House of Sky and Breath
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Date: 2022-02-15 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Romance; Adult; Fae; Fiction; Urban Fantasy; Fantasy Romance; New Adult; Magic; Paranormal
Description: Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds. The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Rights: Copyright 2022 Sarah Noffke. All rights reserved.

POLITICAL SKY

EXCEPTIONAL SOPHIA BEAUFONT™ BOOK 13

SARAH NOFFKE

MICHAEL ANDERLE

This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

Copyright © 2020 LMBPN Publishing

Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

A Michael Anderle Production

LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact support@lmbpn.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

LMBPN Publishing

PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

Las Vegas, NV 89109

Version 1.01, January 2022

(Previously published as a part of the megabook Harmonize Hostilities)

eBook ISBN: 979-8-88541-125-7

Print ISBN: 979-8-88541-126-4

THE POLITICAL SKY TEAM

Thanks to the JIT Readers

Allen Collins

Angel LaVey

Deb Mader

Diane L. Smith

Dorothy Lloyd

Jackey Hankard-Brodie

Jeff Goode

Nicole Emens

Paul Westman

Peter Manis

Veronica Stephan-Miller

If we’ve missed anyone, please let us know!

Editor

The Skyhunter Editing Team

Once again and a thousand times more, for Lydia.

— Sarah

To Family, Friends and

Those Who Love
to Read.

May We All Enjoy Grace
to Live the Life We Are

Called.

— Michael

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Sarah’s Author Notes

Michael’s Author Notes

Books By Sarah Noffke

Books By Michael Anderle

Connect with The Authors

CHAPTER ONE

There were very few reasons for a self-respecting magician to visit Zhuang Avenue in Los Angeles. The narrow lane was full of both hidden and exposed dangers. The creatures that lurked in the cold shadows spread disease and feasted on the weak. Criminals ran the shops, selling things the House of Fourteen would no doubt deem illegal.

For Nevin Gooseman, the risk was worth it. The politician had been growing increasingly worried about the Dragon Elite trying to rule over mortal governments. He didn’t trust them. Dragons had nearly been eliminated from this planet for a reason. They were beasts, and giving them too much power would result in the devastation of the mortal race. That’s what Nevin believed, but he needed proof, which brought him to Zhuang Avenue, where the lowest of the magical world could be found conducting business.

The smell on the street was hard to stomach, and after stepping into a puddle full of something thick and sticky, Nevin would have to throw out his leather shoes, he realized. He would also burn the designer suit he wore and bathe multiple times after this trip. If Nevin learned something that helped him to bring peace to his people, then it would be worth it.

Few magicians devoted their lives to serving mortals in political roles, but Nevin had always felt it was his calling. It was through his community outreach projects he’d learned about Zhuang Avenue. His instinct had told him to allow it to stay in East LA—now he knew why.

The politician wasn’t there to buy drugs or illegal magical artifacts or purchase a night with a shapeshifter. There was one type of magician who would dare to set up shop on Zhuang Avenue. Seers would never advertise their abilities nor attempt to sell their services in a place like Roya Lane. But among the criminals and rejects, a seer wasn’t considered as much of an outcast.

Even in the magical world, seers were the worst of the worst. They always had been. No one wanted them to steal glimpses of the future and use the information to abuse the system. Since ancient times, seers had been seen as unnatural. They were thought to bring bad luck and had been persecuted for it.

Those born with this power had never been able to overcome the stigma. Nevin had learned through his years of service that even criminals and the lowest of the low could be used for good—or at least to promote his political agendas.

That morning, worried about the potential problems the savages who rode dragons would bring to the modern world, Nevin came up with an idea which brought him to Zhuang Avenue. Trying to oppose the Dragon Elite was political suicide. The more they intervened in global matters—seemingly bringing peaceful solutions to disputes—the more power they had. But Nevin’s instincts told him they couldn’t be trusted. He needed to know why, and he needed an advantage—one which only a seer could provide.

“My baby,” cried an impoverished elf woman with hardly any teeth. As Nevin passed her on the dark street, she clutched her stomach and rocked back and forth. “Won’t you spare some change to save my unborn baby?”

Nevin kept his face low, not wanting to be recognized in such a place. If he was, he could always say he was trying to help the desolates who called Zhuang Avenue home. But still, he needed to keep his distance. This place was a hotspot for a magical virus that was sweeping across the world, leaving magicians, elves, gnomes, giants, and fairies as powerless as mortals.

The politician shuddered at the idea and kept his distance from the elf who didn’t look healthy enough to have conceived a child. “Sorry,” he said, shaking his head as he headed into a shop where a mostly burned out neon sign advertised fortune-telling.

The front windows were covered in grime and cobwebs. A strong scent of incense mixed with mold hit Nevin’s nose as he entered. He nearly gagged from the combination.

He almost lost his nerve when the old blind woman looked up from the round table in the middle of the shop. Her face was lined with deep wrinkles, and black bags hung under her white eyes. Worse than the sight of the seer was the rattlesnake on the floor next to her, shaking its tail and flicking its tongue at him.

“I’ve been expecting you,” the woman said in a hoarse voice. She looked straight at Nevin.

“Yeah, well—” Nevin found his own voice scratchy and low.

“You can put the money in the tin on the shelf.” The seer pointed a withered finger at the wall where a rusted box sat partially open.

“How much?” he asked, pulling out the cash.

“All of it,” she replied.

He gawked at the old woman, making the snake tilt forward suddenly. “But that’s—”

“One-thousand dollars,” she interrupted. “Yes, I know. I’ll take it all. But next time, bring more.”

Careful to not touch much of the box, Nevin deposited the stack of bills. “There won’t be a next time.”

The seer’s face contorted oddly when she laughed. “Next time, bring more,” she repeated.

“You know why I’m here.” This was more of a statement than a question.

“Sit,” the woman said. She nodded at the other side of the table covered in thick fabrics stained with candle wax.

Nevin eyed the rattlesnake, who was still flicking its tail repeatedly.

“I’d tell you he doesn’t bite, but we both know it’s a lie,” the seer told him, indicating the snake sitting beside her like a loyal dog.

“I’ll stand,” he replied.

“Yeah, after your accident, you’ll be happy that you used your legs when you could,” she commented with a cough.

This was exactly why seers were shunned. They said things like that and caused panic. No one ever knew whether to believe them or not, which made them the most untrustworthy people in the world.

“What accident?” Nevin asked, narrowing his eyes at her as he ran his hands over his salt and pepper hair.

The seer shrugged. “I will tell you if you wish, but that won’t help you to avoid it.”

Another reason seers were seen as worthless. History had proven that knowing the future didn’t mean it could be avoided. Nevin wasn’t there to learn of events he wanted to avoid. Just the opposite. He wanted to know what was coming so he could use it to prepare his political agendas.

“Tell me about the Dragon Elite,” he urged, watching the rattlesnake twitch from side to side, somewhat hypnotically.

“Their numbers will grow significantly very soon,” the seer began, producing an impatient sigh from the politician.

This was as Nevin had feared.

“Many a dragon egg is hatching at the Gullington,” she continued, swaying like her rattlesnake.

Absentmindedly, he combed his hand over his chin and then reflexively yanked it away, not wanting to spread germs to his face. “More dragons, more problems.”

The seer blinked her face as pale a ghost. “Especially because half of the new ones will be evil, with zero ability for rehabilitation.”

“What?” Nevin asked, his eyes wide.

“Out of the batch of one-thousand eggs at the Gullington, half will hatch good and the others, evil,” the woman explained. “There’s no avoiding the evil that is coming. The Dragon Elite will save much, but they will also bring their fair share of problems to the world.”

“I knew it,” Nevin hissed under his breath. “Evil dragons. Five hundred evil dragons. They must be stopped.”

She drew in a breath. “And you’re the only one who can.”

He nodded, a proud smile coming to his face. “I’m the only one brave enough to oppose them, and now I know exactly how.”

Without another word, the politician turned and exited the seer’s shop, unable to stomach the sights and smells any longer.

When he had gone, the woman known as Charmain glanced down at the rattlesnake. It flicked its tongue, staring back at her.

“I know that’s not all true,” she said to the snake, “but I told him what he needed to hear to secure the future for the Dragon Elite. Regardless, they have many challenges ahead. And no matter what, Nevin Gooseman will be a part of those.”

The rattlesnake slithered up Charmain’s leg, sliding into her lap before taking a place on the table.

She nodded, agreeing with him. “If things go as planned, Nevin will learn that evil can’t be erased. It only creates bigger problems. Evil must be balanced with good.” Charmain blinked, as though clearing her vision. “Of course, I don’t have to see all of that future to know how it turns out—only that it relies on one dragonrider in particular.”

CHAPTER TWO

Sophia Beaufont looked at the crowd. Her eyes were constantly moving as she studied the many strange individuals attending the press conference on the lawn of the White House. Even with all of the security around, her attention was on high alert.

She hadn’t liked the idea of the Dragon Elite doing another press conference. At the last one, Trin Currante had learned about the approximate location of the Gullington, which had created all sorts of problems. Ironically, things had turned out positive from that, but it still didn’t feel worth the risk.

Hiker Wallace had disagreed, stating that maintaining the reputation of the Dragon Elite was more important than ever. Mortal governments and powerful countries needed to see the dragonriders as the supreme authority on the globe.

Getting attention wasn’t difficult. Getting the political foothold Hiker wanted wasn’t complete, but the dragons had gotten a following they hadn’t expected.

At Hiker’s back stood a line of four dragons and their riders in full gear. Constant clicks from in and around the crowd kept Sophia’s eyes scanning as reporters took pictures. Lunis was enjoying the attention more than the others, posing either with his chin held high or a discerning expression on his face.

To further increase his already large ego, new fans were gathered around on the lawn outside of the security barrier. Hiker had allowed it, stating that it would be good for their image. Sophia didn’t know how allowing the throngs of dirty-ass hippies to worship at a distance strengthened the perception of the Dragon Elite.

This was the newest development since the dragonriders had become more publicly prominent. Some governments had refused their intervention in disputes. Some had been reluctant but were coming around. Then, a growing group of elfin hippies had started a campaign called “Dragon Worshipping.”

The worshippers, with dirty hair and baggy clothes, were gathered behind the police barriers with signs that read, “They Will Save Us,” “Dragons=Peace,” or “Riders Unite Us.”

That would have been all good and well for Sophia, but this new fad was creating a lot of superstitions. For instance, the hippies said things like looking a dragon in the eyes would add ten years to your lifespan or petting one enhanced beauty. The best one was that getting roasted by a dragon gave eternal life. Sophia didn’t know which of the worshippers was willing to experiment with that one.

Lunis batted his eyes at the crowd, making eye contact with several of them.

You’re not adding years onto their lifespan, she said with a sigh.

They don’t know that, he replied. I’m making them happy, and that’s what counts.

“He looked at me!” exclaimed a barefoot woman with too many bangles on her wrist. She looked like she might faint. “The blue dragon looked at me!”

Sophia shook her head, suppressing her laughter. All the other dragons were staring straight ahead stoically, and not giving the crowd any attention.

Hiker paused as the worshippers all congregated around the woman, as though thinking hers was a lucky spot, and they’d get a look from the dragon as well.

“As I was saying,” Hiker began, clearing his throat and getting the attention of the crowd of reporters again. “We’ve had the fortune of welcoming many new dragons to our numbers recently. Of the thousand dragon eggs, we’ve had over a hundred hatch, which bode well for the future of the Dragon Elite.”

A reporter held up their hand, earning Hiker’s attention. “These dragons must then match with a magician, correct?”

The leader of the Dragon Elite nodded. “Yes, but it is never guaranteed that a dragon will magnetize to a rider. That’s a choice every dragon makes on their own. But the hatching of so many is a hopeful sign for us, as we never know when an egg will hatch.”

“Magnetize to me!” one of the hippies yelled from the crowd, getting laughs from many.

Hiker shook his head. He was always serious, but especially right then. “Dragons choose riders, not the other way around.”

Another reporter stood. “But if the dragons are held inside…” he referenced his notes, “the Gullington, how will they come in contact with potential riders?”

Hiker said, “They aren’t confined to the Gullington. That’s their home for now, but at any point, they can choose of their own volition to leave our borders. They are of course protected there, and we offer training. I assume that over time many will venture from Scotland and hopefully return if they magnetize to a magician.”

“So,” a reporter began on the other side of the audience, “all Dragon Elite are riders, but not all riders are Dragon Elite, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Hiker affirmed. “There are some that are…” he paused to choose his words carefully. Sophia knew this was a tricky subject and less was more. “Some riders and their dragons aren’t a good fit for what we do as the Dragon Elite. It takes a full commitment to mortal affairs, a devotion to risking our lives for the betterment of this planet, and rigorous training.”

What the Viking wasn’t saying was that some dragons were born evil and magnetized to a rider of a similar moral constitution. Those riders didn’t want to be a part of the Dragon Elite for obvious reasons.

“I for one,” a reporter said, her chin held high, “would like to thank the Dragon Elite for the sacrifices they make for us. Peace is of most importance in this volatile global environment, and I think we all rest easier knowing that you all are back and protecting us through your adjudication missions.”

Hiker bobbed his head proudly, his blue eyes sparkling. Sophia rethought her reluctance for them to do the press conference. Maybe Hiker was right, and this was the kind of attention they needed to increase their reputation. She couldn’t shake the feeling that for all the dragon worshippers and grateful mortals surrounding them, there was another group who didn’t trust the Dragon Elite, and more importantly, didn’t want them intervening in their affairs.

CHAPTER THREE

“Something smells good,” Evan remarked, taking a big sniff as he sauntered into the dining hall of the Castle, NO10JO on his heels. The cyborg dog halted at the threshold to the room, cowering and whimpering, his gaze on the kitchen door.

“That’s me,” Wilder said with a laugh, leaning back in his seat.

Sophia gave him an amused expression. “I think Ainsley is making a roast.”

Evan’s eyes widened with delight. “Nice. She must be getting over things. That’s Hiker’s favorite.”

Wilder arched an eyebrow at Sophia. “That doesn’t sound like the Ainsley we all know and are slightly scared of.”

She agreed with a nod, wondering what the housekeeper was up to.

“Hey Pink Princess,” Evan began, as he slid into his normal seat at the table. “I need help with my new phone.”

“What you need is manners,” she retorted, pretending to be offended.

He batted his long eyelashes at her. “My apologies, my lass. Would you be ever so kind as to assist me with my mobile device?”

Sophia giggled at his ridiculousness as he withdrew the phone from his pocket. “What seems to be the issue?”

He put it on the table between them and slid it over in her direction. “How do I turn it on?”

“Oh, Angels above.” Wilder looked toward the ceiling. Sophia agreed with him.

