The air left her lungs in a whoosh as Gilliam unclipped the sheath and handed it to her. “What is it?”
“A knife.”
“A knife.” Her hand trembled as she unlaced the sheath and curled her fingers around the bone hilt.
“I found it in the tunnel when I helped Andor move his treasure.” He stared at the blade as she pulled the knife free of the leather sheath.
“It’s beautiful.” Larisa held it out in front of her and the last rays of the sun glanced off it. The metal glimmered like fire. It was as if it were alive. She looked closer. It reminded her of Ivan’s dragon’s scales when the light caught them.
“I believe it belonged to the elves. If they ever existed. I’ve lived alone for so long that sometimes it’s difficult to tell where the lines between real and make-believe are blurred.” He tilted his head to one side. “Whether the elves were real or not, I think this belongs with you.”
She frowned. “I’m not an elf.”
“No, you’re not. But if you are going to convince Argothorn that you are, then this might just tip the balance in your favor.”
“Why didn’t you give me this in front of Ivan?” Larisa sheathed the knife but didn’t clip it to her belt.
“The knife is made to pierce dragon skin. It’s long and thin, just right for slipping between dragon scales and piercing their flesh.” Gilliam held out his hand and then jerked it upwards before twisting his hand sharply.
Larisa forced herself to hold onto the knife even though she wanted to throw it into the gathering darkness and never see it again. “Are you asking me to kill Argothorn? Is that your real plan?”
“No!” He held up his hands and shook his head. “But I also don’t want you to die. Ivan needs you. Ivan deserves you. He deserves a family and children. Children who should be safe with both parents. Not orphaned because of wicked selfish deeds.”
“This is for my protection.” Her eyes pricked with tears as the full extent of the danger she was about to put herself in was exposed for the first time. She’d been a fool to agree to Gilliam’s plan so quickly and without enough thought.
Larisa straightened her back. Yet this was how it was supposed to be. How it had to be. They couldn’t live happily now. Not when the dragon lord must have sensed the pendant’s presence.
“There is another way,” Gilliam said as if he’d read her thoughts.
“Which is?”
He held out his hand, palm upwards. “You leave the pendant here and never think of it again. Go live your life, the two of you. Live a long and happy life with your children and forget about dragons.”
“You want me to hand over the pendant?” Her hand closed around it where it lay in her pocket. Was this his plan all along? But why give her the knife?
Gilliam shook his head. “No. I don’t want you to hand over the pendant.” His eyes flashed with anger and his hand curled into a fist. “I want you to go over to the dragon isle and take down the murderer who killed my friend. I want you to crush him and leave him in the dirt, broken and bleeding.”
Larisa stepped backward, her eyes wide as Gilliam unleashed his fury. “Then that’s what we should do.” She brushed her hand over her eyes. “Thank you for the gift. I’ll keep it hidden from Ivan. This is going to be hard enough for him without the idea of me trying to kill a dragon.”
“I believe in you, Larisa. I believe this is your fate.” Gilliam’s anger had gone as swiftly as it came. “And I’ve decided... When this is over, I will come visit you in Wishing Moon Bay.”
“Not the dragon isle?” Larisa asked. “Have you changed your mind about us conquering the dragons entirely?”
“No, I haven’t changed my mind, but I promised Andor that I would never go back there. If a fae is going to start a war with the dragons, it’s not going to be me.” Gilliam rolled his shoulders and turned away from her. “Come, I promised you a taste of the fruit.”
“Maybe you should make some wine and Ivan can sell it in the restaurant.” She followed behind him and stood at his shoulder when he reached up and plucked two of the ripe red fruits from the tree.
“I like that idea.” He nodded and handed her a fruit. “There is one last thing, Larisa.”
“Why am I not surprised?” She sniffed the fruit as she cupped it in her hand.
“When I pass on, I want you to take over the palace here.”
Her hand dropped to her side. “I’m not a fae. Surely this should belong to your people?”
