It was chaos inside. The further back we moved, the more the Irukas’ influence had faded. Defenders were disoriented, restless, and looking for answers. The building we were in offered little to clue them in as to where they were and what they were doing—cement floors, plain metal walls, and track lighting. I noticed there were way too many overhead sprinklers in place in case of a fire. My stomach sickened.
This is really made for gassing people, isn’t it? I asked Sammy, not really wanting to know the answer. We were weaving toward the back as fast as we could. The volume of complaints seemed to be greatest in the rear. I couldn’t help but notice the way Defenders stared after us as we shot past. We remained in camo, but I got the feeling they could see us anyway.
Yes. It was a huge mistake confiding in Tonbo. I’d hoped he’d see the opportunity in fixing what Kory started. Instead, he told me what he’d do if he found them.
Put them in here? Did he build this for that very reason then?
No, he already had this as a precaution. Dragon Fae’s have their enemies. Usually themselves, sadly.
I wanted to ask her so much more, but we’d found the source of the biggest commotion.
Kory. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair slicked back, probably from the amount of times he’d run his hands through his hair.
“What the hell!” he shouted at no in particular. Then to Kalepe, he threw his arms up. “Why is nobody moving? Let’s get out of here!”
Kalepe didn’t respond to Kory’s urges. Instead, he turned to face me. I didn’t shy away from his pointed stare.
He can see us, I told Sammy.
I know. Ditch the camo. It’s time. I did as I was told, and a collective gasp followed.
Kory’s eyes bulged, his mouth stuttering, “Impossible!” He shot a dirty look at Kalepe. “What’s she doing here? I told you to end her!”
Kalepe’s black eyes darted back and forth between Kory and me, panic written all over them. My heart swelled; he had disobeyed Kory’s orders to save me. His sense of right and wrong solidified what we were fighting for.
I took a step forward, Jaxon and Kate, still invisible, moving with me. “Kalepe,” I called out. “You felt the need to protect me, didn’t you?”
He didn’t answer, just shifted his weight. Kory folded his arms and scowled at me. “You shouldn’t be alive.”
“Funny,” I said, moving even closer. Kalepe’s eyes widened. “I thought you were dying to talk to me. I mean, you tortured poor Samantha trying to get to me.”
Kory gaped. “Sammy? How do I know it’s you and not just Sam pretending?” Even as he said the words, I could see the eagerness in his gaze, the way his eyes raked up and down my frame.
“Think whatever you want, Kory, I’m not here for you.” I turned toward Kalepe. “I need you to get everyone out of here, now! We’re all in danger!”
Kalepe shook his head. “No, we have to stay here. They promised us that we’d be safe.”
Kory growled. “See what’ve I’ve been dealing with? I’ve been trying to get them to budge, but they won’t get out of this damn building!”
“Clearly, the Irukas’ song is still swaying them,” I muttered.
“What?” Understanding dawned on Kory. “Is that what happened? Why on earth would they turn on me?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you’ve been experimenting on them,” a voice said from behind me. I whirled around, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Mack!” I cried out. Despite everything, I threw my arms around him. “You’re okay!”
“Of course I am.” He returned my embrace, and then rocked back, looking me in the eyes. “Question is—are you? Sam, what are you doing here?”
I wanted to gush so many things to him. A strange tide of emotions were swirling within, and I had a bad feeling Sammy was about to take full rein of my body by the burning desire I had to plant a kiss on Mack’s lips. But a sudden movement in my peripheral made me jump. Kory was lunging toward us.
A whoosh of air sent my hair flying as something invisible sent Kory soaring backward. Then in an instant, Kory was dangling, his face turning purple as he grasped what held him by the neck. Jaxon.
Seeing Kory in danger, Kalepe roared into action, lunging for Jaxon, who’d dropped his camo just as Kalepe and him collided. They all went skidding across the floor, the ground shaking at the impact. Somehow, Jaxon managed to still grasp Kory’s throat with one hand, while blocking Kalepe’s attacks with the other.
Mack gasped. “Jaxon’s here?”
Kate appeared, and Mack’s eyes doubled in size. “Kate?” he whispered. His eyes flicked over to me one more time, the question forming. I knew he was dying to ask.
But he didn’t; he flew straight for Jaxon and Kalepe’s tumbling forms. In all the scuffling, Kory had been dropped and was slinking away. The two fighting monsters were drawing the attention of several other Defenders. Their restlessness was turning into giddy energy, and if we weren’t careful, we were about to ignite a nasty spark none of us would live through.
Mack tackled Kory from behind, shoving him to the ground.
“See! This is why Jaxon needed to be the queen,” Kate yelled, throwing her hands up. “Sammy, you better do something or we’re all dead!”
She’s right. What do I do now?
Fly, Sam! I did as I was told, flying above the heated frenzy below.
“Dragon Defenders!” I hollered, with little hope any would hear me. “Listen to me! You’re all in danger!” No one paid me any attention.
The fighting continued below; Jaxon and Kalepe had now drawn at least a half a dozen Defenders into the fight. The stench of blood was already wafting up to me. I searched out Mack, finding him and Kate both trying to hold on to Kory, but Defenders kept throwing them off. I gasped as one smashed Kate to the ground. She didn’t jump back up.
Sammy, no one’s listening! They don’t know I’m their queen!
Get Kalepe and Jaxon to show them! she commanded.
I dove down. Not stopping to think or plan, I plowed right into Kalepe. I scrambled to get my body sandwiched between them. The punching and clawing ceased immediately, both monsters freezing to keep from hitting me. I pushed them apart, my hand feeling small on their heaving chests.
“My Queen! Get out of the way!” Jaxon commanded, his eyes still trained on Kalepe.
“This isn’t your fight!” Kalepe agreed, glaring at Jaxon.
“Yes, it is. So you’re going to have to kill me to get to each other.”
Kalepe’s gaze finally shifted to me, and then he slowly lowered his arms. “I can’t kill you.”
Jaxon shook his head, a frown on his lips. “You know I will never hurt you again, Sam.”
“Finally, we’re on the same team.” I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Kalepe, you need to listen. We’re not here to fight you; we’re here to save you. All of you.”
“She’s right.” Jaxon pointed up to the ceiling, “This place is about to be gassed, and if we don’t leave now, we all die, including Sam. I know you’ve felt the insane desire to protect her, because I feel it too. We need to get this crowd moving, now.”
I thought there’d be some long explanation on how I was their queen or an argument of why he should trust Jaxon, but instead, Kalepe’s arms wrapped around me. We instantly shot up into the air, Jaxon on our heels.
As soon as we were high enough, they both let out simultaneous roars that echoed across the room, silencing everything and everyone, leaving my ears ringing and my chest pounding.
“Defenders!” Kalepe commanded. “Listen to her!” He held me out to them, keeping his hands on the back of my arms.
“She’s your queen.” Jaxon’s voice carried across the room. “And your rightful leader.”
Several Defenders shifted where they stood, but none spoke. All black eyes turned upward. This was it, they were ready, and yet, my eyes sought out Kate in that split second, wanting to make sure she was all right. I found her cradled in Mack’s arms as he tried to shield her from further attacks.
“Dragon Defenders, stop fighting!” I shouted down to them. A murmur rippled through the crowd, and the few Defenders near Mack and Kate stopped and turned to face me.
Relieved, I continued, “Up till now, you’ve followed Kory, but he’s never been your true leader.” Now the murmuring got louder, mostly around where Kory stood. “Yes, he created you, but he used my DNA to do it. My blood runs through your veins, and I know if you stop long enough, you can feel it.”