by Rinelle Grey
“No, he’s at the library. I just thought I’d come in for a couple more jumpers.” Calrian’s cave was colder than she was used to, and though she’d been glad to have an excuse to snuggle up to him last night, it had been a bit chilly when she’d woken up Rowan to get ready for school.
“Over against the back wall.” Martha nodded in that direction. She paused, then added, “Did you find somewhere to stay?”
How was Rylee supposed to answer that? She certainly couldn’t tell Martha she was staying in a dragon lair. A cave wouldn’t be much better. It would look like she was after sympathy, when in actual fact, that was the last thing on her mind.
She tried being evasive. “Oh, we found somewhere.”
Martha just raised an eyebrow.
Rylee shrugged uncomfortably. It had been a mistake to come here. She could have sat and read a book in a corner of the library and not disturbed Calrian.
The old woman’s face turned sympathetic. “I heard your dad bullied the real estate into not offering you any places. I never did like that man.” Her lips tightened.
Rylee didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to retreat, to pretend everything was fine, and that she and her dad didn’t have issues, that they were really just one big happily family.
That was what she’d always done, first at home, then with Eric.
But where had that ever gotten her? She’d lost all her friends, and that was the reason she had no one to help her now.
Maybe it was time to change.
“Yeah, it was pretty awful,” she managed, her voice shaking at the admission. That was another reason she’d never talked to anyone about any of it. She always became so emotional.
“I’ll bet,” Martha said sympathetically. She hesitated, then said, “Look, it’s not a house, but I have an old caravan in my backyard you could use till you get back on your feet again. It’ll need a bit of a clean, but it doesn’t have any leaks. And it is roadworthy. Maybe you could take a holiday by the beach.”
Rylee was so shocked she just stared at Martha for a few moments, her mind working overtime.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like Calrian’s lair. It had been really nice seeing it, and snuggling with him last night had been awesome. But the air mattress really was a little small, and it had a leak. And not being able to get in and out on her own was crimping Calrian’s search.
He wouldn’t feel bad if she found them somewhere else to live, would he?
She hesitated, torn between wanting to have a slightly more normal living space and not wanting to hurt Calrian’s feelings. “Really? I wouldn’t want to be any trouble.”
Martha smiled. “It’s no trouble at all. I’ll finish up my shift at four this afternoon. Why don’t you come by then and check it out?”
Rylee hesitated, but it wasn’t like she was agreeing to live there. She was just checking it out. She could talk to Calrian before she made the final decision.
And talk to Rowan. Her son would be disappointed to leave the lair, but she suspected the lack of television would dull the appeal in a couple more days anyway.
“Thanks, that would be great,” she agreed.
And when she walked back outside into the sunshine, things suddenly seemed rosy again. Many in the town may have issues with her, but not all of them. Even having just one friend amongst them made things different.
And if she’d found somewhere for them to live, maybe she’d manage to find a job next.
Chapter 43
Calrian read through each paper slowly, starting with the most recent this time. He didn’t skim, didn’t flick through the pages. He looked carefully at each one, certain there must be a clue there somewhere.
He hoped there was, because if there wasn’t, he didn’t know what he’d do.
Even as he read, it was hard not to be distracted. He probably didn’t need to read the articles about investments and new companies, but every time he was tempted to skip them, he reminded himself that he didn’t know where he might find a clue.
It was slow going, but he was determined.
Something had to give eventually. There had to be an answer in here somewhere.
If only he could find it.
But after a few hours, he still had nothing, and he hadn’t even made it through a year of the newspapers. This search was as fruitless as his flying searches had been.
Calrian leaned back in his chair, staring at the pages of the open newspaper in front of him, but not really seeing them. There had to be some other way to find out what had happened to his clan.
Was it possible that they had been wiped out by the Trima clan? If they had left, surely they would not have gone far, they wouldn’t have abandoned him and his brothers and sisters in their Mesmer chambers, would they? But if they were nearby, why hadn’t he found them by now?
Calrian didn’t want to face the possibility that they were gone, but he couldn’t afford to ignore it either. If only he knew, one way or the other. If they still existed, he’d search until he found them.
But the reality was, it was entirely possible that Ultrima had killed them all. That he and his brothers and sisters were all that were left of Rian clan.
What if this was all pointless and he was giving up his time with Rylee for nothing? He slumped back in his chair, unable to stand the indecision. If only there was a way to know for sure.
An idea occurred to him, one so risky he drew in his breath sharply. It was dangerous, bold, so completely unexpected he had to consider it for a while.
His brother, Taurian, would call him a traitor. His sister Lyrian would think he was crazy. And Warrian would outright forbid it. Sarian probably would too, and he’d have to listen to her since she was the eldest.
But none of them were here, and they might never be again if Calrian didn’t solve this. He needed to know if there was any chance, any reason to keep searching.
And there was only one way he could think of to find out for sure.
