by Tara West
“You need to connect the dots, Serah,” Draque grumbled, staring her down. “Do you know why your grandfather hates our fathers so much?”
She balled the napkin in her hand. “No.”
“He courted our grandmother, but she left him for our grandfathers,” Ladon said.
Their grandmother? That had to have been ages ago. “I doubt he’s still holding a grudge over that. He’s never mentioned her.”
Draque straightened. “Serah, Nathaniel Goldenwand doesn’t know how to let go of a grudge. He’s not the person you think he is.”
Why was Draque doing this to her now after all she’d been through? Her godmother had just tried to kill her, for goddess’s sake. Had he no compassion? “Stop saying that!” Her hand flew to her throbbing temple, a soft groan escaping her lips when her world tilted. She had a stress headache. She always got them when she had conflicting feelings about her grandfather.
Ladon knelt beside her and put his strong hand on her knee. “Are you okay?”
She fought back tears. “Is there somewhere I can be alone for a while? I have to lie down.” And she didn’t want Draque to see the waterworks that were about to spring from her eyes. Ladon gestured to a doorway carved into the far wall. “You can use my den.”
“Thanks.” She touched his wrist. “You’re so kind.”
“You think me unkind for wanting you to know the truth?” Draque said harshly.
She deliberately avoided eye contact with the brute. “I think you unkind for many reasons.”
“It’s not my intention to hurt you.” His gruff voice rose an octave.
She shrugged, focusing her gaze on the door, still refusing to look him in the eyes. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Without so much as looking in Draque and Teju’s direction, she followed Ladon to the den.
Whispering soothing words, he held her, rubbing her back. He was so sweet. She wished his brothers were more like him. She sighed when he wrapped strong arms around her. Though she tried to hold them back, a few tears fell.
She told herself she was crying because Draque was such a jerk, but the real reason was a truth she still couldn’t acknowledge. She absently fondled the earrings her grandfather had given her when he’d saved her from the sirens. He was the only family she had left and he wanted her dead?
Chapter Seven
Lady Athena Hoofenmouth grimaced at her surroundings. The school’s underground emergency shelter was a sparse cell illuminated by old wall sconces. There were a few benches and old school desks, a rusty toilet against a stone wall, and a dilapidated water fountain not equipped to last them more than a few days.
She knelt in front of Serah Goldenwand’s bound godmother, choking on the fairy’s stale boozy breath. “I’m going to ask you once more: why did you try to kill Seraphina?”
“I told you, my wand was bewitched.” The fairy sniffled, gobs of mascara running down her saggy, wrinkled face, her lopsided pink hair sticking to one side of her head like a matted ball of fur. “I’d never intentionally try to hurt my goddaughter.”
Athena narrowed her eyes at the fairy. “Who bewitched it?”
“I-I don’t know.” She hiccupped.
She studied her face, unable to detect any sign of deceit. Still, she didn’t trust her. She hadn’t seen the woman’s eyes when she’d tried to kill Seraphina, which would have helped determine if she’d truly been bewitched. She’d been hiding behind a tombstone, watching in awe as the Firesbreath brothers and the heiress suddenly materialized from detention. They’d been shocked to find their school in ruins. Good. Doris would’ve been crushed if those boys had been behind the destruction.
“Do you live with Nathaniel Goldenwand?” she asked the godmother.
“Yes.” The fairy hiccupped again, then let out a rancid belch. “I’ve lived with the Goldenwand family for eight hundred years.”
Cursing, Athena arched back, waving away the stink. Great Goddess, eight hundred years serving the Goldenwands would be enough torture to drive anyone to drink.
“Has Nathaniel been in contact with your wand?” she asked.
The fairy flinched, looking affronted. “Nathaniel Goldenwand personally inspects every Goldenwand before they go on the market,” she said haughtily, “but he wouldn’t harm his only heir.”
“Are you sure?” Maybe that’s what the fairy thought, but Athena certainly didn’t believe it. During the few minutes she’d spoken to him in the waiting room, she could tell he was heartless, and not just because of his snake-like stare. He’d referred to his granddaughter as a whore no less than five times before being shown into Doris’s office.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” the fairy cried, seemingly oblivious to a long trail of snot dripping down her nose and into her mouth.
