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Daegan’s long strides ate up distance on his way to their meeting area. Tzader stayed in stride with him with Evalle, Tristan, and Storm close behind, their footsteps echoing off the marble floors.
Built powerfully, Tzader had been a deadly match the first time he and Daegan faced off with swords in a dream walk. His niece had clearly chosen Tzader for more than his striking looks and muscled body. Intelligence blazed from almost-black eyes set in his deep-brown face. His bald head reminded Daegan of a foreign intruder he once fought.
Taking in the group, Daegan asked, “Are Quinn and Adrianna here?”
Tzader cut a quick glance at him. “Quinn’s not here. Tristan brought Adrianna, Storm, and Evalle. Adrianna is with Brina. Once Tristan shared what happened to Devon, Quinn stayed behind to visit VIPER and find out anything he can on Devon.”
“Is Brina available?”
“Yes,” Tzader confirmed, but frowned as he did. “Much as I’d rather spare her all of this, she’s furious at Beladors being attacked.”
That man had an unenviable job of trying to care for a hardheaded warrior queen with her due date so close. But Tzader had battled a castle warded against him when Macha had stood between him and Brina for four years. The man could handle anything.
Daegan slowed and said, “Give me a moment to speak with Quinn and find out if he has anything yet on Devon.”
Always quick to pick up on Daegan’s frame of mind, Tristan said, “Let’s get everyone to the council meeting room.”
Allowing them to continue on, Daegan called out telepathically. I need your help, Quinn.
You have it, Daegan. What can I do?
Daegan explained what had happened at the Ferris wheel. He added what Tristan had shared and warned, Take care to avoid contact with these Imortiks. Devon’s body may be host to one.
In a wry voice, Quinn replied, I’ve already found that out by trying to mind lock. I was with Evalle when one of those things had Noah. The mind lock turned into ... a painful lesson. I found out nothing beyond blind hate and screaming. I’m almost to VIPER. What do you want me to do about Devon?
The idea of jumping into the mind of a vicious being such as the Imortik master gave Daegan cold chills. Push Sen to confirm that Devon is safe and will remain so. If he refuses, then demand an immediate meeting with the Tribunal. Make it clear to all of them if I do not hear back from you in two hours or less, I will be the next one they face. I am fine with them holding Devon in an isolated location so long as he is not mistreated. I would like to question this Imortik siphoning off Devon’s energy.
Quinn pointed out, That might not be such a good idea, because the Imortik could jump to you, based on what Tristan described. I could try mind lock again on Devon this time.
No. Thank you for offering, Quinn, but we need you whole. I will wait to see if we have other options before I meet with Devon.
Understood, Daegan, but whatever you think that creature can do to me he could also do to you, correct?
Not necessarily. I will explain more, but their master wants me to find two volumes of a grimoire and deliver those to him in exchange for freeing our people. I believe he will continue capturing more in the meantime.
Quinn asked, You believe him?
Of course not, but that is why one of his followers would be foolish to touch me.
That makes sense, Quinn agreed. I’ll let you know what I find out.
One more thing, Quinn.
Yes?
While with Sen, ask him about the Immortuos Grimoire volume placed in the VIPER vault twelve hundred years ago. I’d like to know where it was stolen from.
Will do.
When the communication ended, Daegan teleported to his meeting room where his council stood in a wide circle, leaving the center of the room open. They had all been present when he created a round table with majik just for these meetings. Daegan raised a hand and called forth the table. Cyrillic symbols appeared on the polished wood and bronze surface. Each six-inch-tall letter had been inserted near the edge, continuing all the way around until joining the last stroke with the first.
Eight chairs appeared next. Seven had tall backs with a different name carved into each and soft deerskin seats. He’d crafted his chair a bit larger to accommodate his size. The fierce dragon carved into the back of his seat had been for Ruadh, who would always share his place.
The Cyrillic symbols embedded in the surface assured all discussion around this table remained secret while seated here, but he trusted every council member with his life.
They’d held Daegan’s life in their hands the day they’d gone rogue to break into TÅμr Medb and steal his dragon from the queen’s throne room. Every one of them had taken that risk knowing they would face Macha’s wrath.
