“What do you mean the tracker isn’t working?” Aunt Xylia barked at her laptop. The usually calm and staid elder Silvergrace was completely losing her shit.

The video conference call with Aunts Valda and Varna showed them frazzled, their platinum hair sticking out on all sides, their cardigans stained with meals. They’d obviously been working on the problem but didn’t have the answer Xylia, or anyone for that matter, wanted.

Varna replied. “I mean, according to the satellite signals that were logged, her last recorded position is the one we gave you.”

Turning around in a circle, pointing her laptop camera at the cow field they stood in, Xylia snapped, “As you can see, she’s not here.”

“Perhaps the chip was removed?” Babette offered.

The Aunts V managed to stare at her, disdain in their gazes clear, despite the laptop screen. “One does not simply remove one of our chips.”

Valda sniffed. “Not to mention, they’re specially designed to immediately notify us the moment they leave living tissue.”

“What about an EMP?” Babette asked, putting her Star Trek knowledge to good use. “Would it wipe the circuitry?”

“Not likely. These were specially designed to ensure that the humans couldn’t simply disable them and start nabbing us without us being aware.”

“Well, something happened to fuck up your signal,” Xylia snapped while Babette gasped—in delight. It was rare that an aunt lost her cool and swore.

It didn’t last. Xylia sighed. “Excuse my language.” She pulled a flask from her pocket and chugged it with a grimace. Apparently, the punishment wasn’t just for the younger dragonesses.

“What about magic?” Babette asked.

“It could be magic, I guess.” Valda frowned. “But it’s rather rare for this time. I think I’ve only met two human mages in my life. I’ve never heard of a magic that can stifle technology. Blow it up, yes. But change its properties…” She shook her head.

“What do we do now?” Xylia paced in the field, agitation over her daughter’s disappearance clear. “What if that disgruntled Golden dragon brother of Remiel’s has her?”

“Then she’ll be happier than a pig rolling in warm mud and be pissed if we save her.” Babette’s contribution was met with a glare. “Just saying, Deka is convinced he’s her mate. If they are together, then be prepared for a fight because if she’s claimed him, she won’t give him up.”

“If she’s claimed him, then there will be problems. We already have a Golden male in the family. Not to mention a purebred king.”

“But he’s over in the USA.”

“Your point being?”

The focus of all the eyes made Babette nervous, and yet, she owed it to Deka to try. “I’m saying that, back in the day, even the Goldens had to split their power. The high king ruled over all the Septs, but he had ambassadors in the different countries to rule in his stead.”

“Are you advocating that Samael, after everything he’s done, should be forgiven and placed in a position of power?”

“Um, yeah?” She didn’t quite manage assertiveness with her reply.

Yet, Auntie still beamed. “What an excellent idea and solution.”

Aunt Vanna snickered. “And this has nothing to do at all with the fact that your daughter would end up more powerful than our sister Zahra.”

“The thought never crossed my mind.” Xylia’s false claim went well with her rapacious smile.

The dragons might unite under one color, but at heart, the hunger for power—and more treasure—ruled them.

“I hate to ruin this love fest…” Anyone could tell that Yolanda, Babette’s own mother—the lovely pastels in her hair not entirely faded—didn’t feel sorry at all. “But what if the child isn’t fornicating with the half-breed Golden? She could be in trouble.”

“You know she’s in trouble. Especially if she is a prisoner of the red-eyed creature who killed the priestess.” Deka was always in trouble. She just usually had Babette by her side sharing it.

“If that thing is involved and still using wyverns to do her dirty work, then that would explain the lack of scent.” Aunt Xylia crouched to the ground and sniffed, her eyes flaring green as she drew on her other self. “It is as if Deka traversed this field, barely leaving a trace, then disappeared into thin air.”

“You think they flew off with her?” Babette frowned. “But how does that explain the lack of signal?”

“It doesn’t. As of right now, we have no proof as to who is involved.”

“Deka’s gut—”

“Is not what led her to France. A dead end is what brought her.” Xylia fixed Babette with a stare. “I know about the crate and its disappearance. I also know my daughter was gallivanting around the city, declaring to all who would listen that she was looking for Samael and not keeping her own origins quiet.” The stern rebuke had Babette eyeing her toes.

They could really use a new coat of polish.

Perhaps she should have tried harder to… Damn, but Auntie was good. She’d almost managed to make her feel guilty.

Straightening, she held her head high. “Deka was acting because no one else would. What if that red-eyed doppelganger did steal Samael?”

“Let us take your theory one step further. What if that doppelganger now also has a Silver daughter? Can you imagine the havoc she could cause with Deka and Samael?”

For a moment, there was silence as they imagined it. The glorious chaos that would ensue.

Funny, but Babette wasn’t all that worried about her best friend and cousin. Deka, on her own, could get into tons of trouble with very little help—also known as tons of fun. Add in a Deka in love, and some red-eyed she-bitch getting in the way?

Shit could get scary, real fast.

“We’d better crack out the leather.” It could handle blood better than any polyester rayon blend.