by Dianna Love
Germanus sighed with great satisfaction at knowing things Evalle did not. He taunted, “I told you that Queen Maeve used Noirre majik during my time.”
“Not possible. I … this makes no sense.”
Grinning now, he said, “I should make you wonder for the next thousand years you spend in here alone and unable to hold a conversation with another person.”
The light bulb flashed on in Evalle’s head. Germanus was talking to her now because he hadn’t been able to do this for two thousand years.
Her heart hit her feet at the possibility of repeating his life here.
Germanus must not have realized how bad that thought shook her, because he never paused, chattering on. “I find that I am not ready to end this conversation, so I will fill in the gaps in your sad education. Queen Maeve had a seer who told her of a powerful majik to be found in a cave in the future. The queen was unwilling to wait a thousand years and wanted it immediately. Perhaps because of the slumber you say she and the druid had planned. The queen brought in Cathbad, who said he could open a time portal to one spot, but he could not leave it open long due to the power and majik needed. She sent part of her army to retrieve the Noirre majik from the cave.”
That sounded incredible, but possible.
What was she saying? What wasn’t possible when preternaturals were involved?
After all, Queen Maeve and Cathbad planned a way to spend two thousand years out of pocket, then reincarnate at a time to coincide with forcing Alterants to evolve into gryphons. Who saw that coming?
Yeah, she could see how that crazy queen would risk so many lives to travel through a time portal and battle deadly plants.
Evalle mused aloud, “Huh, so the queen’s men grabbed the Noirre and jumped back to her world?”
“Not exactly. She lost half her army. One warrior barely entered the portal to return before it closed and was able to report what happened. She next sent a mage who died, then Cathbad agreed to go with her to gain the Noirre. My friend said Cathbad almost perished retrieving the plant and his majik was so damaged from creating those portals he was believed unable to perform that majik ever again.”
Could be or … maybe Cathbad told the queen he couldn’t open a time portal like that one again to prevent that crazy goddess from sending him places he didn’t want to go.
Would any of today’s Beladors know about this?
She doubted it, because Tzader or Quinn would have told her during the many hours they’d spent filling in her education. Daegan would probably know.
She said, “Okay, let’s say that I accept that my kidnapper gained Noirre, but I’m not sold that he has such easy access to immortality. Is he immortal?”
Germanus had opened his mouth to argue, but said, “Not yet. He will become immortal at the same time that I do. This way, everyone is invested.”
How easy was it to make someone immortal?
Evalle had a sick feeling the kidnapper’s offer to Germanus was based upon reaching the river that ran beneath Treoir Castle. This new information pointed at Macha being behind the kidnapping, as much as the Noirre pointed at Queen Maeve.
No clear winner in the villain race.
Based on Germanus’ story, the kidnapper was of Celtic ancestry, but descended of a Spanish Moor as well. What was he? A Medb warlock? What other power or ability did he possess that would help her figure out his identity? She’d like to know who hated her enough to do this.
She thought back on how she’d sensed someone or something following her where she met up with Adrianna in the woods. Could the guy be Fae? She asked, “Can the kidnapper fly?”
Germanus cocked his head in a odd way. “I do not think so. Why?”
“Just wondering if he had a way to follow someone who was very fast.”
Sitting back with a smug look, Germanus nodded. “He had a pet peregrine falcon that was dying. Once dead, the bird became his eyes.”
“What do you mean?”
“He performed a necromantic spell on the falcon to allow him to control its movements, plus see through its eyes.”
“The kidnapper is a necromancer?”
“No. He does not possess that gift, which was why he said he needed the pure Noirre to perform the spell. He also used it to hide his trail and to keep you alive once he removed the stone from your chest.”
Worse than having Noirre in her chest, she had pure Noirre stuck in there.
“You’re insane, you know that?” That popped out of her mouth before she thought it through.
Bright yellow rolled over his eyes. “Careful with your words, Alterant. While I do miss conversation, and find your desire to speak your mind entertaining to a degree, I can always bring the other twin to kill.”
She hated to cower in front of anyone, but she would not be the reason anyone else died. She quietly explained, “In my shoes, you’d want to know what was happening. Maybe if you gave me a better idea of what’s going on, I could help you more than you realize.”
“I’ve answered all your questions with the exception of withholding names.”
She scrambled for an idea of how to keep him from shutting down on her. “Not all of them. I have one more question.”
“Very well, what?”
“Would any Alterant have sufficed, or was I the target?”
“You were. Not that I cared which one he captured, but of all the Belador gryphons, you had the most to lose. I had to agree when he explained how that would make keeping you in line easier as compared to someone with little to lose.”
She hoped Tristan found out the truth and didn’t carry guilt over swapping with her the night before she was taken.
He observed her quietly for a long moment. “You said if you knew more, you could help. I’m always interested in a deal. Do not ask me for names, but what else do you wish to know?”
Relieved he had calmed down in the face of her anger, she took him up on his offer. “You never answered me about why you’re doing this. Daegan doesn’t bother anyone unless they poke him first. Why start trouble with him now?”
