by Kelly Ethan
“If that’s true, why isn’t my daughter here telling me this?” Marjorie eyes shimmered with unshed iridescent tears.
Priss took out her mother’s scale and passed it to Marjorie. “Not long after I was born, she came back to tell you about me. A crop duster carrying Dragons Breath hit her. Both her and the pilot died.”
A single tear slid down Marjorie’s face as she gripped the scale. “This was hers. I feel it. I was aware of the crop duster accident, but I was away at the time and there was never any mention of a dragon involved.”
Xandie broke in. The tension had built in the room and even Es held her breath, waiting for the next development. “Someone paid the crop duster to target Melinda on purpose.”
“But why? She left me, there was no reason to hurt her.”
Xandie licked her lips, dreading what she had to tell the elderly woman. She hoped the old dragon had a tough hide. “Melinda received a letter supposedly delivered from you, banishing her. Priss has it here. And a letter to the pilot of the plane offering money if he took the dragon out.”
Priss held the letter out with a trembling hand to her grandmother.
Marjorie snatched the letters out of her hand and poured over them. She raised devastated eyes to the room. “This is not my writing. I would never banish her, and children are a blessing. Hybrid or not.”
Priss swallowed. “That’s not all. We have evidence either one or both, Adelind and Ronald, were behind it and Archibald and Iris Malone’s murder.”
Marjorie reached out a hand to Es, both dragons shell-shocked. They huddled together, comforting and holding each other.
“Why do you think mom and dad were involved?”
“Because my Aunt Winifred sold a salve to treat Dragon Shale infection to Adelind at the same time as the crop duster incident. I contracted transferred Dragon Shale when the Inn was overrun by rats when I met with Ronald. Adelind was there too. Archibald was in a dragon art fraud scheme with Iris Malone. He agreed to help Priss prove her claim, but he was killed, and the murderer framed Priss.”
“Oh my gods.” Marjorie collapsed against the cell bed, dragging Es with her. “After Melinda disappeared, I waited six months before I made Adelind heir. If I’d known Melinda had a child, I would never have done that.”
Xandie walked up to Marjorie and crouched at her feet. “Ronald was a go-between. He delivered the letter, gave Melinda money, and she contacted him and Adelind when she wanted to meet with you. Penne-owned cars dropped off pay-off money and another car with the license plate PEN1 tried to ram us off the road today. I’m sorry, Marjorie, but the police have to know.”
Marjorie’s hand trembled as she gestured to a bottle of sparkling water sitting next to a hamper of food. Es passed the drink over and Marjorie toyed with the open bottle. “Adelind’s ruthless, but I never expected murder.”
“Ronald met with me and he implied you were losing it. Dragon dementia. And that you might be a silent partner with Iris and Archibald.”
Marjorie snorted. “I have plenty of money and if I want to sell any artifacts, I can do it. No need to resort to criminal activities.”
“He might’ve been the one informing the police too,” Xandie offered, worried this might be the tipping point for Marjorie.
“Mom and dad love high society. The parties, the respect and fear everyone pays the Penne heir.” Es rubbed her eyes. “I don’t care. I guess I’m similar to my grandmother. Archibald and his mother are like Adelind and Ronald.”
“Could your parents kill to keep their positions of power?” Priss’s words tore a hole in the temporary peace of the cell.
“I would have said Mom would never have dirtied her hands and soul, but now...” Es trailed off miserable. “My father follows orders. Doesn’t have an autonomous bone in his body. He couldn’t have thought this plan up. His whole married life has been about marriage to the Penne heir.”
“Either one is capable of murder?”
Both dragons nodded. Es burst out of her seated position and paced the cell. “But Mom’s concerned about grandmother. She helped me get the hamper ready. How could she do this?”
Marjorie calmed Es with a hand in the air. She stood, an aged woman coming to terms with heartbreak. Marjorie extended the scale to Priss. “This is yours. Your mother would have wanted you to have it.” She smiled, a wavering curve to her lips. Es choked back a sob behind her.
Priss cradled the scale against her chest before slipping it back onto her necklace and hiding it away. She eyed Marjorie, uncertain what to do.
