24

"Really?" Vernon straightened in his seat, "What makes you so sure?"

"Ethan isn't powerful enough to control that dragon," I tapped my fingers on the table.

"That's all you've got to go on?" Vernon looked at me skeptically.

"I know," I slapped the table, "My gut feeling isn't actual evidence, but have you seen the two of them interact?" I slid my hand back so I could sit back in my chair again, "That kid isn't the dominant one in that relationship. Add on the fact that they're hiding something."

"Then the fact that they let the beast have free reign," Vernon agreed, "I can see where your coming from, but Ethan showed me his contract."

"He did?" I frowned.

"Signed with both their blood," Vernon nodded, "My mage even authenticated it."

I really didn't know what to say to that. I found it hard to believe Ethan was controlling that beast, but Vernon had proof that they were bound to each other. I just couldn't shake that gut feeling.

*****

"I think that guy is going to start coming by more often," I growled as I looked at the closed door, "You might want to get a chain to at least pretend that I'm contained."

"You really don't like that guy," Jax smirked at me.

"If he gives me a reason I'll rip his guts out, and toss his carcass out to the scavengers," I snarled.

"You hate him enough that you don't even want to eat him?" Savannah winced, "You do know that you can't do that, right?"

I didn't dignify that question with an answer. Choosing to growl slightly, and snort instead.

"We're going out to hunt tomorrow," Savannah continued as if I hadn't just growled at her, "Don't go anywhere tonight. We need to earn our keep or we'll be back out on our asses in no time flat." Savannah held up a sheet of paper, "This guilds rent requirements are pretty cheap per room, but we've got the equivalent of a whole house plus the warehouse. They want us to bring in three hundred low quality crystals a month, or something equivalent in value."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Jax practically whined.

"You were too busy fine tuning your control, and Ethan isn't much of a talker," Savannah countered, "Wyatt's the only one that's even gotten started, and he doesn't even get to explore the settlement without an escort."

I snorted with a smile. Gotten started. I'd done a lot more than just start, but Savannah didn't know anything about that. That is as long as those adventurers don't try to claim my loot.

"Why don't we go out tonight?" I interrupted the quiet conversation Ethan, and Savannah were having, "I'm bored, and don't have anything to do anyway."

"We need two more people," Savannah glanced my way.

I allowed my mana to surge through my connection to both Savannah, and Jax. They both looked at me with slight red to their cheeks. Almost as if they both had fevers.

"God dammit Wyatt!" Savannah snapped, "You can't just keep flooding us with mana every time you're irritated."

"Every time I do it makes you a bit more powerful," I snorted, "I think that it's fair punishment for irritating me. As long as I don't force your mana up too fast you won't be hurt."

"You asshole," Savannah grumbled before leaning back against the wall as she fanned herself.

I wasn't going to force her into anything she didn't want to do, but this was something internal. Something that made her more, and more powerful. Doing it to both of them was just saving me the time of doing each one of them separately.

"You know I wouldn't really mind this feeling if it wasn't for the heat that came with," Jax smirked at me while he was leaning into the wall.

Savannah still worried that it would kill her like the others she'd seen die, but I wasn't. I knew it wouldn't kill her as long as I kept the mana expansion gradual. My wings twitched as I thought about how powerful they would get if I kept it up. They were so far behind me that it wasn't even funny. I wanted them to be able to take on the four greats on their own at least.

I wouldn't tell Savannah that since she didn't want to fight her father. Honestly I didn't want her to fight her father either. I didn't think she'd be ready for him even if she could overpower him on her own. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was a killer, and he wasn't the only one I'd gotten that feeling from by now. Savannah started laying out a game plan to get us out there hunting.

She'd be going after the two missing members of our group soon. Bringing us up to the five that were required to go out. It wouldn't take long for her to find someone who needed a group. The problem came when they started trying to get them to work with me. No one would want to risk coming near a very willful beast that was basically free to act around us.

That is what Savannah thought anyway. I smirked, and just waited for the good news. She would find it much easier to find volunteers than she thought. I wanted to go back out with Ethan. My wings twitched in excitement at the thought.

I loved the thrill we felt up there mixing, and heightening the feeling. There was nothing more I wanted then to take the sky once again. Bringing Ethan with just made me want to do it again. Over, and over again. I wanted to bring them all with me to heighten the thrill that much more.

My body tensed as I thought about what could happen next. My wings flared. I wanted to stand up, and fly away again, but I had to be patient. If I wasn't patient then I'd get Ethan in trouble again. I smirked at the thought.