That had been before Adrianna broke the curse after they delivered the dragon throne to Treoir realm. Macha showed up as his mighty beast roared to life.
Daegan tossed her out of Treoir. That had been a satisfying moment, but not as much as making Queen Maeve pay one day for what she’d cost him.
Once Tzader had Brina eased into her chair that had been pushed back from the table to allow room for her middle, Daegan’s flame-haired niece asked, “What is going on in the human world?”
Adrianna spoke up. “I shared with Brina what Evalle told me about Noah. We may be able to shut down the exposure of supernatural beings with some creative public relations effort. Maybe get Tristan’s friend to help us out.”
Tristan leaned in, ready to talk, but Daegan lifted a hand, asking for a moment. When his second eased back, Daegan said, “’Tis more complicated than you know. Too much has transpired that cannot be quelled at this point.”
Adrianna LaFontaine, a Sterling witch and in possession of an ancient power known as Witchlock, sat back with a confused expression.
Tristan had a sour look in his face.
Guilt danced through Evalle’s gaze.
Daegan wanted to alleviate their concerns first. “Evalle and Tristan are not to blame for exposing us tonight. I condone every action taken in effort to save our Beladors and do not regret trying to save one as well. Now that no one here carries more blame than me, I would have everyone hear what Tristan and Evalle have to report.”
“I told you most of mine,” Tristan started.
Tzader glanced at him. “Brina and Adrianna were not present.”
“Right.” Tristan caught everyone up with what he’d shared at the entrance, ending with, “Quinn is on his way to find out more on Devon.”
Evalle cleared her throat and shared what had happened in Buckhead with Noah. She grimaced at that. “When I rushed forward to grab Noah, Quinn stopped me.”
Letting out a groan, Storm muttered, “Remind me to thank him.”
She arched a chastising eyebrow at her mate, who shrugged, clearly not repentant. He smiled and she rolled her eyes, continuing. “Anyhow, Quinn tried to use mind lock to get inside the hooded guy’s head, but he ran into something bad that took Quinn to his knees. Then ... ” She paused to glance at Storm as she finished, “I went after the guy with the robe to free Noah.”
Storm cupped a hand over his eyes, but said nothing.
Evalle lifted her shoulders in a what-else-could-she-do motion and explained how she’d broken the chain and freed Noah. “Power in that chain knocked me fifteen feet back. When I came to, Quinn was coming out of his own disorientation.”
She cut her eyes to the side at Storm who lowered his hand and shook his head a little, but said nothing more. Daegan had been around when Storm witnessed his mate go through far worse and come out stronger.
Brina asked, “What about Noah?”
Evalle explained, “It was mad chaos, but long story short, Quinn called in some of our people on local law enforcement who took Noah to a healer and Adrianna showed up to rescue us.” She sent a smile to the witch.
A petite powerhouse with white-blond hair and a beautiful face, Adrianna picked up the thread. “Trey contacted me and caught me up. I was in the area of Buckhead. When I got there, Evalle spoke telepathically to the second Belador law officer. He created a disturbance which allowed me to cloak the three of us to walk away.”
Storm sat forward, crossing his arms on the table. “What happened to you, Daegan?”
Drilling his fingers against the polished surface, Daegan had been considering Evalle and Tristan’s report. “We were all pulled toward traps. Mine used Renata as bait.” He described what happened at the Ferris wheel.
“SWAT showed up?” Tristan groaned. “That’s an elite group to handle the most dangerous local law enforcement operations. Yep, we’re officially outed, but how did you get away from that glowing yellow being?”
Daegan rubbed his forehead where a throbbing sensation kept building between his temples. “The one I encountered called himself an Imortik and said he would trade our people for two volumes of some grimoire. He also said he’d made the same offer to other powerful beings whose followers he had as well. The person who shows up with the two volumes receives all the captives.”
“What if he deals with someone like Queen Maeve?” Evalle worried aloud.
“That is one concern, but I fear we will have more who can end up with our Beladors if we fail to free them.”
Brina asked the question on everyone’s face. “Just what is an Imortik, Uncle?”
“I have no more of an answer than what I have described, but ... ” Daegan paused in mid-sentence. He called out, “Garwyli, please join me at the council table.”
