Dragon's Gift: The Amazon Complete Series: An Urban Fantasy Boxed Set

by Linsey Hall

  Coughing on the foul taste, I stumbled away, holding my hand up in front of my face. Maximus grabbed me and pulled me back farther.

  When I lowered my arm, the vines and the magic were gone.

  “You did it,” Maximus murmured.

  “What foul magic was that!?” shrieked the brunette. She dragged the dead roses out of her hair and spun in a circle, her gaze finally landing on us. She pointed. “You!”

  “Yes?” I stepped forward, eyeing her warily. She was pissed.

  Her two sisters shook themselves, tugging the dead roses out of their hair and glaring at me.

  “You trapped us in there, you foul witch!” cried the irate woman.

  “I didn’t.” I held up my hands. “I freed you.”

  She propped her hands on her hips. “You did not.”

  “Yeah, I did. If I’d trapped you in there, why would I have removed the thorns and stuck around?”

  “Stuck around? What does this mean?” Her gaze traveled over my clothes. “And what are you wearing? That’s awful.”

  I looked down at my jeans and boots. They were a bit battered, but my leather jacket was quite nice. And ages ago, I’d put on my Pink Power lipstick. It was probably mostly gone by now, but I wasn’t looking that bad. “I kind of like it.”

  “It’s…it’s…the garb of a man!”

  “Ahhhh. I get it.” I shared a glance with Maximus, and he nodded, clearly on the same page. “How long have you been frozen for, do you think?”

  “However long you put us in there for.” The brunette stomped toward me, her brow scrunched over her pretty face. She was pissed and she wasn’t about to hide it. Her two sisters followed her.

  “It’s the twenty-first century,” I said. “And I’m wearing these clothes because that’s what women wear now.”

  She stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw dropping. “The twenty-first?”

  “Yes.” I tugged out my cell phone and handed it to her. She took it and stared at it, confused. “That’s a cell phone. If you’re surprised by my jeans, then you’ll definitely be surprised by that. It’ll also convince you I’m right, I bet.”

  “What year do you remember last?” Maximus asked.

  The shouty one was too busy staring at the phone, her brow scrunched.

  “It is the year 1898, of course,” said the blonde.

  “It’s definitely not.” I frowned at her. “You’ve been trapped for over a hundred and twenty years.”

  “Ugh.” Her blue eyes flashed with ire. “It had to be Demeter, that wicked hoyden. I knew she was angry with us.”

  The redhead turned irate eyes on her sisters. “I told you she was coming for vengeance. We never should have stolen her crop.”

  “At least she didn’t kill you,” I said.

  The three of them scoffed at me.

  “As if she’d ever.”

  She’d trapped them for over a hundred years in thorny vines. The death thing didn’t seem that out of the question to me, but I didn’t argue. I needed them on my side.

  I reached out and retrieved my phone from the brunette, who was still looking at it, dumbfounded.

  She glanced up at me, her eyes clearing. “I don’t know what is in that little box, but I do not like it.”

  “That’s okay. Are you thirsty? Or hungry?” Maybe Maximus could conjure them something, because ignoring the fact that they’d been trapped for a hundred years without a snack seemed rude.

  The Hesperides ignored me. “What do you want? Why did you free us?”

  “I am Rowan. I’m a DragonGod and an Amazon. This is Maximus.”

  He inclined his head in greeting.

  “What are those rats?” The brunette pointed to the corner, and I turned, spotting the Menacing Menagerie.

  All three of them looked horrifically offended. Poppy’s mouth was hanging open, which really wasn’t a good look for a possum.

  I turned back to the Hesperides. “Ah, they aren’t rats. They are the Menacing Menagerie. Formerly the most famous all-animal circus troop in Europe, but now they are primarily interested in your rubbish.”

  Her brows rose. “Rubbish?”

  “Yes, well, I suppose you don’t have any, given the circumstances. They’ll get over it.” I stepped forward, trying to make my face look pleading. “I need your help, though. The world needs your help.”

