I wasn’t really pissed at the Compasses, I was used to their overprotective bullshit – even though they’d certainly stepped it up a notch since we’d been on the run. No, my real concern aligned with Maximus … what was happening to me?

That moment with that dragon had been weird.

I didn’t know what to make of it, but there had definitely been some sort of recognition … which was freaking me out a little. Why had Gerard said my mark was different? Why was I a dual shifter? The only dual shifter that had been recorded. Why were real dragons approaching me like I was the dragon whisperer?

I didn’t want this crap, I didn’t ask for this crap, so why the hell was I neck deep in so much crap?

A stare was burning into me, and I knew who it was without turning my head. Braxton had defended me earlier. Generally, he was the most possessive-bossy-asshat of the quads, and yet he had defended my right to make choices. I didn’t face him, but I held out my hand. My heart settled the moment his huge, overly warm palm wrapped around mine.

Touch was so therapeutic for shifters. Braxton’s presence created a chemical cocktail inside of me. Similar to what I guessed a mixture of the human drugs speed and valium did. He calmed me down and hyped me at the same time.

Our group was quiet as we finished crossing the desert. The heat never abated, the sun beating down with intensity. Just as we looked to be nearing the forest zone – which I was really looking forward to exploring – the grays shifted to the left and started to walk along the border between desert and forest. After a while buildings appeared in the distance and I realized what the fifth zone was. It was a city area, right in the center of the other four regions.

As we crossed closer, I could see a dozen or so large buildings and many smaller structures scattered throughout. I’d guess it probably housed the same amount of supernaturals as Stratford, but the city part was a little more condensed.

One of the grays decided to fill the silence. “This is where everyone sleeps, eats and convenes. You will be assigned rooms, and then your personal belongings will be magically delivered.”

“We need to speak with Quale,” I repeated. There was a reason Louis had told us to find him.

Gerard nodded. “I will let him know, but he appears only when he wants to.”

Well that sounded promising.