After leaving the training building, Braxton and I had decided to take a run through the forest. He had a lot of energy to work off. We’d stayed in human form, holding hands, enjoying the closeness. In the center of the forest area we’d run across a massive waterfall which descended down to a lake. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Right up until Braxton stripped off his clothes and dived into the water.

After many moments of staring and drooling, I’d eventually gotten naked and joined. Which of course, quickly turned to touching, heating the lake to hot tub temperatures. Two hours later I’d been satisfied, and wrinkly. Braxton was skilled in many ways. I wanted to ask him where he learned his art, but I was afraid I’d hunt the bitch down and kill her. I’d thank her first of course, and then I’d have to rip her face off. It was just one of those things.

Especially if she taught him that thing he did with his tongue.

I had to squeeze my legs together even thinking back to the image of his dark hair parked firmly between my thighs and the way he–

“Are you blushing, Jessa babe?” asked Jacob. My thoughts came to a screeching halt. The fey had a knowing look on his face. He went back to humming under his breath. Smug bastard.

I punched him. “I’m not blushing, just suffocating. You’re all oversized.”

I was grateful when Louis’s voice filled the room. “Did you know Mischa’s new best friends, the twins, were born the same year at the Four?” He directed his words toward Jonathon.

My father’s expression was serious as he leaned forward in his chair. “So, if that set of quads and twins were born on the same year, and my twins and the Compasses were born the same year – there has to be a connection.”

Yep, all twelve of us were connected to the dragon king – on opposite sides of course, but connected nonetheless. It was too big a coincidence to ignore.

“Jess, we need you to try and keep things under control in Krakov,” Jonathon said. “Clearly the twins have some sort of special means of infiltrating the prisons. For all of the breakouts, there was not a single trace they were ever there.”

It was really annoying that we might be giving the fruit twins any advantage this close to the “rise of the king.” It worried me what this weapon was.

“What do you want me to do about Mischa? If things go to shit in there, I need a way to get both of us out.”

I was locked into this friggin’ scheme because of Mischa, but I wouldn’t leave her to the mercy of those bitches.