  “The world?” The blonde seemed intrigued at that. So did her sisters.

  “Yes.” I explained about the Stryx and the Amazons and their father. How the satellites were so important to the human militaries, and if they failed, then war would inevitably break out. “And that’s why we need to find Atlas.”

  The brunette leaned back and tapped her lip, then looked at her sisters. They didn’t need to speak, but some kind of message passed between them, and they all agreed.

  She turned back to me. “What will you give us?”

  I stared at her, dumfounded. “What the heck? I just saved you from over one hundred years of captivity.”

  “Yes. That was then, this is now. And it seems you need something from us.”

  “The world needs something from you,” Maximus said.

  “But you’re the ones asking, so we want something from you.”

  “Like what?” I asked.

  She tapped her chin again. “Hmmm.” Then she began to circle me, like I was prey.

  I spun to follow her movements, not liking this one little bit.

  “You’ve got quite a lot of power, DragonGod,” she mused. “I think I’d like to see the moon.”

  “Um, okay?” I looked between her and her sisters, but they didn’t clarify. And Maximus looked as confused as I was. The Menacing Menagerie couldn’t provide any clarification since they’d bailed shortly after being called rats.

  “Well, get to it.” The brunette waved her hands in a hurry up gesture. The other two stared at me expectantly.

  “You expect me to show you the moon? You’re nuts.”

  “You have the power of Artemis, don’t you? Well, get to it and show me the moon. The sun has just set, but the moon has not yet risen. Make it rise. Speed it up a bit.”

  Holy shit, she had to be kidding. There was no way I could move the moon. That was insane.

  10

  “You can’t be serious.” I stared at her, dumbfounded. “I can’t possibly move the moon.”

  “You’d better.”

  I began to pace. WTF. This was nuts. Make the moon rise? “It’ll be terrible for the tides. I can’t just screw with the moon, assuming I even have the ability.”

  “Pshaw.” She waved her hands, clearly not interested. “The moon is almost here. It won’t be so bad, just give it a little nudge. We are the daughters of twilight, and it’s been over a hundred years since we’ve seen the moon. I want to see the moon!” She sounded so irate that I expected her to stomp her foot.

  I held up my hands. “Okay, okay. I’ll try.” This was insane, but so was she. And she clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Let’s go outside and get this show over with.”

  I really hoped the moon was close. I had no idea how to pull this off, but if I managed it, I really didn’t want to screw with the tides too much.

  We walked out onto the front steps of the temple. Dusk had fallen, turning the sky a moody gray. Night insects created a horrible orchestra that battered my newly sensitive ears.

  “Prove yourself, DragonGod,” said the blonde. “We’re getting tired of waiting.”

  I turned to scowl at her. “Hold your horses. I’m getting there.”

  Jeez, this was bonkers.

  I shook my head to try to ignore the infernal buzzing from the night insects and turned my gaze to the sky.

  What the heck was I supposed to do? Shout at the moon? Yell at it that Artemis had given me her magic and that it needed to follow my orders?

  Yeah, that wasn’t going to work.

  I pursed my lips.

  I probably had to do this the way I did anything
with magic. I sucked in a deep breath and reached inside of me, looking for the magic that Artemis had given me. It was probably my favorite gift, so it wasn’t hard to find. It felt like a breath of fresh air and the warm fur of a friendly cat. It even glowed a bit, like the moon.

  Just like with my water magic, I tried to feel the moon’s presence. It took a while—and I could feel the unimpressed stares of the Hesperides the whole time—but finally, I thought I could sense it, right at the edge of the horizon.

  It really was close.

  Thank fates.

  Using my magic, I called to the moon. It was almost impossible to understand how I was doing it, but I could feel it. Like it was part of me.

  That didn’t make it easy.

  It felt like pushing the Titanic toward the iceberg. Sweat dripped down my temples as I worked, using my magic like a lasso to draw the moon up over the horizon. Strength and energy poured out of me, all of the life that I’d taken from the vines going into this job.