Really, it shouldn’t be that risky. It had been hundreds of years. Ultrima would be dead by now. Yes, the Trima dragons still guarded the lairs, but maybe that was just a habit. Maybe… Maybe Calrian could even talk them into stopping. Then he could wake his brothers and sisters, even if they had no clan to wake to.
That thought eased a little of the constriction around his heart. Not a fear of the Trima clan, but of the risk of finding out his entire clan was gone.
It was an angle he hadn’t even considered until now. One he wouldn’t normally consider. He was loyal to his clan, and Trima was his enemy.
But he’d never expected to find himself alone in this world, or that it would have changed so much.
Maybe Trima clan had changed too?
Could he risk it? Did he dare?
Could he not?
Calrian stared off into space, going back and forth on whether his plan was a good idea or not, when the door slid open, and suddenly Rylee was there. Her eyes shone, and she had a wide smile on her face. “I have a surprise,” she announced.
Calrian was momentarily distracted by her appearance, but while he managed to smile and genuinely appreciate her presence, his mind wouldn’t leave his problem. “I do too,” he said slowly. “I think I’ve figured out a way to find out if my clan is alive or dead.”
Rylee’s eyes widened, and she took a step forwards, taking his hands in hers. “How?”
He hesitated then. She’d probably think the idea was as bad as his brothers and sisters would have. She’d be afraid for his safety. Maybe she’d even ask him not to do it. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she did. He didn’t want to reject her, but he also knew, deep down, he needed to do this.
There was no other way to know for sure.
Her eyes searched his face, nothing but hope and excitement in them.
Calrian took a deep breath. “I need to go ask Trima clan. They will know, one way or another.”
Rylee’s smile was replaced with a frown. “But aren’t they the ones who t
ried to attack you when we tried to find your brother? Won’t they attack you again? Aren’t they the ones who could be responsible for your clan’s disappearance?”
She got it immediately. Calrian wasn’t surprised. He nodded solemnly. “They are, and that’s exactly why they will know the answer. Rylee, I can’t find any evidence they’re still here, and I could be searching for years. If my clan are out there, I would not begrudge a minute of that search, but if they’re not…”
He let the sentence hang, not even wanting to say it. Right now the thought of finding out his clan was gone, of giving up searching for them, seemed horrible. He wasn’t sure how he’d cope.
He clung to the fact that even if his clan was gone, Rylee would still be here.
So long as she didn’t abandon him for even suggesting such lunacy.
But she didn’t pull back, and though the expression in her eyes changed, it wasn’t to anger or horror. It was to understanding. “If they’re gone, you need to know, and you can’t move on with your life until you do.” She squeezed his hands, gripping them tightly.
She needed to know too. And for the same reasons he did.
One way or another, the fate of Calrian’s clan determined their fate.
And he could see in her eyes that Rylee needed to know as much as he did.
That didn’t stop him being shocked when she said, “I’ll come with you.”
Her voice shook a little, and her hands trembled, but she met his eyes without blinking, and her jaw was set.
Calrian’s heart swelled with love, choking him for a moment. He wanted to forbid her to go, even as he wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her for even considering it. She was everything he could hope for in a mate. It didn’t matter in the slightest that she wasn’t a dragon—she had the heart of one.
He took a steadying breath and managed to reply without his throat closing up. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t let you. It’s too dangerous.”
Her jaw jutted out and she stared at him angrily. “Too dangerous for me, but not for you?”
“Well, I am a dragon,” he reminded her.
“Yeah, one dragon against a whole clan full of them. I don’t see what difference it makes at that point.”
She was right, of course. Calrian couldn’t really argue with that. So he tried a different line of reasoning. “I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
Her reply was quick. “You wouldn’t have to, you’d be dead.” But her voice shook on that last word. That was what was bothering her. “And if I wasn’t there, I’d never know what happened.”
That sentence, more than anything else she’d said, cut Calrian to the core. He knew just how that felt, and he couldn’t bear it if she had to live with that uncertainty.
But he just didn’t know what else to do. “I can’t let you risk yourself for me,” he said quietly. “You have Rowan to think about. If anything happens to you, he’ll be all alone. Or worse, have to go back to Eric.”
That gave Rylee pause, he could see the fear in her eyes. She would give in and let him go alone. She was a mother, and her first responsibility was to her son.
But she only wavered for a moment. “Rowan would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. He cares about you as much as I do. You’re the symbol of adventure and magic in his life, and you’re just as important as I am. So we’ll just have to make sure neither of us die.” Her voice sounded determined. She wasn’t going to give up.
And Calrian couldn’t bring himself to keep trying to make her. The truth was, he didn’t want to go alone. He was tired of being alone. Maybe, just maybe, if Rylee was prepared to do this for his clan, for him, then he could be with her no matter what.
Maybe that thought would help him hold on through whatever he had to face and sustain him even if his clan was no longer around.
But even so, he couldn’t let her risk herself. Even if she was okay with that, even if Rowan was, he wasn’t. He would only accept her coming if they could find a way that was reasonably safe. “And just how are we going to make sure we don’t die then?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
He could almost see her mind working through that. “Well, what does your enemy fear?” she asked.