“I want to give it to you.” He chuckled. “Maybe you could persuade that dragon shifter of yours to spend a little of his treasure renovating the place.”
“If that’s what you want. Although you should give it to Karros or Elise. They would take good care of it.” She hooked her arm through his. “They have both followed their heart when their family wanted them to marry for money and status. I think that should be rewarded. Plus, I don’t think Ivan will want to visit here very often if he has to take the potion to conceal himself.”
“Maybe you’re right.” He lifted his fruit to his mouth. “Taste it. You might change your mind and want the orchard all for yourself.”
Larisa bit into the soft flesh and the juice burst into her mouth. She chewed slowly, savoring the taste and texture. “It’s incredible. Like honey fruit. No wonder Zara liked it so much.”
“Ah, bear shifters and honey. They are such simple creatures next to the fae and the dragons,” Gilliam said dreamily.
“Don’t you envy them?”
“Yes,” Gilliam chuckled. “I think I do.”
They strolled back to the palace. Instead of going to the kitchen, Larisa went straight to the room Gilliam had prepared for them to sleep in. Her pack lay next to the bed, which hadn’t been slept in for decades. She sat down on the mattress, which thankfully was not musty, and pulled her pack onto her lap.
Her hand trembled as she held the bone handle and pulled the knife from the sheath. “I hope I never have to use you.”
Shoving it back into the carved leather sheath, she buried the knife at the bottom of her pack. She had no plans to tell Ivan about it. But she did plan to take it with her.
For self-defense. Against a dragon shifter who was a known murderer.
Would she survive the encounter or would Argothorn claim another victim?
Chapter Twenty-Eight – Ivan
The journey back to Wishing Moon Bay went by in a daze. Without the need for him to sense his treasure, Ivan took a larger amount of the potion, not wanting to risk being seen for what he was.
I don’t like hiding, his dragon complained. However, they both knew this was the right thing to do to keep them all safe. And his treasure from being discovered.
“We’re nearly at the portal.” Larisa licked her lips as she glanced at Ivan and then switched her gaze back to the world outside the car. He’d barely taken any notice of their surroundings as Zara drove them across the fae realm. Whether it was sunny or cloudy, if they were passing through forests or an open plain, it had all been a blur.
“Once we’re through, you can shift and the spell will break,” Karros reminded him.
“Once we’re through, Argothorn might sense the pendant and come to claim it,” Zara reminded them. “So, you’d better shift, Ivan, in case we need you to protect us.”
Larisa leaned across Ivan and grabbed his pack. “I got the map. The location spell should still be working, right?”
“Yes. It should work for weeks. My grandma makes some of the most potent spells.” Karros leaned his elbow on the car door and stared out of the window. “We should have gone back past her house and asked her if she has a spell that could subdue Argothorn. I’d prefer to deal with a doped-up dragon than a pissed-off one.”
“Are there any potions that would subdue a dragon?” Larisa sat forward on her seat. “If there was, it might be worth a trip back to her house before we go to the dragon isle.”
“I don’t know,” Karros admitted. “And even if ther
e was, she might not give it to us. The fae stay out of dragon business and the dragons stray out of the fae’s business. That’s how it works, as an unwritten rule.”
“It makes sense.” Zara glanced in the rearview mirror as Larisa spread the map out on the seat between her and Ivan. “Anything?”
Larisa stared at the map and Ivan shifted his position so that he could check it out, too. Relief flooded him. The dragon hadn’t moved.
“No. He’s still in the same place.” She didn’t refold the map. Once they passed out of the fae realm, they would have to keep a constant eye on the map. Any movement might mean they needed to prepare to fight.
“Thank goodness.” Karros ran a hand through his hair. “I was worried he might have made a move while we were in the fae realm.”
“Me, too.” Larisa stared at the map. “Maybe we should hide the pendant just inside the fae realm. We could come and get it when we’re ready to make our move.”
“Too risky,” Karros replied. “And, after all the time you and your family have been searching for it...”
“You’re right.” Larisa glanced at Ivan, her fear obvious.
