by Dianna Love
Who are the additional Beladors brought in? Daegan asked.
Sen would not show me the other two Beladors, but the names he gave me were two more out-of-town Beladors.
Was one of them named Renata?
Quinn answered, No. I’ll deal with contacting Belador families if we do not get them back alive, but I did tell Sen to contact me or you before taking any action. He said he’d take that under consideration.
Daegan ground his teeth. Sen liked to talk, but he had yet to follow through with all that mouthing off. Thank you, Quinn. Once we’ve finished here, I’ll send everyone I can back to help in Atlanta. Evalle and Storm will fill you in on what we’ve discussed.
That works for me, Quinn confirmed. I need to remain in the human world right now.
Once the voice vanished from his mind, Daegan told the group what Quinn had passed along.
Brina lifted a fist. “The Tribunal cannot have our people. What of VIPER’s healers?”
“They won’t touch Devon.”
“Then we should have a chance with our healers,” she persisted.
Garwyli stepped in before Daegan could say another word. “I do not recommend that, though I do share your concern for them.”
“Why not?” Brina only needed a sword in hand to go with her fierce determination.
“We would put healers we need at risk. From what I recall, Imortiks would overtake a body then begin syphoning energy from it for the next week or so until the Imortik completely joined with the body’s power and took solid form.”
Daegan interjected, “The Imortik master said we had a fortnight to deliver both volumes for any hope of saving those taken today.”
“Wait,” Adrianna interrupted. “What is a fortnight?”
Garwyli, Brina, and Tzader replied, “Fourteen days.”
“Clearly I’m not up on medieval terminology,” she mumbled. “Thank you.”
Smiling his sympathy at Adrianna, Garwyli finished, “That would mean every day after those two weeks, any new Beladors or other living beings captured in the meantime would be forever gone as well.” Pausing for another drink of water, the druid said, “One more thing. If an Imortik went up against a powerful body too difficult to take, it would hold onto the body long enough to push its venomous energy inside.”
Daegan sat forward. “What happens then? Would that person be a threat to others?”
“The venom remains in the body, which draws in other Imortiks. If enough of them overwhelm the poisoned one, they can kill the powerful being if they cannot overtake the body individually. Once they overtake a body, then yes, that person would be a threat to others.”
Tristan’s gaze lit with realization and shot to Daegan, who sent him a telepathic message. Do not speak further about the venom at this moment.
Frowning hard, Tristan replied with a silent, Okay, boss.
Garwyli had caught the exchange of looks between them, but added, “The Tribunal will have to work with you at some point if all three volumes combined are required to send the escaped Imortiks back behind the death wall.”
Storm asked, “How is that going to be possible when we don’t know who is behind the rift or where to find the missing volume?”
Garwyli offered encouraging words. “I do not know, Storm, but I trust in the intelligence and ability of this council. I will help you all I can and you will help Daegan find a way through this.”
Rumblings of agreement circled the table.
Daegan wished to believe they could find a volume hidden thousands of years ago in one of three places, but they had so little going in their favor. For one thing, he had no idea if the grimoire had been created in book form, scroll, or some other form.
Still, no war had ever been won by starting from the point of doubt.
Adrianna’s smooth forehead wrinkled with thought. “Who were the three deities who came together to stop the first Imortiks?”
Sighing loudly, Garwyli said, “I know of only one. Macha. I know about her only because I have been in this realm so long and recall her speaking of it at one time. She had been in conversation with other deities about who should manage supernaturals in the human world. That’s when she and two others created the Tribunal realm where court is held.”
Evalle fidgeted, not one to be still long. “Is there any chance Macha or Maeve is behind this even if Macha did help put Imortiks away? She probably cooperated back then for her own benefit. Now that she’s been kicked off Treoir Island, she might have a different mindset to get back at Daegan and the Beladors.”
“Good point Evalle,” Daegan said. “But we must be careful in accusing any deity if we end up needing their help to stop the Imortiks.”
