A gentle wind swept across the porch opening onto a sundeck. Dragon paced the floor in long strides. After two months in space, walking through Gabriel’s expansive rooms felt unbearably liberating. Yet, he couldn’t rejoice at the many luxuries at his disposal, starting with the fine vintage Gabriel had poured for him and that he could barely taste.

“I can’t wait any longer. I must talk to the Academy already.” He swirled the long-stemmed flute in his hand, sloshing the deep burgundy wine all over the glass.

Gabriel gave Dragon’s hand a pointed look and a raised brow. “That’s Laurum Reserve. Two hundred years old.” He made a gesture with his hand for Dragon to stop brandishing the glass like a sword. “There’s only one barrel left of it.”

“Disparaging Martelli’s wine is equivalent to offending his ancestors.” Valentine brought his flute to his lips and carefully sipped the precious beverage.

“I apologize for my beastly behavior.” Dragon placed the flute on the crystal surface floating at elbow level. “I’m grateful for your hospitality.”

They had arrived on Celestia the previous day. After docking at the Martelli’s private spaceport, Gabriel flew them on his liner directly to Paradisia, his island on the Sea of Tranquility. Lush vegetation and a pleasant breeze had welcomed the two groups from Solaria and Lupine.

The first thing Valentine did as soon as they entered Gabriel’s mansion was to whisk Mirella away to their quarters. The werewolf had only reemerged mere minutes earlier, looking supremely satisfied as he plopped into the plush recliner facing the ocean.

After staring at the infinity of black space and faraway stars, the turquoise waters made for an exciting change. Dragon would have given anything to share the wondrous sight with Jade. Instead, he had to wait for Gabriel’s man to procure him a hearing with the Assassin Academy.

“Laonte will report as soon as he has news,” Gabriel said.

Dragon opened his hands in front of him in wonder. Had he talked out loud?

“You are easy to read, my friend.” The vampire chuckled.

A hydrosaurus swam close to the deck jutting over the ocean. Gabriel rose from his recliner and stepped outside under the bright sun. He sat on the edge and leaned, trailing his fingers through the water. The large marine mammal lifted its head to bump Gabriel’s hand. Easily as long as four or five draglets, the beast commanded respect, but the vampire stroked the bulbous head as if he were caressing a defenseless draglet hatchling.

“Hi, Rose,” Gabriel cooed. “How are the babies?”

Two blubbers popped out of the water, spattering water all over the deck. The big hydrosaurus opened a small fin as if directing its babies toward Gabriel.

“They’ve grown a lot since the last time I saw them.” At the vampire’s praise, the mother bobbed her head and emitted a tall water spray that doused Gabriel from head to toe. His custom-made Genevieve Lafrette suit was drenched in salty water, but he didn’t seem to mind. With a chuckle, he caressed the animal one more time before turning his attention to the bubblers and playing with them for a few minutes.

“Look, Uncle Gabe is playing with the nice fishes.” Mirella walked into the room, holding Valemir on her cocked hip.

Valentine stood and met her halfway, taking their son in his arms as he leaned to drop a kiss on her lips. His free hand swept lower to caress his wife’s swollen belly.

The domestic scene affected Dragon. He averted his eyes to give them privacy, but also because it pained him. When he directed his gaze outside to Gabriel, he realized that he wasn’t the only one whose heart longed for something out of reach. The vampire’s expression clouded for a moment before smiling at Valemir, who had extended his chubby, little arms toward him.

United at the hip, Valentine and Mirella walked toward Gabriel.

Dragon watched them from under the shadow of the porch. Valemir twisted in his father’s arm to look over his shoulder at Dragon, and made a gurgling sound.

“Uncle Dragon, come with us,” Mirella said.

The first time Mirella and Valentine had referred to him as their child’s uncle, a strange emotion had choked Dragon. Sweet and unexpected, the feeling still surprised him anew every time the Lobos called him with the affectionate title.

As soon as Dragon pushed himself off the porch’s column, Valemir clapped his hands and regaled him with the most glorious, toothless smile he had ever seen.

“Master,” a voice called from the house.

Gabriel turned and excused himself as he strode inside. A moment later, he was back. “Dragon,” he said. “Laonte is waiting for you in my studio.”

“Later, baby,” he said to Valemir and followed Gabriel toward the other end of the deck.