Ivan summoned his strength then leaned forward, clasping her hand. “Don’t worry. As soon as we’re through the portal, I’ll be back to my normal self.”
“Oh, great.” Zara slowed the car as they reached the village on the edge of the fae realm.
“What’s wrong?” Larisa quickly folded the map and put it back in the pack.
“There’s a vehicle blocking the road. We’ll have to go around it.” She glanced nervously in the rearview mirror.
“Can you see me?” Ivan asked.
“I can see you. Thankfully I can’t see your dragon.” She stared straight ahead, and Ivan slumped down in his seat. “If anyone asks, we’ll tell them he’s drunk.”
“It’s a good thing that Gilliam gave us a couple of bottles of his homemade wine. It makes our story more convincing.” Karros leaned back in his seat and stared out of the window. However, the shifter’s senses were probably trained on the group of people gathered around the vehicle up ahead. Ivan’s certainly were.
“Okay, here we go. They’ll be able to see inside the truck for a moment or two as we pass by. But the spell is working so just act cool.” Zara rolled her shoulders but still looked tense as she navigated around the vehicle which appeared to have a flat tire.
Larisa barely breathed when the truck dipped dangerously to the right as Zara left the road and drove along the uneven grass next to the road. Ivan closed his eyes, his senses fixed on his mate and the people outside of the truck. If they posed any danger to the people he loved, his dragon would break the spell, deal with the threat and then fly to the portal.
Simple, his dragon growled, longing to be free of the spell.
But incredibly dangerous, Ivan reminded him as the dragon fought for freedom. If anything goes wrong or anyone recognizes Karros, he won’t ever be able to come back to his homeland. We must play it cool.
Cool is not easy for a dragon. His dragon snorted fire before he settled down and closed his eyes.
The truck bumped back onto the road. Ivan kept his senses firmly fixed on the people of the village as they kept on moving. Sweat soaked his forehead, reminding him of when he was eight. A fever took hold of him, and Valerie had tried in vain to break it before she resorted to a consult from a witch.
He could still taste the vile syrupy potion Valerie had made him drink. He also recalled the almost immediate relief as his body cooled and his temperature returned to normal.
“Ivan.” His mate touched his arm and he jerked awake.
“Are we through?” The people of the village had gone. He no longer sensed them, and the air tasted different on his tongue.
“We’re through,” Zara confirmed but she didn’t stop the truck.
“We should put some distance between us and the portal before you shift,” Karros explained. “Just in case people saw us and recognized me.”
“You flatter yourself that you’re well known,” Zara quipped. “But you’re right, we don’t want to take any chances. Not when we’ve gotten this far.”
Ivan reached for the door and grabbed hold of it, hoisting himself into a sitting position. The spell still had a firm grip on him, and he desperately wanted to break free, but his friends were right. He just needed to be a little more patient.
“Okay, here we go.” Zara turned the steering wheel to the left and steered the truck off the road until they were partly hidden by a clump of thick trees.
“I’ll get out.” Ivan pulled the handle and the truck door opened. “Then you should drive off. I’ll give it a few minutes before I shift. Just to be sure.”
“Careful.” Larisa grabbed hold of his jacket as he nearly fell out of the truck to land flat on his face. “Should I go with you?”
Ivan shook his head. “No. Just in case my dragon doesn’t fly as well as he usually does. We don’t want you to fall off our back.”
“Ivan...” Larisa followed him as he got out of the truck. “I could walk from here.”
“No, go with Karros and Zara. I’ll meet you back at the hotel,” he assured her.
“Ivan will probably be back to the hotel before us.” Zara rolled down the window and watched Ivan as he leaned heavily on a tree. “If you’re not, I’ll come back and find you.”
Ivan nodded and raised his hand. “I’ll be okay.”
Larisa glanced at him over her shoulder before she got back in the truck and closed the door. “See you soon.”
He nodded and straightened up as Zara put the truck in drive and pulled back onto the road. He focused on the engine as it grew fainter, the pull of his mate almost too much to bear as the distance between them grew. The spell was already beginning to wear off. But he wanted it broken.