Evalle groused, “I can see that. It’s just that I keep waiting for Macha or Maeve to do something big.”
Tristan asked, “Would the Tribunal stand back and let Macha or Maeve have their way if, as Evalle pointed out, they saw this as a chance to take us all down?”
“No.” Garwyli shook his head. “Unless a deity joined up with one of those two, most would be livid about anyone creating a rift in the mors murum and would make even a deity’s life extremely difficult. But on the chance a deity is behind this, you should look for the lesser beings who support them. ’Tis much easier to have a follower do their dirty work in the human realm than for one of them to risk being caught.”
Looking disgusted, Tristan ran a hand through his hair. “Can you only imagine if crazy Maeve did get her hands on those volumes?”
More groaning around the table.
Tzader offered, “That’s all good and fine, but we have a mess in the human world. I would hope you three know I’m not blaming anyone, just wanting to get ahead of the fallout.”
Tilting his head toward Tzader, Daegan agreed, “You are correct. What do you suggest?”
Tzader calmly explained, “We have people inside many governments in the human world. I need to visit our Belador high up in the US government, who is involved with national security operations and make sure no one is mobilizing armed forces to kill anything that looks strange.”
Brina grasped his arm. “Would ya be safe?”
He patted her hand. “Yes. I have a spot where Daegan can teleport me inside the building and not be seen. As soon as I call out telepathically to our contact, I expect to be brought in immediately. I’ll probably be back here in less than an hour.” Turning back to Daegan, Tzader said, “That doesn’t address our Belador families, though.”
Giving it a moment, Daegan made a decision he’d been chewing on, but he wanted to allow Brina to weigh in. “How many Belador family members do you estimate are in the southeastern part of the country around VIPER? Because this appears to be centralized near Atlanta for the moment.”
Looking up and moving her lips in a silent calculation, Brina glanced at him. “I’m thinkin’ it to be three hundred to three fifty. I’ve not taken count in a while. Could be over four hundred.”
“How do you feel about housing the families in Treoir?”
“You don’t have to ask, Uncle. These are our people. Of course we’ll bring them here. Will that include the Belador warriors?”
“I will make it voluntary to come here with their families or remain in Atlanta.”
“That is what we will do then,” she declared.
Tzader stood. “I’m sure the national security group are working on this issue even as we speak, no matter how late it is. I need to get moving before this gets out of hand.”
Daegan instructed, “Picture where you wish to arrive.”
“Got it.” Tzader vanished as soon as the words were out of his mouth.
Garwyli had been tapping his thumbs against each other, as if deep in thought. He turned to Daegan. “How soon will ya be leavin’ to hunt the grimoire volumes?”
“Not until Tzader returns,” Brina replied before Daegan did. “I do not mean to be oversteppin’, Uncle, but I would rather you wait to hear from him. If he runs into a problem, yo
u may be the only one to handle it and bring him back.”
Daegan understood the worry in her voice. He had the same concern for every person here, who he considered family as much as Brina, Tzader, their babes, and all his people. If an hour or two would have solved this issue, he would not have returned to Treoir.
“You did not overstep, Niece. We are of the same mind,” he assured her. She gave him a smile of thanks. “There’s no point in me going to VIPER to ask for any more than Quinn has on that volume. I just have to find the third one, but no idea where to begin my search.”
The druid said, “You may have ta do what ya been puttin’ off.”
“Explain,” Daegan ordered, unsure what the old guy referenced.
“Ya been sayin’ you’re gonna track down yar history. Now would be the time to find the squire family. That person might have carried the stories from much farther back than what you were told.”
Was he serious? Everyone stared at the druid as if he’d suggested this would be a great time for a vacation.
Garwyli scowled at them. “Doona question me when I know what I speak of.” Swinging that sharp gaze at Daegan, the old guy said, “The original grimoire was created before your time. I will not stop until I find all I can in your family chronicles, but ya need more from the other dragon families.”
