If Rosalind Abbott were twenty-five years younger, she'd want to be part of the sacrifice system, for certain.
If she wanted the woman's help, now was the time to be clear. "I know you've been working with other dragon oversight departments in various countries. I'm hoping you can reach out to them, quietly of course, and see if they can help find a cure."
Director Abbott searched her eyes. "There's no law that allows me to do such a thing, as you well know."
She nodded. "Yes, I do. And I even have an idea of how to maybe fix that once all of this is over with an international organization of oversight officials—that's the idea I hinted at to obtain this meeting. But for now, I need your help. And it's me, Kiyana the DDA employee asking. Not a dragon-shifter, which means you're not currying favor to one over the other."
The director raised an eyebrow. "You could be a politician if you wanted, Dr. Barnes."
"I'll leave that to you. So, will you help me?"
For fifteen seconds, the DDA director didn't say a word. And with each passing second, Kiyana's heart thudded harder.
The director finally replied, "I will see about helping you, Dr. Barnes, a human and fellow employee. I'll call back when I have something to report or request from you." She expected the screen to go blank, but the director added quietly, "And I want a more in-depth report on the idea you mentioned, about an international organization, as soon as you can manage it."
The screen went dark, and Kiyana slumped in her chair. She hadn't been a hundred percent certain the director would lend a hand, but it seemed she would.
Finn's voice came from the door. "I guess you didn't need me, after all."
She looked at Lochguard's leader. "Sorry. It only dawned on me as I was talking that if you asked for help, it would be showing favor to one clan over the other. If it had been something minor, it wouldn't have mattered. But she's right—there's no law allowing her to communicate freely, let alone secretly, with other oversight departments. This way she's merely helping me. That shouldn't cause as much of a headache if someone discovers her actions."
And given the things Kiyana had learned about the DDA Director over the last few months, she didn't think it would be a problem. Other sections of the British government barely paid her any attention, and not even MI5 was aware of everything that went on in the Department of Dragon Affairs due to various laws passed over the years.
Laws that may change soon, given the former director's scandal, but not yet.
Finn replied, "No, you did well, lass. The more people we have looking for a solution, the better odds of saving Alistair." He gestured out the door. "Now, let's get some food into you before you pass out. Ara said you only had some chocolate for breakfast, and you'll need your strength to keep fighting this hard."
She gave a small smile. "It's certainly been a different experience from what I had expected for my six months here."
"Aye, well, Lochguard is never dull. But my end goal is to make life so boring here people will be begging for a commotion."
Kiyana knew Lochguard and Stonefire had had their fair share of trouble. And she hoped they found some peace in the near future. They both deserved it.
She stood and followed Finn out of the room. "Given your daughter's, er, unique circumstances, I don't think you'll ever have a boring life."
Finn chuckled. "I suspect you're right. But if the only trouble I have to wrestle with is my family, I will be a happy male indeed." He pulled out a chair at the table inside the kitchen. "Now, sit. As you eat, we'll bring Max back here. He can assist in researching what you need whilst the rest of us scour every connection we have for information to save Alistair. Because if it exists, we'll find it, lass. That, I promise you."
Nodding, Kiyana sat down and closed her eyes for a moment. Not because she was tired, but rather because Finn's words had caused tears to prickle her eyes.
While it hadn't been deliberate, he'd said "if it exists," meaning despite all their hard work and effort, Alistair could still be hunted and shot down in the end.
And even though she'd always wanted to live with the dragons and study them better, her current situation wasn't what she'd had in mind. She, too, wanted the boring life Finn spoke of. A routine one with Alistair, and the new friends she was making.
Taking a deep breath, she blinked her eyes open and willed her tears away. She had work to do, and crying wouldn't help any of it.
Chapter Twelve
After six days of thinking, planning, and doing his best to ignore the lightheadedness brought on by lack of food and little water, it was time for Alistair to act.
He'd been storing up what energy he could for this moment, the moment when his dragon had tested out their legs, moved enough to catch and eat a sheep, and sleep to recover his strength. His beast hadn't been as skilled at keeping his thoughts to himself. And if his dragon followed the plan he'd made to ensure he could claim their mate properly, he would hunt one more time before heading back to Lochguard.
Or, wherever Kiyana had ended up.
Given his situation, he wouldn't blame her for moving continents to stay away from him.
Regardless if Kiyana was still on Lochguard or not, Alistair wanted to try one last thing to keep living before resorting to the last possible solution. And to do that meant wrestling control away from his dragon.
Aye, it may have been better to wait until they'd eaten again, but he couldn't risk it. His beast had long thought Alistair had given in and wouldn't fight him.