With minimal effort, she pressed the button on the side of the phone. Although she’d joked about getting the other dragonrider a flip phone from ten generations ago, she’d opted for the newest smartphone. This thing could practically launch a spaceship, it was so powerful. Ironically, she predicted Evan wouldn’t even be able to crack the simplest features, but that had been the point in her thoughtful gift—it was more for her amusement than anything else.

Evan’s green eyes lit up when the screen came to life. “Cool. Now, what do I do?”

Sophia shook her head. “You don’t get caught with it by Hiker and if you do—”

“When he does,” Wilder cut in.

“Right,” Sophia chirped. “When you get caught by Hiker, you don’t tell him that I got you this.”

Evan plucked the phone off the table and began scrolling through the welcome messages on the new device. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m not going to get caught. And Hiker won’t believe for a second that you didn’t get me this phone. For one, I wouldn’t even know where to start buying this kind of stuff, and secondly, I didn’t even know how to turn it on. This whole thing will reek of you as soon as he finds out.”

“Then put it away, or I’ll give it to Lunis as a chew toy,” Sophia threatened.

Evan’s brow wrinkled as he stared at the screen. “What’s Wi-Fi, and how do I connect to it?”

Sophia shook her head. “Usually, you choose one from ‘settings,’ but since all electricity and stuff is powered by the Castle here, it just automatically connects.”

Evan lowered the device, an annoyed expression on his face. “Let me guess if I don’t have Wi-Fi, I can thank the little guy for that?”

“You know,” Sophia began, “it’s your fault for not being nice to Quiet from the beginning. You don’t start treating people well because they can do something for you. You’re supposed to do that regardless.”

The dragonrider scoffed at her. “That’s exactly why you’re nice to people. I was only nice to you, so you’d buy me a Mouth Phone.”

“iPhone,” Sophia corrected, rolling her eyes.

“Why are you nice to me?” Wilder asked, looking curious.

Evan glanced up, distracted. “Am I? I’ll work on that. Sorry, the decades locked up with you made me sort of complacent.”

“But that same thing didn’t work with Quiet,” Sophia observed as the groundskeeper waddled into the room.

“Well, it’s our thing,” Evan stated, noticing the gnome too. “Hey, buddy. How’s it going? Rough day on the Expanse? The flock giving you trouble again?”

Quiet narrowed his eyes at him, muttering as he took a seat one down from Evan.

“Cool, cool,” Evan said, talking over him. “So, I was hoping you’d connect my new mobile device to this Wi-Fi. Sophia said for her it is automatic, but I’m guessing you’re just not aware that I have a new phone that needs the magic of the internet.”

Ainsley buzzed through the kitchen door, carrying a covered tray that smelled incredibly good. “The Castle is aware of everything always,” she declared as if she’d been there the entire time.

Evan lowered his chin. “As I suspected. So, little guy, think you can put the past behind us and build some bridges, starting with giving me access to Wi-Fi?”

“You’re not supposed to have a mobile device.” Ainsley put her hands on her hips. “Hiker will be livid if he finds out.”

Evan pointed an accusatory finger at Sophia across the table. “She gave it to me.”

“I want one, S. Beaufont,” Ainsley demanded.

She shook her head. “Evan won a stupid bet. And if I go around getting you all phones, then he’s going to find out about it and kick me out of the Castle.”

The shapeshifter clutched her hands to her chest, looking off fondly. “It’s been so long since he’s fired me. Maybe today is my lucky day.”

“I don’t think so.” Wilder pointed to the covered dish in the middle of the table. “You’ve made his favorite.”

“Yes, I have,” Ainsley said with a wicked smile before trotting back to the kitchen.

Wilder turned to Sophia with a pleading expression. “What do I have to do to get a phone? Win a bet? Do favors? Persuade you with my charm?”

He flashed her his trademark sideways smile, his blue eyes lighting up. The butterflies fluttered around her stomach as they often did when he looked at her that way.

She forced her gaze away. “Like I said, if I go around getting you all devices, Hiker is going to have my head. He’s made it very clear he doesn’t want the older generation of riders to have electronics.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t control us,” Evan stated as footsteps echoed from the entryway. His eyes widened suddenly, and he fumbled erratically as he tried to put the phone away as Hiker and Mama Jamba entered the dining hall.

“All I’m saying is that a small appearance could really benefit our image,” Hiker told the short woman whose grayish-blue curls were perfectly formed around her head. Mama Jamba was wearing a black velour tracksuit with bunny slippers.

She winked at Sophia across the table before taking a seat between Evan and Quiet. “Son, the answer is still no. I don’t do the public eye, and I’m not changing my mind.”

Hiker opened his mouth, about to respond, and then his focus fell on Evan with a skeptical expression on his face. “What are you hiding?”

Sitting stick straight, his eyes shifting back and forth, Evan pointed at Sophia.

She tensed, making a note to kill him later.

“Her,” he demanded. “I’m hiding my undying lust and love for Sophia, but alas, she’s already taken, and so my dreams are dashed.”

Mama Jamba shook her head, her curls not taking the slightest note of the movement. “You’re doing a poor job of hiding this affection, hun.”

Hiker didn’t seem to buy this as he slipped into his chair at the head of the table. “When I find out what you’re up to, there’s going to be hell to pay.”

Quiet muttered something as Ainsley brought another covered dish from the kitchen. She laid it down in front of the leader of the Dragon Elite and looked at the gnome. “I agree, Quiet, but most of the time, some people can’t see what’s right in front of their faces because their dumb egos block their sight.”

Hiker narrowed his eyes, but they softened as his olfactory senses took in the dishes in front of them. “What’s all this?” He swept his hand at the table.

“Food.” Ainsley swept back around and trotted for the kitchen.

“It would appear that Ainsley has made your favorites, sir.” Wilder pointed at the largest dish. “Roast beef. And I think that’s mashed potatoes.”

“If the next dish is roasted asparagus, then we know there’s something going on,” Evan added.

Sophia guessed roasted asparagus was another of Hiker’s favorites. “Maybe she’s helping us to celebrate. The press conference was a success.”

Hiker nodded but didn’t look convinced. “It was, but as I was telling Mama, we could use another advantage. I’m having trouble getting the Foreign Nations to enter into an agreement with us. They say they need time.”

“And as I said before, I’m not coming out of hiding and standing in front of a camera unless George Burns is right beside me,” Mother Nature declared.

“Who’s that?” Hiker asked as the last dragonrider, Mahkah, quietly slipped into a seat next to Wilder. “I’m sure we can make arrangements.”

“He’s dead,” Sophia said.

Hiker nodded. “That seems about right.”

“You’ll just have to iron out these peace agreements on your own, son,” Mama Jamba offered. “It is your job, after all.”

He sighed as Ainsley came through the door, carrying another dish.

“Is that roasted asparagus?” Evan asked, eyeing the dish.

“How did you know?” Ainsley pulled the cover off the bowl to reveal little green sticks of veggies.

“What’s going on?” Hiker demanded, a skeptical expression on his face.

“What do you mean?” Ainsley questioned. “Can’t I make all of your favorites, knowing how much you like them?”

He gave her a measuring glare. “No.”

She threw up her hands and stormed back to the kitchen. “I can’t win for trying. I’ll just go and fetch the hot rolls and chocolate cake.”

“More of your favorites, sir,” Wilder observed.

Hiker narrowed his eyes at the largest platter. “I realize that. Evan, you should taste my food for me.”

He gawked in response. “With all due respect, sir. I don’t think Ainsley would try and poison you—” He broke into laughter before he finished his sentence. “Sorry, sir. Yes, she absolutely would. And although I would rush into a burning building for you, I’m not going to take this one for the team.”

“Oh, don’t be absurd,” Mama Jamba said, and pulled the lid off the mashed potatoes. Steam rose up, happy to be finally freed from the covered dish. “Ainsley might have a death wish for Hiker, but she doesn’t want the rest of us dead.”

“Coming from the entity that was never born and can never die, that doesn’t make me feel all that much better,” Evan stated sarcastically.

“I for one,” Hiker started, his eyes swelling with hunger as he pulled the cover off the roast and took in the sight of the hunk of meat, “can’t wait to have a real meal. It feels like ages.”

“I served you breakfast this morning,” Ainsley argued, as she deposited a basket of rolls on the table.

“The bacon was raw and the eggs were runny,” Hiker spat. He cut into the roast but seemed to have trouble with it.

The elf watched, a sneaky expression on her face.

No one took a bite of their food, all of them sensing what was about to happen next.

Hiker laid the knife down and gave Ainsley an annoyed expression. “The meat is overcooked.”

She threw up her hands. “Well, either it is overdone or underdone to your liking. I can’t win.”

He shook his head, pushing the tray to the side and picking up the potatoes. “What’s wrong with these?”

“Nothing,” Ainsley sang, a sly look in her green eyes.

Evan dropped his spoonful of potatoes and grabbed for the pitcher of water to fill his glass. “If by nothing you mean they have a pound of salt, then sure. Nothing.”

The shapeshifter giggled with evil delight.

Hiker shook his head, looking at the asparagus. “And I’m guessing those are ruined somehow and the rolls overbaked. And the chocolate cake?”

Ainsley turned for the kitchen. “You’ll have to find out for yourself.”

Hiker pushed up from the table, his face red with anger. His hand went to his pocket, where Sophia knew he kept the golden harp. Hopefully, it would calm his temper and keep him from exploding, as was its job. “Well, maybe you all can salvage some of this meal, but I’m done.”

“Sir, can’t you fix things with Ainsley?” Evan asked, disappointment on his face as he looked around the table at the food none of them, with the exception of Quiet, dared to eat. The gnome was already working on his second helping of potatoes, the high sodium levels not bothering him in the least.

“I’m working on it,” Hiker muttered, giving Sophia a pointed expression.

She nodded slightly, knowing he meant for her to “fix” things since he didn’t think he was capable.

“In the meantime,” Hiker stated, “I’ll simply not eat at these meals, so the rest of you aren’t punished for the grievances Ainsley has with me.”

Everyone blinked, surprised by this selfless act.

“You can’t not eat,” Ainsley said, peeking through from the kitchen door, her face suddenly ashen.

He glanced over his shoulder at her. “I’ll manage. Despite what you think, I’m not completely inept and can fend for myself. I would just prefer not to when my time is so valuable trying to lead the Dragon Elite.”

The housekeeper disappeared back into the kitchen without another word. It was a first, Sophia realized. Hiker had made her speechless by not playing into Ainsley’s games. Maybe he was maturing and the golden harp was helping. The shapeshifter would persevere and find a way under his skin unless Sophia could figure out how to get her memories back and cure her. Then, at last, the elf could leave the Gullington and have the freedom she’d been deprived of for so many centuries.

CHAPTER FOUR

“I really don’t know what to say,” Sophia muttered, holding up the t-shirt Lunis had gotten her. Well, by gotten her, he’d ordered it on her Amazon account and had it shipped to the PO box in town since packages couldn’t come to the Castle directly.

You’re speechless because you love it so much, right? Lunis asked, a hopeful expression in his eyes.

They stood on the Expanse, outside the Nest, the waves of the Pond crashing against the shore in the distance, creating gentle music.

“Love is a strong word,” Sophia teased, winking at him.

You don’t like it, he said with disappointment.

“That’s not it,” she stated. “I just don’t know where I would wear it.”

He rolled his eyes. It could totally go over your armor, or you could sport it when you go to the mall or hang out at the bowling alley.

She laughed. “I’m not that kind of teenager.”

Sophia couldn’t even fathom being the kind of young adult who had a part-time job and hung out at a burger joint on the weekends.

You should try it on, Lunis encouraged.

Deciding that indulging her dragon was for the best, Sophia slipped the blue T-shirt on over her armored top and found it fit perfectly. Lunis obviously knew her size. However, he didn’t really know her style, she realized. She peered down and reread the words on the graphic. In big letters, it said, “My other ride is a dragon.”

“Well, thanks.” Sophia giggled at the absurdity of it all.

No worries, he chirped. Well, you paid for it, so thank yourself.

“Yeah, about that,” she began, an edge to her voice. “We need to discuss some budget rules using my Amazon account.”

He lowered his chin, a discreet expression in his eyes. So I should cancel the area rug I bought for the Cave?

“You’ve moved back into the Cave permanently, then?” she asked, glancing at the Nest. Sounds of struggles could be heard from the infant dragon's roughhousing.

Yeah, the little jerks that just hatched have taken over the Nest, he grumbled bitterly.

It was hard to know if the new dragons were either good or evil, as they were designated to be one or the other and nothing in between. If one was judging by behavior, then they had a perfect mix of good and evil between the hundred that had hatched.

“Shall we go and see the little tykes?” Sophia asked, indicating the dark opening of the Nest nestled into the hillside next to the cliffs that overlooked the Pond.

Jerks, Lunis corrected. They are all jerks. Well, the ones in there. The good ones in the Cave are very pleasant.

That was one way they had assumed the temperaments of the new dragons. Like attracted like and the good dragons appeared to prefer their own. The “little jerks” chose to associate only with each other.

“I’m sure they are just misunderstood,” Sophia joked, wanting to believe there was a good reason the dragons had been deemed evil by the angels. She had read in The Complete History of Dragonriders that it was about achieving balance. She couldn’t deny it was strange that out of every batch of dragons, there would be an equal number of good versus evil ones. It seemed that since dragonriders were supposed to be about maintaining peace and protecting the Earth, they’d all be good—but that was only for the Dragon Elite, which was always composed of good. The evil ones apparently had been the lone riders, like Thad Reinhart and Gordon Burgess.

Sophia pulled her sword quickly upon entering the Nest, defending herself from the black dragon she’d nicknamed Blackey. He was one of the firstborn. In truth, only he knew his real name, and his rider if and when they magnetized.

Blackey lunged at her as soon as she entered, mouth open and steam shooting out. The aggressive dragon jerked his head to the side, his eyes glowing red as he swiped his clawed foot.

Sophia swung Inexorabilis, urging him back. He didn’t appear the least bit deterred and would have taken another swing at her if Lunis hadn’t stepped into the Nest and charged forward to take a place in front of Sophia. With a flick of his tail, he launched Blackey across the cave, sending him hard into the back wall.

The dragon was about the size of a pit bull and had the temper to match. He sprang to his feet as soon as he hit the ground, shaking his horned tail and narrowing his eyes at the large blue dragon. He might have been evil, but he wasn’t stupid and wasn’t about to attempt to fight Lunis.

Sophia’s dragon growled low in his throat, making the others around Blackey back up several yards. The black dragon was easily the biggest of the group, but the others were growing fast. Sophia didn’t want to think about how they would control them when they could fly and breathe fire.

Little jerks, Lunis grumbled to Sophia. See what I mean?

