Radoo had never been so angry as leaving med bay after seeing Amryn. The injuries he had sustained were severe, including huge scorch marks across his chest and arms. Radoo had told his friend that he had done well and left while he still had control of himself.
In spite of some of the crazy things he had seen since they arrived on earth, he had come to see humans as mysterious and powerful. He didn’t think the Preor were any better than them, just that the two races were unique and they all had things to share and learn.
Now that he had been in close contact with the senseless violence, he wondered if they could ever make peace. The people who wanted the Preor here only cared about money, status, and power. These things were important to the Preor, but for a dragon they were to be earned with duty and valor. The humans who chased these ideals assumed everything could be bought and anyone was fair game in their view of the world.
The poorer people seemed to make up the entirety of the resistance. He understood that they felt abused by the men of power who were determined to harness the might of the Preor for their own gain. He knew that class divide and poverty were the main reasons for dissent and that the Preor were being unfairly blamed for all the ills befalling humanity.
But nothing excuses this kind of violence, he thought furiously. He strode through the tower, heading for the roof. Preor and humans were running in all directions as every single security force—from police and military to Preor warriors—was now focused on the single act of finding the resistance.
A meeting was taking place on the roof in a few minutes and he knew most of his team would be gathered there already. Last night he had slept a little after the discussion, but he hadn’t been able to fully relax. He was wired and edgy, and not even coffee would help him this time.
He opened the roof door and was engulfed in a gust of wind. He hurried over to the small group of Whelon, Brukr and Ivoth with their mates. Choler came running over from a nearby helicopter as the noisy machine lifted off, hovering over the city like a wasp.
“Radoo,” Choler gasped as he reached the group. “Several small groups have been found in the city. You were right. It didn’t take much to flush them out.”
Radoo grimaced and shook his head. Earlier today he’d thought to send soldiers out in casual clothes to infiltrate nearby bars and clubs. In some of the nastier dives they were almost immediately introduced to members of the resistance.
“I gathered that the bait would be too sweet for them,” Radoo muttered. “The risk of being discovered pales at the chance to recruit more people to the cause.”
“We’ve arrested a few, and when we did that, others in the city ran and we tracked them easily. We have roughly a hundred people in custody now.”
Radoo didn’t have to ask if Livvy was with them. He would have been notified immediately. The only thing he wanted now was to go and question those people to find out if any of them knew Livvy.
It was hopeless, though. It wouldn’t matter how much he interrogated them; they would be unlikely to crack for a Preor. He had also found out from the initial questioning that most of the resistance didn’t know anything about anyone else’s plan. One of the human soldiers said it was a common thing, the basis behind “need to know” information.
Choler thought it was just disorganization. So far none of them seemed capable of sticking to a plan. All of them were just randomly setting up attacks and moving through the city at completely random times.
He still wanted to squeeze every last one of them until they told him where his mate was. Knowing sickness was nibbling at him, making his wings droop and his heart pound. She had to be worse and he couldn’t stand the thought of her struggling.
If she died, I would know. He was haunted by the idea that she had already had her head blown off or died quietly of knowing sickness in an abandoned shed where he would have no hope of even finding her bones.
“We’ve run down every lead we have,” Brukr said, yelling above the wind and another helicopter flying through. “There is a suggestion of a base, but it looks like no one knows where it is. We have no idea where to look.”
“Near the South Georgia mountains,” Radoo snapped. “She said it was near there.”
“Radoo,” Ivoth said quietly. “We can’t just land at every single camp site in the state. A quick flyover in that direction showed us that several camp sites have large collections of tents and caravans like you described. If we charge in breathing fire, it won’t help the cause. If we hit the wrong one, we also give the real guys time to move.”
Radoo sighed, knowing they were right.
“What’s on for the next few days, Brukr? We’ll have to have our butts covered on every front.”
“We’ve got a policeman’s ball and a gala for free speech and journalism tomorrow. Preor have been requested to attend. There are open courses on the ground floor of the tower three times a day. Choosings have been planned as well.”
“We’ll need full security,” Radoo said. “I want everyone coming in to be identified and recorded. No more blind entries to any event.”
“That sounds so… Threatening,” Hannah said, hugging herself.
“I have no choice,” Radoo said. “I can’t just let people come and go anymore.”
She nodded but he could tell she was upset. He didn’t blame her. Everyone was upset right now, just in various shades.
“There’s another thing,” Choler cut in, holding a small tablet and flicking the screen. “This choosing has been set up for some time now. It’s being held toward the mountains in a small town. The first remote Choosing for people who can’t make it to the tower.”
Radoo took one look at the map and his instincts kicked in. He grabbed the tablet, turning it and pinching the screen to get a closer look.
“This is it,” he breathed.
“How do you know?” Ivoth asked. Radoo pointed.
“This is the town we stopped at. The women there were desperate to meet Preor. They acted as if they were expecting me. The Choosing is being held not far away from there. I’d bet anything that people are coming from all the surrounding towns.” He bit his lip thoughtfully as he moved over the map.
“Are you sure?” Brukr asked. “If we focus our forces there, we leave a lot of people undefended up here.”
Radoo nodded. “Don’t take any security from here. Keep up the presence. Just get me some battle ready Preor for this. I don’t care if they are first-year warriors. I want their enhanced Preor senses, and if I bring humans, we might have loyalty conflicts.”
“What are you planning to do?” Choler asked warily.
“Get my mate back,” Radoo growled. He knew he was taking this too far. He shouldn’t be in charge, but he didn’t care.
I wasted every moment with her worrying about the conflict between us and if it could ever be healed. Now I’d agree to anything—anything!—if I could just hold her again.
The scent of her hair brushed by his face as if she were standing right in front of him, cuddled against his chest. Knowing sickness scratched at his insides, urging him to find her, find her, burn the planet, burn everything, leave only her glory standing in the ashes because she was the one thing that would not bow to his flame.
His hands were shaking as he handed the tablet back to Choler.
“I’ll see you there. Organize a force. I have to go now.”
Radoo motioned to the units of Preor waiting on the roof. As he waved, he leapt from the edge and shifted, feeling the other dragons falling into line behind him.
I’m coming, my love, he whispered into the air. I’ll always come for you, whether you want me to or not.
Radoo understood the truth of unconditional love. If she pulled a pistol on him and blew his head off, he’d die happily if he were looking into her beautiful brown eyes.