“Neither do you,” Athena grumbled. Rising, she turned to the group of wide-eyed teens, looking at her as if she was their last hope. Doris had the connection to the kids, not her. Why were they looking to her as their leader? She waved to the potions teacher. “Bodicea, do you have any herbals to sober her up?”
The teacher stood, her wavy red hair floating around her shoulders in wild, untamed abandon, her porcelain cheeks stained with soot. When she smoothed her dress over generous curves, Athena was reminded they’d once been lovers, and she’d spent many nights with her face buried between Bodicea’s creamy thighs. That was, until Doris Doublewart caught Athena’s eye. Not that Doris was anywhere near as beautiful as Bodicea, but she was fierce and strong, two qualities Athena admired most in a woman. Bodicea was beautiful but lacked the grit Athena needed in a partner.
Bodicea nodded. “I believe I can brew something.”
“Good. See that it’s done,” she said tersely. “I need a walk. I should be back in about an hour.”
“You’re leaving us?” Bodicea’s eyes widened. “Where are you going?”
Athena fought the urge to roll her eyes. Doris wouldn’t have been frightened, or if she had, she wouldn’t have shown it. She would’ve taken charge and rallied the students until Athena returned.
“To see how the Firesbreaths and the heiress escaped their dungeons,” she said, then marched out of the cell.
“I’m coming with you,” Bodicea cried.
“No.” Athena stopped and glared at the pretty teacher. “Stay here with the children.”
“Too bad. I’m coming.” She raised her chin in a beautiful act of defiance. “The moss I need for the godmother’s brew only grows in the dungeon.” She nodded at a cluster of teachers behind her. “Hortensia, you’re in charge.”
Marching past Athena, she left the tantalizing scent of honeysuckle in her wake. Athena followed, remembering how she missed that scent.
TEJU’S HEART SANK AS Serah went into Ladon’s room with him. He and his two brothers rarely competed with each other, because they’d been sharing everything since they were hatchlings. Though they’d hatched within a few hours of each other, Teju considered Draque the older brother and leader, and Ladon, as the youngest, the follower. Teju had been stuck somewhere in the middle, the most academic of the three, the one who helped bring Draque’s outlandish plans to fruition by conjuring spells or designing potions.
But it seemed their order had changed. The baby brother had taken charge of their girl—correction, not their girl. She’d been theirs for only a short time before their world imploded. What Teju wouldn’t give to return to their bubble, to feel the quickening of Serah’s tight sheath while she moaned beneath him.
He was struck with envy as he thought of her in Ladon’s bed. Would he make love to her without them? The thought gnawed a hole in his gut.
Draque paced by the hearth, swearing under his breath about a stubborn siren.
“Do you think we’re being too hard on her?” Teju asked.
Draque’s gaze snapped to his. “By telling her the truth?”
He felt like a cornered mouse under the weight of Draque’s stare. “She’s obviously not ready to hear it.�
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“Too fucking bad.” Draque let out a primal roar. “She needs to face reality and show a little appreciation.” His eyes shifted from brown to brilliant gold. “If it wasn’t for us, she’d be dead.”
Teju sure hoped Serah couldn’t hear Draque from Ladon’s den. She’d call him a few choice names and then their chances of getting her back would be even slimmer. “She’s in shock.”
His eyes shone brighter, and his skin rippled before transforming into golden scales. His deep, dragon voice took over. “She needs to wake the fuck up before the wizard army shows up at our door.”
A loud knock at the door was followed by an obnoxious squawk and ruffling of feathers. Teju and Draque shared dark looks; they recognized the sound of their fathers’ lackey, Lord Crowfoot, who preferred to remain in a half-shifter, half mortal state, as many other shifters did in The Grotto.
