Ravel made a sound of distress as she rushed forward. "No," she cried in a harsh voice. "Don't touch her."

The perpetual frown returned to Synge's brow as he watched Ravel lower herself next to their daughter, her body angled to block him from the sleeping female.

"I don't intend to hurt you or our daughter, Ravel," he muttered.

"You allowed her to be sentenced to death," Ravel reminded him in sharp tones.

Genuine pain twisted his blunt features. Torque arched his brows in shock. Until this moment he would have sworn that Synge was a hard-hearted, pitiless savage who had the emotional depth of a gnat.

Certainly he'd never shown any concern for Baine or his brothers.

But now it was obvious that Synge had bottled his feelings deep inside when he'd lost his mate and child.

"I truly thought it would be kinder to Blayze to allow her to die. How could I condemn her to an eternity of pain?" he asked, a raw guilt throbbing in his voice. "I loved her."

Ravel's ferocious expression slowly eased.

"I know," she conceded.

"But the moment you disappeared from my lair I regretted my decision." The two dragons shared a glance that spoke of a long, intimate relationship. "I desperately tried to find you, but my soldiers told me they'd witnessed your death." His shudder shook the entire lair. "I should have recalled your ability to create illusions."

Ravel leaned toward him so she could rest her hand on her mate's broad shoulder.

"Synge, let us go," she pleaded. "I'll disappear with our daughter and-"

"No. Not again."

His thunderous voice carried through the lair, making his servants back nervously away. Torque tried to tug Rya toward the nearby exit, only to have her dig in her heels. Typical.

And annoying as h.e.l.l.

Ravel surged upright, her eyes glowing with power. "I'll fight," she warned.

Wriggling out of his arms, Rya took a half dozen steps toward her father before Torque could grasp her shoulders and yank her back.

"Stop," he commanded, fear clenching his stomach.

He didn't believe Synge would intentionally hurt Rya, but no one was truly safe around a p.i.s.sed-off dragon.

She struggled against his firm hold. "I can't let him hurt my sister."

He muttered a curse. "We're going to have a long talk about your habit of rushing into danger."

She sent him a warning glare. "Or maybe we'll discuss your habit of trying to tell me what I can or can't do."

"Only a fool stands between angry dragons," he hissed, nodding toward Ravel, who had a shimmer of magic dancing around her as she prepared to shift. "Or mates."

"Dammit, I've told you," Synge snarled, straightening to face his furious consort without fear. "I'm not going to hurt you, Ravel." He pressed his hand to the center of his broad chest. "I swear."

Ravel shook her head. "I'm not worried about myself."

Synge glanced down at Blayze, a profound regret simmering in his eyes.

"Our daughter is safe in my lair," he swore.

"For now, perhaps," Ravel said, still prepared to fight for the safety of her child. "The spell that contains her curse won't last forever."

"Kai can help," Synge muttered, his head swiveling until he located Rya. "Where is your mother?"

Rya waved a hand toward the closed gateway. "She's still lost in the lair. We have to rescue her."

Synge glanced toward Ravel. "Can you make another opening?"

"No." The female dragon gave a firm shake of her head. "When you pulled us out my magic was no longer there to keep the s.p.a.ce open. It's possible that it's already beginning to collapse."

Rya stiffened, her face draining of color. "Mother."

"She's still alive," Synge abruptly announced, clearly still possessing a bond with his former courtesan. He waved a beefy hand toward a clutch of nervous fey standing in a corner. "I'll have my servants find a way to reach her."

The fairies and imps moved to stand in front of the closed gateway, murmuring together as they discussed how to open it.

Ravel made a sound of impatience as they instantly started to argue at the best way to begin. Rya released an equally annoyed growl.

"I'm not sure we have time for her to be located and brought here before Blayze wakens," Ravel said.

"Call for Char," Torque abruptly suggested, sending out a silent apology to his friend.

He would do whatever necessary to end the family drama so he could get Rya alone.

Char would understand.

Well, after he kicked Torque's a.s.s a time or two.

Okay, maybe a dozen.

"Who?" Synge sent him an impatient glare before he recalled the half-breed dragon he'd given his son as a parting gift the day he left the lair. "Ah. Baine's personal servant. What could he do?"

Torque nodded his head toward the female on the ground.

"His mother is a Dalia demon," he explained. The demons were as rare as the Shinto and at one time had been worshipped as G.o.ds for their ability to manipulate the fate of humans. "He's capable of halting time in a small, confined s.p.a.ce. It would give you a few days to find Rya's mother," he explained.

