The thrill of the flight quickened her heartbeat, and she shook her hair, so it streamed out behind her. If she wanted Argothorn to think she was an elf, she was going to have to act the part.
Whatever that part was. She only knew about elves from books and movies. Were the elves the dragons read about the same?
Up ahead, the faint outline of a landmass came into view. She’d expected the journey to take longer. She’d expected to have more time to think and prepare for what lay ahead. But maybe this was better.
Egan dipped his wings and flew lower as he neared the island. Larisa stared into the distance trying to pick out landmarks, searching for the tower which was their final destination.
Tears pricked her eyes as the breeze hit her face and she blinked them away, refusing to let go with one hand to wipe them. As her vision cleared, she saw the tower.
It was huge, both tall and broad. How did the dragons build such a building?
They flew closer and she realized it hadn’t been built, it had been carved out of the mountain, the tower was actually a mountain peak. She swallowed hard, suddenly nervous at the enormity of her task.
Dragons weren’t pushovers, and she wasn’t anything special. She was from the world beyond, not the world of magic Ivan belonged to or the fae realm.
This was stupid and she was going to wind up dead.
The urge to lean forward and yell at Egan’s dragon to turn around and take her back to Ivan was strong.
But she wasn’t ready to fail. Not until she’d at least tried to complete the task she’d agreed to. Larisa had never been a quitter and she didn’t intend to start quitting now.
The tower grew bigger. She’d never have made it to the top if she’d come by boat. It would take her days to scale the summit.
“Wow!” Her weight shifted and she nearly lost her grip as Egan veered to the right and headed across the dragon isle, taking her farther away from the tower. “What’s going on?”
They hadn’t discussed their plan further before she’d gotten on his back, but she’d assumed he would take her straight to Argothorn. She needed plenty of time to talk him into flying to the fire pits for dawn. Each minute wasted might mean the difference between success and failure.
Had Egan lied to her? Perhaps he’d never intended to take her to the tower after all.
He flew across the isle. There were groups of houses clustered together and a range of cliffs in the distance where she could see movement. Dragons. Flying dragons.
She’d be seen before she got a chance to talk to Argothorn. How did Egan intend to explain her presence here?
Then Egan dipped his wings lower, and they descended rapidly, making her stomach flip. The dragon followed a winding road through a forest, his wingtips brushing the trees as he skimmed over them.
Then he slowed, his wings beating slowly only just enough to keep them airborne.
Ahead, a large farmhouse came into view set back from the road. Egan’s dragon finally landed at the gateway to the farmhouse. He dipped his leg, and she took it as a signal the ride had come to an end and slithered off his back to land awkwardly on the ground.
Egan shifted immediately and a wave of static air swept over her, making the fine hairs covering her skin stand on end. “Come on, we should get inside.” He hooked his hand under her elbow and pulled her forward, but she dug her heels in and leaned back.
“Get inside where? I thought we were going to the tower to see Argothorn?”
“We are, but as I was flying, I had time to think.” He stepped away from her and headed for the house, expecting her to follow.
She had no choice. Without Egan’s help, she was stuck with no way to get to the tower or to get home. “Think about what? It’s too late to change our plans. Ivan will be waiting with the others at the fire pit.”
“I know, but since this plan relies on convincing Argothorn you are an elf, I thought we should make you look like one.” He reached the driveway leading to the farmhouse that was made of large blocks of stone under a slate roof.
“I thought I already looked like one.” If Larisa wasn’t so caught up in her task, she’d love to stop and explore the dragon isle. It was so different from anywhere else she’d ever visited. The walls of the farmhouse looked as if they had been built by the massive blocks being dropped down one by one and carved together. She could only imagine that the dragons themselves had built the building for the comfort of their human side.
“Your hair, yes. And you have the same blue eyes. But they are the wrong shape. My mom can help enhance your features.”
“Enhance them? By magic?” Larisa was ready to make any sacrifice for this plan to work but she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life looking at another face in the mirror unless absolutely necessary.
Egan laughed. “You have been spending too much time with the fae. We are not magic users. Although I have seen some of the transformations made by my mom and it could be argued that her work with a makeup brush is pure magic.”
“Makeup.” Larisa arced her hand through the air. “Lead the way.”
“What did you think? That I was leading you into a trap?” Egan strode along the driveway toward the house, his feet crunching on the loose stones.
“Something like that.” She hurried after him. “I’ve spent my whole life searching for Argothorn. He framed my father for murder. So forgive me if I’m not willing to trust you so soon.”
“He framed your father for murder?” Egan looked at her over his shoulder, but he didn’t slow his pace.
“Yes. My father was good friends with Ivan’s father. When he and Ivan’s mom were murdered, my dad tried to track down the person responsible. He thought he’d found him, a man named Murray. But it turns out that Argothorn was the real murderer and he killed Murray and my father became the chief suspect. He’s lived his life scared that he’d be arrested for the crime.”
“Which is why you are so intent on bringing Argothorn to justice.” They reached the house and he knocked lightly three times before opening the door and going inside. “Mom!”
