Ariel knew Jett was planning to attack. He had glanced at the tree line, and though she couldn’t see any of his White Swords she knew they were probably out there somewhere, ready to strike. And the pride members below were just as ready. Almost eager, even. The tension in the air was palpable.

She couldn’t allow this. She had to stop him. If he attacked the witch, she and Jett would be on the run for the rest of their days.

She rested a hand gently on his shoulder.

“Jett,” Ariel said softly. “My dragon.”

He turned around. His eyes blazed with golden fire.

“You have to let me do this,” Ariel said. “We’ll find a way to be together.” She grabbed his tense forearm and massaged it. “Let go, my dragon. Let it go.”

He gazed at her for several moments longer, but then the fire in his eyes receded and the tension eased from his shoulders.

He opened his fist and glanced at the witch, a man he had told her went by the name Mathis.

“Let’s say I allow her to go with you,” Jett said. “Can I come, too?”

“No,” Mathis said. “We still have five more territories to visit, and after that we’re taking a private flight to Belgrade. Only Potentials can travel with me.”

“But—” Jett began.

“These are the rules,” Mathis said.

“It’s been a while since I checked,” Jett said. “But I seem to recall that family members were allowed to stay in the guest wing of the Tower.”

“That was allowed in the early days, yes,” Mathis said. “But we have too many of our own to house to even consider family members anymore. The Tower is for Wayfarers and their students alone.”

“But friends and family are allowed to visit?” Jett asked.

“Again, that was true in the early days, but not anymore,” Mathis answered.

Jett’s face darkened. “When can I see her then, Witch?”

“During liberty time she is free to leave the tower for Belgrade,” Mathis said.

“And how often will she be given liberty?” Jett asked, the suspicion obvious in his tone.

“Apprentices have liberty time every three months,” Mathis said.

Jett threw up his arms. “Three months! You expect me to wait three months to see her?”

“The rules—”

“I don’t care about your rules,” Jett said. “She’s not going if I have to wait three months.”

“She’s a Potential,” Mathis said. “By Tower law, I can’t leave her here. As Alpha of this pride, you can’t deny me. Even if you were still dragon king, you couldn’t. You signed the treaty yourself. If she runs, she’ll be hunted for the rest of her days. As will those who abet her.” When Jett didn’t say anything, but merely stood there fumingand staring daggers at Mathis, the witch added: “The three months between liberties is for her own safety. Hunters roam Belgrade and the surrounding countryside, looking for easy targets. If we allowed our apprentices to leave whenever they wanted, they’d be too vulnerable. You’ll still be able to stay in touch. This is the Internet age. We have video messaging, voice calling, text—”

“Video messaging,” Jett spat. “Voice calling. Poor substitutes for face-to-face contact.”

Ariel could hear the pain in her dragon’s words. She felt it keenly herself, and she gripped Jett’s hand tightly, not wanting to lose him.

“We’ll find a way to be together,” she repeated. But she couldn’t see how. Three months. It was insane. She couldn’t imagine not holding him in her arms, not feeling his touch, for that long.

“You’ll have to work out between yourselves how you’re going to do this,” Mathis said. “I can recommend some lodgings in Belgrade, if you think it will help. At least you’ll be close to her.”

“If I go, I’ll choose my own lodgings thank you very much,” Jett said. “Your recommended buildings will be well monitored, I’m guessing. I don’t need to be spied on by witches.”

“It’s your choice, of course.” Mathis bowed slightly, extending his hands, and glanced at Ariel. “You have an hour to pack your things. I’ll be waiting for you in the SUV.”

Mathis strode around the far side of the cabin and vanished from view.

“And just like that my life changes,” Ariel said.

Jett glanced at lion shifters. “You’ve all heard the news. Ariel is leaving. Nothing more to see here.”

“You’re not really going to let her go, are you?” Cliff said.

“If it’s what she wants, I have to.” Jett followed Ariel inside the cabin. Before he shut the door behind him he gestured toward the trees, and Ariel knew he was signaling his White Swords to stand down.

“Say the word,” Jett told Ariel when the door was closed. “And we’ll send this witch back to his Wayfarer masters in chains. Or we’ll run, if you prefer the non-confrontational route. I’m fine with either.”

“We can’t,” Ariel said. “Both options are out. You heard him. If I don’t go, we’ll be hunted for the rest of our days.”

“I don’t care,” Jett said.

Ariel sighed. “But I do. I can’t run from this. Remember how I told you I felt like I was always running from everything? I want to face my destiny. If I’m one of the most powerful Wayfarers the world has seen, I have to take the training. Reach my potential.”

Jett nodded slowly. “If that’s really what you want, I won’t stop you. But three months…” He tapped his chin. “Actually…” His brows furrowed mischievously.

“I know that look,” Ariel said. “What are you up to, dragon king?”

“The Steel Tower is only half an hour outside Belgrade,” Jett said. “If I move to Belgrade, I could sneak to your room on weekends.”

“That might not be the easiest thing in the world,” Ariel said. “The tower will probably be extremely well guarded, you know.”

“Oh I’m sure it will,” Jett said. “But that’s not going to stop me. Remember, I don’t have a collar anymore.”

“So what, you’re going to reveal yourself to them in dragon form?” Ariel asked.