In the next moment, Garwyli walked into the room as if he’d been standing just outside, which wasn’t the case. He could teleport anywhere within the Treoir realm, but the old guy preferred to walk.
“What you be needin’, dragon?” Garwyli asked as usual, but without the humor often lacing his voice. “I am not even close to finishin’ your da’s chronicles.”
“I understand. Please take Quinn’s empty seat and join this discussion. We all need your knowledge.”
Garwyli went straight to the chair and seated himself. When he did, his gaze studied the table and air around him. When he looked at Daegan, his eyebrows climbed his forehead. “’Tis a protected area?”
Daegan nodded. “Nothing said here leaves this area unless I allow it.”
First pushing his long beard off the table, the druid clasped his hands on the polished surface and waited.
Daegan filled Garwyli in on the parts he’d not been able to provide earlier, including a rundown of Tristan and Evalle’s events in Atlanta. He asked the druid, “Have you found out more about the Imortiks? What can you tell all of us about these beings and the two volumes the Imortik master wants?”
A look of sadness passed over Garwyli’s face. “I do know more. As I read, I recalled bits and pieces from memory as well. I shall start at the beginning. Three hundred years before Daegan’s birth, during a dark period, a sorcerer and a goddess, neither of which I know the names of, joined up to create a super force of wendingos, pishachas, nidhogg, whatever ... ” Garwyli waved his hand as if to encompass all such creatures. “These creatures were originally flesh eaters, which the grimoire majik formula turned into power eaters. The most powerful of gods and goddesses were not concerned until one Imortik evolved more than expected and overpowered a Fae.”
Shock rode every face around the table. Daegan’s included.
Unaffected by the horror he’d just raised, Garwyli went on explaining, “That’s when the dragon families called to the god or goddess specifically protecting each of them. As we all know, deities rarely become allies unless they fear something. They agreed to create a mors murum.” Before anyone could ask, Garwyli supplied the translation. “That’s Latin for death wall. The deities told the dragon families to locate the Immortuos Grimoire and figure a way to lock up the Imortiks in the mors murum, then separate the grimoire into three parts.”
Tzader had said little until now. “Let me get this straight. The Imortiks were forced behind the death wall, locked inside a place they could not escape, but some have managed to do so even without all three volumes together, correct?”
Garwyli nodded. “Each volume is capable of causing a rift in the death wall if enough majik in that volume is translated and put into action.” He returned to explaining the history. “The original monstrosities created continued changing and morphing into abominations capable of taking over a supernatural’s body, including the powers associated with that body. After taking over that Fae victim, that monster turned on its creators, before becoming the master of Imortiks, which spread out across what is today known as Europe, Russia, and Asia.”
Brina held folded fingers to her chin, slowly shaking her head. “The fools who started this deserved what they got.”
“True.” Garwyli lifted a finger, drawing attention back to him. “It required three powerful dragon houses to prevent the human world from being overrun and destroyed. I will search deeper into your family’s chronicles, Daegan, but the earliest volumes from that time were written in a language that preceded even the Treoir language.”
Daegan found that hard to believe. “Are ya sayin’ you cannot translate it?”
“Not yet. I will not give up, but I shall focus on what I am able to translate first and search for any mention of the grimoire volumes in those chronicles.”
Adrianna tilted her head toward the druid. “How did the dragon families even figure out where to start looking once they had the support of the deities?”
“Best that I can recall, a follower of the sorcerer partly behind this went to the ice dragons and pleaded for help. That’s how the dragon families first learned of the book of ancient majik called the Immortuos Grimoire. The Imortiks were named as such because it was believed these beings could not be killed. The sorcerer master was believed to have been overtaken by the Fae Imortik. A goddess, identity not known, had partnered with the sorcerer and was believed to have escaped to her realm to avoid retribution.”
“So this goddess might still be around?” Evalle asked, sounding sick at the possibility. “If so, do we know who she is?”
“Most likely the goddess still exists, but her identity has been kept hidden, which makes me think she only managed to escape because she aided the other deities in containing the Imortiks.” Seeming to compose himself, Garwyli ran a hand over his white hair before clasping his hands again. He swallowed hard as if his throat had become dry from speaking.
Daegan whispered a command and drinks appeared around the table.