“Egan? Where have you been? I was worried when you didn’t come home this morning.” The woman approaching had the same eyes as Egan, but the similarity seemed to stop there. Egan must look more like his father. She stopped when she saw Larisa. “Hello.” She seemed surprised to see Larisa.
She didn’t have shifter senses. If she had, she would have known they were here before they even landed.
“I went to Wishing Moon Bay.” He held out his arms and hugged his mom. “This is Larisa.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and turned his mom to face Larisa. “Larisa, this is my mom, Jacintha.”
“Larisa.” Jacintha’s mouth made a thin line as she surveyed her guest warily. “Come through to the kitchen. We can talk there. Or rather you can explain yourself.”
“I sensed a piece of my father’s treasure,” Egan said before they reached the warm kitchen with its fragrant scent of cinnamon.
“What?” Jacintha whirled around to confront Egan but then she shifted her wary gaze to Larisa. “She has it?”
“It was in the world beyond. Larisa found it and traveled to Wishing Moon Bay.” Egan paused. “She is the mate of Andor’s son.”
Jacintha reached for the edge of the counter and leaned on it heavily. She drew in a shuddering breath before she asked, “Andor had a son?”
“Yes. He’s been living in Wishing Moon Bay since he was a child.” Egan went to the sink and reached for a glass off the drainer. He filled it with water before handing it to Jacintha. “There’s more to the story but we’re short on time.”
“Short on time for what?” Jacintha whispered before she sipped the water.
“Larisa is going to lure Argothorn out of his tower and we’re finally going to get justice.” Egan’s arm tightened around his mom as she leaned into him.
“It’s too dangerous. I’ve already lost your father to that crazy beast, I am not going to lose you, too.�
� She blinked back tears as she straightened up.
“Egan is not going to be in any danger,” Larisa said. “I’m going to pay Argothorn a visit and lure him out.”
“And how are you going to do that and then make him talk? He’s weaseled his way out of his crimes for decades, what makes you so special that you think you can do what others have failed to do?” Jacintha was trying to protect her son and Larisa’s heart broke for her.
“Because you are going to help make her look like an elf.” Egan moved to stand in front of his mom with one hand on each of her upper arms. “Look at her. Do you think she could fool Argothorn into thinking she’s one of the elves from the mythical stories?”
“An elf?” Jacintha snorted but then she shook her son off and went to stand in front of Larisa. She inhaled deeply before staring at Larisa with a critical eye. “She certainly has the hair and the bone structure.” Jacintha walked slowly around Larisa, studying her closely. “With the right clothes and some makeup, yes. I think so.” Then her head jerked up. “But it’s too dangerous.”
“Will you help us?” Larisa asked. “Please.”
“Mom, they have a plan,” Egan said. “Others are coming. Among them a dragon shifter who once fought Argothorn and won. This is our chance to end my uncle’s reign.”
“You have your father’s courage. And your father’s good heart.” Jacintha blinked back tears as she hurried out of the kitchen. “I’ll fetch what we need.”
As her steps faded, Larisa asked, “You didn’t tell her you were involved with the rest of the plan.”
“And we’re not going to,” Egan hissed. “The less my mom knows, the better. For her and us.”
“Egan, I don’t want to put you in danger.” Larisa went around the scrubbed kitchen table and stood in front of him. “It’s not fair to your mom if something happens to you.”
Yet without Egan’s help, the plan would fall apart. However, she knew how her father would feel if anything happened to her.
“And your father? And Valerie? How would they feel? We are all taking risks, Larisa. And we all have our reasons.”
She nodded and closed her eyes briefly. “You’re right. So we’d better make sure we all make it out of this in one piece.”
“We can do it.” He put his hand on his heart. “I can feel it. This is the time. A time for revenge.”
“Not revenge, Egan.” She closed her hand around his. “Justice.”
“Justice it is.” His tight smile didn’t convince her that Egan might act rashly to enact his revenge, which could put them all in danger.
However, she had to trust in him. Just as she had to trust in the others who were part of this plan.
Chapter Thirty-Four – Ivan
“Are we ready to leave?” Ivan entered Valerie’s apartment with two backpacks. One filled with food he’d scavenged from his apartment, the other contained a change of clothes, a blanket, and some survival gear. And the tiara.
He didn’t know why he’d packed the item of treasure, but something had compelled him to wrap it in the blanket and bury it at the bottom of the pack.
Perhaps we just need a reminder of why we’re doing this, his dragon told him.
You might be right. He placed his hand on the side of the pack, the canvas rough to the touch. But he didn’t really feel the fabric, his senses were instead fixed on the small portion of his treasure.
“By we, do you mean me?” Fiona called from the kitchen.
“Do you want some coffee?” Valerie asked.
“No, I’ve had enough, thank you.” Ivan ran his hand through his hair. “The only thing I’m going to drink is the potion.”
“Subtle.” Fiona came to meet him.
“It takes a little while to work. I thought we should take it now.” Ivan stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the vial of red swirling liquid.
“How long does it last?” Fiona wrinkled her nose as she leaned forward and stared at the vial.