When he could no longer hear the sound of the engine, he staggered back toward the road. There, he finally gave in to his dragon. The air cracked and popped before the world faded and he was gone from it.
The shift was slow, as if everything was working in slow motion. Then, as his dragon burst into the world, the spell was torn apart and he was free.
The dragon ran along the road for a couple of long strides before he leaped into the air. The world fell away, and he climbed, higher and higher until the world below seemed small and insignificant. But it wasn’t insignificant. His mate was there and now that the spell no longer held him in its grip, he could sense her completely.
Swooping down, he fixed his senses on his mate until the truck came into view. With hard downbeats of his wings, he raced after the truck, shadowing it as Zara drove to the hotel. With a clear head, he could see the town below him and experience the familiarity of home.
His dragon landed in the corner of the hotel parking lot just as the truck left the road. Zara parked in a bay next to him and gave him a thumbs-up. The dragon nodded his gratitude and waited for Larisa to exit the vehicle.
“It’s good to see you.” Larisa ran to him and flung her arms around him as best she could. The dragon lowered his head and nuzzled her before he closed his eyes and inhaled her scent.
I don’t want her to go to the dragon isle, his dragon said mournfully.
Neither do I, but there’s no other way, Ivan replied.
There’s always another way, we simply don’t know what it is. Yet. His dragon lifted his head and sighed heavily.
We’d better figure out what that other way is fast if we want to stop Larisa from going. We can’t hang around and give Argothorn a chance to come here for the pendant.
“Ivan!” Valerie appeared at the top of the steps leading into the hotel. “Thank goodness you’re back.”
“Mom.” Ivan didn’t let go of Larisa’s hand as he strode toward Valerie.
His mom was already halfway down the steps before he reached her. “I was worried about you.”
“We’re fine.” He looked down into her face. “You’ve been crying.”
Val
erie brushed her hand across her eyes. “We should go inside and talk.”
“Mom, what happened?” Ivan didn’t want to wait for the news.
“Zara, Karros. You should come, too.” Valerie ushered them toward the hotel entrance.
“Mom, you’re worrying me. What happened?” Ivan stepped in front of Valerie, but she brushed him aside.
“Not out here.” She turned around and looked over her shoulder before she ducked inside the hotel.
“The map!” Larisa turned around and ran back to the truck and grabbed her pack along with Ivan’s pack, which contained the map. As she scrambled back out of the truck, she placed her hand over her pocket, checking that the pendant was still there. It was becoming a habit, one they needed to be rid of. She looked up and caught his eye, and her hand immediately dropped to her side. “Got it.”
“Go on in,” Ivan told Zara and Karros.
“Do you have any idea what’s wrong?” Zara’s face was pale as she ran up the steps.
“No idea.” Ivan waited for Larisa who yanked the map out of the pack and unrolled it while she walked. “Has the dragon moved?”
“No.” Larisa shook her head. “If the spell is working then the dragon hasn’t moved.”
“Good.” He sighed and then grabbed her hand and hurried into the hotel. “That would be my worst-case scenario.”
“By the look on Valerie’s face, something equally bad seems to have happened.” Larisa followed behind Karros and Zara as they went to Valerie’s apartment.
However, Ivan froze and turned toward the kitchen as they passed through the hotel foyer. “Elise isn’t here.”
“Maybe she’s taking an hour off,” Larisa suggested.
“Jeremy,” Ivan barked at the guy behind the reception desk. “Where’s Elise? Why isn’t she cooking the lunches?”
“She’s not here,” Jeremy replied.
“Where is she?” Ivan let go of Larisa’s hand and stalked toward the desk.
“Ivan.” Larisa grabbed his jacket and pulled him away. “You should hear this from Valerie.”
“Larisa is right. Valerie is the one you need to listen to. I’m just the receptionist,” Jeremy replied yet his face showed his fears. Which frightened Ivan more.
The Dragon Shifter's Desire: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance Page 19