The druid smiled his thanks, took a sip of his water, and continued. “The sorcerer and goddess created that original grimoire. The complete Immortuos Grimoire was believed to control the Imortiks. The Imortik master Daegan met up with likely does have some power over those beings he’s helping to escape through a rift, but I suspect no one holds all the power without holding all three volumes.”
“Why would you think that?” Adrianna asked.
“When the three dragon families joined forces and located the grimoire, they still did not know how to kill the Imortiks. They took the whole grimoire to an oracle and explained their problem. She spent five days and nights in a trance. When she regained consciousness, she read the pages of the grimoire with her blind eyes, warning that some Imortiks could become more dangerous if they were killed and evolved into a different form. She explained how to send them to the alternate world.” Garwyli took a deep breath and on the exhale said, “’Tis all I have for now. I have much more to read.”
“Wow, that’s ... crazy stuff even for our world,” Evalle muttered.
Brina offered, “I will help you read the Treoir chronicles, Garwyli.”
“Thank you, child. I fear we will have to piece together much as some of what I related was from spoken history.”
Daegan frowned. “We cannot kill them?”
“I have thought hard on this. I think the oracle told the dragon families that killing an Imortik, which had taken over a human body or a supernatural of less power, would likely result in true death. But killing one that had completed taking over a supernatural body ... could evolve into something worse or multiply, but I am not sure.”
Everyone around the table groaned at that possibility. Daegan’s headache thumped even harder. “Can you tell us more about how the dragon families stopped the Imortiks?”
Garwyli waited for silence then said, “Unfortunately, the history may be lost with the grimoire volumes. Once the dragon leaders had it in hand, the oracle sent them to someone older than her who could translate the medieval scribblings to instruct the dragon families on how to trap and imprison Imortiks forever. She warned once they knew what to do they should gather every powerful being from druids to deities they could find to lock the Imortiks away or they would fail.”
Storm had listened intently with solemn quiet. “Would you explain again about the three volumes?”
“Aye. The oracle instructed the three dragon kings present that once the Imortiks were imprisoned, they should split the grimoire into three volumes. Each dragon king would take a volume to hide so the grimoire would never again return to power.”
Tristan lifted a hand, politely asking for the floor. “If that’s the case, how can one volume of the grimoire be on the loose right now?”
“I wish I had that answer, Tristan,” the druid replied. “One of the volumes was found twelve hundred years ago and enough translated to disrupt the majik holding the wall in place. A crack formed, allowing Imortiks to begin escaping as they are currently doing. That volume was located, the escaped Imortiks sent back to their prison, and the wall sealed once more.”
Brina grimaced as she rubbed her round middle. “Where be that volume?”
Daegan explained, “When I told the Imortik master I had no idea where to look, he said my people stole a volume and gave it to VIPER. That I should start there. I’ve asked Quinn to inquire about that volume when he meets with Sen. With one volume in VIPER’s vault and the Imortik master possessing a second one, that points to locating only the third volume.”
Daegan rubbed his forehead. “What three dragon families were involved, Garwyli?”
“Yours or King Gruffyn’s ancestors, King Eógan’s ice dragon ancestors, and those of the Egyptian earth dragons ruled by King Anasch.”
Tzader had kept his arm on Brina’s shoulder, no doubt remaining on high alert for any change with her. “Which volume was found if the dragon families kept them hidden?”
“Good question, Tzader.” Brina patted his hand then returned her hand to gently smoothing over her stomach.
Garwyli leaned forward, lifting both hands. “’Twas all kept secret. I only recall snippets I picked up at different times over the centuries, but I rarely leave this realm, which limits what I can learn firsthand.”
Daegan pulled his hand down from his forehead. “Based on the Imortik master’s accusation, I assume the volume in the vault might have belonged to our family.”
“Logical, but not necessarily correct unless Quinn can confirm that,” Garwyli countered.
Tristan slouched in his chair. “So much for hide all three volumes and keep the world safe. One is dangerous all by itself.”
“’Tis worse with all three,” Garwyli countered. “If you think of what is happening now as a crack in a huge dam holding back an ocean versus bringing all three volumes together and opening that dam all at once.”
“Okay, point taken.”
