"It holds the memory of all the lives it has taken," I say. "And Lyx isn't there."
Ventus nods, then turns to Cole. "Where did you find it?" he asks.
Cole glances at me before he answers. "In the private quarters of Dath'Racul."
Ventus looks confused for a moment. "This is the last of its kind that remains in our world. I suspected Racul of killing our sister, but he wouldn't need the dagger to do that."
"Do you really think he's guilty?" I ask. That would make this mystery easy to solve… if I could find proof.
He looks away from us, over the ledge of his castle into the distance. "I reacted impetuously upon her death," he says softly. "She and I were always close, even after she left the Council. I understood her in ways the others didn't, and she was a trusted confidant. I confess I lost a part of myself when I felt her die. But I no longer believe he killed her. Taking the life of another dragon would go against everything we are. Even Racul is not that ruthless."
He studies the dagger in his hand, running the pad of his finger along the razor edge. "Perhaps it is time for the Age of Dragons to come to an end. We began this world with noble intentions, but power and greed have corrupted even the best of us."
A strong wind blows through as he speaks, carrying the scent of snow about to fall as Ventus walks to the edge of the roof, his toes hanging off the ledge.
It's a long fall off the top of a castle this height, but I remind myself he's a dragon. Fear of heights is probably not one of his problems.
"We lost our way long ago," he says. "But we truly paved the path to our descent into darkness when we slaughtered the unicorns in an effort to preserve our own immortality. It's unnatural for any race to be so powerful that none can defeat it. The unicorns were our balance, and we killed them all out of fear."
Cole's eyes widen at that, and I'm surprised he's admitting this when none of them would speak about it earlier. Even with their mother's orders hanging over them, they hadn't wanted to admit that a unicorn horn could kill them. Something about the Air Dragon seems different this time. More melancholy and reflective.
"Do you know who might have killed Lyx?" I ask, hoping against all odds this whole trip hasn't been a dead end.
He turns to look at me, his eyes unreadable. "You should ask my mother," he says. "She carries within her secrets that could destroy worlds."
My ears perk at that, and I make a mental note to find out more.
He studies the dagger again. "It is time to step aside and let the world move on without me," he says, and before I can comprehend what’s happening, Ventus thrusts the blade into his own heart.
I scream and Cole wraps his arm around my waist to keep me from rushing towards the dying dragon.
He smiles briefly, holding the dagger until his body disintegrates into a pale blue dust and is carried away on the wind, the blade dropping to the ground with a thud.
It shimmers briefly and projects a final image of Ventus dying, a new memory for its collection, before returning to normal.
Cole lets me go and I rush to the edge, looking over as if I might see the dragon reappear like this was a cruel and elaborate prank. But he doesn’t. He’s gone. Another dragon has died.
That's three since I arrived in this world.
A world that hasn't seen a dragon die for as long as the Night brothers have been alive.
What have I brought with me to cause this destruction, I wonder, as Cole pulls me into an embrace and the tears I've been holding back flow freely.
The Swim
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, Love’s Philosophy
The butler interrupts us, his face grim as he studies the scene. "You both should leave. The dragons will know of his death and come to investigate. It would be better for all if you were not found here."
"How will you explain what happened?" I ask.
"I will not have to," he says, and holds up a Memory Catcher. "My master left a message for his siblings, but it is private."
I look to Cole, who nods, and I realize we will have to dematerialize to get out of here quickly. The dagger is still laying on the floor where the dragon dropped it, and with a flick of my wrist I use air magic to fly it to my waiting hand, then tuck it into my waistband. Cole is the only one who sees, and he raises an eyebrow with a grin like he's proud of me. Then he pulls me against his chest.
"Ready, mon coeur?"
"No," I say.
"Just relax," he whispers, as his hands rest on my hips. "Use your darkness."
I swallow and nod, then reluctantly tug on the powers deep within me, the dark depth I'm most scared of tapping into, and I let it flow into me, and then through me.
"Very good," Cole says. "Now stretch your darkness into me and feel what I do. You can do this without me, you just have to align yourself to the frequency of this spell, in a manner of speaking. And then picture where you want to go with as much detail as you can."
Per his instruction, I stretch the tendrils of darkness flowing out of me and attach to him, our magic merging, pulsing as one. The feeling is nearly erotic and brings to mind our love making, when our bodies were so connected they felt as one.
I can feel from the shift in his pants that he's thinking the same thing, and that only makes my own arousal more powerful.
He pulls me even tighter toward him until my breasts are pressed against his rock hard chest. My breath hitches as our bodies connect. And then we are traveling, our physical selves unraveling within the nothingness that consumes us.
But this time, I do not feel the panic and pain as before. Instead, I feel as if my spirit is set free, and I am everything, and nothing.
After an indefinite amount of time, that could have been mere seconds or centuries, we arrive within the portal and are pushed through into the Otherworld, bodies intact, souls contained within our dense meat forms.
For a moment I feel encumbered by the weight of my flesh, and I briefly mourn the feeling I had when we traveled through nothing.
