Chase brightened. “Finally. Someone managed to make an even worse first impression on his mate than I did!”
“No, your mate only fled from you after she got to know you,” Hugh said. “As an impartial judge, I’m awarding John the victory here.”
Strangely, his comrades’ refusal to treat the matter with the gravity it deserved helped to ease some of his anguish. John’s taut shoulders eased down a little.
“That’s better,” Griff said, his eagle eyes clearly picking up his body language. He reached out to grip John’s arm for a moment, his fierce expression softening. “See, we can help you, John. If you’ll let us.”
He let out his breath in a long sigh, finally unwinding the golden chain from around his hand. “Actually, there is a matter with which I would be most grateful for assistance. Yours in particular, sword-brother Chase.”
Rising, he picked up his mate’s lost pendant from where he’d carefully placed it on his pillow. Closing his fingers over the shimmering pearl, he hesitated. It felt so good in his hand, as smooth and precious as her cheek would have felt against his palm. Its perfect roundness reminded him of the wondrous curves of her body.
It was a tiny piece of her. He wanted to keep it. To treasure it, always, as he could not treasure her…
It is not ours, his inner human said stubbornly. We must give it back.
With a sigh, he allowed his inner human’s strange sense of "fairness" to push aside his more natural desire to add to his hoard.
“Here.” He handed the pearl to Chase. “Could you see that this is returned to its rightful owner?”
The pegasus shifter had a talent for finding people. John had seen him put it to good use in many a rescue situation, unerringly guiding the fire crew to trapped victims. He could locate anyone within about a five mile radius, as long as he had a clear mental picture—from either his own memory or someone else’s—to use as a focus.
Chase let out a low, impressed whistle, holding up the pendant by the broken chain so that the pearl caught the light. “Pretty. So’s the woman you’re thinking of. Is that her? Your mate?”
“Yes.” John had lowered his mental shields to allow the pegasus shifter to pick his mate’s image from his mind. “Last I saw, she was on the far side of the loch. Can you locate her, and return this lost treasure to her?”
“She’s not in my range at the moment, but I’ll track her down for you.” Chase tucked the pearl away in his pocket. “What do you want me to tell her?”
“Nothing,” John said, allowing a touch of steel to enter his voice. “Just return it to her. Do not speak to her. On your honor, swear that you will not.”
“But-“ Chase began.
“Promise me.”
Chase’s mouth snapped shut with a click. “I promise,” he said after a second, sounding subdued. “But I think you’re making a mistake. You don’t truly understand how hard it is to live without your mate.”
“Like living without air.” John met his eyes levelly. “In the crushing depths, where the weight of water cracks your bones and your very heart struggles to beat. I understand very well, sword-brother.”
“No, you don’t.” Chase shook his head. “It doesn’t get better. It will feel like that, every second of every day. Always. Until you’re together again.”
“A wise man once told me,” Griff said softly, “that I would rip my soul into pieces if I tried to deny my mate.”
He’d been the one who’d said that to Griff. At the time, he’d wholeheartedly believed in the advice. Now, he could only marvel that Griff hadn’t punched him in the face.
“I appreciate your concern. Truly. But the matter is settled. I will stay for the mating ceremony. Afterwards, our ways must part.” He drew himself up to his full height, the top of his head brushing the ceiling. “I am a sea dragon. I can live without air.”
Chapter 6
After a sleepless night and a long morning spent reading through website after website of pseudoscience, garbage, and flat-out lies, Neridia was no closer to coming up with a plan.
People have been searching Loch Ness for almost a century, without finding anything whatsoever. How can I hope to do any better?
She stirred her tea moodily, glaring out her kitchen window at the placid loch. All her life, she’d lived beside these wide waters. She knew all the moods of Loch Ness; twinkling and cheerful, sullen and clouded, rain-lashed and angry.
Now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the loch was laughing at her. It was a particularly fine summer day, and the water seemed to sparkle extra-brightly in the morning sunshine. It was as if the loch was going out of its way to draw a dazzling veil over the secret hidden in its depths.
How am I going to find him?