“My father told me where everything was, including his personal hoard,” Daegan commented, thinking out loud. “Why not the hiding spot of our grimoire volume?”
Garwyli gave him a smile of understanding. “Ah, Daegan,’twas so long ago the king either did not consider it of current importance or forgot about it. Why would he mention something that should not have ever seen the light of day again? No problem existed for over twelve hundred years, not until now.”
Quinn’s voice came into Daegan’s mind. I have some news, if you’re ready.
Daegan announced to the council, “Quinn calls me. Please wait while I hear what he has to say.” When everyone went silent, Daegan replied to his North American Maistir. Tell me what you have, Quinn.
While I was at VIPER, I was able to view Devon from outside a warded wall. One minute, he looks and talks like Devon. The next, he’s grabbing his head and yelling in pain. I think whatever jumped from the troll to him still has Devon in its grip. The healers won’t go near him.
Daegan had hoped for better news, but was not surprised by what he heard. What about the grimoire volume being held in VIPER’s vault?
Quinn continued, I asked Sen about it. He told me after he brought Devon there and discovered an Imortik had him, he was called out twice more to pick up Beladors taken by an Imortik. After that, he went to the Tribunal, asking what they knew about this. Loki told him about the Immortuos Grimoire and that one volume was in the vault. The Tribunal ordered him to share nothing about it with anyone. They felt the less shared, the better chance to keep those other two volumes hidden. Sen claims it looks like the Imortiks were focused primarily on Beladors. Said he has not been called out about a troll, warlock, or any other being yet. I went to the Tribunal. Loki was pretty agitated, not his normal happy self. He and the other two forbade any discussion of the Immortuos Grimoire, including the one volume in the vault.
Who are the additional Beladors brought in? Daegan asked.
Sen would not show me the other two Beladors, but the names he gave me were two more out-of-town Beladors.
Was one of them named Renata?
Quinn answered, No. I’ll deal with contacting Belador families if we do not get them back alive, but I did tell Sen to contact me or you before taking any action. He said he’d take that under consideration.
Daegan ground his teeth. Sen liked to talk, but he had yet to follow through with all that mouthing off. Thank you, Quinn. Once we’ve finished here, I’ll send everyone I can back to help in Atlanta. Evalle and Storm will fill you in on what we’ve discussed.
That works for me, Quinn confirmed. I need to remain in the human world right now.
Once the voice vanished from his mind, Daegan told the group what Quinn had passed along.
Brina lifted a fist. “The Tribunal cannot have our people. What of VIPER’s healers?”
“They won’t touch Devon.”
“Then we should have a chance with our healers,” she persisted.
Garwyli stepped in before Daegan could say another word. “I do not recommend that, though I do share your concern for them.”
“Why not?” Brina only needed a sword in hand to go with her fierce determination.
“We would put healers we need at risk. From what I recall, Imortiks would overtake a body then begin syphoning energy from it for the next week or so until the Imortik completely joined with the body’s power and took solid form.”
Daegan interjected, “The Imortik master said we had a fortnight to deliver both volumes for any hope of saving those taken today.”
“Wait,” Adrianna interrupted. “What is a fortnight?”
Garwyli, Brina, and Tzader replied, “Fourteen days.”
“Clearly I’m not up on medieval terminology,” she mumbled. “Thank you.”
Smiling his sympathy at Adrianna, Garwyli finished, “That would mean every day after those two weeks, any new Beladors or other living beings captured in the meantime would be forever gone as well.” Pausing for another drink of water, the druid said, “One more thing. If an Imortik went up against a powerful body too difficult to take, it would hold onto the body long enough to push its venomous energy inside.”
Daegan sat forward. “What happens then? Would that person be a threat to others?”
“The venom remains in the body, which draws in other Imortiks. If enough of them overwhelm the poisoned one, they can kill the powerful being if they cannot overtake the body individually. Once they overtake a body, then yes, that person would be a threat to others.”
Tristan’s gaze lit with realization and shot to Daegan, who sent him a telepathic message. Do not speak further about the venom at this moment.
Frowning hard, Tristan replied with a silent, Okay, boss.
Garwyli had caught the exchange of looks between them, but added, “The Tribunal will have to work with you at some point if all three volumes combined are required to send the escaped Imortiks back behind the death wall.”
