by Lili Zander
Bea claps her hand over my mouth. “Stop, stop,” she begs, laughing hysterically. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“Fine,” I mumble into her palm.
She removes her hand and steps back. “Text me tomorrow.”
“Will do.” I grin again. “And you have fun playing hide the salami.”
I make my way back upstairs when the headache that I’ve been struggling with all day long seems to hit a crescendo. A wave of dizziness hits me, and I slump to the floor. I can almost feel a narrow crack in the ward, and then he’s through.
Zyrian.
Little dragon mate, you thought you could keep me out? His voice reverberates inside my head, but it’s muffled. The ward must still be fighting him.
Yes, it is. I don’t have long. This time.
I stumble, catching myself on a pillar about ten feet away from where my dragons sit, smiling and laughing with each other.
How quaint. A birthday party for Jaeger. Disdain drips from his every word. How very… Norm.
Once again, I can feel him sifting through my thoughts. Some he passes over without much care, others I can feel him digging—studying every facet of the memory. When he gets to the memory of Endellion cutting Mateo’s palm, he snorts again. Blood magic. But Valentini’s not strong enough. None of you are.
“And you are?” I scoff. “We’re not the ones hiding away in a fortress, sending wolves to do our dirty work. Why’s that, Zyrian? Too scared to face us?”
Jesus, Aria. Goad the crazy dragon a little more, why don’t you?
Dark tendrils of magic swarm inside my mind as Zyrian loses his temper. He’s so distracted by his rage that I can see his intent. He’s commanding his magic to coil around me like a snake.
I panic, feeling the constriction around my throat, and mentally search for my dragons. I find the brilliant golden glow that surrounds Mateo. Without thinking too hard, I grab hold of the golden strings and pull them into me, visualizing Mateo’s clean, pure magic flooding my mind and pushing out the taint of Zyrian’s oozy sludge. The pressure releases and I gasp in relief.
Impossible, Zyrian snarls.
Then all five dragons are at my side. The connection between us strengthens and grows, and I feel the crack in the ward heal, and then Zyrian is gone, and my mind is safe again.
Mateo slumps to the ground. I don’t have time to wonder why. The world fades around me, and I’m plunged into darkness.
66
Mateo
“Is she okay?” I ask, trying to stand. Bad idea. I’m completely drained, and it’s going to take me a few hours to recover my strength.
Strong hands hold me down. It’s Rhys. “Calm down, mate. Just sit for a minute. Aria is fine. Bastian and Erik are with her.”
I close my eyes and take a few, steadying breaths. By Zeus, the Dark Dragon is strong. The ward should have held, but somehow, he found a way through.
She was able to tug on my magic once again. The Bloodstone had blazed against my skin, and then Aria had reached for the threads of magic, trying to use them to push Zyrian out. The moment I realized he’d broken through, I’d pulled strength from all of us—Bastian, Erik, Casius, Rhys and myself, and I’d pushed it toward her.
Flames dance over my skin as my dragon threatens to erupt. It wants to tear Zyrian from limb to limb. It wants to raze his castle to the ground, and it wants to ensure that the Dark Dragon will never again be a threat to my mate.
This time, we were strong enough to repair the ward. But what about the next time? Can we stop Zyrian again?
67
Aria
“Why hasn’t she woken up yet?” That’s Bastian’s voice, though I’ve never heard him sound as vulnerable.
“Give her time.” A familiar and welcome voice fills the room—Silas. Wait, Silas is reassuring Bastian? Talk about role-reversal. “She’s strong. She’ll be fine and pissed as hell when she wakes up.”
Why are they worried about me? Why do I feel an almost panicked need to open my eyes and find them? Then, in a rush, everything comes back.
Zyrian broke through the ward.
I open my senses and reach out for my mates. They’re huddled around me. I see Casius’ warm, bubbly, glow. The almost frenetic golden energy that surrounds Rhys. The impenetrable strength that is Erik. Bastian’s aura is tinged with worry as he grips my hand tighter. Then, the golden strands that weave around Mateo like a protective net.
Shit. I yanked pretty hard on those strands. So hard that he collapsed. My eyes flutter open in alarm. “Is Mateo okay?”