She nodded and stepped around him, although he didn’t seem to like it. She wanted to check out the new dragons who had gone back to wrestling with each other like a litter of energetic puppies. They were mostly a blur of claws and teeth, their tails swinging.

Unlike the good dragons who were bright colors of pink, greens, yellows, and blues, the bad ones were darker. Besides Blackey, the others were burnt orange, brown, and gray.

See why I moved out of my bachelor pad? Lunis asked, bearing down as Blackey stepped forward. The deranged dragon looked like he was considering another attack.

He shrunk away slightly to the side, as though attempting to take another route.

“Yeah, I get it,” Sophia answered, holding her breath. The smell in the Nest was less than pleasant, being filled with rotting meat and waste.

She wanted time to study the dragons, to understand why they were evil, and hopefully discern how their temperament could be used to the Dragon Elite’s advantage. She wondered if there was a way of changing them. Bermuda Laurens, the expert in magical creatures, might have some insights. Before she had an opportunity to observe more of the dragon’s behavior, Mama Jamba stepped through the opening to the Nest.

All of the dragons, Blackey included, cowered away at once. The sight of the small woman, who was slightly shorter than Sophia, was completely unassuming with no armor or sword. She stuck her hands on her hips and regarded the dragons with a menacing glare Sophia had never seen from her before.

“You all have really made a mess in here, haven’t you?”

The brown and gray dragons who had been rolling over each other lowered their heads, cowering like dogs getting scolded by their owner.

Mama Jamba shook her head and glanced at Sophia. “Dear, there’s something at the Castle you need to see.”

Sophia’s mouth popped open. “Is everything all right?”

“Obviously it isn’t, or I wouldn’t have put on my trainers to come out here and tell you to come back to the Castle.”

Sophia peered down to find Mother Nature had exchanged her fuzzy bunny slippers for a pair of Nike high tops with shiny pink laces. It was a strange sight to see the old woman in a black velour suit with sneakers.

“Is everyone safe?” she asked, instantly worried. “Has Ainsley attempted murder on Hiker?”

“Not yet,” Mama Jamba answered. “And everyone is fine, but there’s news coming, and I wanted you to be there when it is broadcast.”

Sophia tilted her head to the side. “So whatever is going on hasn’t happened yet. That’s why you didn’t send one of the men down there to get me, right?”

Mama Jamba winked at her. “You’re always so astute. That’s absolutely correct. They are all lounging in Hiker’s office, not realizing there’s a news report about to come on the television that will change everything.”

“Oh, okay,” Sophia said, turning for the cave exit. “Thanks for getting me. I’ll sprint over as fast as I can.”

Mama Jamba waved her off. “You can walk at a brisk pace with me. We have ten minutes.”

Sophia nodded. She didn’t dare ask the old woman what she should expect. Mama Jamba wouldn’t tell her, so she’d only be wasting her breath. It sounded like she needed to conserve her energy for what was coming next.

CHAPTER FIVE

As Mama Jamba had foretold, all of the men were gathered in Hiker’s office when Sophia entered. Evan was on the floor, wrestling around with NO10JO. It reminded her of the evil dragons she’d just witnessed in the Nest. Wilder and Mahkah were sitting on the sofa, taking notes as Hiker paced. He paused when Sophia and Mama Jamba entered.

“Oh good, you’re here,” the Viking said, staring at the two women. “I was giving out missions. Didn’t you have something you wanted to discuss with me, Sophia?”

She glanced at the television in the corner. It was off.

Although Hiker didn’t allow the men to have technology, he had caved and gotten the television as a way to stay up to date on world news.

“Yes, sir, but…” Sophia looked back at Mama Jamba, wondering if what she’d been gotten for was about to happen.

“You have a few minutes, dear.” Mama Jamba scooted the guys over and took her usual seat.

“A few minutes before what?” Hiker asked, glaring at the old woman.

“You’ll see,” she said cryptically.

He sighed. “Well, go on then, Sophia.”

She remained standing even after Wilder got up, offering her his place. “I’m good. And I wanted to talk to you, sir, about an idea that King Rudolf had.”

With a loud exhale, Hiker shook his head. “I don’t have time to entertain hare-brained ideas from that fae.”

“That’s what I thought,” Sophia began. “However, this one has merit. He’s proposing we use the dragon eggshells from those that have hatched to make a magic potion that could have healing properties for magicians and other magical races.”

Hiker paused his pacing with a look of surprise. “That actually isn’t a bad idea.”

“They are just sitting there unused,” Wilder said as he took the spot next to Sophia even though she hadn’t taken her seat.

“I’m certain the shells will have many magical properties, healing being at least one of them,” Mahkah stated.

“Then, I’ll approve of the project.” Hiker looked at Sophia. “You’ll have to champion it, though, which will require securing the right potions expert and then determining how we will disperse it to those in need.”

“King Rudolf will, of course, want a cut of the action,” Sophia explained.

The light expression on the leader of the Dragon’s Elite face dropped. “Of course, he will. That’s fine. Maybe he can help with the latter part, freeing you up.”

Sophia nodded. “I’d be happy to take on the project, sir.”

“Suck up,” Evan said through a fake cough.

“What’s that?” she asked with a heated expression.

“Oh, nothing.” He batted his eyes at the cyborg dog. “Some of us work one case at a time. And some of us work all the projects at once so they can get extra gold stars and look exhausted all the time.”

Sophia ran her hands through her tangled hair. “I don’t look exhausted, do I?”

Wilder shook his head at the same time Evan nodded.

“You look amazing,” Wilder told her.

“You could brush your hair,” Evan added.

Sophia shook her head. “I don’t take on all the projects.”

“Actually you do, dear,” Mama Jamba disagreed, curling her feet up under her.

“It wouldn’t kill some of you to show the same ambition.” Hiker glared down at Evan, who was still playing with NO10JO.

“It might, sir,” he replied at once. “I didn’t work for like a century. I’ve got to slowly ease myself into this whole thing.”

“It’s time.” Mama Jamba pointed at the television.

“Time for what?” Hiker asked, looking between her and the television.

“Well, turn that thing on and you’ll find out for yourself,” she answered. “It’s much more fun that way.”

“Fun for you,” he grumbled. He stalked over to the television and scowled over his shoulder at Mama Jamba. “Why do I get the feeling that I’m not going to like whatever is about to happen next?”

She grinned at him. “And here I thought you couldn’t see the future, son.”

CHAPTER SIX

Sophia had never really watched mortal news programming before. Her brother Clark told her it was a waste of energy and time. He had said, and she’d always suspected it was sensationalized, biased, and a device used to exacerbate fears rather than to quell them. She was about to learn just how right her instincts had been.

When the television in Hiker’s office lit up, everyone fell silent. Standing in a crowd of reporters was a man dressed in an expensive suit, with salt and pepper hair. He had an air of confidence about him…no, Sophia paused. She studied the man’s nonverbal cues as he waited for the crowd to settle down around him. It was entitlement the man exuded, which was very different from confidence.

There was something else peculiar about the man. The bottom of the screen labeled him as Nevin Gooseman, Congressman for the U.S. Senate. It was hard to tell from looking at him on the screen, but Sophia was almost certain he was a magician. In his presence, she’d know for sure. She could sense the magical vibrations that a magician gave off. Each race “vibrates” at a different frequency, and her sister, Reese, had taught her long ago how to pick up on this.

Not being in the physical presence of this politician, Sophia could still tell he was most likely a magician by the way he moved and his mannerisms. It was similar to the way someone can tell if a person was French by the expressions they exhibited.

Behind the man in the distance were dragon worshippers, holding signs displaying their love for the magical creatures. They were always campaigning in major cities lately, and Sophia had even heard they’d flocked to Scotland, hoping to see signs of the Dragon Elite somewhere.

A reporter’s voice came on over the scene, broadcasting louder than the sounds of the crowd around Nevin Gooseman on the street. “We’ve been told the Congressman has an important announcement regarding the Dragon Elite. A surge of dragon worshippers have flocked to this location—many of them excited to hear information on the governing entity they’ve come to love and admire.”

Hiker’s eyes cut to Mama Jamba, but she wasn’t giving anything away with her impassive eyes.

“I think they’ve found out your little secret,” Wilder said to Evan, winking at him.

“That I’m a handsome, intelligent, and available bachelor?” he asked seriously, petting NO10JO.

“That you’re afraid of the dark and not fit to be worshipped by those who think you’re brave,” Wilder fired back.

“I told you, Quiet won’t allow me to turn the lights off in my bedroom at night,” Evan complained. “I’ve given up turning them off since it probably just entertains him watching me get up over and over again. That guy needs a hobby. Is it creepy to anyone else that he’s always peeping on us?”

“Just to you, because of the things you do that are undoubtedly embarrassing and unclassy,” Wilder joked.

“Would you lot be quiet?” Hiker griped. “I’m trying to hear this.”

The room fell quiet as Nevin Gooseman began speaking.

“We have all been surprised by many recent developments in the magical world,” the politician began in a rehearsed tone. “It began with mortals seeing magic again, a result of something that I’m sad to say my fellow magicians were a part of.”

I knew it, Sophia thought, proud to confirm she was right about the congressman being a magician. It was rare to see, as they usually didn’t work in the mortal world, let alone for a mortal government.

“With that came many new discoveries,” Nevin Gooseman continued. “Mortals learned of the different magical races that have always existed around them. Then came the knowledge of governing bodies that you weren’t aware of that control many aspects of your lives. The House of Fourteen, the magician’s leading organization, too, has had its fair share of challenges explaining their involvement in many assorted issues. Specifically, recently, they were complacent in the wake of their own population going missing. It was events such as those that opened my eyes to my own race’s shortcomings and how it affects those I serve.” Nevin Gooseman glanced around the crowd and made eye contact with many of the reporters. “I’m of course referring to you.”

“Burn,” Evan said as hands shot up into the air around the congressman, the reporters antsy to ask questions. “House of Fourteen is gonna have some explaining to do.”

The politician smiled politely, holding up his hand to quiet the reporters. “I’m happy to answer questions once I finish.” He cleared his throat and looked around as the group quieted. “The House of Fourteen is struggling to earn the trust of the mortal world, which I’m certain will take many efforts due to past grievances. However, reflecting on this made me take a hard look at other organizations that state they have authority over us. I’m referring to the Dragon Elite.”

Hiker closed his eyes for a half-beat, dread covering his face as several of the reporters vied for attention and the crowd at Nevin Gooseman’s back erupted in applause.

The politician pushed his hands up in the air, trying to regain control after the outburst. “I was as surprised and ecstatic as many of you at the discovery there were still dragons, and that included the Dragon Elite who are supposedly the ‘supreme global ruling authority.’” Nevin used air quotes for the last few words with a skeptical expression. “As one of your trusted civil servants, I was reluctant to blindly accept that these dragonriders had shown up after centuries of absence from affairs to take over as leaders over our matters and disputes. That just didn’t seem right to me.”

From the crowd of hippies, someone shouted, “The dragons have come to save us!”

Nevin Gooseman glanced over at the group of hippies with a commiserate expression. “No one wants to believe that more than me. Just because these magicians ride dragons, that shouldn’t automatically make them superior to us.”

“Marry me, dragonrider!” another worshipper yelled.

“Well, there you go,” Wilder said, peering down at Evan. “We’ve found someone who wants you and won’t mind that you pee the bed.”

He grimaced. “I told you, the Castle threw my glass of water at me! I didn’t pee my bed.”

“Enough,” Hiker scolded, his fist clenched by his side.

“In order to protect you,” Nevin Gooseman went on, “I decided to look into the Dragon Elite, especially after their leader recently announced they are predicted to be stronger than ever, with a new crop of dragon eggs and the potential to dramatically increase their numbers.”

Sophia and Wilder exchanged hesitant expressions. She didn’t know what bomb this politician was about to drop, but it was all but certain that if there was a metaphorical bomb shelter around, they should all take cover right then.

“A thousand dragon eggs sounds very impressive—”

“Incredible!” a hippie yelled, cutting into the politician’s speech.

He nodded. “I thought so too, but nothing is without its shortcomings. That’s when I did my research and learned that not all dragons are destined to become part of the Elite.”

Hiker, as if in anticipation of what was to come, covered his head with his hands.

“You see, according to a very reliable source,” Nevin Gooseman continued, “of those thousand dragon eggs the Elite has, half of them will hatch and be benevolent magical creatures, upholding justice for the mortal world.”

“Praise dragons!” someone yelled from the crowd.

Nevin Gooseman let out a long breath, shaking his head. “And the other fifty percent, I’m afraid, are destined, without question, to hatch and be evil.”

At the conclusion of his words, a great muttering overtook the crowd, both around the politician and behind him.

Hiker’s hands tightened around his head. Everyone in his office held their breath collectively, waiting for what would unfold next.

“I was as shocked at you to learn this news,” Nevin Gooseman stated when the mortals settled down. “It’s unfortunate I have to reveal that it’s true. For all the peace the Dragon Elite proposes to bring to us, their new crop of potential riders also brings a new force of evil. I ask you, my people, is it worth having adjudicators, meant to protect us if they also bring with them a new enemy? We’ve had to deal with much because of the magical world. No one has suffered more than mortals. I dare say, five hundred evil dragons, which could one day have riders, will present many troubles for us all. It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to reconsider allowing this Dragon Elite to preside over our affairs. They might call themselves the supreme ruling authority, but we always have the choice. You elected me as your official to make decisions on your behalf, and to protect your interests. Shouldn’t you have the same right with the Dragon Elite?”

There was a collective muttering around Nevin Gooseman.

Trying to hide a satisfied grin, the congressman held out his arms wide, as though welcoming everyone around him into his home. “My concern for you, the citizens of this great nation, isn’t just that you might turn your freedom over to a group who hasn’t earned it, but that this organization might bring the very evil you’ll need protection from. Not only should we question the authority of the Dragon Elite, but I beseech you to consider whether dragons are right for the modern world. Especially since we now know that soon many more will inhabit our planet—half of them with evil running through their veins.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I guess I can become a stunt demon now,” Evan said, blowing out a long breath.

“A what?” Mama Jamba asked, pursing her lips at him.

“Stunt demon,” he repeated. “You know, the guys who do all the cool tricks in the movies for the actors.”

“Stunt devil,” Sophia corrected.

Evan nodded. “Yeah, that. I’ll look into that. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just fall back on my good looks and charm.”

“I think you need to have a backup for that backup plan,” Wilder teased.

“Well, at least I have a backup plan for when this whole Dragon Elite thing falls through,” Evan argued. “All you have are bad jokes and those dainty hands.”

Wilder laughed. “Sounds like I have options as a comedian or a hand model.”

Sophia glanced at Wilder’s hands. They weren’t dainty at all. Callused definitely. Strong, for sure, and most importantly, capable.