Storm asked, “How is that going to be possible when we don’t know who is behind the rift or where to find the missing volume?”
Garwyli offered encouraging words. “I do not know, Storm, but I trust in the intelligence and ability of this council. I will help you all I can and you will help Daegan find a way through this.”
Rumblings of agreement circled the table.
Daegan wished to believe they could find a volume hidden thousands of years ago in one of three places, but they had so little going in their favor. For one thing, he had no idea if the grimoire had been created in book form, scroll, or some other form.
Still, no war had ever been won by starting from the point of doubt.
Adrianna’s smooth forehead wrinkled with thought. “Who were the three deities who came together to stop the first Imortiks?”
Sighing loudly, Garwyli said, “I know of only one. Macha. I know about her only because I have been in this realm so long and recall her speaking of it at one time. She had been in conversation with other deities about who should manage supernaturals in the human world. That’s when she and two others created the Tribunal realm where court is held.”
Evalle fidgeted, not one to be still long. “Is there any chance Macha or Maeve is behind this even if Macha did help put Imortiks away? She probably cooperated back then for her own benefit. Now that she’s been kicked off Treoir Island, she might have a different mindset to get back at Daegan and the Beladors.”
“Good point Evalle,” Daegan said. “But we must be careful in accusing any deity if we end up needing their help to stop the Imortiks.”
Evalle groused, “I can see that. It’s just that I keep waiting for Macha or Maeve to do something big.”
Tristan asked, “Would the Tribunal stand back and let Macha or Maeve have their way if, as Evalle pointed out, they saw this as a chance to take us all down?”
“No.” Garwyli shook his head. “Unless a deity joined up with one of those two, most would be livid about anyone creating a rift in the mors murum and would make even a deity’s life extremely difficult. But on the chance a deity is behind this, you should look for the lesser beings who support them. ’Tis much easier to have a follower do their dirty work in the human realm than for one of them to risk being caught.”
Looking disgusted, Tristan ran a hand through his hair. “Can you only imagine if crazy Maeve did get her hands on those volumes?”
More groaning around the table.
Tzader offered, “That’s all good and fine, but we have a mess in the human world. I would hope you three know I’m not blaming anyone, just wanting to get ahead of the fallout.”
Tilting his head toward Tzader, Daegan agreed, “You are correct. What do you suggest?”
Tzader calmly explained, “We have people inside many governments in the human world. I need to visit our Belador high up in the US government, who is involved with national security operations and make sure no one is mobilizing armed forces to kill anything that looks strange.”
Brina grasped his arm. “Would ya be safe?”
He patted her hand. “Yes. I have a spot where Daegan can teleport me inside the building and not be seen. As soon as I call out telepathically to our contact, I expect to be brought in immediately. I’ll probably be back here in less than an hour.” Turning back to Daegan, Tzader said, “That doesn’t address our Belador families, though.”
Giving it a moment, Daegan made a decision he’d been chewing on, but he wanted to allow Brina to weigh in. “How many Belador family members do you estimate are in the southeastern part of the country around VIPER? Because this appears to be centralized near Atlanta for the moment.”
Looking up and moving her lips in a silent calculation, Brina glanced at him. “I’m thinkin’ it to be three hundred to three fifty. I’ve not taken count in a while. Could be over four hundred.”
“How do you feel about housing the families in Treoir?”
“You don’t have to ask, Uncle. These are our people. Of course we’ll bring them here. Will that include the Belador warriors?”
“I will make it voluntary to come here with their families or remain in Atlanta.”
“That is what we will do then,” she declared.
Tzader stood. “I’m sure the national security group are working on this issue even as we speak, no matter how late it is. I need to get moving before this gets out of hand.”
Daegan instructed, “Picture where you wish to arrive.”
“Got it.” Tzader vanished as soon as the words were out of his mouth.
Garwyli had been tapping his thumbs against each other, as if deep in thought. He turned to Daegan. “How soon will ya be leavin’ to hunt the grimoire volumes?”
“Not until Tzader returns,” Brina replied before Daegan did. “I do not mean to be oversteppin’, Uncle, but I would rather you wait to hear from him. If he runs into a problem, you may be the only one to handle it and bring him back.”