  It didn’t take long for my muscles to weaken and my posture to sag. But I could feel it working. Slowly, the moon rose over the horizon.

  Tonight, it was huge and white, totally full.

  From behind me, the Hesperides sighed, delight in the sound. They really did like the moon.

  As soon as it was entirely over the horizon, I stopped, stumbling forward. Maximus caught me.

  Panting, I looked up at him. “I really hope I didn’t screw anything up.”

  He grinned. “You just moved it a little bit. And it was a worthy cause.”

  I turned to look at the Hesperides, who seemed happier than kids on Christmas morning. The moon glowed on their faces, and for a moment, I forgot what bitches they were.

  I caught my breath and let them enjoy it for a minute. Weak, I leaned against Maximus, leeching off of him to keep myself standing.

  Finally, the Hesperides turned to me.

  The leader, who did most of the talking, gave me a begrudging smile. “That was pretty good, DragonGod. You might be worthy of your magic, after all.”

  “I sure hope I am.” There was way too much riding on me for me to fail. “Can you tell us where Atlas is, now?”

  “We can give you your first clue.”

  “Clue? That wasn’t the bargain.”

  She shrugged. “Take it or leave it, because we can’t tell you where he is. If he’s sick like you say he is, then he’s retreated to his fortress in Greece. It’s the only place he feels safe.”

  “Then tell me where that is.”

  “We can’t. Even we don’t know. No one does, not unless they pass the test that proves they bear him no ill will.”

  Okay, I didn’t like hearing that, but it made sense. “What is the test?”

  “It’s a bit of blood magic that sees into your truest intentions. We can tell you how to perform it. All you have to do is find a Blood Sorceress to help you conduct the spell. If you mean him no ill will, then his location will be revealed to you.”

  “I can work with that. What is the spell?”

  “Wait here a moment, and we will fetch it.”

  The three of them disappeared back into the temple. My knees were so wobbly that they were about to give out, so I sank down onto the step. Maximus joined me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  “Well done, Rowan. I think you’re doing the Greek gods proud.”

  “I hope so.” Whatever reticence I’d had to use my magic was gone. They’d wanted me to embrace my magic, and I sure as heck had. I’d raised the moon, for fate’s sake.

  Exhausted, I leaned my head against Maximus’s shoulder and gazed out at the forest. “I’m glad you’re with me on this adventure.”

  He squeezed my shoulders. “Me too. We make a good team.” He cleared his throat. “Honestly, this is the first time I’ve felt at home since I was taken from my farm when I was a kid.”

  “With me?”

  “With you.”

  Wow, I—

  The Hesperide’s voice rang out from behind me. “Here it is!”

  I turned to see her sweeping through the massive door with a small scroll in her hand, her sisters behind her. “We’ve written it all down for you. Just find someone to conduct the spell, and you’ll have what you want—as long as your intentions are pure.”

  My muscles ached as I stood and took the scroll to inspect it. The list of ingredients and instructions looked legit, as far as I could tell. Since there was no way to test them here, I had to take their word for it.

  “Thanks.”

  They didn’t bother acknowledging my gratitude, just turned and retreated into the temple.

  I grinned wearily and looked at Maximus. “Well, I guess that’s that.”

  “They don’t waste time, at least.”

  “Let’s get out of here. Can we use a transport charm? I felt a protection charm at the entrance to the forest.”

  Maximus shook his head. “I felt it, too. I think we need to get out of the woods before we try. This place is sacred—to Artemis, I assume—and I don’t think transporting is allowed.”

  “She’d want to know who comes and goes from her woods.”

  “Indeed, I do.” The godly voice resonated with power, and I spun to find Artemis stepping out from between the trees.

  “You did well here, DragonGod.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You must not pass through the forest at night. It is too dangerous.”

  “We need to stop the Stryx,” I said.

  “You cannot stop them if you are dead. There are creatures that prowl this forest at night that do not heed my wishes. Even I do not like to confront them. It is only a few hours until daybreak, so it will not be long.” She paused. “And the Stryx have not broken through to Tartarus. Not yet.” She gestured for us to follow. “Come, I will lead you to a grove where you will be safe, but you must not step outside of the boundaries until daybreak.”