“Me?” Germanus snapped forward and gripped the arms of his throne. “I didn’t start this. He did.”
She kept her voice calm, but still pointed out, “I’m not seeing how he did this. You had me kidnapped. From what I can see, that’s the catalyst to all of this.”
His forehead creased with true confusion. “Why would I do that unless I had to?”
What was with this guy? “I’d ask if that was a trick question, but I’m not sure you’d grasp my meaning,” she said dryly.
“I’ll make this simple, because women in today’s human world must be more dense than they were in my time.”
She would not let Daegan kill Germanus.
He’d have to wait his turn behind her.
Germanus spoke as if instructing an idiot. “If Daegan were not so bloody greedy, you would not be in this situation and he would not be facing death here. He could have stayed in the human realm or on Treoir and left me alone. Understand now? Although, I will admit that a part of me is glad he started this conflict. Once he is gone forever, I get my life back.”
At the risk of being slammed again as a simple-minded woman, Evalle asked, “Greedy? Does Daegan even know that you have his father’s treasure?”
“He does not know where it is yet, but he is hunting for his hoard. He might not show up for fifty human years, but with so many people willing to do his bidding, I do not expect it to take long.”
Evalle grabbed all the disjointed pieces floating around in her mind and pushed them together. She gave this maniac an incredulous look. “Before I was captured, no one, not even Daegan, was hunting for this gold. Where did you get that wild idea?” She paused, remembering what Germanus had said when he first found her down here. “Is that why you said I found it first? You meant I found this treasure before Daegan, who is not even hunting it?”
Her head spun at the gravity of this entire situation.
Her whole life and world had been yanked away, loved ones harmed, her mate and dragon king now at risk plus who knew how many more because of this crazy man being played.
His giddiness dissolved into anger. He accused, “You lie.”
She opened her arms out wide. “Why should I lie? I have nothing to gain by lying. You said yourself that I speak my mind.”
“You’re trying to trick me, but it won’t work.”
Her head hurt as all of this made sense in a sick way. “Not me, but someone else has sold you a line of crap.” She recalled the conversation she’d heard Germanus and the kidnapper having when she was still half conscious.
She snapped her fingers. “That’s what you two were talking about when he delivered me, wasn’t it?”
Germanus had been staring off, lost in thought. He glared at her. “What?”
“When your buddy, the kidnapper, dropped me in here. One of the moments I was conscious, you asked if he was sure someone was hunting it and he said yes. I thought you were talking about me, but it was referencing this treasure. The kidnapper told you Daegan was hunting that pile over there.” She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb.
Germanus went from an angry warlord to sounding like a petulant child trying to convince someone he was right. “It is Daegan’s hoard. He has to have it!”
“Stereotype much?”
“Stop spouting stupid words!”
She wanted to howl at this idiot. He didn’t send someone to kidnap her. He was the patsy here.
The kidnapper had an ulterior motive to snatch her and set up this trap for Daegan. And he’d used pure Noirre. Had to be crazy Queen Maeve. Who else would be so bold knowing Daegan would rain more than fire down on someone for doing all this?
It felt good to know she had a leader she could depend on and who put his people first, but she hated the danger he’d be facing here.
Evalle said, “No, Daegan doesn’t need a hoard. He’s not some cartoon dragon from medieval stories. He’s real and has the heart of a king. He would never put any of us at risk for any treasure.”
Those words settled in her heart.
She was right. Daegan had never acted like a self-centered dragon.
Damn Germanus and whoever had discovered that this lunatic could be manipulated. She wouldn’t go so far as to say Daegan would not come for the treasure if he knew it was here, but he was someone who would go alone and not risk losing even one warrior for something that could be replaced.
She repeated, “I am in Daegan’s inner circle. I can say without question that prior to your grabbing me, not one of Daegan’s people had been hunting any gold. And Daegan has had too much on his plate to run around treasure hunting. You have been played for a fool.”
Getting her say in and watching Germanus have a meltdown felt good. Seeing a chink in his plan emboldened her to stick to her resolve and survive.
She added, “In fact, regardless of some oath, your kidnapper buddy is very likely spreading the word that you are holding Daegan’s hoard ... and me. You won’t have to wait long. He’s coming and so is my mate. Those seven flying creatures who survived battling me will never stop Daegan in dragon form.”
Her heart surged at the taste of imminent victory.
Daegan and Storm would survive and she’d get out of here yet.
This was what a rush of hope felt like after being at the bottom of her emotional barrel. She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face if she tried.
Seriously pissed, Germanus stood and walked over to a wall next to his throne. He sneered at her. “Those seven and you are only intended to slow him down. These are my army.” Germanus lifted his arm and called out, “Nunc aperta. You’re too stupid to know those words, but that is Latin for open now.”
She ignored his dig at her vocabulary as shock blasted her happiness to pieces.
The wall turned foggy then cleared, much like peering into a scrying bowl.