Draque unlatched the heavy wooden door. It squeaked and groaned when he pulled it open. Crowfoot ducked under the doorway, his feathered head almost scraping the top of their cavern as he filled the room with his imposing presence. Though his shifter line was supposedly derived from crows, Teju suspected he had some prehistoric blood as well.
Crowfoot looked at them from behind a long, sharp beak with eyes that looked human. He ruffled his feathers once more and cleared his throat. “Draque, Teju, and Ladon Firesbreath, you have been summoned by the kings.”
“Again?” Draque grumbled. “We were just there.”
Crowfoot let out a shrill laugh that sounded like a train whistle. “They said you’d say that, and I’m to answer that if you don’t get your scaly hides to their chamber immediately, they will smoke you out of your den themselves.”
Draque widened his stance and gave the bird a challenging look. “Teju and I will go.”
“The youngest prince has been summoned, too.”
“He’s with the Goldenwand heiress.” Teju glanced at the door to Ladon’s den.
“And we’re not leaving her alone,” Draque added.
Teju smiled. Though he pretended to be vexed by Serah, Draque was still ruled by his protective instincts.
Crowfoot let out a noisy squawk. “Your fathers will be—”
Draque shot a stream of fire across Crowfoot’s shoulder, smoking the tips of his feathers. “Shut your bird beak and let us worry about our fathers.”
Crowfoot’s long, spindly legs shook, then he flapped his wings and part walked, part flew from the room.
Teju and Draque shared nervous looks. Why did their fathers want them again so soon? Teju suspected they bore bad tidings.
“WAIT UP, BODICEA,” Athena called, climbing through the narrow tunnel. A rat scurried past her feet. Who knew the pretty teacher could traverse slippery rocks so fast? Athena had forgotten what a treacherous climb it had been, getting from their emergency shelter to the detention dungeons. If it hadn’t been for the glow from her wand, she wouldn’t have been able to see where she was going, though perhaps that would’ve been better. The tunnel was littered with rat skeletons and spider webs.
Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, Bodicea leaned against moss-covered bars overlooking a treacherous drop into the cavern below. “Do you know which cell they were in?”
Athena shoved a hand through the bars, shining her wand into the darkness below and revealing inky black water surrounding a narrow, makeshift island. She barely made out the dorsal fins of the giant sharks that patrolled the water. They had been crafted from an illusion spell, based on Doris’s poorly drawn sharks, but they were threatening nonetheless, even if the size of their teeth were so exaggerated, they were almost comical.
After she recited the password, the metal grate opened and stairs appeared, lengthening until they touched ground.
Athena waved her wand at Bodicea. “After you?”
“Thank you.” Bodicea flashed a coy smile. “How polite.”
Athena inwardly smiled. She’d never been polite when she’d dated Bodicea. In fact, she’d been gruff, even demanding. She suspected Bodicea had grown tired of her. Their relationship had started fizzling even before Doris had shown an interest in Athena. The thought of Bodicea thinking her a brute didn’t sit well with her, and she made an extra effort to help her down the stairs.
“We will need to surface soon,” Bodicea said when they reached the bottom. “We don’t have enough supplies to stay for more than a few days.”
One of the comical sharks splashed Athena’s shoes. “We’ll have to ration.”
“The children are terrified.” Bodicea nervously twisted the hem of her apron. “We’ve been here since yesternight.”
Athena walked the perimeter of the island, searching for clues. “We will continue to wait until we receive a sign from Doris,” she said. She had a feeling Bodicea had only wanted to tag along so she could nag her.
Following close at her heels, Bodicea refused to drop the subject. “But you said Doris was kidnapped by dragons.”
“She was.” Turning on her heel, she gave Bodicea a withering look. “Dragons who think she’s Seraphina Goldenwand. As long as they keep thinking that, she’ll be able to escape.”
“What if she can’t?” Bodicea clutched her throat. “What if they kill her?”
“They won’t.” She forced herself to look away from the rise and fall of Bodicea’s ample bosom. “These are the elder Firesbreath brothers. They are misfits, but they aren’t murderers.” At least Athena hoped so. Hopefully Doris hadn’t put too much faith in her former students.
