Crimson turmoil clouds my vision. A scarlet storm. A red hurricane. Whatever you label it, I am furious. No one threatens my mate. My pregnant mate. My babies must be protected!

Kaline bellows, "YOU HURT BLAZE AND LIGHTNING, I WILL HURT YOU!"

Vedette backs her up. "AND WORSE!"

Hans flies at him, elf strength on full display. But this is not Hans’ fight to protect my mate. This is my fight.

Super Jump Engaged.

I spring at Viscount Rotten, claws extended, rocketing toward him with every ounce of speed and strength in my body. All those scores on the board aren’t just numbers for show. I earned every last one of them through hard work, determination, and taking risks.

He swings at me. I swipe at him with my claws. Lightning turns into a ball and rolls at him, full tilt. STRIKE! He wobbles on his feet. My claws rake across his body, then stick like a cactus. I dig in and won’t let go.

"AAAAAH!"

Viscount Rotten shrieks, igniting chaos all around us. Already, the fight has attracted attention, and the entire gathering is exploding.

I bite and claw until the world spins as Viscount Rotten runs, trying to shake me off. Gussie dive-bombs him, and if I don’t miss my guess, Dag joins in. I didn’t even think he liked me. Maybe Kasz told him to attack.

Will the world stop spinning? I’d like to get off this ride now. Maybe I should let go. But then he might get away. Hold on, Blaze, Make life so miserable for him that he surrenders. Turn up the heat on him.

Heat!

I scorch him with Shooting Stars, as much as I’m able.

That did it! He’s falling. The world spins even faster, a whirlwind. We are falling.

[Blaze!]

Lobo’s shout reaches me through the mind-link.

I can’t resist announcing my triumph through the link. [Got him!]

I crash down on top of Viscount Rotten with a CRUNCH. I think I might have killed him, but I can’t be sure. My teeth rattle, and so do my bones. But I’m not hurt. I’m fine, I think.

Ooof. He doesn’t make the most comfortable landing in the world. However, I can’t be picky. My mate is safe.

[Lightning? Are you safe? You’re not hurt, are you?]

Her bossy voice reaches me. [You are a complete fool and I love you.]

[I love you, too. Did you strain yourself? Are the cubs safe?]

I can hear the eye rolling through the telepathic link. [Yes, they’re fine. Better now that we have caught these putrid people.]

The sheer foulness of the viscount’s smell is almost more than my nose and my brain and my stomach can bear, but I sit on him until local guardsmen prompt me to climb off my prisoner.

Gagging, I leap down and into Kaline’s and Lightning’s embrace. Kaline kisses the top of my head, while Lightning curls around me.

They lavish affection on me, and I return it ten times over.

[Very nice. But this is not the end of the beast snatching Side Quest.]

System cannot resist casting a storm cloud over our triumph.

I reply in a terse manner. [It doesn’t matter. Every challenge. I will meet every challenge.]

Lobo can’t resist. [As will I.]

System has nothing to say to that. How could it? We’re complying. On our own terms. It doesn’t get to dictate those terms, as much as it would like to.

I glance up from the cuddle huddle to see ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rossa, as well as an unconscious Shade, marched away under guard to the local jail, which happens to be in the constable’s headquarters. The building resembles nothing more than a country inn with thatched roofs, so I hope that the security is more impressive, and that the locks and bars can contain two beast tamers and a beast.

I ask Demos and the others. [Who subdued Shade?]

Peridot hisses in jubilation. [I did. I squeezed him. Master Niall told me not to kill him, but he is such an unpleasant being.]

Eyeballing Niall, I don’t detect any hint of what he is thinking. His thought is a mystery. Niall is a seasoned warrior, and he helped us crush the jaguar-scorpion. Why would he spare Shade, who was already dark and, thanks to us and our meddling, has become darker?

Oh.

Perhaps I answered my own question.

Niall may feel responsible for helping put Shade together with these poisonous people.

Lightning shakes her head. [I won’t shed any tears, whatever his fate is.]

Demo growls. [Nor I.]

Gussie squawks. "Bad Shade."

Dag caws in agreement. It’s the first time he and Gussie have agreed on anything.

Mayor Crothu wades into the mix, his voice soaring above the crowd. "Well. Not exactly the celebration I had in mind, but exciting nonetheless. And excellent coordination all round. All of us will sleep better at night, knowing that those beast-nappers have been captured."

The entire village cheers. No one wants to think about beasts being snatched from their homes and taken God knows where for God only knows what purpose. A purpose that would give us all nightmares. Even the people who, under their breath, mutter about beast taming being "a waste" and "overrated" do not want anything to happen to me and to my fellow beasts.

I communicate to Kaline. [Were they working alone? What about the rest of their thieves’ ring?]

Immediately, Kaline floats the question in front of everyone, and Maartenwitz ruffles her hair approvingly. "Very smart, Young Miss. They may be the ringleaders, or they may be merely links in a much larger chain. In any case, we must get to the bottom of it."

Minette and Lamant beam with pride over Kaline’s curiosity. "We won’t rest until we shatter that chain once and for all," Lamant declares. "But for now, justice has been served."

The celebration continues, but Lightning grows sleepy, which means I do. Kaline and Hans are only too relieved to steal away from the crowd and take us back to our safe tiger den. Kasz, as always, accompanies us, riding on my back, talking to me nonstop.

"Raar. You know that I honored you. Unlike those scum." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

I give a little "mrrp" of acknowledgment. No question, Kasz is an alley and a friend now.

Kasz continues. "Raar and Raara, I would keep you close in my goblin den if you did not have Young Miss and Young Master. I would not take you away to do awful things to you."

Lightning purrs. [For a goblin, he’s completely tolerable now.]

[Of course he is. WE tamed HIM.]

Lightning purrs again. [Our very own tame goblin.]

She doesn’t know the half of it! Kasz is my secret weapon.

Before long, we arrive back at the tiger den, which has seldom looked so inviting and cozy. Lightning’s exhaustion washes over me. Although I desperately want to have a crack at the amulet, I have to wait for Lobo. And we still have a trip to the library planned. Maybe tonight we can sneak away again, just as we did to find the amulet in the first place.

I flop down on the pillows beside Lightning, who is already halfway to dreamland.

Several thoughts run through my sleepy mind.

1) Need to have someone interrogate our captured criminals. I hope to be there. Maybe I have too personal an interest in the case, but I don’t care. I want to be there anyway.

2) Contact Lobo now that Lightning is asleep. Arrange to go to the library tonight.

3) Kasz is still on top of me. He clings a little too tight. It’s as if he’s glued to me. However, I can’t complain too much. Maybe he will accompany us to the library and keep a lookout.

[Lobo?]

His answer is quick. [Rest. It’s a madhouse in the village.]

[Will do. Library tonight?]

His response comes swiftly. [I thought you’d never ask. We’ll see if our human abilities work.]

His words evaporate in a hazy slumber cloud.

Someone nudges me awake, and I glance up. Lobo shakes the amulet in my face. [Time to get up. Kasz is ready.]

With a loving look at Lightning sleeping peacefully in the dim light of the den, I creep out with Kasz and Lobo. With stealth, we make our way through the villa’s corridors toward the library.

Empty. No one around. The secret bookcase door is undisturbed, and the hidden room filled in. So, we should be undisturbed.

Lobo and I glance around. Uncertain. I approach the bookshelves to see if I can read. I use my human vision. Although I can’t see the letters clearly, like wearing reading glasses that don’t work right, I can read.

Kasz keeps a lookout at the door to the library, ready to alert us if anyone is coming. We will either hide or pretend to be lost.

Lobo wags his tail. [Good. Where do we start?]