Marjorie made the first move and enveloped Priss in a tight dragon hug. “Welcome home, granddaughter.”
Tears ran down the dragons’ faces.
After a while, Xandie coughed. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but we have to decide what we do next.”
Marjorie dropped her arm and stepped back to the bed. “There’s only one course of action.” She glanced at Es. “I’m sorry, my darling, but the police have to know.”
The teenager’s face whitened, but she nodded her agreement.
Decision made, Marjorie sighed. Tension seeped away as she picked up the bottle of water and took a small sip.
Something niggled at the back of Xandie’s mind and her necklace warmed until it blazed against her skin. Adelind helped pack the gear for her grandmother, including the hamper and the bottle of water.
“Stop.” Xandie rushed forward and slapped the bottle out of Marjorie’s hand, but it was too late.
Es screamed as Marjorie convulsed, falling to the ground.
“Priss, get Agatha in here and call an ambulance.”
Priss bolted for the buzzer and screamed for Agatha.
Es moaned and dropped to her knees next to her grandmother.
“Stay back.” Xandie pushed her away. “If it’s a poison fatal to dragons, it could hurt you.”
Agatha and Riley slammed into the cell, first aid kit in hand. Caleb led Xandie and Es out and then collected the evidence while his mum and brother tended to Marjorie.
Priss stood in the doorway, arm around Es, both of them locked together in misery.
This was her fault. If Xandie had told Marjorie earlier, they might have stopped Adelind earlier. “I’m sorry, Priss. So damn sorry.” Xandie stepped out of the way as ambulance personnel crowded the holding cells. The paramedics moved to stabilize Marjorie for transport.
Es elected to ride with Marjorie to the hospital in the ambulance.
As they passed, Priss shoved her evidence at Xandie. “Nail my aunt to the wall, Xandie.” Her eyes overflowed as Es dragged Priss away.
Agatha came up behind Xandie and watch them load Marjorie into the ambulance. “That’s what power and greed gets you. Twenty to life.”
Xandie turned to Agatha and gave her the letters. “I want to make a statement on the murder of Melinda Penne, Archibald Penne, Iris Malone and the attempted murder of Marjorie Penne.”
Agatha Braun nodded and patted Xandie on the shoulder. “It’ll be all right, Xandie. Marjorie’s a tough old dragon.”
Really? Because it looked to Xandie like the woman had lost a daughter, and her life, at the same time. And Priss would lose the family she’d only just found.
All because of the greed.
Sixteen
The constant beeps of the life-support machine filled Xandie with equal parts relief and dread. Marjorie Penne had made it through the night but was in a medically induced coma. Thankfully she’d only taken a sip of the poisoned water when Xandie knocked the bottle out of her hand. Priss and Es stayed with their grandmother until the hospital had kicked them out to get some rest. Priss was staying with Es at the Penne compound.
“Any change?” Lila handed Xandie a hot chocolate from her bakery and Holly placed two of Xandie’s favorite pastries on a napkin.
“Thanks, guys.” Xandie smiled and inhaled her hot chocolate. “No change. They have her in a medical coma, but she survived the night. Surprised everyone. Dragon’s Breath is dead
ly for dragons, but she only had a sip. The next twenty-four hours will decide what happens.” Xandie broke her pastry in half. Her appetite had fled with her words.
“The police put a bulletin out on Adelind. She left in her car after dropping Es and the poisoned water off at the station. No one’s heard from her since,” Lila filled in Xandie. “Same with Ronald. The cops are worried Adelind did something to him.”
“Priss and Es are under Melody’s guard. She’s ordering pizza in for them and will bring them back here after they’ve had food and rest,” Holly offered in a quiet voice.
“And mom, Winifred and Elspeth are brewing potions and hexes in case of trouble.” Lila rolled her eyes.
“I checked in on Theo and his imp and they’re fine. The library’s on lockdown and only Harrow blood can get in.” Holly picked up a medical chart and flicked through. “Theo’s worried and wanted me to let you know the library’s concerned too. He said to be careful. He doesn’t want to train another librarian, since your seasoning is coming along so well.” She snickered.
