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I mean, sure, that wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Right?
"My name is Kayley." She accepted the bag Latika swung off her shoulder and handed to her. She pulled out a piece of fabric and expertly wound it around herself like a sari.
"I'm no one's ride. Unless I want to be." She winked at Slade, who blushed in response.
For some reason, that rubbed me the wrong way. It was ridiculous. I had no hold over Slade, even if I found him kinda adorable. He could do what and whoever he wanted. So could Bain. Although, he hadn't let go of my hand since the dragons landed.
"Have you come to give us a lift to the city?" I asked, ignoring Kayley's claim not to be a ride-share. Why else come all the way out here? I didn't think it was to say hello. That would be a nice gesture, but somewhat pointless.
Latika sighed. "We've just come from there. There's something you should know."
Nothing good ever came from those words.
When Latika looked like she might soften the blow, Kayley just jumped right in.
"There's been a coup. The Keeper was deposed. The Alpha too. Some say they're dead. Some say they're missing." She didn't seem too concerned either way. Why would she?
From what Dex and Bain said, dragon shifters lived their own lives in an isolated part of the Vault. They probably thought Dex only cared about the city and left the country to fend for itself. That was a tale as old as history.
My heart sank. Tears pricked my eyes.
"Dex can't be dead," I said, willing myself to believe my own words. "Or the Alpha." Surely we'd know if they were, somehow.
Bain looked as rattled as me. "Who holds the city?" At least he managed tosoundcalm. He was probably already planning how to fight back and whose head he would need to rip off.
"Rumour says the Alpha's wife seized control," Latika said. She didn't seem to believe it. "Along with some others. It's just a rumour. We could have gotten closer, but we decided to come looking for you first."
Bain nodded.
Latika could sneak in, cut the throats of half the Residence and sneak out without being seen. She also owed no loyalty to anyone but her daughters, other assassins, and herself. She had no particular reason or incentive to pick sides. The fact she sought us out at all was curious.
"I appreciate that," Bain said. "We need to get back to the city as quickly as possible."
"You didn't see a pair of wolves on your way, did you?" I asked. Knox might be running right into a trap. If they killed his brother, chances were they wouldn't keep him alive. Or Bain, for that matter.
Kayley shook her head, sending waves of luxurious hair flying back and forth. "All we saw was the car, and the carcass nearby." She eyed the bundle Bain held with a gaze full of judgement.
I suppose dragon shifters had some affinity with dragons themselves. Uncomfortably, I remembered the scale I'd pushed into my pocket. Should I hand it to her, or keep it out of sight? It wasn't like it belonged to a member of her family. Not really. Still, seeing it might cause offence, and so far things weren't going so badly. Yet.
"Dragon meat," Bain said.
Until now.
Kayley's eyes narrowed.
"It was that or starve out here." Bain didn't even try to appear apologetic. "Trees full of apples are few and far between."
For the longest moment, I thought Kayley would shift and bite his head off. Instead, she threw back her head and laughed, displaying a long, narrow throat.
"Wolves are barbarians," she declared when she stopped laughing. Her expression sobered. "Know this. If the future of the Vault is at risk, we will help if called upon. We will fly you to the city. Then the Dragonesque will withdraw. We want no part of wolf troubles. Or troubles of any of the walkers."
I took that to mean anyone not a dragon. Or at least, shifters who couldn't fly.
"Understood," Bain said.
"Why are you here now?" Slade asked. "I mean, you're a long way from home."
"Too far," Kayley agreed. "Your Keeper sent the assassin to see if we're involved in your troubles. My wing and I were on our way to the city for an exchange of goods. Our winds crossed. We are not involved. We've heard whispers from passing travellers for the last year or more, but we keep to The Edge."
