Page 52 of Red Marked

Savanna’s throat works. She nods.

“Tomorrow,” Koa whispers, “I get to see my mom again.” A tear slips out, and she wipes it away.

I stand. “I’ll be back. Lock the door behind me. Don’t worry, my males are guarding you while I speak with the clinic manager. After that, I need to get Star into the building. You probably won’t see me until morning. You are safe. That’s the most important thing.” I keep saying it over and over, but it is important that they believe it.

They all thank me again.

I step into the hallway and wait until I hear the bolt slide home behind me.

Atlas is standing outside the door with his arms folded. Rex stands on the other side of the door, his eyes on the far end of the corridor.

“I don’t want anyone to go in there,” I tell them. “Keep an eye on them until the Draig team gets here in the morning, and you can take tomorrow off.”

“Got it,” Atlas agrees.

“Are Dane and Saber outside the building watching the windows?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“Yes.” Atlas nods. “None of us will leave our posts.”

“I need to speak with Dr. Pryce, and then I’m going to bed.” I glance in the direction of where I left Star earlier, giving a pointed look.

Atlas gives me a nod that I take as acknowledgment. “Bed is important after such a stressful night.” He knows what I’m trying to say.

“Sleep well,” Rex says. “We’ll handle it.”

“Thanks. I appreciate everything.” I walk down the hallway.

I’m nearing the stairwell when I hear footfalls.

Pryce is pacing the landing at the top of the stairs. He’s wearing pajamas with a robe this time, and he’s added a pair of glasses since I last saw him, which sit crooked on his nose. When he sees me, he stops so hard that he skids.

“What the hell is going on?” The words bounce off the walls. “I was pulled out of my bed, yet again, by the night guard, who is telling me that your team picked up three females out there. Did you go back out again? Colby says that they are the missing Draig females. That you have them squirreled away in the empty apartment. How is this possible?” He takes off the glasses, looks at them, and puts them back on. “You need to explain all of this to me.”

“That’s correct.” I smile. “Isn’t it wonderful? We found the missing Draig females.”

“Wonderful?” He narrows his eyes at me, his voice growing shrill. A vein stands out along his temple, and there is color in his cheeks. “How is that wonderful? You went against my orders. I told you not to go back out there, and you went anyway. You took five males out into a jungle full of ferals in the dead of night, and you⁠—”

“No.” I frown. “That’s not what we discussed.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I didn’t disobey orders. You didn’t tell me not to go back out.”

His eyes go wide like saucers. “I most certainly⁠—”

“You told me to file a flight plan. To get all of it documented, all of it signed off. So I did. It’s all in your inbox, as discussed.” I spread my hands. “The guard at the gate has a copy as well.”

“I told you to come and speak to me in the morning about this crazy idea of yours.” He jabs a finger toward the residence wing. “I expected you to go to bed. I expected to find you in my office at quarter to eight with a written proposal, not⁠—”

“Oh…shit…I…um…” I scratch my head. “That’s not how I understood our conversation.”

He frowns so hard I’m afraid his forehead might crack.

“My apologies, Alastair. I thought you were upset because I hadn’t filled in the necessary paperwork. I thought you were keen to discuss more of this type of activity because you thought it was a good idea.” I tip my head. “In fact, tonight’s training was a great success. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were personally called up by the head of the Council to thank you. Or even the king himself. Wouldn’t that be something? This is big. It’s huge.”

His mouth opens. His eyes stay wide, but they’re on me.

I have his attention. Now I need to play this just right.