Remy’s head was still spinning after dinner as Lane made arrangements under the careful watch of Joachim to meet Rathin on the Nessie tomorrow night. While that was going on, Mei Hua spoke with Reed and explained everything, which was fine with Remy, because he couldn’t seem to put two thoughts together.

“Why don’t you go talk to your mother,” Margery said, kissing him on the cheek. “I’m going to talk with Bella.”

He couldn’t force himself to get up from the table to approach his mother, who addressed the small court she’d brought with her. However, after Margery left, his mother came back and sat by him again. “She’s not who I would have chosen for you.”

“I don’t care.” He forced his shoulders to relax. “I love her.”

“I see that. Anyone with eyes sees that. I don’t want you hurt when she finds another stud to fly off into the sunset.”

“Too late for that.” Remy swallowed more tea. It tasted like ashes in his mouth.

“I would have told you where I was, but I was so afraid for the newly shifted Queens. I couldn’t risk you being followed or me being tracked. All it would take is one tabloid and we’d have media crawling all over us.”

“We could have handled it.”

“No, a bhobain, we couldn’t have. I have twenty-five Queens on my island.”

Twenty-five? Nidhogg’s balls. “How long were you going to keep them hidden? The dragon race could have gone extinct.”

“It didn’t.”

“How could you keep those Queens from the rest of the dragon world?”

Nessie sighed. “Some were mere girls, too young to deal with the demands of being an endangered species. Some just don’t like studs.”

“Well, I don’t blame them. But we’re not all bad.”

“Remy, you’re not understanding. They prefer Queens as mates.”

The teacup rattled as he just managed to keep it from hitting the table. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh. You daft fool. Never thought of that, did you?”

Remy couldn’t even shake his head.

“Of course not, because you’re a man. If you studs can find happiness together, why can’t Queens?”

“The curse...” he began.

“Is broken. You’re up to your armpits in Queens. Leave mine alone. We’ll make enough of a splash at the conclave. All I ask is that you keep our secrets as the Order of the Dragon Slayers have and until then not try to find me.”

“I promise, Mother.”

“Good.” She kissed the top of his head. “I’ve missed you, boy. It was everything in me not to answer when you called. There hasn’t been a day gone by when I haven’t thought of you. I’m proud of the dragon you’ve become.”

Remy’s throat tightened, and he nodded.

“Another thing?”

Remy wasn’t sure he could take another thing.

“You need to kill Lane.”

“If he double-crosses us, I don’t think I’ll get a chance.”

“Kill him even if he gives you Rathin and his human mistress.”

Remy wasn’t opposed to killing the greasy scumbag, but he didn’t like underhanded politics. “I can’t. Margery negotiated for his life. He’s the embassy’s problem once we get Rathin.”

“He knows about my island, and he has to die. As your mother and a Queen, I am not giving you a choice. If you think she’ll give you a problem, don’t tell her.”

“I’m her consort. I don’t want to keep secrets from her.”

Nessie laughed. “Do you think your father told me everything?” She put her hand on his arm. “Lane’s a bad one. You know that. He’ll try to use the information he got in this summit to further his own ends. I can’t have the risk.”

“Why can’t you get one of the Dragon Slayers to do it?”

“Because they don’t execute studs for theft.” She pursed her lips. “Just do as you’re told and we’ll be together soon. I just need you to be patient and don’t let that Queen get you killed.”

“Margery?” Margery wasn’t the one who wanted him to execute studs.

“Dragons aren’t going to like her writing about our business. If she shows the studs in a bad light, no one is going to want to be in her court. Keep her close to water or find her another protector.”

If the elder Queens maintained a court after beating and torturing studs for thousands of years, Margery shouldn’t be getting this much heat for her poison pen. “She’s got another protector. Casimiro.” That asshole.

“I loved his last album.”

“Mo-ther,” he drawled out.

Nessie kissed his cheek. “You’re better looking.”

“It’s good to see you again, Ma.” Even if you want me to betray my Queen. He hugged her. She was his mother, after all, and he had missed her.

“Oh, my sweet son. I have to go before I decide to take you away from your beloved territory.”

“Good-bye.”

He watched his mother and Sebastian leave the palace. She would be safe from wandering studs because she was escorted by the Order until she reached the ocean, and then she’d be unstoppable. Remy was pretty sure his father would be able to reach her if she called for help. Still, a part of him worried and would worry until he heard from her again.