“He’s all feline heart.” Xandie checked her watch. “I’ll find the doctor and have a chat about Marjorie.”
Xandie closed the door to the dragon’s hospital room. The tough old woman was almost as scary as Elspeth, but no one wanted to see the elder in a coma. Especially when her own daughter had caused it. A white-coated man with his head down walked past Marjorie’s room, swerving at the last minute as he spotted Xandie.
Curious? Why did she feel she’d derailed his plan by standing in the doorway? “Excuse me, Doctor? Can I speak to you?” Maybe the anxious doctor had information on Marjorie?
The white-coated gentleman sped up and raced around the corner of the hallway.
“Hey you, wait.” Xandie bolted after the man. She had a sneaky suspicion speedy Gonzalez wasn’t a medical professional.
Disappearing through an emergency exit to the stairs, she slammed into the heavy metal door as it shut in her face. “Ow.”
She rubbed her nose and shoved the door open onto the deserted stairwell. “Great, empty stairs leading to a deserted parking garage. That doesn’t scream horror movie at all.”
Taking a deep breath and steeling her nerve, Xandie followed the trail of discarded clothing into an underground garage. She toed a doctor’s white coat out of the way. “Freaky striptease.” She shoved the doors to the garage open and stumbled over a stethoscope. Xandie hissed as she landed on her knees on the bare concrete. Thank god she’d worn jeans today. Otherwise Theo would tease her about grazed knees.
“Coordination doesn’t run in your family, does it?”
Scrambling back, Xandie pushed herself upright. An older man with gray military style haircut and a plain black suit frowned at her.
“Excuse me?” Perfect strangers should keep their comments on her lack of athletic ability to themselves.
“It’s the age-old argument of nature over nurture.” The older man lit a cigarette, ignoring the no smoking sign overhead. “If you’d had your mother for longer than five years, would you have been as agile and adept as she is? It’s an interesting debate.”
He was talking about her mother like he knew her. But how? Who was he? Only one way to find out. “How do you know my mother died when I was five?” Dying, disappearing, amnesia, same thing to a five-year-old.
Guffawing, he snuffed out his cigarette with a thumb and a finger. “We call it actively recruiting. Your mother, injured or not, was an asset.”
“You’re the government men my mother worked for before she disappeared.”
“And afterward.”
He beamed a smile at her the way a pet owner did when their doggie did a trick. She fought a shiver, anyone who treated a person like an animal wasn’t someone she wanted to associate with.
“As I said, a memory isn’t needed. Your mother’s skills as an investigator and catalyst are innate and second to none. We weren’t going to let that talent go to waste.”
Waste? He’d stolen her injured mother away from a traumatized child. “You’re a monster. I was five. I needed my mom,” Xandie yelled, heart pumping a staccato beat. Her necklace blazed hot, a burning circular brand. Xandie spotted a tiny, shadowy figure scoot past the plain, nondescript government issue vehicle. Had the library sent a rescue party?
“I’m pure human. Not a monster, like those you surround yourself with. Your country needed your mother more than you did. You have no clue of the fight your fellow Americans are involved in against supernatural cabals. Their corruption influences the very foundations of your society. Your mother before her incident was an important asset. Close intimate knowledge of the supernatural world with no ostensible powers or supernaturally disfiguring features. Once unburdened of her family and supernatural memories, she became perfect for our use.”
Perfect? What crazy Kool-Aid was this guy guzzling? A skittering of nails under the government car had Xandie twitching. She shifted her gaze away, not willing to draw attention to what could be the library’s escape plan. “You’re psychotic. Where is my mom?”
The unnamed agent grimaced. “That’s the problem. She disappeared. We’ve been trying to track her for the last seven years. She’s top of our most wanted list now because of her knowledge of our inner workings.”
Xandie bent over, great peals of laughter ending in a snort ripped out of her. “Oh, that’s classic. You stole her then lost her.”
Half a dozen more knee-high shadows joined the other under the agent’s car.
“I thought you would appreciate the irony. And that’s why you’ll help bring your mother in.”
When Hell froze. “Nup. Not happening.”
