by Denise Lynn
Before she could regain any intelligence, they were in his suite. He stood in the living room frowning then dragged her to the bathroom and turned on the shower. “Can you light up that pendant?”
She pulled it free from beneath her sweatshirt and held it in her hand, willing it to come alive. When it shimmered with an amethyst light, she held it up. “Now what?”
“We need to combine our energy to put a shield around this suite. Once I release Aelthed, I can’t have him escaping.”
“Afraid he’ll go blabbing your plan?”
“Yes.”
That wouldn’t be such a bad thing from her point of view, but it also probably wouldn’t change anything. “What do you want me to do?”
“Instead of trying to secure the entire suite, pick a room to confine him to while I’m gone.”
“How about the bedroom? It’s small enough to secure, yet it should be large enough for him to roam around in considering he’s been trapped in a six-inch cube for so long.”
Sean nodded. “All right, now focus on the bedroom and envision a shield around it. An unbreakable barrier for Aelthed.”
She closed her eyes and focused. Bringing the bedroom into view wasn’t hard, but when she added the shield, the whole thing kept changing color. Caitlin swore silently then looked at Sean to ask, “Any specific color for this shield?”
He shrugged. “I’d go with amethyst.”
She rolled her eyes at her own lack of forethought. Of course the obvious would be just out of her reach. Closing her eyes again, she brought the vision of the bedroom into her mind, this time surrounded with an amethyst light shield. That color held steady. Since she had no clue what he really looked like, she pictured Aelthed as an old man in medieval robes trapped in the room. She sent him to the door to ensure he was unable to open it or to go through it if anyone else opened it. And did the same thing with the sliding glass doors to the balcony and the door to the bathroom, just in case.
She inspected every inch, every nook and cranny of the room, making sure there was no escape and that the shield covered everything completely.
Sean turned off the shower. “That should do it.”
Caitlin opened her eyes asking, “How do you know if... Never mind.” The shimmer of amethyst light seeping in beneath the bathroom door answered her unasked question. Their spell had worked.
“I’m going to go get the grimoire and the other two pendants. You collect the cube and bring him in the bedroom. And, I know you don’t like the idea, but I’m going to need your sword.”
No, she didn’t like the idea, but she also didn’t think it would be too big of a threat to him, because if she wasn’t using it, the magic wouldn’t be there. She held out her hand and called the weapon to her.
Handing it to Sean, she warned, “If it thinks I need it, nothing you do will keep it with you.”
“Got it.” He placed it on the bed and headed out of the bedroom.
She followed him out the door and while he went to the office, she opened the linen closet and felt around on the top shelf until she was able to wrap her hand around the small box.
“What are you doing?”
Caitlin bit her lip to keep from saying anything. Instead, she quickly pulled the box down from the shelf and rushed into the bedroom before Aelthed could levitate himself out of their reach.
Sean was right behind her, and after quickly closing the door, he put his items on the bed, motioning her to do the same. “Now, from what the beast and I could figure, this is going to take two of us.”
He picked up the sapphire pendant that currently belonged to Ariel. “We need to put this pendant and yours on opposite sides of the box at the same time.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed, holding her dragon pendant, and studied the box. “I don’t see any place for them to fit into.”
“Humor me.” He pulled a piece of chalk from his jeans and sat near her on the bed. “Since this might take a few tries, I’m going to number the sides.”
After he’d jotted a number on each of the six sides, he said, “I’ll count to three and on three just press your pendant against the center of side two.”
They did that three times, with her using the even-numbered sides. Then switched with her using the odd-numbered sides.
On the second try—with her pendant in the center of side three and his in the center of side four—the flat surface mutated. The indented shape of a dragon, the exact size of the pendants, appeared on those sides of the box.
Sean smiled. “I was right. Okay, now, again on three, turn your dragon clockwise.”
Nothing happened.
They removed the pendants from the box, and the indentations disappeared. Then they repeated placing and turning, but this time counterclockwise.
Caitlin gasped as they heard a distinct click, immediately followed by tiny pieces of the box shifting, moving like a 3D puzzle working itself, until the top opened and a stream of fog escaped. Sean motioned her to remove her pendant, and she watched as the pieces once again shifted and moved back into a flat-sided cube.
The stream took shape, and to her satisfaction the shape was of an old man, with a long white beard and hair, wearing medieval-style robes.
Sean rose. “You must be Aelthed.”
“What have you done?” The wizard appeared horrified, but his eyes blazed with anger.
“A thank-you will suffice.”
“I’ll not thank you for using black magic to free me.”
“Black magic?” Caitlin broke into the men’s conversation. “Wasn’t it a dark power that put you there in the first place?”
Aelthed turned a look of disdain in her direction. “You know nothing.”
She picked her pendant up from the bed, letting it dangle from the chain. “If its power is dark, then you’ve no one to blame but yourself, since this came from your own creation.”
His eyes widened. He reached out to touch a fingertip to the amethyst. “Where did you get this?”
Sean said, “It fell out of the grimoire.”
“That’s not possible. This gemstone beast was shattered into dust.”