“No one is getting another job,” Hiker declared with confidence, finally pulling his hands from his hair. He had an exasperated glare on his face when he looked at Mama Jamba. “How did this man find out about the dragon eggs hatching as either good or evil?”

She shrugged and slid her feet under Mahkah’s bottom to keep her toes warm.

The good-natured dragonrider either didn’t seem to notice or he simply didn’t care.

“How does anyone find out anything, son?” she questioned.

Hiker groaned. “Oh, good. More riddles. So you don’t know, or you’re not saying.”

“I think finding out how Nevin Gooseman knows about the divide between the crop of dragon eggs is a poor use of your time,” Mama Jamba explained.

He narrowed his eyes and looked out the bank of windows at the Expanse and Pond. “I think that if there’s a traitor in our midst, I need to know about it.”

“I didn’t say anything, sir,” Evan stated at once.

“Nor I,” Wilder chimed in.

“I don’t think it would have been any of us,” Sophia reasoned. “This Nevin Gooseman obviously has another source.”

Hiker swung around to face them. “And we need to find out what it is. But more importantly, we’ve got a lot of damage control to do.” He shook his head, chewing fiercely on his lip. “Just when we were making strides with the mortal governments. Now they are going to be distrustful of us, denying our authority in adjudication missions.”

“Not to mention,” Evan said, petting NO10JO’s half metal belly, “we might have a bunch of mortals with pitchforks coming after us, trying to take us out because we house dragon eggs that will spawn evilness.”

“Wow.” Wilder’s tone was overflowing with sarcasm. “You have such a good knack for extinguishing frustrations. How ever do you do that?”

Evan rolled his eyes. “Hey, if you want to bury your head in the sand, then go ahead. I’m just pointing out to our esteemed leader the problems we’re facing.”

“I’m well aware of the problems this senator has caused us,” Hiker nearly yelled, stalking over to his desk. He looked at it as if the many pieces of paper might offer refuge from this new set of problems. After a moment of deliberation, he glanced up. “Mahkah, I need you to set off on a set of goodwill building campaigns. People like you, especially mortals, and you’re our best hope of garnering trust that will inevitably be lost from this.”

“People like me,” Evan complained.

Everyone in the room, with the exception of Hiker, laughed in response.

The leader of the Dragon Elite shook his head. “Evan, you and Wilder need to continue our work on adjudication missions. This Nevin Gooseman wants us to devote our attention to saving our reputation, but the best way we can do that is to prove our worth.”

“Yes, sir,” Wilder agreed at once, standing tall.

“I’ll be issuing a statement right away, but there isn’t much I can do to dispute these new claims,” Hiker said, frustration heavy in his voice.

“Because the truth is that inevitably you will have five hundred evil dragons on your hands at some point, son,” Mama Jamba told him matter-of-factly.

He nodded, continuing to chew on his lip. “That’s just the thing. I still don’t get how he knows. Trin Currante was aware of that information.”

“She wouldn’t have said anything,” Sophia urged, defending the cyborg. “Trin is on our side now.”

Hiker didn’t appear convinced. “Then, you’ll help to find information on how this politician found out about us?”

Sophia nodded. “Of course.”

“And I’d also like you to make a visit to the House of Fourteen,” Hiker ordered. “We recently saved their butts with that Saverus Corporation business. I think it’s time they repaid the favor. We are inevitably in this together as magicians.”

Sophia didn’t know if that was such a good idea since she knew there were those on the House of Fourteen council who would like nothing more than to see the Dragon Elite lose their authority. Still, she thought she could diplomatically figure things out with a visit to the House of Fourteen. “Yes, sir. I’ll see what I can do.”

He swallowed, glancing at Mama Jamba. “And to your point, I realize that we will have evil dragons in our midst, just as we did centuries ago with the first crop of eggs. You’re in the best position to tell me why the angels had to make it so that for every good dragon, there was an evil one. If we were meant to protect, then why did you and the angels put our enemies amongst us?”

She smiled at him and winked briefly. “Things are so cut and dry, son. You are set on thinking of the dragons as good and evil, but it’s more complicated than that. The Dragon Elite was meant to bring balance to this world, and I ask you, how could you do that if there wasn’t balance among the dragons? Good doesn’t exist without evil, nor the reverse. I assure you, that if we had only created courageous, pure-hearted dragons, this planet would have perished long ago. The key to maintaining peace is learning how to exist amongst one another with all of our differences. Not in shutting out the ones we don’t approve of.”

“So you’re saying,” Evan began, drawing out the words as he put them together in his mind, “the lives of those, good or evil are important?”

“What I’m saying,” Mama Jamba replied, “is simple. We are all necessary to create balance.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Without a doubt, Sophia knew Hiker was right to be worried about the global unrest that would come from the news about the Dragon Elite. At the top of her list was finding out how the politician had learned about the divide in the dragon eggs. If there was a way to learn the Dragon Elite’s secrets, she needed to know about it.

As far as Sophia knew, she still had the only copy of the Complete History of Dragonriders, the only place where she knew this information regarding good and evil dragons could be found. Assuming there were no other sources wasn’t a smart approach.

Sophia decided to visit one of her favorite places in the House of Fourteen before meeting with council in the Chamber of the Tree. After stepping through the portal between the Castle and House, she headed up the stairs to the library located at the top of the magical building.

Most of Sophia’s childhood had been spent in the strange and mysterious library. It was where she learned how to work spells long before she should have been able to—and especially before she would have been allowed by the House of Fourteen. More importantly, it was where Sophia hid to escape the scrutinizing stares of the other residents.

The Great Library in Tanzania was by far the most impressive one Sophia had ever seen. The tiny hut perched atop a crumbling rock off the coast was a most unassuming structure. Few would have guessed that inside the building was the largest collection of books in the entire world. Not only that, but it was home to every book ever written—save for the Complete History of Dragonriders, which couldn’t be duplicated. That was apparently to protect the Dragon Elite’s secrets, but something had obviously gone awry.

In contrast, the library in the House of Fourteen was much smaller and didn’t have windows looking out at the white-capped waters of the Indian Ocean. Actually, there were no windows, and if there were, they’d look out at the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica.

What made the library at the House of Fourteen unique was that much like the Castle, it seemed to be alive. There was no librarian like Trinity at the Great Library to help readers find the books they were looking for. Instead, the library responded to the person’s thoughts, directing them to what they were interested in. Also much like the Castle, it was full of tricks and could be quite confusing.

Sophia pushed open the thick door to the library. Even though she was prepared for what she would see, the place still filled her with awe. Columns as big as small cars rose all the way to the third-story ceiling overhead. Balconies were located in multiple places, each providing a view of the masterfully painted ceiling. A painting of the Milky Way Galaxy spiraled and sparkled, following the movements of the real galaxy.

The first floor of the library somehow felt quaint and cozy, with multiple seating areas and reading nooks. Sophia knew this was deceiving. Too many times, she’d fallen asleep in one of the areas, only to wake in a place she didn’t remember visiting. One didn’t just get lost in this library. If you weren’t careful, you became like a book, passed along from reader to reader, shuffling through their shelves until you were found far from where you started.

Sophia’s sister Reese had explained that when so many magical texts are kept in the same place, the books start to conspire against the readers, playing tricks on them.

When she reached the first row of books, Sophia stopped and took in a breath to welcome the scent of pages cloaked in dust and brimming with knowledge. She reached out and ran her fingers across the spines, enjoying the sensation as they tickled her skin.

The library changed based on what the reader was looking for. If you wanted to leave, it pointed you in the right direction. If you wanted to hide, it gave you a place. And if you wanted to find out about something in particular, it shoved you down that aisle.

The key was that the person searching had to be very focused on their thoughts. The moment they trailed away or got distracted, their path through the library would follow suit. Sophia had heard rumors of magicians in the library at the House of Fourteen that had been lost for decades.

Focusing intensely, Sophia trained her thoughts on finding a book that detailed anything about the Dragon Elite or dragon eggs in general. She reasoned that it could be a single passage in a large text. Nevin may not necessarily have access to the library in the House of Fourteen since he wasn’t a Royal, but he might know someone who did. Or he could have gotten access to the same book somewhere else.

When the path in front of her didn’t shift, as it did when directing her, she began to worry. Was it possible there were no books in that vast library that pertained to dragonriders or at least briefly mentioned them? Something wasn’t right.

Closing her eyes, Sophia really focused. She needed to find a book in this library that mentioned that for every good dragon that hatched, there was an evil one.

When she opened her eyes, she fully expected to have a specific volume resting on the floor in front of her. Or feel that familiar tug at her core when the library was directing. There was nothing.

“I don’t get it,” she muttered to herself out loud.

“Sure you do,” a familiar voice said behind her.

Sophia spun to find the mysterious black and white lynx resting upon a glass case that definitely hadn’t been there before. The case, at first glance, appeared to contain dinosaur bones.

“Hey, Plato.” Sophia should have realized she was overdue for a visit from Liv’s sidekick. He liked to turn up when she least expected it and then disappear just before actually being helpful. “And no, I don’t get it. I’m focusing on what I need to find, and so far, the only thing that’s shown up is you.”

The cat stretched, his white-tipped tail flicking in the air. “Well, I don’t know. I’m not the only thing that’s new from a moment ago.”

Sophia stepped forward, eyeing the case Plato was standing on. On closer inspection, she realized it wasn’t dinosaur bones but rather… “Are those dragon remains?”

“I’m no archeologist, but I believe so,” he said coyly as he licked his paw.

There was a small placard on the side of the case that, to Sophia’s disappointment, didn’t offer much information. It read:

Dragon: Unknown

Circa: Unknown

Location: Unknown

“Wow,” she commented dryly. “I’m not sure if I found anything less helpful since you.”

He grinned like the Cheshire cat. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You would,” she jabbed.

“Your focused thoughts brought up this case of dinosaur bones,” Plato offered.

“Which are incredibly not helpful,” she stated. “That Nevin Gooseman didn’t learn the Dragon Elite’s secret regarding good and evil dragons from a severely under-labeled case.” Sophia knew she didn’t have to explain things for Plato. Much like Mother Nature, Papa Creola, and Mae Ling, he knew things—more things than anyone else and often before most.

“But think about what you know,” Plato offered, a hint in his voice.

“Well, the library has always directed me to what I’m looking for,” she began. “I was focusing on finding a book about how for every good dragon, there’s an evil one.”

“Which means?” he asked.

“Which means…” Sophia studied the case where Plato stood again and noticed there were actually two different sets of dragon bones. Only a dragonrider would recognize that. She could tell the skull in the case couldn’t belong to the bones of the body. They weren’t the right proportions. “Wait!” she exclaimed, much too loudly for the acceptable volume in most libraries. But this wasn’t most libraries, and no one was around anyway. If they had been, Plato would have disappeared. “These bones, I bet they are from two different dragons. And by two different ones, I bet one was good and the other evil.”

Plato nodded his chin down and a sly expression on his face, waiting for her to work out the rest.

She sighed, mulling over what she might be missing. “Well, in response to my thoughts, the library gave me this case. And although it’s sort of related, it doesn’t answer anything, which means…” She dared to look at the lynx for answers, but he wasn’t offering up anything.

“It means there are no books that detail that for every good dragon, there’s an evil one,” she said and was surprised to hear the words come out of her mouth. As soon as they did, she knew they were right.

That was actually very disappointing.

Sophia slumped with defeat. “So Nevin Gooseman didn’t learn one of our secrets from a book here at the House of Fourteen or anywhere else.” She reasoned that if there wasn’t a magical book about this here, then there wasn’t one anywhere the politician could get ahold of.

Leaning against the glass case, Sophia stared at the carpet, trying to figure out where else to look.

“Books are one way we learn information,” Plato began, sitting down. “But there are others. History has been passed down in one way or another through various means.”

“Are you referring to storytelling?” Sophia felt her patience drop.

He shrugged. “I could be,” Plato stated discreetly. “Sometimes, those stories come from those who witnessed them or from their ancestors.”

“So someone told Nevin Gooseman this information?” Sophia asked the lynx.

“Obviously,” he said with irritation at her lack of intuition.

“Like some dragonrider who knew this?” That didn’t make any sense. There weren’t any more dragonriders out there. “The Dragon Elite, besides Trin Currante, are the only ones who know this about us. I don’t think there’s anyone else who is privy to this information.”

“You know, Sophia, there are a few ways to know things,” Plato explained. “You experience them. You hear about them. Or they can be revealed through the veil.”

Sophia couldn’t believe it. “Are you actually being directly helpful by telling me something and not making me grasp in the dark?”

“Don’t get used to it,” he commented. “There’s more than you could know riding on this. I also have a poker game and can’t wait for you to unravel it all on your own.”

“So, this does have far-reaching effects, then?” she asked. The political move by Nevin Gooseman could upset the balance of the world and the position the Dragon Elite held.

“I’m responsible for picking up the buffalo wings, and the deli closes soon.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “How are you going to pick up…never mind.” Sophia shook her head. “You’re saying Nevin Gooseman learned this about the dragons from a special source then? Like a…a seer?” There were other possibilities, but it made sense that a seer would know since they could see things no one else could. The past, present, and future. Things that were hidden to everyone else was available to them.

He stretched back into a standing position. “Oh good, I won’t be late. You can leave my tip on the glass case.”

“You’re accepting money for information now?” she asked, pretending to sound offended. “I thought we were friends.”

He managed a crooked grin. “Don’t you know the best kind of friends are the ones you employ?” With that, the lynx disappeared before Sophia could reply, leaving her alone in the vast library.

CHAPTER NINE

A seer, Sophia thought as she made her way to the Chamber of the Tree. That at least solved the mystery, but it didn’t actually help much. She couldn’t get rid of seers. Finding them was hard enough. At least she knew that Trin Currante hadn’t broken their agreement to keep the information from the Complete History of Dragonriders to herself.

At the entrance to the Chamber of the Tree, Sophia sucked in a breath. Facing the council was never easy. She always felt she was trying to exert the Dragon Elite’s influence. After the last time, she thought things would get easier. The dragonriders had saved the House of Fourteen’s butts after coming under heat about the missing magicians.

They didn’t even have time to bathe in the goodwill they’d created before the tables were turned, and now the Dragon Elite were under fire. It was almost as if the magical communities couldn’t get a break—as if someone wanted to bring them all down systematically from within.

“I’m getting paranoid,” Sophia reasoned.

“And you’re going crazy too,” Liv said at Sophia’s back.

She turned, finding the sight of her sister to be the one thing she needed right then. She resisted the urge to hug her. Dragonriders didn’t embrace Warriors upon casually meeting in the House of Fourteen, right? That would make her seem unprofessional. The last thing Sophia needed was to be seen as the young girl who used to play ball in the corridor and relied on her siblings for everything. She needed to be seen as separate from the Beaufonts if she was ever going to be respected.

