Ariel lay naked on the bed with Jett, in one of the units of the apartment complex he owned in Belgrade. Their bodies were entwined, sheathed in sweat and the heady afterglow of sex.

“My dragon, my Jett,” she purred.

“You saved me,” Jett said. “You came back for me. Risked everything.”

She smiled, gave him a kiss. “You would have done the same for me.”

He nodded slowly, his face serious. “Yes. I would have. But still. I’m a dragon. A dragon. What you did... you’re so brave. So strong.”

She caressed his cheek with one hand. “In some things.” She sighed, and turned away from him.

“What’s wrong?” Jett asked.

“Nothing,” she said. “Everything. I don’t know. I’m still upset about Flax and Banger.” Those were the two lions who had died in the assault. “I feel it’s my fault. Because I was leading the pride when they died.”

Jett nodded. “The burden of leadership. They were good men, but always remember they chose to follow you of their own free will. And for lions, bloodsport is life. They died doing what they do best. What they love. Young lions dream of dying in battle. You’ve helped them fulfill their dream.”

“I guess, but it doesn’t make me feel any better,” Ariel said. She gazed off into space.

Jett squeezed her too him. “My lioness.”

She was quiet for several moments.

“Something else is bothering you,” Jett said.

“As always, you can read me to my core,” Ariel said. “I guess I’m also a bit down because of how things turned out at the Steel Tower. I keep thinking about what could have been.”

“You really wanted to be a Wayfarer didn’t you?” Jett said.

“Not particularly,” Ariel said. “But I wanted to learn. About the affinities. The disciplines. Everything about the Strength. But now my witch career is over. I defied their rules, let an unapproved non-witch into their precious Tower, an uncollared dragon at that. And I led a pride against them to save that dragon when he was caught. That pride killed members of their warrior class. Maimed professors. And don’t forget my friends who participated in the attack. And Mathis for that matter. We’ll be arrested on sight.”

“I’ll have Gabriel petition the Tower to take you back. We’ve done them a favor, after all. Their precious Tower was being ruled by a vampire coven.”

She shook her head. “They won’t accept me. Even though we freed them from a coven, if I were a professor there, I certainly wouldn’t want me back. Not after what I did. Even if you get Queen Yvonne to overrule them and force them to take me, most of the professors won’t like me. They won’t want me to succeed. They’ll do their best to hold back me and everyone else who was involved.”

“Then you’ll all come back to Midnight with me. I’ll have Ephephany train the lot of you. She doesn’t care much for tower politics, nor some of their more idiotic rules.”

“I don’t want to get her in trouble,” Ariel said.

“Trust me, she won’t get in trouble,” Jett said. “Dragon witches are among the most powerful in the world. The Wayfarers won’t want to risk pissing her off and losing her. She has a lot of leeway. You know, they actually let her choose where she was stationed. And she chose Midnight.”

Ariel pursed her lips. “I’m supposedly powerful, too.”

“Oh I know,” Jett said. “Which is why there’s a good chance they’d take you back. But you’re right I think, about the teachers being against you. Wayfarers don’t like it when their colleagues are killed.”

“Who does?” Ariel said.

Jett nodded. “It’s probably best if you and your friends trained with Ephephany.”

“And how are you going to pull that off?” Ariel said. “Given that she’s in Midnight, and you’re banned from ever setting foot in that place. Having broken the First Rule with me and all...”

“You’re not banned though…” Jett said.

“Ha,” Ariel said. “Like I’m going to leave you ever again. And you really think the citizens of Midnight will be all that happy about so many of us ‘lesser’ shifters walking their streets?”

“Well, I was actually thinking of trying to convince Ephephany to come to Blue Hurricane territory. We’ll build cabins for your friends, and her.”

“What if she refuses to train us?” Ariel said.

Jett shrugged. “If she won’t do it, Mathis will. I’ve talked to him. He goes where Gwendoline goes now. She’s been breaking the First Rule with him. I doubt she’ll be all that eager to return to Midnight herself.”

Ariel lifted her head from his muscular chest to gaze into his eyes, and she smiled. “You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you my big dragon?”

Jett flashed that cocky grin of his.

Ariel lowered her head onto his hard body and sighed. “Things are always changing. Every time I feel like I’ve finally set down my roots, they’re ripped out again.”

“Like I told you once before, my lioness, we’ll take each day as it comes.” Jett crunched his chiseled abs, sitting up slightly to plant a tender kiss on her cheek. “And about those roots… the love we feel for one another, that’s the one constant. That’s the one root that can never be torn away. As far as I’m concerned, when I’m with you, no matter where I am I’m home.”

“You’re right.” She wrapped her arms around his hips and squeezed tightly. “Right here.” She pressed her lips to his chest, above his beating heart. “This is home.”