“So why should we hide from them if they’re not killers?” Bodicea pressed, advancing on Athena, her cloying smell enveloping her like a fog. “Why not surface and alert the authorities, so they can be arrested?”
Backing up a step, Athena struggled not to be distracted by Bodicea’s honeysuckle perfume. “Because they didn’t burn down our school.”
Wagging a finger in her face, Bodicea said, “How can you be sure?”
What had they been talking about? That honeysuckle and those beautiful breasts were too distracting. “You said you saw dragons emerge from storm clouds.”
“Yes.”
“Those weren’t dragons. What you saw was a conjuring.”
Bodicea’s draw dropped. “But conjuring requires dark magic.”
“It does.” Athena bit back a sardonic laugh. “And who else but a dark mage would burn down a school full of children?”
“But who would do such a thing?” she asked with a breathy whisper.
“Do you have to ask?” Athena rolled her eyes, and that’s when she saw it: a giant bubble suspended in the air, tucked into the space between Seraphina’s cell and the next. She squinted. “What in Goddess’s name is that?”
“It looks like a giant bubble.” Bodicea scratched the back of her head.
Athena aimed her wand at the bubble and pulled it toward her as if an invisible string connected the two. No bigger than a small car, the bubble landed at her feet. Remembering her father’s modest boat, that was as big as a yacht inside, Doris suspected this was a trick of the mind. Tentatively, she pressed her palm against it and the structure gave way. Pushing her way through, she gaped at what could only be described as a pleasure pad. It offered a large sunken room with a round sectional sofa, a flat-screen TV, tiki bar, and even a ping-pong table. She scented the slightest residue of sulfur and knew this was a creation of the Firesbreath brothers. Sneaky fuckwads.
Bodicea fell through the sticky wall, somehow landing in Athena’s arms.
“Sorry,” Bodicea said while finding her footing.
“No problem.” Coughing into her fist, Athena tried to appear unfazed. This woman was far too tempting. Besides, Athena was in love with Doris, though she didn’t love Athena the same way. Doris was much too enamored of her school, which would always take priority over Athena’s needs. Always.
“Great Goddess!” Bodicea turned in a slow circle. “This has Teju Firesbreath written all over it.”
Athena inhaled the
distinct smell of sex. Those horny fucks. “This kind of spell is far more advanced than what we teach at Doublewart’s.”
“I know. The boy’s a genius.” Bodicea clasped her hands to her heart. “Do you think we could fit all the students in here?”
Athena bit back a curse. “Possibly.” Not that she wanted to hide in a bubble with fifty hormonal witches.
Bodicea squealed and ran through the place like a kid wired on sugar. “It has everything we need, including a bathroom and a pantry full of food.”
“No wonder they didn’t mind detention,” Athena said wryly.
Bodicea raced up to her, eyes bright. “And neither will we.”
“It’s a shame to bring the kids here, though.” Athena bridged the distance between them and twirled a lock of Bodicea’s thick strawberry hair around her finger. “They’ll probably trash the place.”
Bodicea pouted, making her look adorably sexy. “We can’t leave them in that shelter.”
“I know, but maybe we could enjoy it for a while before letting them in.” What the hell had gotten into her? Doris was a hostage somewhere, and she was flirting with another woman! She should have felt ashamed of herself, yet she couldn’t stop.
“Athena,” Bodicea whispered, leaning into her, her breath tickling her skin like a butterfly. “What about Doris?”
“She’s tough. She can handle herself.” She was probably finding a way to free herself at that very moment, eager to get back to her school. She hadn’t even considered Athena’s suggestion to use Goldenwand’s bribe money to retire to Elysian. She’d use that money to rebuild the school, where she’d live out her life, probably dying there. How depressing. Was this really the life Athena wanted? She removed the ring she wore on her wedding finger and slipped it into her pocket. Doris had told her it wasn’t an engagement ring, though Athena had pretended it was. It was just a promise ring, though what that promise was, Athena had no idea.
“That’s not what I meant.” The color that touched Bodicea’s cheeks made her look even more beautiful.
