have this treasure the crawling worm seeks, kin-cousin?"
"No," Dai said slowly. "And now I'm trying to remember if Virginia ever put it d
own."
Chapter Fifteen
Virginia's feet were freezing, and she had a cramp in one hand from clinging to the cold metal beam. Bertram seemed to have been gone for hours. With childish malice, he'd flicked the lights off when he'd left, leaving her stranded in pitch darkness.
Virginia buried her face in the soft, worn material of Dai's robe, breathing in the faint trace of his wood-smoke scent to keep herself calm. She knew that he was getting closer. The mate-bond was growing steadily brighter, flaring from a mere ember to a roaring bonfire in her soul. Through it, she could sense Dai's fierce rage and his determination—and also how terribly afraid he was for her.
*Just come to me,* she tried to send down the mate-bond, over and over. She didn't know whether her words were reaching him. All she could do was concentrate on radiating encouragement and reassurance down their mental link. *Trust me. Come.*
The huge door rattled open again. Virginia squinted as the lights came on again, blinding after the total darkness.
Her heart leapt at the sight of Dai's tall form in the doorway—but Bertram, back in dragon form, was right behind him, prodding him along with vicious jabs of his ivory talons. From Dai's windswept hair and ripped shirt, Bertram must have carried him through the air rather than allowing him to shift and fly himself.
"Dai!" Virginia called out to him. "Up here!"
"Virginia!" Dai rushed forward, but had to halt as Bertram whipped his tail forward to bar his way. Dai struck his fist impatiently against the white scales. "I need to get closer to talk to her, since you've forbidden me to mindspeak anyone," he said, glaring up at the fanged head towering above him. "I'm not giving you the Dragon's Eye until I'm absolutely satisfied she's unharmed."
Bertram hissed, but reluctantly raised his tail to allow Dai past. The firefighter's eyes stayed fixed on Virginia, without even a glance at the gold coins crunching under his boots or the fantastic hoard all around.
Perfect trust in her poured down the mate-bond as he stopped directly underneath her. "I'm here, Virginia."
Virginia met his eyes, reflecting the faith and love straight back at him, the mate-bond so incandescent she could almost see it in the air between them. "Daifydd Drake, my mate."
She took her hand out of her pocket, opening her fingers. Gold and rubies gleamed as they fell. "I give you the Dragon's Eye for your hoard."
Bertram lunged with a shriek of rage, but Dai was faster. He leapt, snatching the Dragon's Eye out of midair. Before his feet hit the ground again, they had shimmered into talons.
The red dragon spread his wings, green eyes blazing with rage and triumph. White-hot flame spilled from his jaws as he roared. *Bertram Russell, I challenge you!*
The white dragon twisted awkwardly as he aborted his charge. He eyed up the red dragon for a second, then his spines lowered submissively. *Your hoard is superior. I concede your dominance.*
*I reject your submission!* The red dragon lunged, claws flashing.