Calrian’s heart sank. “Nothing. He’s not afraid of anything. Certainly not of me or of you. He has a whole clan behind him—we just have each other.”
Having Rylee at his side meant the world to Calrian, but he wasn’t convinced it would be a threat to Ultrima.
But Rylee didn’t give up. She pursed her lips and considered him for a moment, her head tilted to one side. “Did you find any hint of dragons anywhere in those newspapers?” she asked.
Calrian stared at her for a moment, confused. What did that have to do with Ultrima? Was she looking for another way to find his clan? “No, nothing,” he had to admit. “If my clan is out there, they’ve done a fantastic job of hiding.”
Rylee gave a triumphant grin. “Not only them, but the Trima clan did too. Meaning they’re afraid of being discovered.”
Understanding dawned on Calrian. “That’s what we use as leverage against them, but how? Maybe you do need to stay here so that I can hold that over Ultrima?”
But Rylee shook her head. “Your disappearance won’t endanger his clan at all. You don’t exist, and even if I go into town shouting from the rooftops that a dragon has disappeared and was killed by a dragon clan, no one is going to listen. But if anything happens to me there will be an investigation. I don’t even have to say it was a dragon. Just that I was going out to the mountain. If I don’t come back, the resulting police search would be hard for even Ultrima to avoid. There could be hundreds of humans out there searching for weeks.”
A gem of hope began to grow in Calrian’s chest. Maybe there was a way to do this without dying after all. “But how would we use this? If we’re both killed at the Trima lair, how would we ensure the authorities searched the mountain?” he asked with a frown. “I’d prefer not to reveal the secret if we don’t have to.”
Rylee released one of his hands to wave hers airily, and Calrian tried not to feel too bereft by the loss. “It’s an old trick. You leave a note for someone and tell them to open it if you’re not back by a certain time,” she explained.
“You’re good at this,” Calrian said admiringly. He couldn’t believe she had the answer for everything. He was becoming more and more certain he needed to make her his mate, no matter what happened. With her help, he might just survive this encounter.
Rylee took his hand again and shook her head depreciatingly. “It’s not my idea. I read it in a book.”
He didn’t argue with her, she clearly couldn’t see how brilliant she was, but that wasn’t going to stop Calrian from believing it.
“So when do you want to go?” Rylee asked eagerly.
They were really going to do this.
Suddenly Calrian didn’t feel so sure. Was he really willing to risk Rylee’s life? He would give his own without question, that was his duty, but Rylee’s?
Her plan was sound, but if he knew anything, it was to expect the unexpected. No matter how carefully they planned, there was every chance it would all fall apart.
Maybe it would be better to just accept his clan was gone and move on with Rylee? That would be the sensible approach.
But he knew he couldn’t do it. He could never move on if there was any chance his clan was still out there. He needed to find out, and this was the only way.
He stared down at Rylee’s determined face and somehow he didn’t feel so afraid. They could do this.
Together.
Chapter 44
As she drove out towards the mountain, Rylee’s hands were shaking from a mixture of exhilaration and nerves. They were going to do it. They were going to face up to Calrian’s enemy and find out once and for all if his clan was still alive.
She hoped they were, for his sake, even if it meant he’d probably leave.
If that happene
d, Rylee knew she would cope. She’d grown so much in the last week. She’d stood up to Eric and her father, and she’d managed to find her and Rowan a place to stay until they got back on their feet. Calrian had helped her believe in herself and realise she had good ideas and was a capable adult. And those changes would remain, even if Calrian had to leave.
Somehow, no matter what happened, she’d manage.
She’d never be able to repay Calrian for all he’d done for her, but helping him find his clan was a good start.
But as they pulled up at the base of the mountain, the nerves started to outweigh the exhilaration. Was going up against an enemy dragon really the best idea? What if he didn’t care about being discovered as much as she thought? What if he laughed at her pitiful attempts at protecting them?
The letter she’d left with Martha just a short while ago suddenly seemed like very weak insurance.
But as she looked over at Calrian’s determined, hopeful face, she couldn’t back out now. She wouldn’t leave him to do this on his own.
Somehow, they’d make it work.
Rylee parked in the shade of some trees at the base of the mountain, and both of them stepped out of the car and stared up. Somewhere up there was a dragon clan. And they probably already knew she and Calrian were coming.
Calrian started stripping off his clothes and folding them neatly on the front seat of her car. “We’re going to have to fly.”
Rylee just nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.
Calrian didn’t seem inclined to converse either. Once he’d undressed, he began to shift in the small clearing, his naked human form growing blue scales and sprouting wings.
For some reason, the change comforted Rylee. They might be going to face up to a dragon, but Calrian was a dragon too. Maybe he could find a way to connect with the other clan. They had, after all, once been part of his clan.
Maybe they’d be sympathetic to his plight and help him find his own clan.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Calrian asked into her mind. “You can wait here. It would be the safest option.”