A strong, calloused hand cups my cheek. “Tesoro, I’m fine.”
Erik steps forward. Flames dance on his skin and anger radiates from him in palpable waves. For once, I have no doubt that his anger is focused on someone other than me. “Tell us what happened.”
Rhys puts a restraining hand on Erik’s arm. “She just woke up. Give her a fucking minute.”
“No, it’s okay.” I pull myself up to a sitting position on Bastian’s bed. Wait, I’m in Bastian’s room? Not at the club? How long have I been out of it?
“Zyrian found a crack in the ward,” I reply tiredly. “Or maybe he caused the crack in the first place.” I grimace ruefully. “I think he was just going to look through my mind, but then I goaded him. I told him he was too scared to face us. That might have been a mistake.”
“You think?” Bastian’s tone is chiding, but his face shines with pride.
“He shouldn’t have been able to get through the wards,” Mateo says, his voice tight with worry. “At all. We need a different plan.”
“You’re right.” Bastian nods grimly. “We’re going to Castle Jaeger. My mother’s wards will protect Aria.”
“I’m coming too,” Silas says promptly.
No. Over and over, I keep dreaming about Silas’ throat being slit. I don’t want to leave him alone, not when he’s trying a new, experimental treatment, but I know, deep down inside, that the safest place for him is far away from me.
“It’s Bastian’s castle,” I say, my voice gentle. “We don’t know how long we’ll be there. You just started a new treatment. You have a girlfriend. I’ll be fine with the guys, Silas. You know that they’ll protect me.”
“We should leave right away,” Mateo says. “If Zyrian attacks again, I’m not strong enough to fight back tonight.”
I hug Silas good-bye and try to shake off the premonition of doom that hovers over me.
68
Bastian
I don’t have good memories of Castle Jaeger. I remember wandering through its halls as a child, lonely and miserable. The servants tried their best, but what I wanted was a parent’s love, and both of mine were dead.
I haven’t been back for almost twenty years. Mateo’s visited more recently than I have, my mother’s library a powerful draw.
I thought I could keep Aria safe in New York. I hoped that Zyrian’s powers were waning and that we could contain the Dark Dragon. I wanted so much for the curse to be broken, for me to finally have the chance to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. I wanted to spoil and pamper my mate. To see Aria’s eyes sparkle with delight. I wanted to give her everything.
I thought I could steal a moment or two for myself. To luxuriate in her touch. To hear her moan as I fucked her. To watch her body writhe and twist under mine as I slid into her.
But Zyrian has other ideas.
In Castle Jaeger, Maija Essen’s wards hold, and have never been broken.
Aria will be safe there, and that is the most important thing of all.
The road snakes up a hill. It’s six in the evening, and it’s dark outside. “This is spooky,” Aria says, her voice a whisper.
I smile wryly. “And you haven’t even seen the castle yet.”
We round the bend, and the stone walls come into view. Aria inhales sharply. “Bastian, your castle has a moat. And stone walls. I feel like I’ve gone back hundreds of years in time.” She gives me a sidelong look, her eyes sparkling w
ith mischief. “Tell me you have indoor plumbing.”
I laugh out loud. “The castle was thoroughly renovated five years ago,” I tell her. I never went back to see it, but the designer insisted on sending me pictures every step of the way.
Mateo, who’s riding in the front seat, turns around. “Did they touch anything in the library?”
I shake my head. “My mother’s wing remains untouched.”
He nods in relief. “Good. Your mother’s wards are infinitely stronger than mine. Maybe she’ll have some notes on how to fashion stronger protection for Aria.”
The convoy of cars pulls up at the front. The massive wooden doors creak open, and a line of staff emerge. “Fuck me,” Aria says softly. “How many people work here?”
“I’m not sure,” I admit sheepishly. “Wilhelm would know, or Frau Ziegler.”
Mateo rolls his eyes. “The butler and the housekeeper,” he explains. “They’re both wolf shifters. The Helferich pack lives on the grounds of Castle Jaeger and maintains the building and the grounds in exchange for Bastian’s protection.”