  “All right, thank you.” I struggled with my desire to charge off and stop the Stryx, but if Artemis was too afraid to confront the night creatures, I didn’t want to either.

  We followed Artemis through the forest. Faint moonlight filtered through the trees, turning the bark silver and the ground a dark, rich gray. Through the leaves above, I caught sight of a few stars, twinkling away. In the distance, animals rustled in the leaves, night creatures going about their business. If I focused hard enough, I could even hear their heartbeats.

  “Here we are.” Artemis turned and gestured to a clearing up ahead.

  A beautiful blue pool sparkled under the moonlight, the color a deep rich navy in the dark. Artemis waved her hand, and a campfire burst to life next to it, warm and welcoming. Plush sleeping pads and blankets appeared next to the fire, along with trays of food and wine.

  Uh-oh.

  As if she could read my mind, Artemis spoke. “It is all safe for mortals to eat, I vow it. I would not give you my magic and then feed you something that might trap you in the godly realm.”

  I met her gaze, and believed her. “Thank you.”

  “When the sun rises, you may walk safely from the forest. Once you are on the outskirts, your transportation charm will work.” She stepped toward me, reaching for my arm. Her touch was like lightning, but somehow, not bad. It shot power and strength through me instead of an electric current. “We believe in you, Rowan. You must believe in yourself.”

  Her faith in me made my eyes prickle with tears. I blinked and nodded. “Thank you.”

  She smiled, then turned and left, disappearing into the air as she walked.

  I turned to the campfire and the picnic, my stomach already rumbling. “If you want to take the first turn in the bath, go for it.” I had eyes only for the bread, cheese, and fruit laid out in front of me on beautiful golden platters.

  By the time I heard splashing in the water behind me, I was already chomping away. Explosions of flavor made me swoon, and it was true—godly food is better. Everything tasted amazing. I ate and drank as Ma
ximus bathed behind me, and it was hard not to think of what he might look like. As my hunger was sated, it became even harder to keep my mind on pure thoughts.

  Maybe I should join him. That wasn’t a terrible idea, was it?

  “All done.” His voice sounded from behind me.

  Dang. Opportunity lost.

  I swallowed the last bite of apple and stood, turning. His hair was damp and dark in the moonlight, and once again, I was struck by how much he looked like a fallen angel. I didn’t mean to be so shallow, but it was impossible to ignore.

  “Thanks.” I slipped by him, headed toward the pool, and he settled by the fire to eat. I couldn’t help but peek over my shoulder at him as I undressed, but he had his back politely turned.

  I kind of wanted to tell him not to bother being so polite—that I might actually like it if he looked—but I couldn’t figure out the words. Everything I came up with sounded awkward as hell.

  Carefully, I dipped my toe into the pool, delighted to find it warm. It was about the size of my bedroom back home, and the moonlight turned the water a clear, dark midnight blue. I could just make out the big rocks that sat on the bottom.

  Gratefully, I sank into the water, letting the warmth work away the soreness in my muscles. I leaned back and looked at the stars overhead, realizing that there were millions of them, all visible to the naked eye.

  Delighted, I grinned. There must be no light pollution out here. It was magical to bathe beneath the stars, beside a camp created for us by a goddess.

  As the water flowed around me, I couldn’t help but believe that maybe I was worthy. She believed in me. If freaking Artemis believed in me, maybe I needed to believe in myself.

  I could do this. I’d used the magic that I’d been afraid of, proven again that I could do it. Whatever my fears were, they weren’t rational. They were holdovers from my time in captivity, and I needed to remember that. It was the only way to make it through this.

  Truly relaxed for the first time in months, I enjoyed my bath, stealing occasional glances at Maximus. Finished, I got out and dried myself with the white cloth sitting by the pool—really, Artemis had thought of everything—then stared at my dirty clothes in dismay.