However, Lachlan was already suspicious. Grant’s excuse about Faye needing to find a chemist for some personal items had been met with doubt. Only because Grant offered to go into the details of a female dragon-shifter’s biology and Max enthusiastically demanding to hear it did Lachlan quickly dismiss the errand.
They wound through the streets of Inverness back to their lodgings. The humans were going about their usual tasks of shopping, working, and meeting with friends. In some respects, they weren’t that different from dragon-shifters. Too bad more humans didn’t understand that fact.
The van finally pulled into the parking spot near the B&B and Grant spotted Faye through the front window of their lodgings. Since she was merely sitting and not pacing, the news couldn’t be that bad.
Signaling to Iris to look after both Cat and Max, Grant exited the van first and made his way into the B&B. He peeked his head into the lounge where Faye sat and ordered, “Upstairs.”
If the situation hadn’t been so important, Faye would’ve probably challenged him. However, she followed him up the stairs without complaint. As soon as he shut his door, he turned to Faye. “Well?”
“It’s fun to see you impatient. Maybe I’ll wait a few seconds more.” He growled, and she put up her hands. “Okay, I don’t want to anger Mr. Grumpy too much. Especially since my news is less than ideal.”
He searched Faye’s eyes. “He didn’t say anything?”
“Michael didn’t say much, but he will if the conditions he made with the solicitor are met.”
“Stop drawing it out and tell me already,” he barked.
She tilted her head. “One of his conditions is that he wants to see you.”
Grant clenched his fingers into a fist. “Why? I have nothing to say to that male.”
Faye shrugged. “I have no idea. Just be glad he agreed to anything at all. At first, he just kept havering on about the superiority of dragon-shifters. If it were up to him, humans would treat us as gods.”
“My father has always hated his lot in life. I suppose his interest in history was a subtle clue about his thoughts on dragons, since in the long run, they ruled the island more years than humans did.”
Faye closed the distance between them. At her nearness, his dragon stopped pacing inside his head. Her voice was gentle as she said, “I know it’s asking a lot for you to meet with him. And if it’s too difficult, I may have a plan about how to draw out the other rogue dragons, although it’s not guaranteed.”
“I would do anything to help the clan. That includes talking to my bastard father. Still, I’m curious to hear your plan.”
The corner of her mouth ticked up. “So, you’re ready to follow my orders again?”
He growled, “Faye, just tell me your idea. I don’t have time for your teasing.”
She touched his cheek, and it took everything Grant had not to cover her hand with his. Because if he did, he might do more than merely touch her. No, he’d pull her close and kiss her to escape reality for a few minutes.
His dragon spoke up. Yes, yes. Kiss her. She will let us.
Just because I can doesn’t mean I should. Think of the clan. They are counting on us.
His beast huffed. We need to work on delegating or we’ll never have time with our mate once we claim her.
She still hasn’t said yes.
She will.
Not wanting to argue further, Grant merely stared at Faye and raised his eyebrows. After a few more beats, she sighed. Shaking her head, she said, “Fine, I’ll try not to tease you for a few minutes. However, one day I’m going to convince you it’s okay to laugh, even in the direst of situations.” He tilted his head in qu
estion and she continued, “Aye, well, Michael and the other dragon-shifters that left Lochguard want dragons to be treated as kings and queens. If we carefully lay the groundwork, we might be able to convince some of our allies to pose as sympathetic to their cause, gain their confidence by ‘attacking’ certain clans, and then infiltrate their ranks. After that, it’s a matter of coordinating with the DDA and putting them in prison.”
“That requires a whole lot of dependence on other clans’ help.”
“So? We can trust Stonefire and they have connections to Snowridge through their head Protector, Kai. I also have a feeling Northcastle might join in, too.”
His dragon growled at the mention of Northcastle, but Grant ignored him. “Since when do you trust the Northern Irish dragons?”
“My dragon trusts Adrian and Kaine, and I trust her.” Her eyes lit up. “And just think of it—if we gain Northcastle’s trust and Stonefire has the confidence of the Irish clan, Glenlough, then we might also be able to heal the rift between the dragons in those two countries.”
“Gee, you don’t have big plans, now do you, lass?” Grant drawled.