How did the phrase go? She tried to remember the words of Helen Keller. A moment later, they came to her. “A man can’t make a place for himself in the sun if he keeps taking refuge under the family tree.”

“Well, I have been conversing with your lynx friend,” Sophia joked, smiling at her sister.

Liv nodded. “That’s enough to make anyone go nuts.” She pointed at the Door of Reflection. “I guess I don’t have to tell you that you’ll be under fire in there.”

“Yeah, I’m here for damage control and hopefully a little support. I’m not sure what it looks like out there in the world, but I do know the Dragon Elite needs to have the support of as many as possible right now.”

Liv gave her an uncertain expression. “So it’s true then? About the dragons?”

The questioning expression on her sister’s face suddenly made Sophia feel defensive. Instead, she lifted her chin with confidence. “Not everyone is born good. Most of us are born a bit mixed. For some, circumstances turn them that way. It doesn’t mean that we can turn our backs on each other.”

Liv thought for a moment, hesitation still heavy on her face. “I get that those are your dragon eggs and they are important to you—”

“They aren’t just important,” Sophia interrupted. “They are the future of this planet. That’s all we have left. Those eggs are priceless. They represent justice.”

“But Soph,” Liv began, her tone careful. “What if those dragons that are born evil become a threat to this world? Is it worth having five hundred good dragons if they are fighting five hundred bad ones?”

Sophia couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes. “That’s absurd. For one, they aren’t all going to hatch at the same time. What are we supposed to do, get rid of all of them because there’s a potential of being evil?”

“I’m not trying to be a pain in your ass,” Liv said, her tone calming. “I’m trying to prepare you for what you’ll encounter in there. You’re coming to the House of Fourteen to create a united front, but before you can win over the mortal world, you’re going to need to convince the magical one. Mortals are rightly scared of a bunch of evil dragons. The magical races, I’ve learned, are terrified and in a position to fight. What you’re looking at is a civil war. I know this is hard to hear, but I’d rather it come from me than someone else, or you get blindsided when you walk into the Chamber of the Tree.”

Sophia chewed on her lip, her eyes low as she nodded. “Yeah, I appreciate that, actually.”

Liv stepped forward and placed her hand on Sophia’s shoulder. “I know you have to keep those dragons. Only you and the Dragon Elite know why and how you’re going to manage the situation. It’s up to you to convince the rest of the world. And when you do that…” A smile lit up Liv’s eyes. “Well, ironically, you’ll earn the authority you’ve been after all along.”

Sophia nodded, trying to evoke confidence in the movement. “I hope you’re right. Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to do it.”

CHAPTER TEN

Sophia had felt less pressure when entering a battle and facing deadly forces than she did about to walk into the Chamber of the Tree. She’d known most of the Councilors all her life. They were her own, and yet, she’d never felt so separate from her race before.

She appreciated Liv’s hard words because she needed to hear them to prepare. Otherwise, she feared she would have walked into the Chamber of the Tree, looking for support where there was none. Now, she knew what she needed to say when she entered. More importantly, it brought to light what she didn’t understand on her own about the Dragon Elite and the new crop of dragon eggs.

“Wish me luck,” she said to herself as she stepped into the Chamber of the Tree, half expecting Plato or Liv to reply again. Instead, it was the one voice she needed to hear more than any other.

You don’t need it, Lunis said in her head. Just speak from your heart and remember, at the end of all this, you are the one who rules, but only with benevolent force. Use reason, and you’ll have followers. Use force, and you’ll have prisoners.

Sophia’s eyes adjusted to the darkness and the sparkling lights of the dome in the Chamber.

Before, when Sophia had made an appearance in front of the council, she’d had to demand their attention. That didn’t seem to be a problem this time.

“Miss Beaufont,” Lorenzo Rosario said at once when Sophia entered. “We’ve been expecting you.”

Jude and Diabolos both glanced in her direction, showing a keen interest in her every move. She shook this off. They were the regulators for the House of Fourteen. Sophia didn’t need to worry about them because she didn’t plan to lie, which they would call out.

Speak from the heart, Lunis encouraged.

“I figured that you would be,” Sophia said with confidence, striding past the half-circle of Warriors, Liv being one of them. She stopped in front of the bench and looked up at the Councilors regarding her with scrutinizing glares.

Scrolling through her tablet, Bianca Mantovani barely glanced at Sophia. “The world is at unrest with the Dragon Elite, and the polling is showing your support is at an all-time low.”

Before Sophia could reply, Haro Takahashi let out a breath. “It’s true. I think that we may need to distance ourselves from you, depending on how you decide to proceed.”

Sophia didn’t respond. Instead, she looked to the other Councilors, her brother, Clark, Hester DeVries, and Raina Ludwig. The seat filled by the Sinclair family hadn’t been filled yet with all the upheaval the House of Fourteen had to deal with.

To her disappointment, but not her surprise, the other three Councilors remained stoic, neither agreeing nor arguing against the others.

“Very well,” Sophia began, her hands pinned behind her back. “Distance yourself. And we will remember this when we have regained our authority over the world, which I assure you we will do. How convenient that you forget, not long ago, it was your heads on the political chopping block, and it was the Dragon Elite who saved you.”

“Is that what you want?” Bianca asked, a shrill tone to her voice that went straight up Sophia’s spine.

“Of course we don’t,” Sophia replied at once. “What I wanted…what we wanted was the support of the House while we negotiate these obstacles.”

Bianca laughed. “Really, there will be little negotiating. The Dragon Elite is looking at total extinction or becoming obsolete. I don’t see why you’d assume we’d align ourselves with you.”

Sophia kept her anger at bay. “No, I see how fair-weathered you are. When you were hit with something that stole your race away, we stepped in and saved your asses. And right now you see us close to extinction, while you hold your hands up like they are tied.”

Lorenzo sighed dramatically. “I don’t see how you can expect anything else from us. You never disclosed this bit about your dragon population. We really can’t condone five hundred dragons being hatched that have the power to tear the Earth in half.”

Sophia wanted to launch into an argument about how it was the design of the angels, and there was a legitimate purpose behind it involving balance. That worked for the Dragon Elite. It wasn’t going to for the House of Fourteen. She drew in a breath.

“There is no evolution in a world where there is no conflict,” Sophia told them, her voice growing with intensity as she spoke. “It’s true that for every dragon who hatches that will join our ranks and fight for justice, there are ones who could pose a threat to us. But I ask you, the same is inevitably true for you. For every human born, half do good and the other bad, and there’s a mix in the process. Some are capable of good but do evil and vice versa. Do you send your Warriors out with the order to kill evildoers and stamp them out immediately? Is not reformation a part of your justice?”

“Well, of course,” Haro answered at once. “We must rule with a fair hand.”

“Then how are we, the Dragon Elite, expected to do away with our eggs, knowing they will hatch half good and half evil dragons?” Sophia asked. “We know this with certainty because we have a direct line of communication with Mother Nature. You know that from experience. And yet, we’re expected to act upon this when you allow magicians to go out into the world and pollute it.”

Bianca tossed her tablet to the side. “You’re trivializing this.”

“I am not,” Sophia said firmly. “I’m simply putting it in a way that you can understand. Yes, there will be evil dragons. But good outweighs evil, we believe. More importantly, the world isn’t so black and white. You may need to back up and remember that progress isn’t made when we are created the same. Horrible things have happened to this planet, but out of them, amazing growth has been the result.” Sophia closed her eyes, letting words from her favorite poet rush to her. Kahlil Gibran’s words always aided her when she lost her own. “If in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasures, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all your laughter and weep, but not all your tears.”

The council fell silent. They looked at each other for a response. When no one said anything, Clark leaned forward, a proud glint in his Beaufont-blue eyes. “What you say makes sense. So, how do you plan to mitigate?”

Sophia rolled her shoulders. “The world is worried when we want to evoke confidence. We recognize that. But they need to believe as we have. They need to see the Dragon Elite saving the day. They need to see governing bodies coming together and having faith in us.”

“You mean the House of Fourteen?” Hester asked.

Sophia nodded. “Yes, and the kingdom of the fae and elves and so forth. Then, when there are evil dragons in the world, we can deal with them. They may be a problem. They may go off on their own and mind their own business as dragons are prone to doing. But if we do not stand together, then I assure you that this world will only turn more chaotic without the support of the Dragon Elite.”

“And this magician, Nevin Gooseman?” Raina questioned. “How do you plan to deal with him?”

That was the tough question. He was one of their own, a magician, but hiding behind a political agenda surrounded by the support of mortals. It didn’t make for an easy situation for the Dragon Elite. “Nevin Gooseman is afraid of that which he doesn’t understand. I believe he doesn’t want any supremely authoritative governing body.”

“I can’t say I don’t disagree,” Lorenzo stated at once.

“Then step down from your position,” Sophia fired. “Because the House of Fourteen ruled this planet for many centuries and you didn’t seem to mind it then. I remind you it was the evil of your own members that created problems. We’ve chosen to move on and work with you and protect you since then.”

“Although that is true,” Haro began, clearing his throat.

“It is true,” Sophia interrupted. “It may be fraught with resistance, but the Dragon Elite is the supreme ruling force. We don’t want to abuse it. We don’t want our own spreading evil worldwide—quite the opposite. We are completely fine with checks and balances. We do answer to Mother Nature, after all. But we are unwilling to give up what we’ve fought for, and more importantly, it’s what this planet deserves. It needs someone who cares enough to do whatever it takes, day or night, no matter the risks to fight for justice. You preside over magician’s affairs mostly. Let me ask, do you want the role back of taking care of the world’s matters—big and small?”

The question left the council speechless once again. Finally, Clark smiled slightly at his sister.

“I think you’ve made your point,” he said. “Proceed as you will, and you’ll have our endorsement. But do keep us informed about your growing dragon population and how you plan to manage things.”

She agreed. “Fair enough. And absolutely.”

Sophia smiled to herself, feeling tall for the first time, even with so many towering around her.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“W-w-what the hell is going on out there,” Sophia stammered, sliding through the door of John’s Electronics Repair shop and slamming it shut behind her.

On the streets of West Hollywood, protestors and dragon-worshippers were out in full force, and things were heating up.

Alicia pulled her attention off Trin Currante. The cyborg was sitting on a workstation as if she was a patient in a doctor’s office. Several needles, like those used for allergy tests, were poking out of the skin on her “human” arm.

“It’s been like that for days,” Alicia said in her thick Italian accent. “We keep thinking it’s going to die down, but since Nevin Gooseman’s address, it’s only been getting worse.”

Sophia pressed her back against the door and let out a long breath. She was suddenly grateful that Lunis wasn’t there with her, although he had grumbled bitterly about having to stay behind at the Gullington to “babysit” the dragons.

It was strange the different ways dragonriders had been treated in her short career as one. At first, no one believed they were a thing and mistook her as an actor in the Renaissance Fair when she walked down Fairfax Avenue. The world slowly learned about their presence and was still uncertain about their return. As the Dragon Elite made strides as adjudicators, they had earned themselves a bit of fame, which had quickly spiraled into this dragon worshipping business. Now there was a divide between the two with a new group, Anti-Dragonites.

That’s what they were calling themselves, Sophia had spied as she sped down the avenue to the repair shop after leaving the House of Fourteen. On one side of the street were protestors, marching with their hand-drawn signs and yelling various chants. Sophia didn’t know what she was walking into when she stepped through the portal, or she would have disguised herself better…or at all.

When the crowd of Anti-Dragonites saw her, they immediately reacted, chanting louder and thrusting their signs into the air. The cardboard posters read: “No Evil. No Dragons,” “Save Us All From the Dragons,” and “Slay the Dragons Before They Slay Us.”

At the sight of her, protestors pointed at Sophia and yelled, “There’s one! A dragonrider!”

She wasn’t sure what they would do if they got her, but Sophia didn’t want to find out. She reasoned it would go very badly for them since she’d fought a lot worse than a bunch of enraged mortal protestors. Still, she didn’t want to chance getting into a skirmish with the crowd, even if it was just exchanging words. The reputation of the Dragon Elite was hanging by a tiny thread, and damage control was of the utmost importance.

To her relief, the Dragon Worshippers had cut in between the Anti-Dragonites, giving her the break she needed to escape to the shop. They were holding signs too, but theirs read very different things like, “Dragons Will Save Us All,” “No Good Without Evil,” “Supporting Dragons Supports Love.”

Sophia was grateful they seemed to have gotten her general idea behind preserving the dragon race. She was glad they’d cut in between the Anti-Dragonites, but it quickly became apparent she’d need to escape them too. They came at her with open arms and dreamy gazes saying things like, “Touch me dragonrider,” “The first female rider! She’s a goddess!” “Our savior!” “Where is your magnificent dragon?”

Immediately boxed in by the Dragon Worshippers with the Anti-Dragonites closing in behind them, Sophia had no choice but to scale the brick wall of a dry cleaning shop, hop between rooftops of various stores and send out several diversions until the crowd had lost her. Only when she thought it was safe did she climb down the side of John’s Electronic Repair store and slip inside.

“They have mostly been peaceful,” Trin Currante stated, not flinching when Alicia stuck another needle into her arm. “But, I can put some of my men out there if you’d like to disperse the groups.”

Sophia shook her head. “No, this is their right, and their voices are important. I’m listening. It’s just that…well, convincing the Anti-Dragonites won’t be easy.”

Alicia agreed, recording some information on a tablet. “I fear for you that things will get worse before they get better. The media seems to be feeding into the fears.”

“Shocking,” Sophia said dryly, slipping onto a stool. “They just love fanning the flames and creating more drama where there doesn’t have to be any.” She laughed morbidly to herself. “Isn’t it ironic the Dragon Elite is supposed to be about promoting peace, and this has come out of it all?” She threw her hand at the front window of the shop where out on the street, the two groups could be seen marching.

“I think on the way to fulfilling our purpose, we often meet a whole host of irony,” Trin said in a sage-like voice. “Maybe it’s the universe’s way of testing our resolve.”

Sophia nodded, smiling. “The universe does love a stubborn heart, doesn’t it?”

Trin returned the expression, making her appear much more human than before, even with the cyborg eye and black wires for hair. “I believe it rewards one for persevering in the direction of their goals.”

“Speaking of goals,” Sophia said, indicating the testing equipment Alicia had out beside Trin on the workstation. “How is the antidote coming along?”

Alicia glanced up, and for a brief moment, there was a bit of hesitation in her gaze. She covered it at once and forced a polite smile. “We’re still testing. It’s a…process.”

“I don’t mind that progress will take time.” Trin sounded uncharacteristically consoling, as though she wanted to comfort the scientist.