Caitlin blew a warm breath over the small dragon, bringing it to shimmering life. “Doesn’t look like any dust I’ve ever seen.”
The old wizard stepped back, his wary gaze on Caitlin. “Be careful with that.”
Sean took the pendant from her. “I’ve wasted enough time.” He then gathered up Ascalon, the grimoire, the other two pendants and the now-empty cube.
He stepped closer to the wizard. “Not even a thank-you? Fine. But you owe me.”
“What do you want?”
“You stay right here, in this room. When I call, you bring me back here. Got it?”
Caitlin frowned. Why wouldn’t he be able to bring himself back here?
Aelthed muttered to himself then said, “You’re going to the Learned’s.”
“Yes, I am. And when I return, I’ll have my son.”
“A lot of good that’ll do once Nathan has everything in his possession.”
Adding to Caitlin’s confusion, Sean smiled as he headed for the balcony while slipping the gold chain holding her pendant over his head. “He’ll be too dead to use any of them.”
Chapter 17
Sean landed on a ledge outside one of the windows lining the Great Hall at the Learned’s stronghold and shifted from dragon to human form. He leaned tightly against the wall, widening his stance to ensure he had a good purchase on the ledge, then took a deep steadying breath and removed the pack from his back, setting it on the ledge next to him.
“Ready, buddy? It’s time.”
Gritting his teeth, he and his beast concentrated, each focusing on their own individual form. Sean clenched his jaw harder to keep from crying out as his dragon tore free of its human bond. The separation felt as if his flesh and muscle were being ripped apart as his body mutated. The burning pain seared through him, leaving him shaking and gasping for breath.
Once the beast was free and Sean had regained the ability to stand without trembling and gasping for air, he handed the dragon Caitlin’s amethyst pendant, while he took the sapphire one from the pocket of the backpack.
The two of them worked in unison just as he and Caitlin had done to open the box. Once the top opened, the beast changed into smoke and quickly streamed into the box before it closed up again.
Sean grinned. Wouldn’t Nathan be surprised when he opened the cube expecting to find his uncle inside?
Once the exchange was made and he left the stronghold, it would be up to the beast to ensure the Learned’s death. He didn’t doubt his dragon’s bravery or strength; what worried him was Nathan’s trickery.
Hopefully, he and his dragon managed to outtrick the wizard this time.
Ascalon hung securely from its scabbard at his side. He slipped the small sapphire beast back into the pocket of the backpack along with the emerald one and opened the pack to retrieve a small scrap of leather. After wrapping the amethyst pendant securely in the leather, he slid it into the pocket of his jeans. Hopefully, if for whatever reason, the thing decided to shimmer and glow, the leather would keep the light contained. He didn’t want Nathan to know there was a third dragon pendant.
Holding the cube in one hand and the straps to the pack in the other, Sean climbed into the stronghold through the window and jumped down to the floor of the Great Hall. He flicked his fingers toward the torches, setting them afire. Elongated flickers of light danced across the stone floor and up the walls, casting eerie shadows that seemed to reach out for him like the evil, clawing fingers of a demon.
Sean shook off the image and crossed to the altar at the far side of the hall. The castle was quiet—far too quiet. Not even the sound of mice scurrying across the floor broke the silence. The lack of noise put him on edge. Not a bad thing considering what or who he was up against. He wiped those thoughts from his mind. He had to remember not to think of anything. The Learned would pick up on the slightest thread of a misplaced thought and easily deduce something foul was afoot.
The candles on the altar flickered to life, warning him that the Learned was near.
“Well, well. A Drake who appears to be able to follow orders...eventually. You simply needed a booster of sorts.”
Nathan materialized behind the altar. He caught sight of the cube in Sean’s grasp and clapped his hands. “The rest?”
Sean placed the cube and backpack on top of the altar. He unstrapped Ascalon from around his waist and placed that next to the other items.
“My son?”
“I beg your pardon?” Nathan sneered. “Is that how you speak to your lord?”
Against every fiber of his being, Sean calmed his churning ego, bowed his head and moderated his tone. “May I have my son, my lord?”
“Not quite yet.” Nathan pulled the grimoire from the pack and swept clean a place for it to rest. He opened the family book.
Sean glanced up enough to see that the pages of the grimoire were blank. That wasn’t anything he could control. He didn’t have the power to create scenes on the pages.
A guttural curse echoed in the hall before Nathan slammed the ancient tome closed. He glared at Sean before pulling the two pendants out of the pack’s pocket.
After inspecting the gemstone dragons closely, he placed them next to their respective dragon statues on the altar. To Sean’s surprise both pendants glowed, and a warmth grew against his thigh. The amethyst pendant in his pocket was radiating heat through the leather wrap. Resisting the urge to look down at his pocket to see if the light showed, and giving away its existence to Nathan, Sean focused on the flicking candles atop the altar.
“Ah,” Nathan said, turning his attention to the weapon. “This must be the fabled sword of the dragon slayer.”
He pulled Ascalon from its scabbard and held it up before him. With an evil smirk, he pointed it toward Sean. “Your brothers?”