Daegan understood the worry in her voice. He had the same concern for every person here, who he considered family as much as Brina, Tzader, their babes, and all his people. If an hour or two would have solved this issue, he would not have returned to Treoir.
“You did not overstep, Niece. We are of the same mind,” he assured her. She gave him a smile of thanks. “There’s no point in me going to VIPER to ask for any more than Quinn has on that volume. I just have to find the third one, but no idea where to begin my search.”
The druid said, “You may have ta do what ya been puttin’ off.”
“Explain,” Daegan ordered, unsure what the old guy referenced.
“Ya been sayin’ you’re gonna track down yar history. Now would be the time to find the squire family. That person might have carried the stories from much farther back than what you were told.”
Was he serious? Everyone stared at the druid as if he’d suggested this would be a great time for a vacation.
Garwyli scowled at them. “Doona question me when I know what I speak of.” Swinging that sharp gaze at Daegan, the old guy said, “The original grimoire was created before your time. I will not stop until I find all I can in your family chronicles, but ya need more from the other dragon families.”
Adrianna sat up as if she didn’t already hold perfect posture. “Are you saying the volumes could have been hidden in places like the ice dragon castle and King Gruffyn’s castle?”
Daegan doubted it would be so simple. “That would have made it too easy for enemies to find while ransacking the castles once kings fell from power.”
Garwyli gave Daegan a shake of his head. “Ya think every dragon king’s enemy hoped to find the king’s hoard? I never heard of King Gruffyn’s hoard being found until you saw your father’s treasures in the Scamall realm, Daegan. Ya keep assumin’ about how things happened during the centuries when you were captured. ’Tis hard to allow new ideas in a closed off place. ’Tis why I keep sayin’ to find the person who carried the history.”
“I just can’t imagine ... ”
“That yar family’s history would have survived after all this time?” Garwyli finished. “What ’tis the harm of hunting the Luigsech family yar father told you he’d trusted?”
Evalle watched the two of them with a surprised expression. “Who’s Luigsech?”
Garwyli suddenly lost his cockiness. “Er, I may have spoken a bit too much.”
Daegan waved him off. “Anyone at this table is welcome to everything in the chronicles. Garwyli speaks of the last squire family loyal to my father. He feels if I locate the descendants of that human family today, they may be able to shed some light on gaps in my family history after I was captured.”
“What all was in the chronicle about the Luigsech squire?” Adrianna asked Daegan.
“My father suspected a traitor among his inner circle and warned me against trusting the squire family we’d had for a long time.”
“That traitor was Germanus, the guy who held me in Scamall, right?” Evalle asked in an even voice, but her hand fisted.
Storm reached over and covered that hand, murmuring something.
She relaxed her fingers and smiled at him. “I’m good.”
“Yes,” Daegan confirmed. “But I have a feeling there was more than one, because my father wrote that he had chosen a new squire family named Luigsech, which I should trust. Squires kept dragon family history by spoken word. My family chronicles are our intimate writings. Female squires were most important. Though many kingdoms educated only the men, dragon families held women in high regard for their sharp minds and intuitive abilities.”
Adrianna spoke up. “If you’ll give me anything you have on the Luigsech family from back in your day, like specific names and the location of your father’s castle, I’ll ask Isak to trace the lineage to current day.”
Daegan gave Adrianna a smile of appreciation since she was not on the best of terms with Isak. “Thank you, Adrianna. The times have changed so much I have my doubts about the spoken history being preserved at all, but I will not turn down any potential information. I will contact you immediately if I locate those names.” He said that only to appease Garwyli. Daegan had to get his hands on that third volume, not look for someone with obscure knowledge.
“Excuse me, Garwyli,” Storm interrupted. “Why didn’t everyone just destroy the grimoire?”
“’Tis often believed to be a greater danger in destroying an item with that much majikal influence.” The old druid pushed a look at Daegan. “Do ya think the ice dragon in the dungeon can help?”
“Doubtful.” Daegan shook his head. “I have yet to get him to say a word.”
“Are you sure he can talk?” Storm asked.
“Yes, his dragon can speak and he can communicate with me telepathically. I am also sure he can shift, but is staying in dragon form where he feels most powerful if attacked.”
