Victor (Para-Military Recruiter Book 10) by Renée Jaggér & Michael Anderle

Author:Renée Jaggér & Michael Anderle [Jaggér, Renée & Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2023-08-07T16:00:00+00:00

Malcolm brought the Huayra to a smooth halt in the inner ward of the Avalon HQ. As Taylor got out, a massive shadow swooped out of the sky, and a leonine creature the size of a horse landed on the stone with a click of talons. Commander Stormstar’s wings spanned twelve feet and were patterned buff and brown like those of an eagle. He folded them with a thick rustle of feathers and turned to Taylor. Above the plate armor that enclosed his broad chest, the griffin’s mane was thick and golden and tipped with black. It stirred when he spoke.

“I apologize that none of my guards have seen Councilor Nox,” he rumbled. “Hopefully, Sergeant Droppelheimer can help us.”

“Thank you for offering to escort us to his office.” Taylor inclined his head. “Not a lot of people have that kind of access.”

“Certainly.” Stormstar set off for the double doors at the front of the fortress. “I understand the need for her to be found quickly and quietly without involving whole armies. It is the only chance the councilor has of returning to her former life after she is healed.”

Malcolm and Taylor scurried after him into the lobby, staying beside the enormous griffin as the ever-present crowd of busy paras parted unquestioningly before him.

“Thank you for calling her that,” Malcolm murmured.

Stormstar glanced over his shoulder. “Calling her what?”

“Councilor.” Malcolm paused. “It gives me hope that she could be one again someday.”

“That is who she was,” Stormstar returned. “If nothing else, that deserves honor.”

They walked through the grim, stone hallways in silence, winding down to the heart of the Avalon HQ, Tactical Command. Taylor felt incredulous eyes on him as he gaped at the vast command center, magically soundproofed, scrying screens and crisply uniformed paras everywhere as they commanded missions all over both dimensions. In this place, Julie, who had just turned twenty-one, had held her own. A wave of pride rushed through him, and he reached into his jacket pocket and wrapped his fingers around the ring box.

You’re right, you know, Hat intruded on his thoughts. She does deserve a fairytale.

Hat! Taylor jumped. You can’t tell her! Promise you won’t!

And ruin it for her? Hat chuckled fondly. Not a chance.

They turned into another hallway, and Stormstar paused in front of a wooden door. He raised a curled talon and tapped the door sharply. It swung open, and Taylor recognized Vlad from Julie’s descriptions of him.

“What you want, huh?” the bony old vampire demanded.

“Vlad! How many times do I have to go over etiquette with you this century?” Droppelheimer demanded from inside the office. “Commander, please come in.”

Vlad shuffled out of the way, and Stormstar squeezed his massive bulk into the office. Taylor smiled at Doris and Emmeline, who recognized him the same way he knew them—from what Julie had said about them.

Droppelheimer stood in the doorway of his office. He bowed formally to Stormstar, who returned the gesture.

“How may I help you, Commander?” the orc asked, folding his well-groomed hands in front of him.

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