I stepped back, but guilt slammed into me barely a moment later. “Bri, listen. I…”
“You what?” Her eyes narrowed. A note of warning crept into her voice.
She would have been a good clan leader. Dragons didn’t often let women reign, but Bri had the kind of softness that could balance out a strong force of will. The clan would have done well under her if only they would let her lead.
“Ryder, it’s your turn to listen. I would be thrilled if you told me that you wanted to stay here and make new roots. I have a feeling that you want to do just that.” She tapped the medallion on my chest. “But you’ve gotten involved in something larger than yourself, and now you don’t know how to get out of it. This has to do with the fae queen. Doesn’t it?”
“Are you part witch? How the hell can you see through me like that?” I hadn’t meant to say that. The words had slipped out with nary a thought for what it meant.
Her smile widened, eyes flashing bright with triumph. That grin soon collapsed when she looked to the medallion again.
“What did you bargain for?”
“Too much,” I said as I tucked the medallion under my shirt again. “Besides, I don’t want to stay. If I could leave, I would. Morgan isn’t just a danger to me. A dragon fight is a danger to everyone within a five-mile radius. I need to meet him somewhere else.”
Bri rolled her eyes. “You act like he’s going to touch down and start razing the place. He’s your brother. Just talk to him!”
“I killed our father! Do you really think he’s going to be reasonable about that? He’s not going to stop to ask me why I had to do it. Morgan is going to try to kill me. I know it.”
Bri started to speak, but a soft buzz behind her distracted her. She perked up and bounced over to the armchair so she could pluck her phone out from under the cushion.
“I knew I left it here!” Confusion made her lips twist to the side. She turned the phone towards me. “I don’t recognize this number. Do you?”
“Why would I recognize it?” Yet, I took the phone from her anyway.
It wasn’t Morgan’s phone number; I would have recognized that one. I still wondered if it was him because I’d hung up on him a few minutes ago. Curious, I answered the call and lifted it to my ear.
“Take care of my employees, and I will help you with your pact.” The woman had a low and smooth voice, her tone completely even as she spoke.
I stiffened. “Who am I talking to?”