Mag-log inThe Cayman Islands bank sits in George Town’s financial district. Innocuous. Professional. Hiding billions in Shadow Council funds.“Security’s tight,” Jai reports remotely. “Biometric access. Armed guards. Vault requires three separate authorizations.”“Can you hack it?” Jamie asks.“Not remotely. You’ll need physical access to the terminal. And Leanora’s codes.” Jai pauses. “Also, you’re internationally wanted. The moment you enter Cayman airspace, authorities will be alerted.”“So we don’t use airports.” Kade’s already arranging alternatives. “Private boat from Jamaica under false identities.”“That’ll work until facial recognition catches you.” Briton’s realistic. “We’ve got maybe six hours before someone notices.”“Six hours is enough. Get in, transfer funds, get out.” Jamie reviews the plan. “Simple.”“Nothing about this is simple,” Meredith objects. She’s staying behind with the twins. “You’re breaking into a bank in broad daylight while wanted by Interpol. That’s insane.”“Ins
Before they can leave for the Cayman Islands, Kade gets an emergency call. His pack is in crisis. "It's Saskia. She's calling a leadership challenge. Again." The messenger sounds scared. "But this time, she's got Shadow Council backing. They offered her alpha position if she delivers you to them." Kade's face goes white. "When?" "Tonight. Midnight. She's demanding you return for the challenge or forfeit." "It's a trap," Jamie says immediately. "Shadow Council wants you exposed. Vulnerable." "Probably. But if I don't go, I lose the pack by default. Iron Wolves become Shadow Council assets." Kade's torn. "Everything I've built. Gone." "Better gone than dead." Briton's pragmatic. "Let Saskia have it. Start over elsewhere." "You don't understand pack bonds. These are my wolves. My family." Kade looks devastated. "I can't just abandon them." "Even if going back means capture? Execution?" Jamie demands. "Even then." Kade stands. "I have to try. One last time. Make them see Saskia's
Jamie returns to find her business empire in ruins.While she was fighting Prime, the remaining Shadow Council members attacked economically. Sophisticated. Devastating. Complete."Everything's frozen," Briton reports grimly. "Bank accounts. Assets. Properties. All seized through legal injunctions filed in seventeen countries simultaneously.""How is that possible? We have legal protections.""Not anymore. Shadow Council operatives infiltrated courts worldwide. Filed claims that your businesses fund terrorism. Dragon terrorism specifically." Briton shows documents. "They're using your victory against you. Claiming you're a threat to international stability."Jamie reviews the filings. They're brilliant. Twisted truth into legal justification."Fighting the Council is now classified as terrorism. Your assets are frozen pending investigation. Investigation that could take years." Briton's frustrated. "They're bleeding us dry without firing a shot.""What about alliance funding?""Same.
The battle's going badly. Three Shadow Council members engage Jamie's team directly. Prime watches from the throne, amused. The other two members maintain the child-curse spell.Jamie's team is losing. Fast.Then reinforcements arrive. Unexpected ones.Leanora Thornton crashes through a window in full dragon form. Her essence should be dampened. It's not."Surprise," she says, shifting back. "Miss me?"Behind her, fifty fighters pour in. Mix of alliance members and freed prisoners. People Leanora recruited."How?" Jamie manages between dodging attacks."Broke probation. Regenerated my essence completely. Called in every favor I'm owed." Leanora throws magic at a Shadow Council member. "Figured you'd need help. Was right apparently.""You're still a traitor!""Was a traitor. Now I'm trying to fix that." Leanora's fighting alongside them now. "Can we argue about my redemption arc later? Kind of busy not dying."The reinforcements help. But six immortals are still too strong."We need th
Jamie's preparing to scout the monastery when Kade calls from Canada. His voice is panicked."Something's wrong with Herston. She collapsed during training. Won't wake up."Jamie's world stops. "What?""She was practicing shields. Everything normal. Then she screamed and fell. Her scales are glowing. Pulsing. Like something's trying to get out." Kade's desperate. "We've got doctors but they don't know what's wrong.""I'm coming. Right now." Jamie's already moving."Jamie, we're in the middle of—" Briton starts."I don't care! My daughter's dying!" She's heading for the plane. "Prime can wait. My child can't."The flight to Canada takes eight hours. Longest eight hours of Jamie's life.Jai provides updates. "Herston's stable but unconscious. Her essence readings are off the charts. Something's affecting her dragon blood directly.""What could do that?""Unknown. But Jamie, there's more. Other dragon children are showing similar symptoms. Three kids in Europe. Two in Asia. One in South
Before they can assault the monastery, news arrives from home. The alliance is fracturing.Tavish Morwell calls an emergency meeting. Without Jamie's permission. Without alliance protocol."We're voting," he announces to gathered representatives. "On whether to accept Prime's offer. Dragon Queen isn't here to decide for us. So we decide ourselves."Jai patches Jamie in remotely. She watches the meeting from Switzerland. Helpless to intervene directly."This is illegal," Raina objects. "Jamie is alliance leader. We can't vote without her.""She abandoned her position to chase ghosts in Switzerland," Tavish counters. "While she hunts Prime, we're vulnerable. Exposed. Prime could attack any moment.""So you want to surrender?" Raina's disgusted."I want to survive. There's a difference." Tavish addresses the room. "Prime offered coexistence. Dragon rights remain. Alliance continues. We just acknowledge their authority over enforcement. That's acceptable.""That's submission!" A vampire l
The team prepares to leave for Switzerland when Meredith asks for a private meeting. Just Jamie, Briton, Kade, and Selene."Before we go hunting Prime, there's something you need to know. Something I've kept hidden for forty years." Meredith looks older suddenly. Tired."What?" Jamie asks."The Sha
Before they can leave for Switzerland, a package arrives at alliance headquarters.No courier. No shipping label. Just appeared on Jamie's desk."Don't open it," Kade warns. "Could be explosive.""Or magical trap," Meredith adds.Jai scans it. "No explosives detected. No magical signatures. It's ju
Jai works through the night analyzing the deaths. Jamie, Briton, and Kade watch over his shoulder."There's a pattern. Look." He displays a map. "Eight deaths. All in different cities. But the timing is precise. Exactly seventy-two hours apart. Not approximate. Exact.""Ritualistic?" Meredith asks,
Three months after Elena Morgrave's execution, Jamie allows herself to believe the war is truly over.The alliance functions smoothly. Dragon rights are implemented across seventeen countries. Mixed bloodlines thrive openly. Children attend school without fear."Mama, can we go to the park?" Hersto