“Yes, but I’m hopeful that we can start trials with the others soon,” Alicia explained.

“Others?” Sophia asked.

“Yes,” Alicia affirmed. “I think the other cyborgs…” She gave Trin a cautious expression. “Is it okay that I call you and your men that?”

There was a mechanical sound when Trin nodded. “That’s what we are, despite what we desire.”

“Well, if there’s a better term then I’m happy—”

“It’s fine,” Trin cut in.

“Okay,” Alicia said with a thoughtful expression. “Anyway, the other cyborgs might respond differently to the drug I’m testing because they were made during different trials at Saverus. Trin is different in that she was one of the first.”

The cyborg’s mechanical eye swiveled in Sophia’s direction as her human one stayed trained straight ahead. “Mika Lenna was a bit more aggressive with the first batch of us. I was the only one who survived. Then he learned he had to be a bit more conservative in his approach.”

“Oh.” Sophia’s heart suddenly ached for Trin. She did appear more cyborg-ish than some of the other men. Some had guns for arms and other strange contraptions on their bodies, but they also had many human features. Trin was more metal than she was flesh and blood.

“I’m testing for a different, maybe more aggressive solution for Trin,” Alicia stated, continuing to review her notes. “I’m thinking that starting the trials with the others might give me insights into how to tweak the formula so that it works for Trin.”

Sophia didn’t know how to ask her next question, but she felt it was necessary to clarify for her understanding. “The antidote helps you to take the magitech out of the cyborgs,” she began, choosing her words carefully, “but the metal parts of them. How does that work?”

Alicia nodded, appearing very clinical. “There’s a process for replacement with human parts for some. Others won’t have that option. It will be a case by case basis.”

Trin gave Sophia a sturdy expression. “I’ve given up on looking totally human again. I just want to feel that way.”

“We will do everything we can to make you what you once were,” Alicia said in a reassuring voice.

The cyborg looked off toward the street, where loud voices were emanating. “I appreciate that. But I’ve prepared myself for the very real reality that it may not work for me. I think I can come to terms with that if you can help the others.”

Sophia offered her a compassionate expression. “Just don’t give up. Remember, the universe loves a stubborn heart.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

The weather at fairy godmother college was perfect when Sophia stepped through the portal. She realized it was always an ideal temperature at the campus, not too hot or too cold, no clouds in the skies, and always a gentle breeze wafting through the large oak trees that spread across the grounds.

Sophia enjoyed the floral scents that danced in the air as she strode up to the school. The school was buzzing with excited fairy godmothers in training when she walked down the hall. She thought she’d find Mae Ling, her fairy godmother, in her office, but when she was almost there, she heard her familiar voice and paused outside of a classroom.

“The dating app that we run is appropriately named, ‘Happily Ever After,’” Mae Ling explained to a room full of young women sitting studiously in the lecture hall.

Like the grounds of the school, the classroom was modern with flares of bright colors. A rainbow rug ran down the stairs that led to the stage where the small lady with short black hair stood, addressing the students.

Sophia slipped into one of the seats on the back row and listened. Mae Ling saw her right away but continued her lecture.

“Conversely, Cupid owns and operates ‘Lust,’” Mae Ling explained. “There are also dozens of other dating sites run by various entities, most of them after making money rather than helping others to find their true love.”

Many of the girls in front of Sophia were typing on laptops, taking notes.

“Shutting down the dating apps would be ideal,” Mae Ling continued, “although our jobs have in the past been to be defensive, we have in our recent history tried to be more offensive in our approach. Our studies right now will focus on how to optimize our dating app, Happily Ever After, so that it is most effective for our Cinderellas and Prince Charmings. Your assignment is to access the database and find a way to tweak profiles of two potential lovers, so they swipe right on each other. You’ll present your work tomorrow.”

Before Mae Ling was done speaking, the students began packing up their stuff. She held up her hand to quiet them. “Don’t forget that tonight is our annual puppy party in the courtroom. Pick up your puppy of choice at the front entrance. This year we’ve expanded our choice of breeds, so everyone is sure to find the right one for them.”

At this, many of the girls squealed with delight before gathering up their stuff and filing out of the lecture hall.

When the students had all exited the classroom, Sophia made her way down the steps to the stage where Mae Ling was gathering up her notes. Her fairy godmother scrunched up her nose and smiled at her. “I’ve been expecting you.”

Sophia laughed. “I keep hearing that, and it’s starting to make me wonder where I need to be next.”

“We will get to that in a minute.” She eyed the clock on the wall, squinting slightly. “You have plenty of time to get there and meet the person expecting you.”

Sophia scratched her head. “I didn’t have any appointments after this, so this should be interesting. I guess I don’t have time for lunch then?”

Mae Ling twirled her finger. “I’ve sent him a meeting request and made a lunch reservation at Forever Vegan on Roya Lane.”

“Him? Vegan fare?” Sophia couldn’t help but groan. “What tells me that I’d rather go hungry than do lunch?”

Mae Ling waved off her frustration. “They have lovely cheesecake. Get that for starters and then finish with some of their chocolate chip cookies and almond milk.”

“Can’t we just do lunch at the ice cream parlor or Crying Cat Bakery?” Sophia asked.

“That’s for after lunch when you stop off for dessert,” Mae Ling explained.

“Right,” Sophia said, drawing out the word. “So after I have cheesecake and cookies, then I’m supposed to have what, an ice cream sundae?”

The fairy godmother shrugged. “Or a pastry. Just ensure it’s not zucchini bread. I can’t stand when they hide vegetables in desserts.”

Sophia nodded. “That’s how I feel about fruit in desserts. If I wanted an apple, I would have eaten one. Dessert is about chocolate and little of anything else.”

“Good girl,” Mae Ling said proudly.

“Before we get to why I’m here and who I’m meeting for lunch, can I ask about the puppy party you’re having?”

“Of course,” Mae Ling answered.

“Is that what it sounds like?”

“Well, we bring in a few dozen puppies, and the students get to choose the one they want,” Mae Ling explained. “Then we all meet in the courtyard and the puppies play, and everyone has a delightful time.”

“Is this part of the curriculum?” Sophia questioned, wondering if it was too late to get accepted to fairy godmother college.

Mae Ling shook her head. “You’re not Happily Ever After material. Your job is as a dragonrider.”

“It’s creepy when you get in my head that way.” Sophia shivered slightly.

“But also helpful at times too, right?”

Sophia couldn’t deny it.

“And no, it’s more about morale than curriculum,” Mae Ling stated. “Good feelings breed success in all areas. We’ve learned that when our fairy godmothers are happy, they learn better and do a better job in general. So we try to do events like this on a regular basis.”

Sophia thought for a moment. “Maybe I need to come up with a team-building event for the Dragon Elite.” The image of Hiker holding a puppy made her laugh out loud. “On second thought, I wouldn’t want to do that to the puppies. Hiker is still struggling with controlling his powers.”

“You are looking for someone?” Mae Ling asked, prompting the reason that Sophia had come to visit her that day.

“Yes, I need someone who can make a potion out of dragon eggs that hopefully offer healing properties to magical races. Also, I was hoping you had a lead for me on where I can find the way to restore Ainsley’s memories as well as cure her so she can leave the Gullington.”

Mae Ling smiled. “I was actually waiting for you to make the first request because the person you need for that potion is the same person who can help you with Ainsley.”

Sophia didn’t know if she should be angry that Mae Ling had known the way to cure Ainsley before, or the person rather, and hadn’t shared the information with her.

Before she could say anything, her fairy godmother said, “Timing is everything, my dear. There are many things that demand your attention, but when to devote your time to them is key and totally my job.”

There didn’t seem to be any way to argue with that. If Sophia was honest, it was nice to have Mae Ling managing her schedule. Kind of like her own personal assistant. “Okay, so this person?”

“You can find them on Roya Lane in a shop called the Rose Apothecary. The potions expert is Bep,” Mae Ling explained.

“Thank you,” Sophia said gratefully. She began walking for the door, antsy to get started on the mission that would help Ainsley and hopefully mend things with Hiker. That was the distant hope anyway. The housekeeper might also leave the Gullington once she was cured and never return. That was a risk Sophia was going to have to take to help her friend. Give her back her life and wait to see what she did with it.

“But remember that you have a lunch date at Forever Vegan,” Mae Ling reminded her.

“That’s right,” Sophia replied. “Start with cheesecake, right? Which undoubtedly won’t have any cheese in it because vegans are the worst.”

Mae Ling nodded. “I agree, but there are a couple out there that don’t brag constantly.”

“Where?” Sophia asked quite seriously.

Mae Ling shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe in Scotland?”

Sophia shrugged this time. “I haven’t seen them, but I don’t get out much in that country. Just call it home, mostly.”

Mae Ling winked. “You get out more than most.”

“So this lunch date?” Sophia prompted.

“It’s with your new business partner for the dragon eggshell elixir.”

Sophia groaned. “Oh, no. I’m eating lunch with him?”

Mae Ling nodded. “Yes, and he’s already waiting for you, so you should be off.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

King Rudolf Sweetwater sat at a corner booth in the Forever Vegan restaurant. Sitting around the other tables were mostly elves wearing hemp pants and tie-dye shirts, smelling of way too much patchouli. In the corner was a circle of dread wearing hippies.

A barefooted waitress strode in Sophia’s direction, cutting her off before she made her way over to Rudolf. “Leave your worries and your shoes at the door,” the waitress said in an airy voice. She pointed to a basket piled high with flip flops and Birkenstocks.

“Oh, you want me to…” Sophia glanced at her boots, which would take her quite some time to unlace and take off.

“I want you to be grounded to the Earth, so no shoes,” the waitress told her.

“I literally share the same house as Mother Nature, so I feel pretty grounded to the Earth,” Sophia remarked, sitting on the bench at the door and pulling off her boots.

“We all live in Mother Nature’s house,” the waitress with feathers in her hair remarked.

Sophia sighed. She was going to need a whole lot of patience to get through this lunch, she thought.

When she was in her socks, she shuffled for the table where Rudolf was adamantly waving at her as if she could miss him. For one, he was the only one wearing a shiny blue tunic and his blond hair was brushed, unlike everyone else in the place.

“Hey,” Sophia said, sliding into the booth. “So, you’re vegan now?”

He nodded. “The Captains convinced me it was the way to go since it’s the lifestyle they chose.”

“They are still infants. How is it even possible they’ve chosen their dietary preferences at this point?”

“Right?” Rudolf agreed, nodding with a commiserate expression. “These kids were born knowing what they want and having strong preferences. They cry every single time I turn on Tiger King because they loathe the show. Captain Morgan can’t stand Mondays, and Captain Kirk is totally a night owl. Every time I’ve eaten a steak Captain Silver wails, so I just decided to give it up.” He patted the table. “Thanks for agreeing to meet me here.”

“I didn’t really have a choice,” Sophia said dryly.

“That’s how I feel about wearing eyeliner,” he remarked.

Sophia narrowed her gaze and realized the fae was wearing makeup. “You do have a choice, though. You don’t have to wear…is that blue eyeliner?”

“It’s not a choice,” Rudolf argued. “It’s a must.”

She peeled back. “If you say so.”

“Can I start you off with some drinks?” the waitress asked, her long dirty hair in her face. “Maybe a nice room temperature kombucha or algae smoothie?”

“Although that’s tempting, I’ll just stick with water,” Sophia replied.

“Reverse osmosis or sparkling or mineral?” the waitress asked.

“Just plain old water,” Sophia answered.

“Would you like it in a glass or poured into your cupped hands?” the waitress questioned.

“Um, can I just get a bottle?” Sophia replied.

The look of offense on the waitress’s face called everyone’s attention to them. The hippies in the drum circle actually quieted for a moment, all of them looking in her direction.

“Did I say bottle?” Sophia teased with a fake laugh. “I’ll take a glass.”

“And Mother Nature will have to wash that glass,” the waitress countered. “Is that what you want?”

“Mama Jamba doesn’t do dishes, I can assure you,” Sophia told the waitress. Based on the look on her face, the girl wasn’t at all amused.

Sophia glared at Rudolf, blaming him for the headache that would result from hanging out in this place. “I meant, poured into my hand like I’m drinking out of a stream, obviously.”

“Make it two,” Rudolf chimed in with a toothy grin.

“Good choice. I’ll bring a pail of water for the table,” the waitress said, pivoting at once and waltzing for the back.

“Okay, well, I suppose we better figure out what we’re having because the more I talk to that woman, the further her life expectancy goes down.” Sophia opened a handwritten menu that entirely lacked protein options. Hiker would definitely murder someone if he was there. She knew Mae Ling had told her to eat desserts, but after skipping breakfast, she really wanted something more substantial.

When she’d picked out the lesser of the anemic options from the menu, Sophia closed it to find the waitress, who was probably named Moonbeam or something, putting a metal pail of water on their table with a wooden ladle.

“Wow, you weren’t joking,” Sophia said, looking at the water sloshing back and forth in the pail. “When we order, do you throw it straight on the table, or do we eat out of a trough?”

Moonbeam didn’t seem to think that was funny. “Are you ready to order?”

“Yeah, I’ll have the quinoa salad,” Sophia replied.

“With bad karma or good karma dressing?”

“Um…what’s the difference?” she asked, knowing she’d regret it.

“Bad karma is full fat and good karma is not.”

Sophia nodded. Exactly as she’d expected. “Just surprise me. I like to live on the wild side.”

“And I’ll have the burger,” Rudolf stated and handed over the menus.

“Over there,” the waitress said, pointing to the far wall where there was a stack of cards, “you’ll find a place where you can record your gratitude list for the day. Only write down that which has made your present self sing today.”

“What about my future self?” Sophia wanted to know. “Because I’m certain that future me would really look forward to putting someone in a chokehold.”

Moonbeam lowered her chin. “I think someone could really use some time in the inner peace circle.” She pointed to another corner where a triangle was drawn on the floor, surrounded by candles.

“That’s a…you know what, never mind.” Sophia waved her off. “Geometry is hard. I get it.”

“Geometry isn’t real,” the waitress said quietly. “The same men who want you to believe in things like thermometers invented that conspiracy.”

“Thermometers are real,” Sophia argued.

Moonbeam laughed. “Yeah, like anyone could record the temperature. It is what it is, regardless of what we think it is.”

Sophia’s eyes widened in horror as the waitress went back to the kitchen to praise the spices for being their true selves or whatever. “I didn’t think it possible, but that woman is dumber than you, Rudolf.”

“Thank you,” he said good-naturedly.

“Anyway, about your idea regarding turning the dragon eggshells into potions,” Sophia began. “I’ve been able to locate a person who can make them for us. I just need to round up the left-over shells and bring them here once we meet with her and figure out the terms of the agreement.”