Martelli Manor hugged the rockier edge of the atoll, and a polished, wooden deck ran along the entire perimeter, connecting the various wings. At the center of the impressive structure, a circular garden provided a nice shade. Every apartment opened both onto the ocean and the internal garden. A long walkway extended from Gabriel’s apartments to the sea, and his studio floated above the crystalline waters. Built like an octagonal gazebo, the structure was made of a dark, polished wood and glass wall that gleamed under the sun.

“My oasis away from Paradisia,” Gabriel said while they walked across the wharf. His tone was light, but his expression was guarded.

Dragon wondered why the vampire needed a retreat from perfection but didn’t ask, respecting his friend’s privacy.

A tall man with a menacing stance waited for them under the studio’s porch. Dragon couldn’t see the man’s face, and it added to his nervousness. The last time he had been on pins and needles had been so long in the past, he couldn’t even remember the cause for his anxiety.

“Laonte,” Gabriel greeted the man.

“Master.” The man lowered his head before bringing his right fist to his heart. “High Lord,” he said to Dragon, repeating the formal gesture.

“News?” Gabriel asked, inviting the man into the cool shade of the studio.

The man nodded. “The Academy granted the High Lord an audience.”

“When?” Dragon asked.

“In two cycles,” the man answered.

“Fifteen days?” Dragon’s ire bubbled to the surface. He had been on the edge of exploding since he left Solaria and had only kept it together by sheer will.

Laonte said, “That’s the Academy’s decision.”

“Why?” Dragon passed his hand through his hair, then across his face, feeling the stubble on his unshaven jaw.

“The Academy likes to play mind games.” Gabriel gestured for both men to take a seat.

Neither accepted. Dragon couldn’t stand still and paced the length of the room. Lately, his normal state of mind verged on tumultuous, and everything he did reflected his inner angst. So, he marched instead of walking, and talked without thinking first.

He made to exit the studio, but Gabriel stepped in front of him. “Where are you going?”

“To the Academy. I’ll show them that I don’t like games.” Dragon sidestepped his friend, who moved again to stop him from walking away.

“No, you are not.” Gabriel raised his hand in front of him. “Hear me out,” he said when Dragon tried to remove him from his path. “You’ll accomplish nothing by storming into the Academy.”

Dragon glared at Gabriel, who turned and said, “Thank you, Laonte. You can take the rest of the day off.”

Laonte thanked his master, then saluted both Gabriel and Dragon, and left as Valentine arrived.

“Bad news?” the werewolf asked, looking at Dragon.

“Nothing that can’t be solved by taking action,” Dragon said, giving Gabriel a pointed look.

Gabriel shook his head and walked to the closest chaise lounge and sat. “Let’s say we storm into the Academy’s citadel.”

Dragon nodded.

Reclining on the plush mattress, Gabriel caressed his chin. “Very well. Laonte will be killed, though. Is that acceptable?”

There wasn’t a single soul in the entire Fifth Moon System and beyond who didn’t know about the assassins, but only the assassins and a few people like Laonte, who acted as intermediaries, knew where the Citadel was, and they wouldn’t reveal the coordinates. They couldn’t. Poison activated if an assassin so much as gave away the first string of letters and numbers, and death was immediate, while the intermediaries were hunted down and killed in the most gruesome ways.

Dragon grunted. “You know it isn’t acceptable that Laonte dies.”

“We can’t ask him the Academy’s secret address then.” Gabriel bent his knee and draped his arm on the back of the chaise. “There’s one good thing about this, though.”

“And what would that be?” Dragon’s chest inflated with barely-contained rage.

“The Academy has consented to cease all activities against you until you talk to them.”

“And what about Jade? Does she get a reprieve, too?”

Gabriel looked at him with sympathetic eyes. “They didn’t say anything about her.”

The man’s composure and understanding infuriated Dragon, even though he was the one who usually used caution, and now he was acting deranged. Of course, he knew that Laonte couldn’t reveal the location without losing his life in the process. Gabriel’s network of spies was renowned in the Fifth Moon System because they were efficient, fast, with an impeccable work ethic, and reached where others couldn’t. Men like Laonte were hired to mediate between organizations that didn’t want to be tracked. Without Gabriel’s help, Dragon would have never gained access to the Academy because nobody knew where the citadel was. Some thought that it wasn’t on Celestia at all.

Greatly displeased by the turn of events, Dragon excused himself and started walking back when he heard shouts coming from inside the main house.

Valentine shot past him, and a moment later, Mirella burst out of the porch, holding Valemir tight to her chest, screaming at the top of her lungs, “Fire!”