Adrianna sat up as if she didn’t already hold perfect posture. “Are you saying the volumes could have been hidden in places like the ice dragon castle and King Gruffyn’s castle?”
Daegan doubted it would be so simple. “That would have made it too easy for enemies to find while ransacking the castles once kings fell from power.”
Garwyli gave Daegan a shake of his head. “Ya think every dragon king’s enemy hoped to find the king’s hoard? I never heard of King Gruffyn’s hoard being found until you saw your father’s treasures in the Scamall realm, Daegan. Ya keep assumin’ about how things happened during the centuries when you were captured. ’Tis hard to allow new ideas in a closed off place. ’Tis why I keep sayin’ to find the person who carried the history.”
“I just can’t imagine ... ”
“That yar family’s history would have survived after all this time?” Garwyli finished. “What ’tis the harm of hunting the Luigsech family yar father told you he’d trusted?”
Evalle watched the two of them with a surprised expression. “Who’s Luigsech?”
Garwyli suddenly lost his cockiness. “Er, I may have spoken a bit too much.”
Daegan waved him off. “Anyone at this table is welcome to everything in the chronicles. Garwyli speaks of the last squire family loyal to my father. He feels if I locate the descendants of that human family today, they may be able to shed some light on gaps in my family history after I was captured.”
“What all was in the chronicle about the Luigsech squire?” Adrianna asked Daegan.
“My father suspected a traitor among his inner circle and warned me against trusting the squire family we’d had for a long time.”
“That traitor was Germanus, the guy who held me in Scamall, right?” Evalle asked in an even voice, but her hand fisted.
Storm reached over and covered that hand, murmuring something.
She relaxed her fingers and smiled at him. “I’m good.”
“Yes,” Daegan confirmed. “But I have a feeling there was more than one, because my father wrote that he had chosen a new squire family named Luigsech, which I should trust. Squires kept dragon family history by spoken word. My family chronicles are our intimate writings. Female squires were most important. Though many kingdoms educated only the men, dragon families held women in high regard for their sharp minds and intuitive abilities.”
Adrianna spoke up. “If you’ll give me anything you have on the Luigsech family from back in your day, like specific names and the location of your father’s castle, I’ll ask Isak to trace the lineage to current day.”
Daegan gave Adrianna a smile of appreciation since she was not on the best of terms with Isak. “Thank you, Adrianna. The times have changed so much I have my doubts about the spoken history being preserved at all, but I will not turn down any potential information. I will contact you immediately if I locate those names.” He said that only to appease Garwyli. Daegan had to get his hands on that third volume, not look for someone with obscure knowledge.
“Excuse me, Garwyli,” Storm interrupted. “Why didn’t everyone just destroy the grimoire?”
“’Tis often believed to be a greater danger in destroying an item with that much majikal influence.” The old druid pushed a look at Daegan. “Do ya think the ice dragon in the dungeon can help?”
“Doubtful.” Daegan shook his head. “I have yet to get him to say a word.”
“Are you sure he can talk?” Storm asked.
“Yes, his dragon can speak and he can communicate with me telepathically. I am also sure he can shift, but is staying in dragon form where he feels most powerful if attacked.”
“But you saved him from Scamall and gave him your blood when he was dying,” Adrianna argued, clearly disgruntled with anyone who lacked appreciation for being saved by Daegan. She had been with all of them when they went to retrieve Evalle.
Daegan agreed. “With Imortiks threatening our people and the entire human world, I am out of patience, but that ice dragon sees me as an enemy. To force him to do anything would only deepen that belief.” Standing up, Daegan announced, “I’ll teleport anyone who is ready to return to Atlanta.”
“I am,” echoed around the room with the exception of Garwyli, Brina, and Tristan.
Tristan crossed his arms, waiting to hear what his duty would be.
