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She’s looking at leverage.

Maul steps in before my hellhound and I can agree on exactly how much we dislike the way Thessaly’s looking at Echo.

Probably smart.

Raze already has enough shit to deal with without scraping a centuries-old siren off his front gate.

“You’re a long way from Conclave waters.” Raze’s tone stays pleasant, but there’s iron underneath it. “State your business.”

“My business is with her.” Thessaly keeps her eyes on Echo. “Not with dogs who’ve learned to sit at heel.”

My hellhound fucking explodes. A growl punches up from my chest on instinct, the warning already there, already forcing its way toward my throat.

But I’m met with goddamn silence.

Nothing comes out.

For one brutal second, all I feel is the space Malgrave left behind.

Then my hellhound answers for me. Heat tears through my veins so fast my hands curl into fists. My vision sharpens, every edge in the yard snapping into focus as the beast pushes hard beneath my skin, furious at being called a fucking dog, even more furious at the woman standing ten feet away talking about Echo like I’m something she can dismiss.

My boots hit the gravel as I step forward.

Echo’s hand tightens around mine.

I stop there, and not because of Thessaly.

Because of her.

I’m not letting go of Echo’s hand to prove a fucking point.

So, I square up beside her instead. The hellhound rises higher. Heat rolls off my body, strong enough that the cool morning air around me starts to shimmer. My nails bite into my palms. Something hot and violent claws behind my ribs, demanding teeth, claws, fire, anything it can use to make this ancient siren understand exactly how fucking stupid it would be to threaten the woman standing beside me.

Thessaly finally looks at me… really looks.

Good.

I hold her gaze and let the beast come close enough that amber burns brighter through my eyes.

No roar.

No growl.

No fucking sound at all.

Just a hellhound staring her down while Hell burns beneath his skin.

And from the way she’s looking back at me, I don’t need a fucking voice to make myself heard.

Thessaly’s expression stays smooth, but her attention lingers on me. Her eyes drop briefly to my hand locked around Echo’s, then rise back to my face.

Something about her shifts.

Tiny.

Barely fucking there.

But I feel it.