“Cool, so we do a ninety to ten split with me taking the majority, right?” he asked, ladling water into his cupped hand where it seeped through his fingers and landed on the table.

“Let’s try fifty-fifty, and you do all the work after the initial consult,” Sophia replied. “I’ll provide the eggshells.”

“Not so fast, little Sophia,” he countered. “How about I take forty, and you pay for lunch?”

Moonbeam arrived with two plates of overly colorful food. They looked like a unicorn had thrown up and bedazzled the plates with rainbows. “You don’t actually have to pay if you don’t want to. We operate solely on donations.”

Sophia gave Rudolf an annoyed expression. “Don’t take any pages out of this business’s book. We have a great product, and I intend us to charge for it.”

He nodded as he gave his veggie burger a disappointed expression. “Do you have any mustard?” Rudolf asked the waitress.

She motioned with her hand as though sprinkling something. “No, but I’ve got a dash of love. That’s much better for you than condiments.”

When she’d left, Sophia grinned at Rudolf. “Not as excited about this place anymore, are you?”

“I want to be,” he argued, picking up the burger and taking a bite. Looking as though it was hard to chew and swallow, he put it down and pushed it away. “The meat in this tastes weird.”

“That’s because it’s not meat.” She eyed her salad with similar unease.

“Does this place have to be Forever Vegan?” he asked. “Could it be Sometimes Vegan instead?”

“I don’t think that’s how they operate,” Sophia told him as the waitress brought what might or might not be the check.

“What’s this?” Sophia asked, looking at the small slip of paper with a small dream catcher on top of it.

“That’s our suggested donation amount,” she answered. “As well as our complimentary dream catcher souvenir because we want all your dreams to come true.”

“That’s not what those are for,” Sophia remarked, remembering learning about the Native American items. “They are for—”

“Reminding us the spirit world is just on the other side of the web,” Moonbeam interrupted.

“Yep,” Sophia chirped. “That’s what I was about to say.”

“I know,” the waitress said in a breathy voice.

When she’d gone, and neither had touched their food again, Sophia glanced up at Rudolf. “Want to go somewhere we can get something loaded with lard, MSG, and sugar?”

He stood at once. “Do I ever! I don’t see how the Captains have been vegan for so long. The last hour has literally doomed my spirit.”

Sophia shook her head and rose from the booth. She glanced around at the hippies doing strange things. “If we stay here much longer, my spirit will undoubtedly be doomed.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Rose Apothecary was a beautiful store. The products were artfully arranged, and an enchanting aroma filled the air. The small shop was light and bright with a gentle humming in the background.

Sophia gave Rudolf a look of warning as he reached for a small decorative crystal rose sitting on a shelf next to an assortment of tinctures. “Don’t touch anything.”

He yanked his hand back, a shameful expression on his face. “I’m not a child, you know.”

She lowered her chin and regarded him under hooded eyes. “What did you just say to me out on Roya Lane?”

He thought for a moment. “Would you kindly remove your arm from around my neck?”

“Before that,” she urged, her eyes fluttering with annoyance.

“Would you not walk so close to me, Soph. You have gross cooties.”

She fired her finger gun at him. “That was it.”

He brushed off his tunic with a dignified expression. “It gave you the excuse to do exactly what you’ve been longing to and put your hands on me.”

“You wish,” she stated as a woman brushed into the room from the back, not seeming to notice the pair. The magician had short gray hair and was the source of the humming. She went straight to work, straightening various products and lining them up with thoughtful precision.

She wore a long black dress and a no-nonsense expression on her face.

“Excuse me,” Sophia began, leaning forward.

“For what?” the woman asked, looking up. She didn’t appear to be surprised to find the two there in her shop, although she hadn’t acknowledged them.

“Oh, I was just trying to get your attention.” Sophia felt suddenly scolded by the magician.

“Then you say hello like a reasonable person would.”

Sophia cut her eyes to Rudolf and gave him a reluctant expression. She returned her gaze to the store owner. “Hello. I’m looking for Bep, the potions expert.”

“And you are?” the woman replied.

“I’m Sophia, a dragonrider for the Elite, and this is King Rudolf Sweetwater.”

The woman went back to straightening the products on the shelf. “If you think titles will grant you any favors from me, then you are sadly mistaken.”

Sophia paused, rethinking her approach with this person. “We don’t want favors—”

“She doesn’t speak for me, actually,” Rudolf interrupted.

Sophia gave him a punishing look before glancing at the woman. “I was told you could help me with a few different potions that we need. We will, of course, pay you for them.”

Bep spun and marched for the back room, giving Sophia the impression the conversation was over.

“I’m listening,” the potions expert called, as though she was waiting for Sophia to continue and was annoyed she hadn’t yet.

“Oh, right,” Sophia said loudly to be heard from the back. “Well, we need three potions. One that is made from dragon eggshells and has healing attributes. Is that something you can do?”

“Of course,” Bep answered, poking her head through the door at the back. “Do keep going. I don’t have all day to take this order.”

“Okay,” Sophia replied. “We’d need that one produced regularly as we will have many eggshells. Then we need a single dose of two potions. One to restore memories for someone who has lost them. The other cures them…” She paused as she realized her error. Sophia didn’t actually know what was wrong with Ainsley. Thad had hit her with a deadly spell meant for Hiker, but she didn’t die. She just lost her memory, and the Gullington was keeping her alive all this time. “Actually, I don’t know what we’re curing.”

Bep waved Sophia off as she came back into the main area, carrying a box of products in one hand. “I don’t need to know. The first potion you want me to make will work most likely.”

Sophia sucked in a breath, momentarily stunned. Of course, she realized. “Right. Then we just need two potions made. Can you help us?”

“The healing elixir will take some time,” Bep began. “I’ve got to get clearance for such things. Very bureaucratic part of the job. But once I’ve filed a few forms with Father Time, I should get the go-ahead.”

Rudolf sighed dramatically. “That man and his laws. Always trying to stop us from messing with time or bringing people back from the dead or living forever. Such a stick in the mud.”

Bep pursed her lips at the fae. “He is the reason that we are here to have this conversation at all. I suggest you respect that man or otherwise, he’ll have your head.”

“He’s tried a time or two,” Rudolf bragged.

“Anyway, you can make the healing potions after you get the go-ahead.” Sophia steered the conversation back. “What about the memory elixir?”

The look that crossed Bep’s face didn’t fill Sophia with confidence. “That one will be a bit more difficult, but thankfully doesn’t involve registration clearance.”

“What’s the complication?” Sophia questioned.

“Well, I’ll need a very specific ingredient,” Bep explained. “It’s a tropical flower called a moaning desmond.”

Sophia realized she should have seen this coming a million miles away. “Let me guess, it’s rare, hard to find, and incredibly dangerous to actually pick?”

Bep shrugged. “How would I know? I’ve never tried. I don’t even know where to tell you to look to find it.”

“This is sounding better all the time,” Sophia muttered to herself.

“Stand up straight and speak clearly at all times,” Bep ordered. “About the flower, I can tell you that it has to picked by a very specific person. Finding one of them, well, that may be harder than actually finding the flower.”

Sophia stared at the potion expert, waiting for her to elaborate.

Bep’s eyes met Sophia’s with a very serious expression. “The moaning desmond can only be picked by an assassin.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“You’re in luck,” Rudolf exclaimed when they exited the Rose Apothecary. “I was playing with the idea of becoming an assassin. I got this shiny catalog in the mail the other day for assassin school. The training program promises to turn scrawny individuals into deadly assassins.”

“I’m going to need to see this catalog,” Sophia said dryly. “And there’s no need for you to take on a new role as an assassin. I actually know one, and that’s where we were headed next.”

“But, you promised me a cookie.” Rudolf sounded very much like a whiny child who had skipped their nap as he dragged his feet down Roya Lane.

Sophia rolled her eyes at the king of the fae. “The place I’m taking you sells baked goods, so don’t worry, you’ll get your cookie.”

“And there’s an assassin there?” he questioned. “Like what, the place is run by a baker assassin?”

“That’s exactly right,” Sophia agreed as she ushered him down the small alleyway where Crying Cat Bakery was located.

“You have the strangest friends,” Rudolf observed.

“You have no idea.” She cut her eyes to the fae, who had no idea she was referring to him. He was walking down the cobbled road, careful not to step on any cracks because, as they’d previously discussed, he didn’t want to be responsible for breaking his mother’s back.

As they neared the Crying Cat Bakery, Sophia recognized a figure up ahead, standing squarely in the middle of the alleyway, his arms crossed and a threatening expression on his face as if he was waiting for them.

Sophia wasn’t scared of Subner, though, and not because he was a dirty hippie in his current form. She knew he might be reluctant to smile, but Father Time’s assistant was actually pretty all right, just a little on the grumpy side.

“Hey, Subner,” Sophia began when they were close enough to talk. “What’s going on? Looking for me?”

“No, I wasn’t looking for you,” he replied. “I knew you’d be here right now, so I was waiting for you.”

Sophia rolled her eyes. “I’m so glad you don’t split hairs over semantics.”

“I feel similarly about your use of sarcasm,” he stated dryly. “I’m here because Papa Creola isn’t happy that you broke the reset token.”

Rudolf covered his mouth and hissed. “Oh, Sophia is in trouble with Papa.”

“Shush it,” she said to the king before turning her attention back on Subner. “I technically didn’t break it. That was Hiker Wallace.”

The elf shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You were charged with protecting it, and under your supervision, it was destroyed.”

“Well, we don’t technically need it anymore since Liv saved the day, and mortals are able to see magic again,” she argued.

The scowl on the hippie's face deepened. “Papa Creola determines what matters, and he’s decided that in the future, you’re going to have to do something to make up for this.”

Sophia groaned. “Right. No good deed ever goes unpunished. I got that reset point so I could help—”

“Regardless, you’ll have to do something to make up for this, or otherwise, suffer the consequences,” Subner declared.

“Soph, you don’t want to go on Papa Creola’s naughty list,” Rudolf advised. “I promise you. I spent a good century in hiding because if that man found me, then I was going to have my head shaved and made to look like a fool.”

Subner shook his head at the fae. “You don’t need to be made to look like a fool. You do that all on your own. I believe the threat was that Papa Creola was going to have your head, not have it shaved.”

“Either way, I’d be dead,” Rudolf stated, covering his head with his hands. “I wouldn’t be able to live without this hair.”

Subner sighed. “You really understand nothing, King Rudolf.”

“Why, thank you.” He bowed slightly.

Papa Creola’s assistant returned his attention to Sophia. “In the future…”

She nodded. “Got it. I owe Papa Creola a favor. Just call on me when you need my debt paid. Make sure that I’m super busy, though, and in the middle of something really important.”

Subner backed away, not amused. “Sarcasm, Sophia. It’s not worth your time and energy.”

She waved. “See you soon, Sub. In the meantime, good luck with your Etsy business.”

“How do you know about that?” he asked, surprised.

She winked. “You’re a hippie. You’re required to have an Etsy store.”

He nodded. “Yes, that’s unfortunately true.”

When the elf had left, Sophia and Rudolf continued on their way.

Sophia wasn’t prepared for the scene they walked into when they entered the bakery. She nearly shoved Rudolf back out the door into the alley, but Lee reached out with a surprisingly fast grip and yanked Sophia in.

“Yes!” the baker assassin exclaimed. “Just the person I was hoping to see. You have that mission you need me to go on, right?” Lee winked dramatically at Sophia with her fingers still knitted into her cape.

The bakery was so squeaky clean it hurt Sophia’s eyes. The smell of chemicals was strong in the air. What really made Sophia want to retreat was Cat bustling around with a sponge in one hand and a duster in the other and in her wake a horde of excited fairies, copying her every action as they cleaned everything in sight.

“Your nails are atrocious,” Cat scolded, looking at Sophia’s hands.

She slid them into her cape with a sheepish expression. “I was just at Forever Vegan and I’m probably dirty everywhere.”

Cat’s eyes widened with total horror. “That’s a level red violation.” She rounded on Lee. “And you let this person in here! I’ll have to start cleaning from scratch.”

Lee encouraged her wife to back away from Sophia. “Dear, we run a business and usually want people to come into the shop, regardless of whether they’ve showered ten times that day.”

Cat gave her a scrutinizing expression. “Are you sure we can’t have a rule that requires customers to have showered multiple times before entering the shop?”

“I’m positive,” Lee chirped. “Oh, and look, Sophia dumped that hot Scotsman for an equally attractive fae.” She indicated Rudolf, who was frozen beside Sophia as fairies went to work dusting him.

“I didn’t dump Wilder,” Sophia argued. “And gross. Rudolf and I aren’t together.”

“What do you mean, gross?” Rudolf asked, offended. “I really must protest that I’m equally as attractive. I don’t have as cool a name as Sophia’s boy toy but—”

“Boyfriend,” she corrected.

He waved her off. “Same thing.”

“Not to me,” she disagreed.

“So you’re here because you need me to leave with you,” Lee said again. “I’ll just grab my machete and a ski mask.”

“We’re here for a cookie actually,” Rudolf said. He was nearly drooling at the case full of pastries and treats.

Sophia shook her head. “He wants a cookie. I need to ask for your help, Lee. I have a flower that must be picked by the hand of an assassin. I don’t know what it will entail—”

“Done,” Lee cut in, glancing over her shoulder as Cat threw a bucket of soapy water on the floor in the back and began mopping. “Can you believe we’ve been together for fourteen years?”

“That’s amazing!” Sophia watched as the soapy water nearly flooded the area.

“What’s amazing is that I haven’t killed her yet,” Lee muttered. “She’s been on a real cleaning spree lately, more so than usual. I need to get out of here, or her fairies and her are going to drive me mad…madder.”

“Well, I don’t actually know where this flower is yet,” Sophia explained as Lee went and grabbed a few chocolate chip cookies the size of her face and stuck them in a paper bag. “It’s called the moaning desmond. Have you heard of it?”

Lee shook her head. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”

Sophia pursed her mouth to the side. “Same here. I think I’ll have to do some research.”

“It’s probably in the Great Library,” Rudolf offered, taking the bag of cookies from Lee with a wide smile. “I can take you there.”

“I don’t need you to anymore since there’s a portal there from the Castle at the Gullington,” Sophia told him as her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, thinking it might be a message from Alicia about the antidote for the cyborgs. It wasn’t, but the message got her immediate attention.

It was from Evan and read: “Get back to the Gullington quickly. We’ve got trouble.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“This is going to have to wait,” Sophia said. She sent a quick message back to Evan, telling him she was on her way.

“It can’t wait!” Lee exclaimed as Cat yelled at a fairy for not scrubbing hard enough. “You can’t leave me alone with her! She’s going to make me kill her. I have to get away until this whole thing passes. It usually only takes a week or so, and then she tires herself out.”