Daegan instructed, “Everyone should continue working in pairs. Tristan will go with me to hunt for the grimoire.”
Giving a decisive grunt of approval, Tristan let Daegan know he had guessed correctly. Considering what Daegan had fought in Atlanta, he would not go without backup again and risk this mission.
Not after that Imortik master had blocked his dragon powers and ability to teleport.
Once he teleported Evalle, Storm, and Adrianna to Atlanta, Daegan told Brina, “I know you can walk and teleport yourself, but I would prefer to teleport you to your room to wait on Tzader. I’m going back to the dungeon. Call me when Tzader returns.”
Brina waved him off. “No need to fuss, Uncle. Garwyli and I go to the library. I will wait there.” She smiled as Garwyli rose to his feet and gave her a hand getting out of the chair.
Brilliant, beautiful, and stubborn. She was definitely a female of his bloodline. Daegan glowered at her and she laughed as she left. “Find that book, Daegan. I want my people safe.”
He shook his head and told Tristan, “I wish to get moving. I think we should—” He stopped short when he had a telepathic call from Tzader to return.
Tzader came into view and headed for Daegan with a furious expression. “We’ve got a major problem.”
“Worse than Imortiks?” Tristan asked in a sarcastic tone.
“Possibly,” Tzader snapped at him. He turned to Daegan. “Rumors are running through governments that a red dragon lives and is a danger to all of the world. There’s probably a bounty on your head large enough to give someone their own hoard.”
“They cannot prove I exist,” Daegan argued.
“Yes, they can. There are hundreds of videos taken, plus eyewitness accounts of a red dragon burning a strip of forest in northern Ukraine just before daylight. I saw the films. It’s unbelievably real.”
This couldn’t be happening again. Daegan roared, “I am the last of the red dragons and all others before me are gone.”
Tzader held his hands up. “That may be, but every country knows what happened in Atlanta and is up in arms. Their people are panicking. We have to keep you hidden. Whoever is behind this is fingering you.”
Tristan jumped in. “We need to think about keeping you out of sight, boss.”
“He’s right. You can’t leave Treoir, Daegan,” Tzad
er said. “If someone identifies you to a hostile group, or worse, pushes you to shift, you could die before you teleported. Right now, a red dragon is on the top of every country’s hit list.”
Daegan knew only one way to lead and that was from the front. “Stay here and protect Brina. I am headed to Galway.”
Tzader grabbed his bald head. “They’ll be looking for you all over Europe. It will take nothing to get fighter jets to Ireland. With what happened in Atlanta, every country will send military, specifically air support, to take down a dragon.”
“Thank you for going to find out what you could, Tzader, but I must find the grimoire volume. I will shield my identity. Keep our people as safe as you can and watch over my niece. You are the only one I would entrust with so great a treasure.”
Sounding as blown as a horse run to ground, Tzader gave in. “Fine. Stay in touch and please don’t fucking shift.”
Daegan nodded, then walked out before any new conversation started.
Tristan followed him. “If that red dragon was not yours, which we know it wasn’t, then it has to be a bait to draw you out.”
“Agreed.”
“Also, since that was not you and we have another dragon down below, who could the dragon in Ukraine be?”
Daegan slammed to a stop. His brain felt overloaded and ready to explode. “I have no idea, but I intend to find out for sure.”
“Okay, boss, but if you shift, then I’m shifting into my gryphon to fly with you.”
As Daegan prepared to teleport them to a spot he hoped was still as secluded today as long ago, he heard a shout in his mind. Save me.
Stark pain, not physical, but of the heart, cried out.
Who had said that?
Chapter 10
Casidhe jumped to her feet after regaining her wits from sliding across the rough ground. She had no idea how to escape the giant vulture flying toward her from the twilight sky.
She needed to mentally prepare for what would happen next, but her mind went blank.
No help there.
While that could be construed as a positive to not think about dying, one more rejection from the universe and she’d snap.