Cole is still holding tight to me, his lips inches from mine. "You catch on fast," he whispers, his dark eyes luminous and intoxicating.
Still caught up in the swirl of emotions, I can't stop myself from pulling his head down and pressing my lips to his. I've dreamed of tasting his mouth again, of feeling his tongue flick over my lips, of reveling in the delight and desire that he brings.
He moans against my mouth, his chest rumbling with untapped longing, and I press my hips against him. He hardens against my stomach and I slide my hand down his chest until I'm caressing him.
He nibbles at my lip, then traces kisses down my neck to my collar bone, his teeth grazing me, nipping at my skin. My other hand is wrapped around his back, nails digging into him. I want more than I can have right now, and the thought sobers me. I gently pull away, my lips swollen with his kisses, my body empty without him.
"I should go," I say, reluctantly. "This is too soon."
He caresses my head and nods. "Je comprends. But I am not giving up on us. I hope you do not either."
Tears sting my eyes as he steps back and disappears into smoke.
I look around at the forest, alive with the sounds of the wild, as I wipe my eyes and straighten my back.
Someday I might get him back, but today is not that day, and I need to go home. The others are probably losing their damn minds right now.
I contemplate the easiest way to go back to the castle. I could fly, but that will take a decent amount of time.
Or I could try my new shadow powers. That would get me home in an instant, but it also low key terrifies me.
I opt for being terrified. Because if I ca
n master this, it's a useful trick to have in my tool box.
I close my eyes and pull out my darkness while reminding myself what his magic felt like when he did this. Then I imagine the gardens just outside the castle, where I first found Moon.
It seems to be the safest place to aim for, and the one which will likely be the most discreet as well, since no one has seen me do this and it might freak them out a bit if I appear before them randomly.
Just as before, I disintegrate into nothing, into shadow and darkness, and then arrive just where I intended. Well, mostly where I intended. Since I was thinking of Moon and how I found him, I actually find myself stuck in the damn bush that he was stuck in when I rescued him. And it hurts like a bitch.
I slowly tear myself out of the dangerous barbed bushes and I'm covered in scratches that are starting to bleed.
That's how Liam finds me.
"What happened?" he asks, running over to me, his eyes filled with worry. "Who attacked you?"
He takes my arms and studies the injuries as I point to the offending bush. "We had a bit of a misunderstanding," I explain.
"I'm sure there's a story in that somewhere, but come in and let's get you cleaned up. Everyone is worried sick about you. Where did you go?"
"I'll explain once we're all together."
Liam slips an arm around me and we walk into the castle, then he leaves to round everyone up and find some ointment for my cuts. Moon greets me in the hall and rubs up against my legs purring aggressively. I pick him up and nuzzle his soft black fur to my face. "I've missed you," I whisper, and I swear he purrs even louder. I set him down and he follows me as I head to the library.
The great hearth is stoked with a blazing fire and Alina and the baby dragon, Zara—who's presently in her human form—are both in the crib together. They are playing with colorful blocks of wood. Alina lights them on fire and Zara giggles and spits water onto them to put the fire out. Then they both laugh and do it all over again.
Liam arrives with the ointment and smiles when he sees the babies. "They've been like that since the moment they met," he says.
"It looks like the fire proofing has worked," I note. We've been trying a lot of spells over the last several weeks to keep Alina from burning down everything she touches, and nothing has worked until now.
He nods. "I think adding the phoenix feather to the spell really helped," he says. "Good call."
I grin at the compliment as he begins applying the ointment to my skin.
It burns a bit, then creates a cooling sensation that sucks the pain away. By the time he's done, I feel as good as new, and I know my skin will heal in no time. Magic medicine is the best.
Sebastian arrives next and pulls me into a bear hug that heals a much deeper part of my soul. Everything about this man makes me feel safe and cared for, and yet there is still a wall between us I don't know how to break down. But I'm determined to. Something always seems to get in the way of us being together more… intimately. That's going to end. Soon. I need this man. All of him.
As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, he tilts my head up and looks down at me, his forest green eyes full of so much unspoken longing.
"We should talk soon," I say softly. "Privately."
His pupils dilate and I feel how ready he instantly is for our 'talk.' "Just name the time and place, and I'm there."
But of course we are interrupted again when Elijah and Derek join us.
"Are Matilda and Lily coming?" I ask.
"Matilda is getting Ana to bed," Derek says. "And Lily is out with Kaya still."
"They haven't come back yet?" I ask, surprised. I know Lily went off to find the coroners, but I assumed she'd be home by now. Then again, Lily is home a lot less since she started dating Kaya, and I don't blame her. Being in a forest with her lover is likely far more exciting than being in a stuffy old castle.
"I'm sure she'll be back soon," Derek says. "Now please, share with us where you went. And how you suddenly learned to fly."
Oh right. Forgot about that.
That says something right there about how much has happened today, that learning to fly doesn't even register as worthwhile mentioning.