“Not at all,” Jett said. “I’ll be very, very quiet. And I’ll have you as my eyes on the inside: you can tell me exactly where all their guards are. The timing of their patrols and all that. Yes. We can do this.”

Ariel didn’t answer him. Instead she went to the room they shared and opened the closet. Jett fetched a backpack for her and put it on the bed. She began to fill it with her few belongings.

“I feel like I’ve only just begun to settle in, and now I’m going to be ripped away from everything I know again,” Ariel said.

“You told me you wanted this,” Jett said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do,” Ariel said. “I just... I guess I’m conflicted.”

Jett wrapped his arms around her and peered into her eyes. Her soul. “You can still change your mind.”

“I know.” She paused. “I do want this. I do. And I just want to say, for the record, you don’t have to come. If you don’t want to.”

He gave her a pained expression. “How could you even tell me that? I’ve given up everything for you. I’ll continue to give up everything. Where you go, I go. The Wayfarers might have you during the week, but Friday and Saturday nights will be ours.”

“What if I have a roommate?” Ariel said.

“We’ll work around that.”

She blew out a puff of air, sending a stray lock of hair flying to the side of her face. “I’m not sure how to tell you this without hurting your feelings… but… I don’t want you to be harmed, Jett. I could never ask you to sneak inside a tower protected by witches. But I also can’t stop you if you choose to. And don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see you more often than every three months, but I don’t want you to risk your life. What will the witches do if you’re caught?”

“They can’t harm me,” he said confidently.

But Ariel knew it was a bluff. If they managed to collar him, it would be all over.

“Three months, while long, isn’t an eternity,” Ariel pressed. “We’ll find a way to manage.”

“I’m sorry but that doesn’t work for me,” Jett said. “The only way I’m allowing you to go is if you agree to see me every weekend, even if it’s against ‘Wayfarer rules.’ Even if it means I have to sneak past behind witch lines. Because if you don’t agree, I’m taking you away right now.”

“Fine,” Ariel said. “Stubborn dragon.”

“You’re the stubborn one,” Jett said.

“We both are, I guess.” She hugged him tight. “Oh my brave, valiant dragon. You don’t have to do this for me. You’re too good to me.”

“Actually, I’m doing it more for myself,” Jett said. “I can be selfish at times, in case you haven’t figured that out, especially when it comes to my lioness. I couldn’t stand to be apart from you for three months. A week is going to be hard enough as it is. But I’ll find a way to manage.”

She released him. “So, Belgrade. I’m actually going to Belgrade.” She couldn’t help the excitement that slipped into her voice.

“You are,” Jett said. “It’s the closest city to the Steel Tower. Serbia is the domain of the witches, as is all of Russia and Eastern Europe.”

“Serbia is more Southeastern Europe though, isn’t it?” Ariel said.

“Well it’s still the domain of the witches,” Jett said. “Along with every country in between, all the way to Russia.”

“I’ve never been there,” Ariel said. “Nor anywhere else in Europe. Or Russia. I have to admit I’m excited. Yet scared at the same time. Isn’t that strange?”

“No,” Jett said. “I always feel that way when I’m starting out on a new path. Like when I first met you.”

He kissed her, biting her lower lip.

Ariel pulled away, but remained in his embrace. “I should finish packing.”

Jett nodded toward the near empty closet. “You’ve almost packed all of the few belongings you own already. We have a whole fifty minutes to ourselves until Mathis comes for you. Why not put it to use?”

“Wait, there’s one last thing you have to tell me,” Ariel said.

“What?” Jett asked.

“You say you’re coming with me,” Ariel replied. “But what happens to the rest of the pride? You’re the Alpha.”

“I guess I’ll just have to step down,” Jett said. “It won’t be the first time I’ve abdicated a position of power to be with you.”

“Alphas of Lion Prides can’t just ‘step down,’” Ariel said. “You know that. They’ve all sworn blood oaths to follow you.”

“I’ll talk to them after you’re gone,” Jett said. “I’ll let you know what happens. But I’ll be flying out to Belgrade, one way or another. Don’t lose your sat-phone, kay?”

“Losing my phone would be the worst thing to happen to me,” Ariel said. “Second only to losing you.”

She leaped up slightly and wrapped her legs around his hips, tightening her arms around his broad back. “Take me, dragon king. Let’s not waste the short time we have left.”

Jett mashed his lips against hers, his tongue dipping inside teasingly.

“I’ll take you,” Jett said between kisses. “And then I’ll be counting every day to the weekend, when I can have you again.”

Ariel came up for air. “You’re flying out right away?”

“As soon as I’m done talking it out with the pride, I’m out of here,” Jett said.

“Wait, the witch did say he still had five more territories to visit…” Ariel said.

“Oh yeah,” Jett said. “I guess that means you might not be leaving right away. You’ll just have to keep me updated. Once you’re en route to Belgrade, then I’ll be out of here.”

“I’m still not sure whether I should be happy or scared,” Ariel said. “On the one hand, I want you there so badly. On the other…”

“I told you, the witches can’t do anything to me,” Jett said. “Hell, they’ll never even know I’m there. I’m a dragon. Stealth is my middle name. So be happy.”

Ariel forced a smile and continued kissing him. Jett was probably right. Things would work out. They had to. Jett would sneak past whatever security the witches had. He wouldn’t get caught.

And as her dragon continued to kiss her, his erection pressing into her through his jeans, she actually believed it.