“Both dead.”
Sean let the image of him using Ascalon to stab Braeden and then Cam form in his mind. He shifted the vision to Alexia and Ariel sobbing and screaming over the two beasts writhing on the floor of Braeden’s office in their final death throes. He let the scenes drag out, wanting Nathan to savor every moment of his victory.
“Very good. You make an excellent pet.” Nathan raised and lowered the blade a couple times before placing it back on the altar. “I might have a use for you in the future.”
The wizard then raised an arm and snapped his fingers. “Take your spawn and go. I will beckon you soon.” He pinned Sean with a narrowed eye stare. “And you will answer.”
Sean tipped his head forward, nodding once to show he understood. At the sound of a baby’s crying, he turned to see a woman carry the child into the hall.
As calmly and emotionless as possible, he met the woman halfway across the chamber and took his son into his arms for the first time. The boy ceased his cries and stared up at him with eyes the color of emeralds. The searching, curious gaze threatened to destroy Sean’s air of calm.
He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it around the baby to keep him warm then stepped up onto the window ledge and out into the cold night.
“Caitlin, bring us home.”
* * *
Caitlin swung away from the sliding glass doors. “Now! Bring him back, now.”
Aelthed grumbled but waved his hands before him, chanting in a language she didn’t understand.
Within a matter of seconds, Sean materialized in the bedroom.
She held her breath. His back was to her so it was impossible to tell if he had their son or if he’d been injured.
Taking a hesitant step toward him, she reached out, whispering in a voice that shook as much as her hand, “Sean?”
He turned to face her, unbuttoning his shirt as he did so.
Relief, joy and a surge of love overwhelmed her, leaving her lightheaded and trembling. She took another step forward and dropped to her knees.
“Shh, Caitlin, he is safe.” Sean knelt in front of her. He held the baby between them. “See, he’s fine.”
He was fine. He was more than fine—he was here. Caitlin brushed her thumb across a soft, plump cheek and leaned closer to kiss his forehead. “Oh, sweetheart, Mommy has missed you.”
He turned to look at her with eyes so like his father’s and reached up to tangle his little fingers in her hair.
Sean untangled the grasping fingers from her hair. “He’s missed you, too.”
Little Sean turned his head to peer up at his father and wrapped his fingers around the chain hanging from Sean’s neck then promptly stuck it in his mouth.
Caitlin smiled. “I don’t think I mentioned that he’s at the hand-to-mouth stage.”
She looked up at Sean. Something was...wrong...missing...not quite right. She touched his arm. “Are you all right?”
“Fine.”
She scooted around to sit on the floor with her back against the bed. “How did it go?”
He handed her the baby then did the same, sitting next to her. “Easier than I thought. Time will tell.”
Caitlin held her son close. “Time will tell what?”
“Excuse me.” Aelthed interrupted them. “Is it possible that I might leave now?”
Sean pulled the chain over his head and handed the dragon pendant to Caitlin. “I suppose we can let him go now.”
Between the two of them they removed the amethyst shield confining the old wizard to the room.
The instant the glow dissipated, the door to the bedroom opened then slammed closed. Caitlin snorted. “How do you like that? Not even a farewell.”
“Oh, I’m sure h
e’ll be back.”
“With your family in tow, I suppose.”
Sean nodded in agreement.
“So, what did you mean time will tell?”
“You never can tell with Nathan.”
He was doing it again—holding an odd conversation that left her with more questions than answers.
She drew her brows together and glared at him. “Was he dead or alive when you left?”
“Alive...for a time.”
Caitlin clenched her jaw. Her son picked up on her tenseness and started to fuss. She forced herself to relax and bent her legs. Placing the baby along her thighs, she bounced her heels on the floor, quieting him down almost instantly.
“Did he know Aelthed wasn’t in the box anymore?”
Sean chuckled. “Nope.”
“Why is that amusing? He’s going to be livid when he finds out.”
“Doubtful.”
“Sean.”
He leaned his shoulder against hers. “I promise to explain everything in the morning. Right now I am exhausted. Could we maybe make use of the bed?”
“You promise you’re going to tell me what happened?”
He stroked the baby’s foot. “I vowed to rescue our son and did so, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m fairly certain you can believe me now.”
She looked closer at him, realizing what was different—what was missing. How foolish of her. He’d needed help getting back here to Mirabilus. She asked, “Where’s your dragon?”
Sean rose. “Tomorrow.”
He helped her up from the floor.
“You didn’t leave him at Nathan’s?”
“I said, tomorrow.”
She swung the baby over to one hip and grabbed Sean’s arm. “Where is he?”
He jerked free of her hold. “Look, I’m exhausted and—”
“Exhausted? You’re only half alive. Of course you’re exhausted. What the hell did you do?” No wonder he refused to tell her all of his plans. He knew damn well she never would have agreed to this. Never. She would have gone to his brothers in a heartbeat.
He stepped closer and glared down at her. “Our son is safe. I would have done anything to make that happen. Anything for you and the baby. Do you understand me?”