Margery assured Bella that she could visit her in Vermont whenever she wanted. Lane wouldn’t be a threat to anyone—he was too spooked to open his mouth. And even if Remy didn’t kill him, the scumbag didn’t have long to live, anyway. If Smythe didn’t get to him first, Bella’s other three studs were eager for the chance to be promoted to consort.

“Where will you go?” Remy asked, because it was good to keep your enemies close—just in case.

“I’ve talked to the dragon embassy. They’re setting us up in Maui. I’ve got to start practicing my hula.” Bella hugged Margery. “If you ever want to get away from snowy Vermont, you’re always welcome in my territory.”

Bella and Lane left a short time later, and Remy wondered if the offer would still be open if he drowned Lane off Black Rock.

Margery watched them fly off with a wistful look that ripped him deep. They would never wing over Rome together and soar into the sunset side by side. Even as far as they’d come, the simple fact that he couldn’t fly would always be a wedge between them. Defeat sagged his shoulders.

Mei Hua let them take the jet so Margery wouldn’t have to carry him in her claws all the way to Vermont. In rankled, but at least he got to hold his Queen for hours uninterrupted. He would have liked to continue their airline antics, but the dinner conversation and the upcoming events weighed heavily on both of them.

During the layover, she contacted her editor, who promised her the front page of the New York Times.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked her as they prepared for the final flight home. He’d spent the layover getting his ass chewed out by Reed when he outlined the plan they had for setting up Rathin while keeping Nessie’s name out of the explanation. Reed wasn’t sure they could trust Lane, but Remy figured it was a win-win situation. If Lane screwed them over, Reed would obliterate him. And Remy would be off the hook. If Lane betrayed Rathin and the naga showed up, they’d find Lisa.

Reed had also taken the time to lecture him on how dangerous it would be for Margery to publish her article. There would be no going back; she’d be in the mainstream press. Hell, she would be the mainstream press. It would be open season on her if any of the elder Queens decided to retaliate for her pulling the plug on BabyDragon. Or if Smythe slipped out of their hands. At the moment, Reed’s intelligence said Smythe had hunkered down in his office building and was fortifying his defenses, but the bastard had a long reach. They weren’t out of the woods yet.

“This is a dream come true,” she said. “Ever since I was a little girl. Next will be Time, then Newsweek. Then all over the world.”

“I’m just saying that you’re no longer that person.” He smoothed his hand over her hair.

“No, Remy, I still am that person. I will always be writing about things no one else does. My next story is going to be about the Queens.”

Fear gripped him. He couldn’t stop her. Deep down, he didn’t want to stop her, because this was part of who she was, but he couldn’t have her betray secrets. He’d never be able to protect her if she crossed that line. “Leave my mother out of it. No one can know she’s alive right now.” That was all he needed was to go toe-to-toe with his own mother.

“Why?”

“Trust me on this. Please.”

“There are other stories to tell, but I’d like to tell hers someday,” Margery said.

He shook his head. “Some Queens value their privacy.”

“Fine.” She shrugged.

It wasn’t fine. It was nerve-racking. But he wasn’t going to change her mind, so he let it go. He hated that she was vulnerable, but her happiness meant more to him than his own. She had wings now—she needed to fly both physically and spiritually. And if he was left behind, then at least he would be there when she returned.

Once they landed in Burlington, Remy started to relax. He could protect her here. They got on his boat—they had plenty of time before the set up happened.

“I want you to stay belowdecks when Rathin shows up.”

“Not a chance in hell.”

He winced at the tremor in her voice. Remy hadn’t meant to bring up bad memories, so he softened his tone. “I want you out of sight.”

“I’ll be in the air hiding in the clouds.” She pointed up.

“No, you’ll be behind me or in the water.”

“I can’t swim, and I’m not standing on this boat like a moving target. I can hide in the air.”

“Not alone, you can’t. Where the fuck is Casimiro?” he grumbled.

“He’s at your cabin, waiting for us.”

Remy gunned the boat. Great. Just what he needed was that jerk-off eating his food and sleeping in his bed. But after talking with the Latin loser, he was grateful that Casimiro would be in the air with her—he’d be nearby, but not close enough to be detected.