“But you saved him from Scamall and gave him your blood when he was dying,” Adrianna argued, clearly disgruntled with anyone who lacked appreciation for being saved by Daegan. She had been with all of them when they went to retrieve Evalle.
Daegan agreed. “With Imortiks threatening our people and the entire human world, I am out of patience, but that ice dragon sees me as an enemy. To force him to do anything would only deepen that belief.” Standing up, Daegan announced, “I’ll teleport anyone who is ready to return to Atlanta.”
“I am,” echoed around the room with the exception of Garwyli, Brina, and Tristan.
Tristan crossed his arms, waiting to hear what his duty would be.
Daegan instructed, “Everyone should continue working in pairs. Tristan will go with me to hunt for the grimoire.”
Giving a decisive grunt of approval, Tristan let Daegan know he had guessed correctly. Considering what Daegan had fought in Atlanta, he would not go without backup again and risk this mission.
Not after that Imortik master had blocked his dragon powers and ability to teleport.
Once he teleported Evalle, Storm, and Adrianna to Atlanta, Daegan told Brina, “I know you can walk and teleport yourself, but I would prefer to teleport you to your room to wait on Tzader. I’m going back to the dungeon. Call me when Tzader returns.”
Brina waved him off. “No need to fuss, Uncle. Garwyli and I go to the library. I will wait there.” She smiled as Garwyli rose to his feet and gave her a hand getting out of the chair.
Brilliant, beautiful, and stubborn. She was definitely a female of his bloodline. Daegan glowered at her and she laughed as she left. “Find that book, Daegan. I want my people safe.”
He shook his head and told Tristan, “I wish to get moving. I think we should—” He stopped short when he had a telepathic call from Tzader to return.
Tzader came into view and headed for Daegan with a furious expression. “We’ve got a major problem.”
“Worse than Imortiks?” Tristan asked in a sarcastic tone.
“Possibly,” Tzader snapped at him. He turned to Daegan. “Rumors are running through governments that a red dragon lives and is a danger to all of the world. There’s probably a bounty on your head large enough to give someone their own hoard.”
“They cannot prove I exist,” Daegan argued.
“Yes, they can. There are hundreds of videos taken, plus eyewitness accounts of a red dragon burning a strip of forest in northern Ukraine just before daylight. I saw the films. It’s unbelievably real.”
This couldn’t be happening again. Daegan roared, “I am the last of the red dragons and all others before me are gone.”
Tzader held his hands up. “That may be, but every country knows what happened in Atlanta and is up in arms. Their people are panicking. We have to keep you hidden. Whoever is behind this is fingering you.”
Tristan jumped in. “We need to think about keeping you out of sight, boss.”
“He’s right. You can’t leave Treoir, Daegan,” Tzader said. “If someone identifies you to a hostile group, or worse, pushes you to shift, you could die before you teleported. Right now, a red dragon is on the top of every country’s hit list.”
Daegan knew only one way to lead and that was from the front. “Stay here and protect Brina. I am headed to Galway.”
Tzader grabbed his bald head. “They’ll be looking for you all over Europe. It will take nothing to get fighter jets to Ireland. With what happened in Atlanta, every country will send military, specifically air support, to take down a dragon.”
“Thank you for going to find out what you could, Tzader, but I must find the grimoire volume. I will shield my identity. Keep our people as safe as you can and watch over my niece. You are the only one I would entrust with so great a treasure.”
Sounding as blown as a horse run to ground, Tzader gave in. “Fine. Stay in touch and please don’t fucking shift.”
Daegan nodded, then walked out before any new conversation started.
Tristan followed him. “If that red dragon was not yours, which we know it wasn’t, then it has to be a bait to draw you out.”
“Agreed.”
“Also, since that was not you and we have another dragon down below, who could the dragon in Ukraine be?”
Daegan slammed to a stop. His brain felt overloaded and ready to explode. “I have no idea, but I intend to find out for sure.”
“Okay, boss, but if you shift, then I’m shifting into my gryphon to fly with you.”
As Daegan prepared to teleport them to a spot he hoped was still as secluded today as long ago, he heard a shout in his mind. Save me.
Stark pain, not physical, but of the heart, cried out.
Who had said that?