He raised a fist and two more black-suited men stepped out, weapons drawn. The older man pointed his own weapon at Xandie. “You don’t have a choice.”
Shadowy critters swarmed the agent’s car, gray-green leathery skin blending to camouflage with the car. Metallic popping noises echoed in the empty garage as screws and bolts exploded out of the vehicle. Panels dropped off and doors hung drunkenly.
The two younger men threw their guns away as the creatures swarmed and climbed their arms and legs.
The agent in front of Xandie swung his legs as the leathery goblins clamped sharp claws onto his legs. With a curse, he threw his gun and a group of her rescuers jumped on it, screeching and howling until they reduced the weapon to bits and pieces. One animal let out a satisfied burp, before rolling over and patting his gray tummy.
Xandie smirked. “Never bring a gun to a supernatural fight. You’ll lose every time.”
“One way or another, you’ll lead us to your mother.” He grunted, trying to twist and move arms now pinned to his sides by the gremlins hugging him.
“I won’t. Wherever I go or whatever I do, the library will protect me. And I’m sure that goes for my family, absent or otherwise. If you don’t want an all-out supernatural war, you better stay out of Point Muse and my life.”
“You should listen to the little librarian.” A tall, muscled man with a shock of blond hair stepped up next to Xandie.
More library help? “Yeah, what he said.” Xandie poked a finger at her new ally.
“We’ll never stop watching her. Miranda Harrow will come re-join our task force,” the agent spat, his face glowing red as he twisted.
Other muscular men, with varying shades of blond hair, surrounded the agent and his men.
“Look, but no touch, human.” Xandie’s new ally sneered at the prisoner. “I’d stop struggling or those kobolds might forget they eat metal and start devouring flesh.”
He ceased his movements, his eyes wide.
Bowing to Xandie, her ally gestured to the government agent. “With your permission, my men will deliver these gentlemen back to their employers.”
She got the impression her new friend knew who her black-suited enemies were. “And their employers are?”
The blond man grinned, his front teeth pointed. Smoke trickled from a nostril. “The
American government has not always been so inclusive of different races and species. These agents’ task force, the Anti-Species Project, has been in place, deep in the government’s core since the fifties. Originally funded by the Pura Sanguis.” He cocked an eyebrow. “I gather you’ve had run-ins with the pure blood knights?”
Xandie wrinkled her nose. “Unfortunately. Hang on... Anti-Species Project. ASP? They work for a task force that has the acronym ASP?”
Her ally shrugged. “Humans aren’t that imaginative. We will return him to his bosses. They won’t try a face-to-face meeting again for a while, now they’ve tested your defenses.” He flicked his fingers and his men dragged the agents away.
“Hey,” Xandie protested. “He had information on my mother.”
“They might hate the supernatural, but they aren’t above forcing those with powers to barricade their minds. Even in interrogation their minds are impenetrable. He wouldn’t have given you any more information.”
“I take it you’ve come across these guys before?”
He grinned, shark teeth on display. “Once or twice.”
Xandie bet her new ally had come out on top at every encounter. The predator vibe was strong in this one. She stuck her hand out and introduced herself. “I’m Xandie Meyers. Thanks for the assist.”
“Ladon. I’m a Hesper Gold. The library knew we’d tangled with ASP before, so it called for help.”
Hesper Gold? She hadn’t come across that supernatural species in her research yet.
Taking pity on her confusion, he explained, “We are golden dragons who guard the garden of Hesperides and the golden apples of immortality.”
“Is that the gardens that has nymphs and belongs to the Greek Goddess Hera?” At least she didn’t look completely ignorant, that much information she knew.
“The nymphs vacated when Hera moved us in. We were heading to Point Muse Hospital when the library sent out her distress call.”
“Why the hospital here?” There had to be closer dragon hospitals they could go visit.
Ladon smiled, with teeth covered, and held up a golden-stoppered bottle. He cradled it in his hands. “A long time ago, when the matriarch was young and impulsive, she saved the life of a Hester child. He protected his apple tree against thieves and Marjorie leaped to his defense. We’re returning that favor.” He extended the bottle to Xandie. “This will heal her from her unending sleep.”