Aria surveys the assembled people with wide eyes. “Every time I manage to forget how rich you are,” she mutters, “something like this happens and reminds me that we’re from very different worlds.”
She’s freaking out. There’s no pizza here to distract her, but I have something that might be almost as good. “Underneath the castle is my vault,” I tell my mythology-loving mate. “And in it is Gungnir.”
It works exactly as intended. Her face brightens, and her eyes sparkle with anticipation. “Let’s go see it.”
69
Aria
Castle Jaeger feels alive.
The moment I cross the threshold, a shock runs through me, and then a blanket of protection falls over me. For the first time in days, I’m free of Zyrian’s attempts to break into my mind, and until the burden is gone, I didn’t realize how heavy it’d become.
Mateo takes a deep breath. “You feel it, don’t you?” he asks me.
“Feel what?” Bastian is doing the meet-and-greet with the waiting castle staff, but he looks up when he hears Mateo’s question.
“Zyrian’s absence,” I reply. “It feels like a weight off my shoulders. You can’t feel it?” Their blood is shoring up my ward too.
Casius shakes his head. “Only Mateo has magic,” he replies, his eyes speculative. “And you.”
Yay. More mystery.
Five hours later, I’ve showered, eaten dinner, seen the spear of Odin and am struggling to stay awake. Bastian catches me trying to suppress a yawn and gives me an indulgent smile. “Go to sleep, mausezähnchen,” he says. “I’ll give you the tour of the castle in the morning.”
“It’s five in the evening in New York. I don’t even know why I’m sleepy.”
“I do,” Mateo replies, getting to his feet. “Thanks to Zyrian, none of us has gotten much rest in the last week. We can make plans in the morning. Tonight, I’m going to get a good night’s sleep.” He offers me his hand. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
He leads me through three grandly furnished rooms and then turns right. “I’m going to be lost here a lot,” I say, shaking my head in confusion.
He chuckles. “I’ve been turned around more than once, and I’ve been coming here for hundreds of years. Here you go. Third door on the right in the corridor with the red carpet.”
I roll my eyes. “As if I’m going to remember that.” Standing on tiptoe, I kiss Mateo’s cheek. “Do you mind if I don’t invite you in?”
“Not in the slightest.” His blue eyes are understanding. “You’re wiped. Get some rest, tesoro.” He brushes a warm kiss across my lips. “Good night.”
I change into my flannel PJs and fall into bed. In less than a minute, I’m out like a light.
Aria. Wake up.
I jerk up in my bed. Zyrian? I thought I was safe from him here.
The voice in my head seems amused. I’m not Gideon. Come.
Come where? I’m going to stay right where I am, thankyouverymuch. Following strange voices in the middle of the night seems a pretty dumb thing to do.
Come if you want to find out what you are.
Damn it. I slide into my fuzzy slippers and pull a robe around my shoulders. Bastian’s castle is cold at night. There’s a fireplace in my room that was lit earlier, but the flames have died down. “Where do you want me to go?” I ask out loud.
Great. I’m talking to a voice in my head.
You’ll know.
Umm, okay. That’s not the slightest bit helpful at all. I make my way down the corridor. Something tugs me toward a small iron door. The moment I touch the doorknob, it swings open, and I see another long dark corridor.
“Are you nuts?” I ask my imaginary voice. “I’m not going down there. I can’t see in the dark.”
The moment I finish my sentence, torches set in the wall blaze to life. Not creepy at all.
Gathering up my courage, I make my way down the dusty corridor. This must be an unused portion of the castle, because every room I’ve been in so far has been spotless. Frau Ziegler must be an energetic cleaner.
Another door swings open at the far end of the corridor as I approach. It’s Bastian’s castle, I tell myself, trying to calm my racing pulse. It’s perfectly safe here.
I go through that doorway. Opposite the door is an archway. Beyond it is a stairway heading down. I take a deep breath and start descending.
The stairway seems to lead on forever. By the time I’m at the bottom, my knees are shaking, and my muscles tremble. It’s embarrassing. I’ve got to start spending more time in the gym.
Here you are.
There’s a blaze of light, and I can see. I’m standing in an enormous underground chamber, and in front of me is a massive, red-scaled dragon, surveying me with slitted jade-green eyes.