Twenty huge beasts meandered through a field. His menagerie held everything from massive wyverns, much larger than the one that had survived fighting her, to manticores to things she couldn’t name to ...
A dragon?
There were two dragons alive today?
Plus, this bunch appeared well fed.
Germanus bragged, “These will not be defeated.” Turning to her, he broke out a huge smile. “I only wanted to cull the weak ones and use those that survived to show me how it looks when you really battle so you can’t pretend. If you don’t battle, I will send word to your kidnapper to bring me the rest of your friends ... and your mate if he doesn’t come here first. When he does arrive, I will send my two gargoyles out to tear him apart.”
He walked out, pausing at the entrance and turning to her. “You lie about Daegan hunting the gold. No dragon can stand to lose a hoard such as this one. A dragon is nothing without a pile of treasure that rivals all others.”
Her mind screamed with rage at his ancient thinking, but she wouldn’t break down in front of this monster and give him one more second of enjoyment.
That didn’t stop her from shouting, “Think what you want, Germanus, but you’ll see my mate for sure and he’ll be the one tearing your monsters apart. He’ll come with Daegan. They’ll defeat your army.” She hoped like hell they could. “When they do, we’ll all teleport out of here.”
Clenching a fist, he said, “They might. You won’t.”
What did that mean? “They won’t leave without me.”
His hand relaxed along with his face. “I thought you heard us talking when you first arrived. Evidently you missed some of our conversation.”
She waited for more. Germanus would talk to an empty room.
He said, “Remember seeing the wyvern carcass in the field the day you tried to fly away? That was a demonstration for me. The kidnapper spelled the wyvern as he fed it a tiny bit of the Noirre majik, then he tried to take the beast out of this realm. Majik created in here cannot leave. That beast screamed when it tried to pass through the limits of the realm. My friend held it there long enough for the majik to boil inside the animal. Then he dropped the writhing body back to the ground. If you recall, he also shoved Noirre into your chest to close the wound. He spelled that too. Had he not, you would have died. If you try to leave, you will suffer much more, but you will probably die faster.”
He turned and climbed the stairs.
Her skin felt clammy and her stomach churned.
She’d thought ... she always had a chance to escape. She screamed out loud this time.
His laughter floated down.
CHAPTER 23
County Kilkenny, Ireland
A vine as thick as his arm wrapped Storm’s neck. His claws had extended the second he was attacked.
Daegan fought off his own rabid plant.
Storm was desperate for information, but it would do him no good if they didn’t both survive. He wasn’t sure he could get out of here without Daegan.
Spirits with open mouths filled with sharp teeth screamed loud as banshees. He saw only fifteen or twenty.
Sounded like a hundred.
Maybe these were banshees.
This place reeked of Noirre majik, like one big, disgusting cloud of it.
More vines wrapped Storm’s chest and began squeezing like a massive green python. Two new vines curled around his ankles.
Sharp spikes stabbed his chest.
He snarled and began shifting into his jaguar.
Daegan roared at the spirits, “Cease or I will destroy you!”
The attack continued.
As Storm’s jaguar came forward, he clawed at the vine cutting off his air.
In the next second, Daegan’s power exploded as he shifted into a dragon, allowing fire to boil around his own fangs.
Everything stopped at once.
The spirits quieted.
Weeds stilled.
But Storm finished his shift and slashed his way free.
Vines whimpered and withdrew, coiling bac
k to the host bodies stretched over the floor from one side to the other of this cavern.
While Storm could smell the Noirre, there were no other odors such as a preternatural scent he could match to the one he’d found outside and in the Atlanta Folk Art Park.
His jaguar roared, just as ready as Storm to attack out of pure frustration, but Storm had gained more control after returning from the demon underworld. He was forced to hold that control in a tight fist now.
He’d wait to see what Daegan had in mind, since the dragon had staked its claim as the alpha in the room.
The stalemate might not last long once the spirits and plants figured out they actually had the upper hand here. There was enough Noirre here to blow this cave out of the ground and take out miles of land.
It wasn’t as if the spirits could die.
Daegan’s dragon mouth opened and words spoken in a deep voice suited to a creature his size said, “We did not come to steal Noirre or to harm your resting place. If you will answer our questions, we will leave you alone and never return.”
No one offered a reply.
Storm’s jaguar panted, not from being out of breath, but a sign he did not want to be held back. The plants were covered in long thorns and bright red flowers.
Beautiful in a strange way. Deadly in a real way.
The puncture wounds on his chest stung like crazy.
A small, female child spirit floated forward, away from what appeared to be her skeletal remains. Her spirit form was missing a hand, as was her skeleton.
Even if someone chopped that off before she died, wouldn’t she have it back now as a spirit?
For such a small thing, she had a voice right out of a horror movie. “Who are you to ask anything of us?”
Daegan’s dragon said, “I am the dragon king of Treoir, son of King Gruffyn. I am two thousand years old and know of your murders. Had we been allies then, I would have flown here to protect you.”
Her head tilted in a confused dog look. “Why?”
“Because I had two sisters. I would have destroyed the world to protect them.”