“We’ll have to have a top-up on the way.” He lifted it to the light. “But we can’t leave it too late to take it. There’s no telling how long it takes to have an effect. It could be an hour or two, or more. We can’t take the chance it won’t work before we get to the dragon isle.”
“And I thought you were worried I might be seasick on the way.” She held out her hand. “Give it here.”
He wanted to ask her if she was sure and warn her about how she would feel once she’d drunk from the vial. But he couldn’t take the chance she might back out.
“It’s okay, Ivan.” She closed her hand around his and squeezed. “I want to do this. Not just because you’ve asked me to but because I want to finish what I started all those years ago. I can understand my decision to let go of my memories to protect you. But I’m...surprised at myself.”
“You did the right thing,” Ivan replied.
“Do you believe that?” Fiona let go of his hand and took the potion. “I can’t stop thinking that Argothorn has literally gotten away with murder all these years.”
“You didn’t know the truth about what he’d done.”
“All we knew was that Argothorn wanted to take Ivan. He said that he belonged on the dragon isle and that he should be raised there.” Valerie stood behind Fiona. “We didn’t know Argothorn had a connection to your parents’ death.”
“We should have looked deeper,” Fiona said. “I should have looked deeper.”
“It’s done. There’s no use dwelling on the past.” Ivan pointed to the vial. “Our future lies across the ocean.”
“You’re right.” Fiona pulled the stopper out of the small bottle. “How much do I need to drink?”
“Just a small amount,” Ivan replied.
“A small amount to conquer a dragon.” She shook her head in disgust. “I’m beginning to wish I didn’t know anything about magic. I liked my nice boring life.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever been boring, Fiona, and I’m sure you have come across magic before.” Ivan watched as she sipped the vial and grimaced.
“My turn.” He half-smiled as he took the vial back.
“How does it work?”
“Shouldn’t you have asked that before you took it?” Ivan asked.
“No. I might have changed my mind if I had.” Fiona twisted her mouth in distaste as he took a dose.
“It makes us invisible. At least our dragons are invisible. Of course, it doesn’t come without side effects,” Ivan admitted.
“What kind of side effects?” Fiona’s suspicions were raised.
“I felt disconnected.” He shrugged. “But once I shifted into my dragon, I was free.”
“Disconnected.” Her jaw tensed. “Doesn’t it worry you that we’re going to the dragon isle and if these spells fail, we’re all in trouble?”
“They won’t fail.” Elise entered the apartment with a pack slung over her shoulder. “My Grandma Hannah is very experienced. She also knows what’s at stake. The spells will hold. As long as you top up the dose as soon as it starts to wear off.”
“And how do we know when it’s wearing off?” Fiona asked.
“I’ll tell you.” She cocked her head on one side as Ivan turned to face her. “Before you say anything, I’m coming. Karros and Zara have the kitchen under control. Aiden and Flora will help, too.”
“What about Caleb? Is he okay with you coming with us?” Ivan asked.
“He is. As long as he can tag along, too.” She held up her hand as Ivan opened his mouth to protest. “I know what you’re going to say. You’ll give some speech about how you don’t want to put your family in danger. But that’s tough.”
“I know that look,” Fiona told Ivan. “If I were you, I’d save my energy and just agree to it.”
“It makes sense,” Elise continued. “This way you have someone to watch your back. We are about to set sail on a boat with a vampire as our guide.”
“You don’t trust Silas?” Fiona’s surprised expression was fixed on Ivan.
“I have never needed protecting in my life,” Fiona retorted.
“If anything happens, Caleb might be able to deal with it rather than us having to break cover and show our true selves.” Ivan hadn’t wanted his brothers involved in this. It could go so horribly wrong.
But we have more chance in success if Caleb and Elise come along, too. His dragon didn’t like it either but they both agreed it was for the best. The whole plan depended on the dragons staying hidden. If the boat they were traveling on got into any kind of trouble, then Caleb, with help from Elise and Silas, might be able to sort it out without Ivan and Fiona shifting into their dragons.
Unless, of course, the threat came from another dragon. There was no way Ivan’s dragon would hide and let his brother get injured. Or worse.
“Okay, well, that went easier than I thought.” Elise edged toward the door. “Caleb is waiting, we should go.”
“Take care of each other.” Valerie hugged Ivan. “Please come home safely.”
“We’ll all come home safely.” Ivan wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.” She buried her head in his shoulder for a moment before she sniffed loudly and pulled away.
“As one mother to another,” Fiona began, “I promise to do whatever it takes to bring them home safely.”
Valerie nodded but hid her face as they left the apartment.
I hate seeing her cry, his dragon said miserably.
So do I. But we have to go. Larisa needs us to play our part in this plan. It’s the only way we’re ever going to end this and move on with our lives. Ivan didn’t look back, he couldn’t bear to see Valerie’s tears.
“Is Silas back?” Ivan asked Elise as they exited the hotel.
“Not yet.” She checked her phone. “He said an hour, we still have five minutes to go.”
“What happens if he doesn’t show?” Fiona asked from behind Ivan.
The Dragon Shifter's Desire: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance Page 23
