12

Biting her thumbnail, Jo paced the giant cave Illarion called home.

In dragon form, he crouched a few feet away, watching her through hooded eyes. It’ll be all right, Jo.

How she wished she could believe that. But with every second that passed without word, her worry fed her insanity. She couldn’t stand this wall of knowing nothing. “We don’t know where Cadegan is or what happened.… Who has him?”

What had him?

I know, child. Would you like to go look for him again?

“Please.” She smiled at the dragon. “And thank you, Illarion. For everything.”

Still in his massive dragon form, he gave her a slight bow of his head before he lowered himself enough so that she could climb onto his back. She felt him wince as she took the small saddle he’d conjured for her.

“Are you all right? Am I too heavy for you?”

He laughed bitterly in her head. No, lass. While I know you’re currently trapped in Cadegan’s body, I’m painfully aware of the fact that you’re not really a man. And I was remembering my precious Edilyn who once rode to battle in the saddle where you sit now. She was the last and only female I ever allowed to ride me.

“What?” she asked. Given the note of wounded tenderness in his voice, she had a bad feeling he didn’t just mean that Edilyn rode him for transportation alone.

Illarion gave her a sad nod. It’s where the legends of the virgin sacrifices to dragons come from. They weren’t really our sacrifices. Rather, they were offered to us as hopeful spouses.

Centuries ago, my kind were used as weapons in war. To entice us to fight for them, humans would offer up their sons and daughters to us, to make sure that we had a vested interest in battling in human armies, and for their causes. Many of my kind mated with the strongest of your people and we would fight together in battle as a single unit.

“Was Edilyn your wife?”

In a simple word, yes, but she was a lot more to me than that. She was my best friend and the very air I breathed.

“What happened?”

I failed to protect her.

Her heart wrenched at the agony he betrayed. “I’m sorry, Illarion.”

Thank you, lass … it’s the only reason I’m willing to help the two of you, when normally I’d have left you to rot. I know what it’s like to live without my better half. It’s a painful bit I’d wish on no one. Your courage and resilience reminds me much of my Edilyn. And I want to see you back with your Cadegan.

She leaned forward and hugged him. How she wished she had words to soothe him. But his grief was so deep, it was tangible. “Were you there when she died?”

He nodded. It was both a curse and a blessing. I’d promised her that I would never leave her in this life or the next. That we would always be together, and that no other would ever claim my heart the way she had.

When my kind bonds, we’re supposed to die with our beloved. But her people had a sorcerer who’d found the magick to undo ours, so that they didn’t lose the entire battle team. So in the end, my body lived on, but my heart and soul went with Edilyn into eternity. I hated her people after that.

The only part of my oath to her I was able to keep was that I was there, holding her hand, when death claimed her. I have never loved anyone save her.

And I never will.

With her head on his neck, she stroked his scales. “I am so incredibly sorry.”

Thank you.

Jo took the reins, wishing there was something, anything, she could do to make things better for him. Unfortunately, grief like his wasn’t easy to come back from. It could destroy the person who felt it. She’d seen firsthand what it’d done to her family when Tiyana had died. Even now, her heart was broken at the loss. Not a day went by that she didn’t think of Tiyana at least a dozen times.

Almost a decade later, they still mourned her.

They always would.

Just like Illarion mourned his precious Edilyn. Poor dragon. Life wasn’t fair and she knew that as well as anyone. But it was now clear why Illarion had fought so hard for her when there was no reason for him to do so. Why he’d been determined to get her free of first the demons who’d come to claim her, and then Morgen’s vicious mandrakes and gargoyles. All of whom had been determined to see her captured and taken to their masters. And all the while, Gwyn had stood back, letting the two groups go at each other and Illarion. She hoped that Lord Switzerland got his comeuppance some day.

Once she gave Illarion the signal that she was secure, he left the cave and took flight.

Jo continued to worry her lip as she scanned the nasty gray scenery for any sign of her Cadegan, and where he might have been taken. Reaching down, she stroked Illarion’s scales. He reminded her a lot of Cadegan. It was a pity the two of them hadn’t found each other before now. They could have been great friends who watched over each other.

Or committed murder.

Perhaps they were too much alike. The two of them might get on each other’s nerves like Amanda and Tabitha did. The twin sisters swore they were absolutely nothing alike, and yet they were so similar, it was more than obvious they’d come from the same egg.

Laughing at the thought as they flew, Jo still couldn’t believe Illarion had returned just minutes after Cadegan had been sucked out of the castle. His psychic powers had warned him something was wrong and he’d been desperate to check on them.

But for the dragon’s return, there was no telling what would have become of her.

Illarion slowed and rose up like a falcon to hover over the ground so far below. Something’s amiss.

Latching on to him with all her strength, Jo scanned the countryside. “I don’t see anything.”

It’s not my eyes that sense it. I feel it. A change in the air. Morgen is launching her army again. Gargoyles and mandrakes are taking flight. They’re headed this way.

“What do you think it is?”

Dangerous. In a word. I have no idea why she’d do such. But it doesn’t bode well for any of us.

Jo frowned as she caught sight of something off in the distance. “Is that part of her army?”

Illarion turned to look. Not sure. Those creatures were once servants of King Arthur, but have been enslaved by others since his death.

“Others, like…?”

Our friend Gwyn.

“Should we attack them and see if they can help get my body back?”

Are you up to a battle?