Synge nodded toward the nearest guard. "Call for him."

"At once, my lord." With a deep bow the guard spun on his heel and jogged out of the chamber.

Accepting his commands would be carried out, Synge turned back to his daughter. Then, bending down, he scooped his hands beneath her and lifted her off the ground with one smooth motion.

Ravel was swiftly at his side, her footprints leaving scorch marks on the crimson carpet.

"What are you doing?" the female dragon demanded.

Synge turned to head toward a nearby alcove that led to the private section of his lair.

"I'm taking my daughter to her rooms."

Ravel walked at his side, her anger replaced by an expression of wonder. "You still have them?"

"Of course." He sent his mate a brooding glance. "Just as your rooms are precisely like you left them."

Hoping to have a few moments alone with his betrothed, Torque turned to Rya.

"We need to speak," he murmured in low tones. "In private."

Her lips parted, but before she could respond, the sound of Synge's voice interrupted.

"Torque, come here," he commanded.

Swallowing a growl of impatience, Torque smoothed his expression before he turned and reluctantly moved toward the dragon.

It wasn't like he could say no.

Not unless he had a sudden urge to become a smudge of soot.

Careful to halt far enough away that he couldn't be perceived as a threat to the unconscious female in Synge's arms, Torque offered a respectful nod of his head.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Kai promised that you and Rya would discover my lost treasure," he said. "I never dreamed..." He glanced down at his daughter, his body shaking with emotion before he was harshly clearing his throat in embarra.s.sment. "You can consider Pyre's debt paid in full."

Torque reeled at the shocking words. s.h.i.t. Synge's missing mate and daughter were the treasure that Kai had foreshadowed? Not that he didn't agree that family was far more important than any shiny jewel. Still...

The mysterious treasure hunt wasn't supposed to happen yet. Not until he was formally mated to Rya.

Oddly disturbed by the p.r.o.nouncement that only days ago would have made him leap for joy, Torque offered a stiff bow.

"Thank you, my lord."

Synge shrugged aside his thanks. "You can return to Baine or to your father's lair. Your future is your own."

"Yes, my lord," he murmured.

He already knew exactly what he wanted for his future and who he wanted to share it with.

Waiting for Synge and his unexpected family to leave the throne chamber, Torque turned back to locate his betrothed. The sooner they could get out of there, the sooner they could start planning their formal mating.

His brows drew together as he discovered the s.p.a.ce where Rya had been standing was empty. Impatiently, his gaze skimmed over the servants and uniformed guards who continued to move through the room, a hollow fear settling in the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly he realized why he'd been so unnerved when Synge had made his startling announcement.

Not only had the dragon declared him free and clear of his father's debt. But he'd just publicly proclaimed the end of Torque's betrothal to his daughter.

After all, there was no need for Torque and Rya to mate if the treasure had been found.

And now she'd disappeared.

Along with the aggravating Levet.

Torque clenched his hands, a blast of fury making the nearby servants scurry away from the flames that moved over his body.

"Oh no, Rya," he growled. "You're not getting away from me that easily."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

It was sheer exhaustion that at last halted Finn's desperate sprint through the thick, seemingly endless fog. Exhaustion and the terrible sensation he was running in circles.

With a low groan, he lowered himself to his knees and cradled the unconscious woman in his lap.

She'd remained so limp in his arms he'd briefly feared that she was more grievously injured than he first suspected. But as he ran a frantic glance over her pale face he was relieved to discover her wounds were beginning to heal and a hint of color was returning to her cheeks.

Thank the G.o.ddess.

With gentle care, he brushed her coppery curls over her shoulder.

"Adair, can you hear me?"

Her lashes fluttered, slowly lifting to reveal her glorious platinum eyes. She blinked as she took in his face that was only inches away.

"Finn?" she murmured, confusion tightening her features as her gaze moved toward the grayish mist that surrounded them. "What's happened?"

"After you were knocked unconscious by Micah, I grabbed you and escaped through one of the tunnels," he said.

She frowned at his deliberately vague explanation. "What about my family? Are they still in the cavern?"

He grimaced. "The treasure they were so desperate to uncover turned out to be a very p.i.s.sed-off dragon."

Adair's mouth fell open; clearly she was wondering if he'd lost his mind.

He didn't blame her.

It was the last thing any of them had expected.

"Dragon?" she repeated in disbelief.