To Have & to Hold by Mackenzie Lucas Page B

’ s attack. A hoard stone. Each hoard possessed its own signature stone. The dragon who ’ d betrayed Grayson by giving Michael hoard magic k used topaz as his energy stone.
    “Where did you find this?”
    “Michael carried it.”
    “You ’ re sure?”
    “Absolutely. It ’ s all that was left of him. I expect you ’ ll let me know who I need to thank for this mess with Michael? ”
    “Grayson.” David rubbed his neck. “You can ’ t be serious. You can ’ t take on the Consortium. European or American. It just isn ’ t done.”
    “Well, neither, apparently is stealing from hoards. But someone is doing it. And I ’ d suspect this is all tied together. F igure out who that stone belongs to and let me know. You know the rules. If my hoard is challenged, the challenge can ’ t go unanswered.”
    David closed his eyes, then shook his head in exasperation. “Right. I know. This will take time. And tact. We need answers. Proof. There are over two hundred natural gemstones. And the list of which hoard possesses which stone is a highly guarded secret.”
    “Why?”
    “Each stone carries its own magickal properties, powers, and level of strength. The Consortium has always felt if that knowledge were public, a natural pecking order would form, and the Dignity might not be better for the dragon who ended up on top.”
    “Does the dragon who steals a hoard also take on that hoard ’ s energy stone?”
    David turned away and looked out over the back yard. The silence stretched so long Grayson didn ’ t think the dragon mage leader would answer him. “Yes. He ’ s gaining strength.”
    “How many? How many hoards has he stolen?”
    “Five total. Each energy stone carries a different level of strength depending on the grade of the gemstone. He ’ s only collected minor stones thus far.”
    “So, what? Diamond is at the top?”
    “Not necessarily. Dragon hoards date back thousands of years. In some cases hoard stones have been passed down from generation to generation. You are from a long line. I ’ d assume your stone is very old and very valuable. And extremely powerful. The gemstones humans value today may not, in truth, carry the same weight in Dignity terms.”
    “I want a name. I need to know who within the Dignity betrayed me. Who dared to challenge my hoard. ”
    “All right. Consider it done. I ’ ll get back to you as soon as I can. Just be smart. I wish you wouldn ’ t stay here. It goes against everything I believe. Everything I ’ ve known to be true about dragon mages.” David turned. He rolled his shoulder muscles, angled his chin first one way, then the next. “But I can ’ t force you to leave. Not now. Not knowing this is possibly a bigger problem. I ’ d recommend you maintain a separate residence nearby. As long as nothing draws counci l attention, they ’ ll be none the wiser. They ’ ll think you ’ re in compliance with Dignity rules. But you must give me your word that if you even feel a hint of a struggle to harm them that you ’ ll hightail it out of here , remain apart , and call me .”
    “You have my word. I will not gamble with their lives.”
    They gripped forearms and a bright orange magic k al energy in the shape of a dragon twined around them, spiraling from Grayson ’ s elbow to David ’ s. The standard mage oath. T hey were now bound by magic k .
    David released Grayson ’ s arm and stepped back. “There is something I need from you. And I think it will give Consortium leaders answers that will keep them happy for now and e xplain why you ’ re still here, near your wife. It’ll provide you a viable venue to trap the person responsible for these mage attacks. If he ’ s targeting children of mages to gain access to the hoards, you ’ ll be able to draw him out.”
    “Name it. I owe you my life. Without your help, neither Cate nor I would be alive.” Cate was a fighter. He had to believe she’d be okay.
    “We need a dragon school here in North