How was I going to get us out of here?

I glanced over to see Sven still watching, a slight frown on his face, as if this was news to him. And not particularly good news at that. I didn't know if Emberich had been totally open with this plan among his people, though I was guessing not from what I'd gleaned of his personality from even such a short acquaintance.

It did make more sense now why Sven had accepted my story so easily after he'd seen Omari. It wasn't my story at all that had gotten us in.

"Omari?" I asked quietly.

"Yes?" he responded in a small voice, like he was just waiting for a blow.

A blow I would never deal. He was only a child. "Do you want to stay here?"

A startled pause. I looked down at him, met his hopeful eyes.

He shook his head. "No," he said, almost in a whisper. Like he was afraid to be overheard.

All right then. That was all I needed to hear.

I smiled slightly as I turned back to Emberich, who was watching the exchange with interest. But not as if it really mattered what we said.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," I said as I turned to leave. "But there's been a mistake here, so we'll just be leaving..." The direct approach couldn't hurt, right?

I stopped, keeping Omari next to me as four guards appeared from behind the columns. I knew it wouldn't be this easy, but I'd been hoping I was wrong.

I turned back to Emberich.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave," he said, his tone and expression apologetic, that smile still on his face. I really wanted to wipe it off. Maybe with a slap. Or a nice roundhouse. "Not before we can have some quality time together. And certainly not with my other child." He leaned forward, clearly enjoying the power he wielded here. "I'm sure you understand."

"Quality time can’t be forced," I said, moving to the side so I could keep an eye on Emberich and Sven as well as the guards. "And I've been just fine without a father so far. I think I'll live."

"Have you?" he asked with raised brows. "From what I've learned, you live suppressing your phoenix side, afraid to show who you really are in that crowded cesspool of humanity you call home." He spread his hands out to his sides to draw attention to the room. "Here, you could be who you truly are, in the lap of luxury. People would kill for such a life." His smile faded. "I would advise you to take the offer or I may start to believe you aren't appropriately grateful for this opportunity."

Uh huh. I would get right on that.

"If I don't leave soon, there's going to be a whole skein of dragons showing up here."

I figured a bluff wouldn't hurt. And maybe he'd believe it if he was aware of Ashur roaming the boundary of his territory. What I wasn't expecting was for him to throw his head back and laugh. A great big belly laugh that had him tearing up slightly as he wrapped his arms around his midsection.

"Oh, that is amusing," he said on a sigh, shaking his head as he wiped at his eyes. "Mia, Mia, Mia. If you're going to threaten someone, you need to use something that is actually intimidating." He clasped his hands, his face turning serious. "I can gather the entire phoenix population in this area at a moment's notice. We would crush one lone skein easily. Destroy them as if they never were. And while the other dragon skeins wouldn't like it, they also wouldn't fault me for it. Not when your precious Dragon Lord would be stepping into family business."

All right, he knew about Ashur. And he didn't care. I had no leverage here.

He nodded as he watched that realization dawn on my face. "Yes, that's right. Accept your fate. You will be staying here." He clapped his hands together and the rubbed them in anticipation. "Now, why don't we—"

There was a commotion just outside the door we'd come in from. We all turned to look.

"You will let me in, young man, or I will make you sorry!"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh. And then a man flying past the open doorway.

Huh.

A tall woman, maybe in her sixties, strode in. Her short cap of silky hair was mostly dark gray, her pretty face softly lined, her dark eyes vibrant and sharp. Age sat on her lightly. She wore a long, flowing dress in a pale yellow that suited her skin tone and her slender frame.

The four guards inside stepped in front of her, but King Emberich raised his hand to stop them.

"What are you doing here, Cinira?" he asked, a warning tone in his voice.

Cinira glared at the guards as she strode past them, her eyes landing on me.

"There you are," she said, shaking her head as she made her way over to us. Had I missed something? Did I know this woman? "You know exactly why I'm here, Emberich." She turned to glare at him. "I'm here to protect my granddaughter."

I stared at her.

Again...

What?