“I am Cadegan, right? I have his powers. No idea really how to use them, but I’m willing to give it a go, if you are.”

He snorted. Hold tight and pray.

Illarion headed straight for them.

Jo hung tight and stayed low to his neck as they flew. She felt something rumbling in his stomach. “Hungry, sweetie?”

Getting ready to breathe fire if I need to.

“So it comes from your stomach?”

No. I have anatomy you don’t. Let’s leave it at that.

Okay then. She wasn’t sure she wanted a dragon biology lesson.

As they neared the giant, muscular gryphon birds, Jo saw the two riders on their backs. This couldn’t be good.

Preparing for attack, Illarion dove for them.

But as they drew closer, she realized one of the riders was extremely familiar.

“Wait! It’s Cadegan!”

Illarion pulled up. Are you sure?

“Pretty much. I think I’d know my body anywhere.”

Laughing in her head, he projected his thoughts to the riders.

The moment he did, the one in her body headed for them.

“Josette?” Cadegan called.

“It’s us, Cade!”

Illarion led the way to the meadow below. The huge gryphon birds landed not far away, while Jo jumped down from Illarion, and then ran to meet them.

A part of her didn’t really believe it was Cadegan until he was in her arms. She buried her face in his neck and held him for everything she was worth. “I thought you were gone forever.”

He was actually trembling in relief. “I thought Morgen had you. We were on our way to assault Camelot.”

Jo laughed as she glanced at his massive army of two. “Assault how, honey? You wouldn’t have stood a chance without your body and powers.”

He winked at her. “I hadn’t quite mastered the plan in me mind. Was hoping for a bit of inspiration once I arrived.”

“You are so nuts.” She kissed him.

Until her gaze fell to the man with him and she recognized him from Cadegan’s memories.

All humor fled as bitter rage took hold of her better sense.

“Hi.” He held his hand out to her. “I’m—”

Before he could say another word, she punched his jaw as hard as she could. Then cursed as pain shot through her hand with a ferocious pounding. Wow, it looked so much easier and less painful in movies.

“Oh my God, I think I broke my hand.” She cradled it to her chest.

With an arched brow, Cadegan moved to inspect it. “Not broken, love, but remind me, I need to teach you how to hit someone.”

Thorn glared at her as he rubbed at his bruised jaw. “What the hell was that for?”

“You bastard!” she snarled at him, wanting the power to beat him blue. “It’s for what you did to Cadegan. How could you!”

“You don’t know what happened.”

“No, Leucious. You’re the one who doesn’t know what happened! I have Cade’s memories. You worthless son of a bitch!”

He didn’t speak as his gaze dropped to the scars on her arms. Scowling, he moved to her back.

Jo pulled the T-shirt off so that he could see the full range of damage done to Cadegan’s body. And most of it was done or had happened because of him. “Proud of yourself?”

His face pale, he met Cadegan’s gaze. “What did they do to you.”

Cadegan put the shirt back over her. “It matters naught.”

Jo reached to slap Leucious, but Cadegan stopped her.

“Let it go, lass.”

Let it go, her left foot! How could he be so forgiving of such an asshole? “Why are you with him?”

“He’s a friend of your cousins’. He’s here to take you home.”

She stepped past Cadegan to poke Leucious in the chest with her index finger. “No. You’re taking us home. I won’t leave here without Cadegan.”

“Lass…”

“I mean it, Cade. Unlike your worthless family, I will never leave you. Especially not alone in this hell.”

Cadegan pulled her into his arms and held her close. How he wished he could believe her. But he knew that life had a nasty tendency to make liars of them all, and lay ruin to any and all intentions. He kissed her cheek. “We’ll worry about that later. First, we have to switch ourselves back.”

Leucious screwed his face up. “This is disturbing, isn’t it? Hearing your words coming out of her body? Yeah. I think I’m getting a migraine.”

“Could be a tumor,” one of the birds said. “Or aneurysm. I was watching a show on that just—”

“Would you shut it already, Talfryn!” the other bird snapped at him. “Can’t you ever learn to read the room?”

“There’s no room here.” Talfryn glanced around. “Are you daft?”

Jo scowled at them before she looked back at Cadegan. “Should I ask?”

“Nay, lass.” Cadegan quickly introduced everyone.

Once they were done, Jo tapped the bracelet on her arm. “Do you think this has anything to do with this Invasion of the Body Snatchers episode we’re experiencing?”

“Aye, and I say we go back to the castle and beat the shite out of Gwyn until he fixes this.”

Leucious snorted. “Now there’s the Cadegan I remember. When all else fails, beat them with a stick.”

Works for me.

Cadegan inclined his head to Illarion. “I have a suspicion that you and I shall be good friends.”

Leucious snorted at his brother. “Why don’t we just pull the bracelet off and see what happens? Shall we?”

Ioan moved forward to stop him. “That might not be wise. Who put it on her, and why?”

“Gwyn, to ensure that we returned to Galar by fey vespers.” Cadegan sighed. “I agree with Ioan. It’s possible it could hurt her. I trust Gwyn even less than I trust you.”

Leucious glared at him. “Like you wouldn’t cut my throat.”

“Aye, I would. If ever given the right and proper chance.” Cadegan took Jo’s hand.

Just as he started for Ioan, the sky above them darkened.

Jo looked up and gasped. Morgen’s dragons and gargoyles filled the sky.

And they were headed straight for them.