Reed had a team ready as soon as Lisa was secured. So Remy reluctantly left Margery on the dock with Casimiro and took the boat out to the middle of the lake. After setting anchor, he slipped into Lake Champlain and let the water work its restorative magic on him. He’d missed his home.

As Remy floated and brooded, he wondered if he could shape the water like he did in the tub with Margery. Thinking about her made him wish she were here. He could imagine better things to do than brood about Casimiro. He started out making a small wave and then slapped it against his boat, picturing it was Casimiro’s head, then Lane’s.

I’m not a cold-blooded killer.

Shaking off the dark thoughts, he concentrated, picturing the wave as a baseball bat. Using his mind, he had it hover next to him as if he were at home plate. Then up ahead, he pictured a baseball, complete with threads. The water shaped into a ball, and he hurtled it toward himself.

Swing and a miss.

Strike one, he thought, probably more amused than he should be.

He practiced until he got tired of knocking water balls through the lake with a water bat. Remy had never been able to do that before—Margery apparently woke up some magic within him when she claimed him as her consort. He wondered if the powers would grow the longer they were together. He hoped so.

The hum of a boat’s motor drove all frivolity out of his thoughts. He sensed Margery above them, and he could only hope she was well hidden in the clouds. The boat pulled alongside them, and he carefully rose to the surface to listen in.

“Lane?” It was Rathin’s voice.

“I don’t like this.” A female voice. Shit, another Queen? Remy didn’t sense one. He supposed it was too much to hope that Smythe would have shown up as well.

“The pills should be in the hold belowdecks. That’s probably where he is. Wait here.”

“I don’t like being back here. What if my father finds us? He’ll kill you.”

Lisa!

Remy launched himself out of the water, tilting both boats. Rathin steadied himself, but Lisa toppled over the edge. Landing on the deck, Remy lunged for her, but a streak of night swooped by and picked her up.

Margery.

Lisa screamed until she was out of earshot. But she was safe with his mate. With Casimiro flying escort, Remy could devote his attention to this piece of shit.

“You bastard,” Rathin growled and shifted into his dragon form, a large, hooded, snakelike creature with four arms; each hand sprouted curved talons, and ridges of spikes rose up along his spine.

Remy didn’t bother to dodge the first strike of Rathin’s claws. He caught one arm and used the momentum to tumble them both backward into the water. Pain shot up his arm where Rathin’s poisoned claws ripped him. But Remy was bigger and stronger in his dragon form, and the water was his domain. They were on his home turf, and the waters of Lake Champlain would cleanse the poison and eventually close his wounds.

Rathin took advantage of the seconds while Remy shifted back to his dragon form to press his attack. Writhing in the water, the naga twisted, and the spikes along his spine shot out and lodged in Remy’s exposed belly.

He howled as the pain bent him in half, but with a great force of will and a little help from his home water, Remy ejected the spikes and sent them back into Rathin.

Too much poison. Too soon.

Remy’s vision blurred, and he churned up the water, hoping to keep Rathin at bay while he recovered. He had to fight his instincts not to just destroy Rathin. The plan was to bring him in alive if possible, so they could track down all the pills.

Kill him, his mother called from unconnected oceans and waterways, the water of the earth her very breath.

It would be easy. But as much as it was death to disobey a Queen, he took his orders from Margery. He’d accept any consequences from his mother when he saw her again, but that was a year in the future. He’d have to look Margery in the eye tonight and for every night thereafter.

Still, killing the naga was tempting as Rathin got in close and clamped down on his throat with his teeth. But he didn’t know that was exactly where Remy wanted him. Quickly coiling his long body around Rathin, he squeezed tight.

His opponent’s mouth opened wide as he fought for air. Too bad Rathin was a naga and could breathe underwater, otherwise the fight would have been over in a matter of seconds.

Rathin struggled, but that only allowed Remy to tighten his hold. He added a few head butts for good measure, denting in Rathin’s face.

After reeling from a couple of blows, the naga’s flailing slowed. Remy wanted to gut him, fill his body with stone, and let him die on the floor of the lake.

It would be justice.

Instead, Remy hauled Rathin back into the boat just as Reed flew overhead. Reed took the unconscious naga in his claws and flew off with him back to New York.

“Sometimes death is too quick to be a consequence,” he sent back to his mother.

Her disapproval thrummed through the waters.

So be it.