We take seats around the fire while the babies continue to play with their magic. Elijah brings me a glass of wine and he and Sebastian claim the spots to either side of me.
"Before I begin, I need you to all promise to zip your lips until I'm done. No matter what. Got it?" I glare at them each sternly until they all reluctantly agree.
And so I begin with the vision I saw of Cole in possession of a unicorn dagger heading out of the Otherworld.
"That puss-filled rodent," Sebastian seethes, and I shush him with a pinch to his arm.
"I said zip your lips."
He glowers but stays silent as I continue.
I finish my wine just as I finish my story, and Derek rises to refill my glass before pacing in front of the fire.
"The situation is escalating," Derek says. "We need to consider all our options. Having Ana and Zara here could backfire spectacularly."
"And where do you propose we send them?" I ask.
He glances away, because there's no good answer to that. "Anywhere that does not put you at risk and compromise our investigation."
"Ana is a potential witness," I say, "if you want to be so bloody pragmatic about it. And Zara is a potential victim in need of protecting. Since we don't know who to trust outside this room, that leaves few options."
Derek, who is usually the even tempered one, snaps. "Damnit, Eve. You're thinking with your heart and not your head in this one!"
I stand, tired of this discussion. "Maybe this world needs more damn heart. It seems too many of you immortals get far too callous as the years tear out your emotions in favor of greed and self-serving nepotism."
And with that I storm out, too worn down to fight anymore.
Once in my room, the weight of the day adds a decade to how I feel, and I slough off my clothes and sink into the hot bath that's already waiting for me complete with scented oils. "Mable, did you do this?"
I look around for any sign of the ghost that looks after this castle and see my towel float to the edge of the bath.
I smile. "Thank you. It's much appreciated."
Moon takes his spot at the foot of my tub and proceeds to dip his paws into the water, splashing at things only he can see. I ignore him and close my eyes, content to let the heat soak out the exhaustion I feel.
I'm one giant prune and my limbs feel like noodles by the time I crawl out of the bathtub and dry myself, then slip into a silk robe and head to my room.
The sexy Fire Druid is sitting at the foot of my bed with a vial of liquid in one hand and a jar of ointment in the other.
"This," he says, holding up the ointment, "is for the rest of those cuts."
I glance down at where he's looking and see my legs are pretty scratched up.
"And this," he says, indicating the vial, "is for the headache you have."
I raise an eyebrow. My head started pounding while I was in the bath. But… "how did you know?"
"It's a natural byproduct of pushing yourself too hard. You used some really advanced magic today and didn't give yourself time to recharge. There's going to be consequences."
I take the vial and down it in one gulp, cringing at the fowl taste. "Why do these always taste like ass? Can't you make something that tastes like strawberries?"
"Sure, I can, but it won't be medicinal. It's the rule. The worst it tastes, the better it works," he says with a wink.
"That's a terrible rule. By the power vested in me by the Mother of Dragons, I petition a change to this rule."
Liam laughs and pats the bed. "Settle in and I'll rub the ointment on you if you'd like."
By the gods I would like nothing more than to feel his hands all over my body, though I'm still too bloody pissed at Derek.
Still, I nod and let my robe fall to my feet. He studies my body with clear desire
, but doesn't move until I'm lying on my stomach, eyes closed. Then he proceeds to massage out all the cuts and bruises, as well as the sore muscles that a day of intense—everything—has left. By the time he's done, I feel more relaxed.
"Thank you," I say, turning over to look at him. "I needed that."
He nods and heads to the door, then pauses. "I know we are all a pain in the ass at times. But know that Derek is just trying to protect you. We all are."
I sigh. "I know. But I'm not a broken little girl in need of protecting. Ana is though."
"I think Derek knows that. It's a complicated situation and he feels lost. He's used to being in charge of things, and he doesn't feel in charge of this. It scares him."
Damnit, I wanted to stay angry longer, but his words are softening my resolve.
"He's at the lake," Liam says. "In case that matters. He feels badly about the fight."
Well, shit.
Liam closes the door softly behind him and I sit in my bed stewing and trying to decide if I should go to the Water Druid or try to fall asleep, but thanks to Liam's words, sleep seems impossible now.
"Damn them both," I say as I climb out of my comfortable bed and aggressively put my robe on.
I make my way to my balcony and sigh. I guess I'm doing this.
Using my magic, I fly towards the lake just over the rise of trees to the north. It's part of our property, so it doesn't take too long, and I land at the edge of a large body of water, the Dragon's Breath shimmering off the glassy surface, making it look like a different kind of portal.
It's surrounded by trees and in the stillness of the evening it feels like the middle of nowhere.
Derek's clothes are folded neatly into a pile on a rock, and he is swimming laps in the water. When he turns to swim towards the shore, he sees me and stops. "Eve, what are you doing here?"
"Liam told me you were out here," I say. "I… I'm not sure why I came. I just don't like fighting with you."
I Am the Night (The Night Firm Book 3) Page 5