I can’t help myself. I scream and start to back up. The creature seems to roll its eyes. Norms. Two eyes in their heads but they cannot see. Use your senses, girl. I’m not really here.
Use my senses. Good idea. Now would be a great time for some protective magic threads. I close my eyes and try to find Mateo, but the blanket of protection I felt the moment I stepped into Castle Jaeger seems thicker now. The dragon chuckles. You’re right, it says. You can’t reach the mage. Not unless I want you to. It’s just you and me, Aria.
“Are you going to hurt me?”
The dragon snorts, and its tail twitches. If I wanted to hurt you, you’d be dead.
Fair enough. I step back into the room. “Who are you?”
Finally, a sensible question. It shifts its position, and I catch a glimpse of a large painting on the far wall. In an opulent, sun-lit chamber, a red dragon is hunched over an egg, its wings protectively furled around it. Two women are nearby, their faces etched with worry.
I look at the painting, then to the dragon, and back again. “That’s you?” Understanding fills me. “You’re Bastian’s mother. Maija Essen.”
I am a memory of the past, sent to the future so I may talk to you, the dragon replies. I’m not real. But yes. When I existed, I was the Silver Mage.
I’d imagined Bastian’s mother to be a kindly old lady, but Maija Essen isn’t anything of the sort. Dangerous. Powerful. Mysterious.
Yes, yes. She sounds impatient now. You can pay homage later. Look again at the painting.
I can see where Bastian gets his bossiness from. I take a closer look at the picture, and my heart starts to race. One of the women in the painting has long blonde hair. She looks exactly like me. “Who is that?” I ask through suddenly dry lips.
Her name was Halla Northridottir. She was my maid.
“She’s my ancestor.”
Maija Essen nods. Come forward. She holds out her paw, and I see a ring dangling from a sharp claw. Put the ring on, and you will see everything.
It might be dangerous, but I don’t care. I’m too close to the answer. I take three shaking steps toward the dragon, and slide th
e ring on my finger…
…And I’m somewhere else.
“You’re inside my memories.” The woman by my side is wearing a rich gold brocade gown, and her long black hair hangs in loose curls down her back. “Watch. All will be made clear.”
We’re in the sunlight room in the painting. A heavily-pregnant woman is lying on the bed. Maija Essen in human form, I assume. Halla Northridottir hovers next to her, wringing her hands together. “My Lady. It is time.”
“Yes.” She sits up on the bed, and there’s so much sorrow on her face that I want to give her a hug and tell her it’s all going to be okay. Except I know it isn’t. I’ve heard this story from Bastian. Maija Essen will die in childbirth, and her husband, Johannes Jaeger will fall into a grief-stricken sleep upon her death, and he will never wake from it.
Childbirth should be a time of joy, yet in the room, Maija Essen looks like the world is about to end. With sudden awareness, I turn to the woman at my side. “You knew you were going to die, didn’t you?”
“Watch,” she says.
Pregnant-Maija holds out her palm and closes her eyes. When she opens them, the Bloodstone glitters on her hand.
I lean forward. I’ve seen the gem a thousand times, but I’ve never seen it like this, whole and unadorned. There’s no golden dragon guarding it. It’s just a beautiful, deep-red ruby, pure and untouched.
“Every path before me ends in destruction,” pregnant-Maija says. “All is dark. Magic is going to be poisoned. We are going to lose our mates. Within a year, five families will be hunted and killed.” Tears roll down her cheeks. “It is not a gift to see the future, Halla. It is a curse.”
“Every curse has a way out, my Lady,” the maid says. That’s my girl, I want to cheer. Well, that’s my great-great-lots-of-great-grandmother.
Her words seem to give the dragon mage new hope. “You’re right, Halla.” She runs her thumb over the Bloodstone, and a piece of it breaks off in her hand. She surveys the now-flawed gem for a long second, and I watch, transfixed, as the gold dragon forms around the chipped ruby. “That’ll guard it against any further harm,” she says. “Now for this.” She transfers her attention to the blood-red chip, and once again, the grief on her face makes my breath catch.