Sophia could hardly focus, her thoughts overwhelmed with worry about the Gullington. She tried reaching out to Lunis, but he must have been busy because he wasn’t answering. She still felt him there, so she knew he was at least all right. “I’m sorry, but I have to get back to the Gullington.”

“I can take you to the Great Library,” Rudolf offered between bites. “I used to be the Fierce.”

“What’s that?” Lee asked.

“It’s the thing you have to follow in order to find the Great Library in Tanzania,” Sophia explained quickly. “But Rudolf, I’m sure you’re busy and have other things—”

“Not a thing to do,” Rudolf interrupted. “The kingdom of the fae pretty much runs itself, and since you helped Serena to live longer, she actually takes care of the Captains.”

“I could go with you,” Lee said excitedly. “I’ll do the research and find out where this moaning desmond is located. Then when you’re free again, we’ll go and pick it.”

Sophia looked between the baker assassin and King Rudolf, hesitating. “You two are willing to go on this mission together, and you haven’t even met before.”

“Hey, I’m Lee, and I’m going to kill my wife if I don’t get out of here.” The baker-assassin offered a hand to Rudolf.

“I’m King Rudolfus Sweetwater, and my wife tells me if I hang around the kingdom too long, she’ll kill me.”

“Sounds like the perfect arrangement,” Lee sang, glancing at Sophia. “Don’t worry. You’re doing me a favor. I’ll help you at no cost just for getting me away from that insane woman.”

Sophia didn’t see what harm it would do to have Lee and Rudolf go and find the location of the moaning desmond. It would be a time-saver for her and benefit them. “Okay. Well, message me when you find the location, and as soon as I can get away, you and I, Lee, will go pick this flower.”

“Do you think the purple monkey will want to go to the Great Library too?” Rudolf asked, pointing to a corner where a table and chairs sat but nothing else.

Sophia gave Lee a questioning expression. “What was in the cookie you gave him?”

She shrugged. “Just a few hallucinogens. They will wear off in a few minutes.”

“You better hope so,” Sophia warned. “Because your only hope of making it to the Great Library is with the help of that man.”

Lee gave the king of the fae a proud look. “He sounds like quite the competent fellow.”

Sophia backed for the door, wondering if she should explain to the two what they were in store for, working together. She decided it was best if they learned on their own. “You have no idea. Best of luck, you two.”

They waved to her as she left. “Good luck with dealing with that fungus problem you have,” Rudolf offered.

She shook her head. “That’s not what I’m rushing off to do.”

“Well, then,” Lee began, “don’t let your boy toy get away with gallivanting around with a promiscuous gnome. You make him pay, and if you need me, then I’ll make him.”

“Again, that’s not what I’m leaving for,” Sophia said, whipping the door open.

“Well, then what is it?” Rudolf asked.

Sophia shook her head with worry. She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s the thing. I really don’t know, but something tells me it isn’t good.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Rushing through the Barrier, Sophia expected to see the Gullington on fire, like when Trin Currante invaded the Dragon Elite’s headquarters. To her surprise, the Expanse was quiet with no cyberpunk zeppelin dropping bombs on the Castle and no dragons warring against cyborgs.

Sophia glanced toward the Cave, where she again expected to see something, but it was strangely vacant. She still couldn’t communicate with Lunis, although she was relieved to feel him and know he was okay. Deciding her best option was to check the Castle, she sprinted in that direction.

Once inside, Sophia found the Castle irritatingly quiet. It wasn’t that she wanted to find war and devastation at the Gullington, but finding nothing was making her more fearful of what was actually happening. It felt like a ghost town.

Turning up her enhanced senses, Sophia closed her eyes and listened to the noises in the Castle. From the kitchen, she heard pots and pans clanking together. There was someone making noise on maybe the fifth story, which was mostly invisible unless Quiet decided otherwise. Then she heard voices coming from Hiker’s office and sped up the grand staircase.

Sophia charged into Hiker’s office to find the Viking looking out the bank of windows with his hands pinned behind his back, tension heavy in his shoulders. On the couch was Mama Jamba sewing something small. Standing tentatively next to the desk with NO10JO were Evan and Mahkah. Wilder was absent.

“What’s wrong?” Sophia asked.

Hiker turned and gave her a scrutinizing stare. “How do you know something is wrong?”

She gulped. He didn’t know that Evan had a phone and had sent her a message telling her to return to the Castle. “Um…I just sensed it.”

He considered this before nodding. “I knew you wouldn’t have telepathy with Lunis since I instructed him to devote all of his attention to finding the dragons.”

“What?” Sophia asked, trying to piece it all together. “The dragons? What happened to them?”

“They escaped,” Evan cut in.

Hiker shook his head. “No, they left, as they are permitted to do.”

“Wait, what?” Sophia questioned, unclear exactly who they were talking about.

Pressing his lips together, Hiker suddenly looked a lot older. “A lot of evil dragons left the Gullington. The ones that had just learned to fly anyways.” He pointed to the bank of windows. “There’s roughly a few dozen out there.”

“So, you sent Lunis to find them?” Sophia asked.

Hiker nodded. “As well as Coral, Bell, and Tala.” He indicated the Dragon Elite Globe. “It doesn’t show their location since they don’t want to be a part of us. I only ever get a small blip when they hatch, and then the evil ones all disappear from the globe.”

Sophia studied the large globe in the corner. It was full of little dots, all hovering over Scotland. Hiker and her dot had a circle around it since they were twins, she believed. There were other dots around the world, showing the location of the other mature dragons like Lunis. She wasn’t sure that mature was the right word to describe him, especially after the joke he told her the other day.

“If they are allowed to leave,” Sophia began slowly. “Then why did you send the other dragons after them?”

He understood her confusion on the subject. “It is their prerogative to leave the Gullington. I’ve never forced a rider or a dragon to stay here.”

“Actually, just the opposite,” Evan joked. “Usually, you’re kicking them out left and right.”

The grimace on Hiker’s face made the rider shush immediately.

“However,” the leader of the Dragon Elite continued, “this is a very different time globally than we’ve ever experienced. Dragons have been persecuted before during my time, but never like this. Nevin Gooseman has managed to make people fearful of dragons—no matter whether they are considered good or bad. And in this modern world, there’s technology that can shoot them down.” He shook his head with real worry on his face. “The dragons out there are all untrained and brand new. Not only will they not know how to avoid attacks, I fear they will respond with violence.”

“And that will make everything worse,” Sophia said through a loose gasp.

“That’s right,” Hiker agreed.

“If dragons start attacking people in self-defense, the world will see them as dangerous,” Mahkah explained in his calm, matter-of-fact tone. “It will become impossible for us to defend their actions.”

“And that might be the end of them.” Sophia’s eyes were distant as all the repercussions added up in her mind.

This was bad. Very, very bad.

“What can we do?” Sophia asked, her chest suddenly vibrating with adrenaline. “Can you call the dragons back here so that I can take off on Lunis?”

“I can,” Hiker began, his tone tentative. “But I’m not going to.”

The Viking began pacing suddenly, his chin down and eyes scanning.

“I’m thinking you’re on the brink of elaborating,” Sophia guessed.

“That’s how he thinks,” Mama Jamba offered, pulling a needle through the fabric she was sewing. It was a small square as if she was making a pillow for a field mouse. Knowing her, she probably was.

Hiker paused his pacing. “I believe that if the dragons see you riders on Lunis, Coral, or Tala, they will be less likely to cooperate. Dragons who haven’t magnetized to a rider are naturally skeptical of magicians. It is only when a dragon wants the companionship that only a rider can offer, they let down that guard and embrace humans, but that’s not their first instinct.”

Sophia had read that in The Complete History of Dragonriders recently. Ironically, it was dragons abandoning this survival instinct that rewarded them with the gift of companionship with a rider who was intimately linked to them. It just proved that sometimes going against natural forces could be beneficial.

“The dragons will hopefully be able to negotiate with those that have left and encourage them to return for their own good,” Hiker continued. “I think that’s the only way because forcing them would turn into an all-out war.”

“And the media would be all over that,” Sophia stated, realizing how delicate this situation was.

“Yeah, can you imagine how that would fan the flames of this already hot fire globally?” Evan asked. “We’re all trying to convince the world that dragons are good and for the benefit of the Earth, and then they witness a ton of dragons fighting in the skies. It would turn into complete chaos everywhere.”

Hiker covered his head with his hand. “Which is why I think the young dragons have to be convinced. But finding them is key. You can cover more ground if you spread out. Then you can communicate with your dragons to tell them of their location. I’m informing Bell to have your dragons open up the telepathic link to their riders. I think that’s more important than them devoting everything to finding the dragons right now.”

“I’ll take Europe since I know it best,” Evan stated smugly.

“I can take North and South America,” Mahkah offered.

“And I can—”

“You aren’t going,” Hiker interrupted Sophia.

Everyone looked up with confused expressions.

He glanced at the two men and pointed to the door. “Yes, that’s fine. Continue to divide up countries and search. Portal to locations, check the skies, and then move on until you find evidence of the dragonettes.”

That was the first time that Sophia had heard the term dragonettes. It made the new dragons seem cute and small and, more importantly, harmless, which was the farthest thing from the truth.

When Evan and Mahkah didn’t move, Hiker gave them a stern expression. “You’ve got your orders. Go on now.”

Mahkah was the first to the door. Evan was a little slower and gave Sophia a strange expression when he passed, NO10JO on his heels. When he went by, he whispered, “Tell me what happens after I go.”

She shook her head, knowing Hiker had heard the other dragonrider. “I won’t be doing that.”

Evan winked. “Okay. Good cover-up.”

She nearly laughed at him but remained stone-faced as she looked at the leader of the Dragon Elite. “Sir, you don’t want me to search for the dragonettes?”

“No,” he answered at once, putting his back to her as he faced the bank of windows once more, taking the stance he had been in when she entered. “I want your attention centered on helping Ainsley. Finding the dragonettes is important, but so is she. If things do go from bad to worse for the Dragon Elite, I at least want her to have her freedom. We might lose it all, Sophia. And if that happens, our resources will be limited. Everything will change.”

Sophia couldn’t believe it. This didn’t sound like Hiker Wallace at all. He was genuinely worried about Ainsley’s wellbeing in the face of potentially losing the Dragon Elite. It was solid reasoning. Saving their reputation was important. But if they did lose it, then helping Ainsley would be nearly impossible. If the governments banned dragons, or worse, imprisoned them, fearing what they were, Ainsley would be on her own, forever stuck at the Gullington without her memories.

“Okay,” she began, finding her voice as she was suddenly overcome by emotion. “I’ll get to work. I’ve already made some progress in finding the cure, but I don’t think it will be fast. I suspect I’ll restore her memories before then.”

He nodded, his back still to her, his expression hidden. “Very well. Then you should be off.”

“But first,” Mama Jamba said, holding out the patch of material she’d been working on. “I made you something.”

It was just a simple square of brown material, like the dresses Ainsley wore all the time.

“Thank you.” Sophia’s voice was uncertain. “It’s lovely.”

“It’s drab and boring,” Mama Jamba corrected. “But it will get the job done.”

“Job?” Sophia asked.

“Well, apparently you don’t know, but the moaning desmond can only be touched by the hands of an assassin, so you’ll need your friend to deposit it in here,” Mama Jamba explained. “And then you hand it off to the potions expert, and they can empty it into their cauldron. Once it’s in the potion, everything will be fine. As long as they get the metrics right for the conversions, otherwise, the Rose Apothecary will go up in flames and destroy Roya Lane.”

“So no pressure, then,” Sophia joked, slipping the pouch into her cape.

“There’s always pressure, my dear,” Mama Jamba told her. “That’s by design.”

“Well, thank you,” Sophia said, gratefully. “It makes sense the flower will need to be protected. You don’t by chance know where to find it, do you?”

To this, Hiker actually laughed. “You bet she does.”

Mama Jamba smiled sweetly. “Of course I do. But why tell you when your friends are working hard to find the information for you?”

Sophia should have guessed Mama Jamba was already privy to this. “Yeah, let’s just hope Lee doesn’t first kill King Rudolf before they discover it.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“I’m going to kill you,” Lee said, holding her fist by her face.

Rudolf laughed, nearly doubling over. “Then what did he say?”

Lee chuckled too. “Well, after he peed his pants, he took off running. Which is when I threw the mud clump at the back of his head.”

“And that ended him?” Rudolf asked as he scanned the streets of Zanzibar, looking for the Fierce—the little fairy-like creature that led the way to the Great Library.

Lee shook her head. “No, then I went over to the guy and pulled out a bunch of nicotine patches. I yanked up his shirt and stuck them to the middle of his back.”

“Oh man, that’s the hardest part to reach,” Rudolf said, impressed. “I can never scratch that part of my back, and my wife refuses to do it. She said the last time she touched me, I gave her three mouths to feed.”

“I don’t blame her,” Lee replied. “Then I used a sticking spell so the guy couldn’t get the patches off for a while even if he could reach them.”

Rudolf stopped in the main square closest to the beach, looking for the little flicker of light that represented the Fierce. Having spent some time in the role of leading magical creatures to the Great Library, he was excellent at finding the speedy little guy. It was something a former Fierce was gifted with for their years of service. Rudolf’s was more of a penance. He’d been given the role for accidentally creating Crater Lake in Southern Oregon. How was he supposed to know the fireworks he bought off that elf weren’t actually fireworks but rather to blow up small stars? It had said that on the label, but who had time to read such things?

“I don’t really understand your assassin technique there,” Rudolf dared to admit.

“Well, I knew that if I got the guy addicted to nicotine, he’d take up smoking,” Lee explained.

“Oh, right,” Rudolf said, nodding. “So then he became a smoker and died, right?”

“Yep,” Lee declared proudly. “Like a few dozen years later, but not of smoking. He got hit by a bus, but I still made good on my promise. I killed him.”

“How do you figure?” Rudolf asked.

“Well, he was crossing the street to go to the mart to buy cigarettes,” Lee explained.

Rudolf clapped his hands. “That’s brilliant. You’re simply the best assassin in the world.”

Lee pursed her lips. “That’s what I’ve been telling people, but then I have to kill them, and there’s no one who really gets me. Sophia says that my approaches are not direct enough, and I should just knife someone instead of doing these elaborate things.”

He waved her off. “Stabbing someone sounds boring. I like your approach much better.”

“Good,” Lee stated. “I can tell you’re a very reasonable and intelligent person.”

Rudolf smiled widely. “You know, I’ve always thought so, but in all these centuries, you’re the first person to say that.”

Lee appeared shocked. “Do you see why I’m an assassin? I see what I do as a community service. The world is better off without most people on it.”

Rudolf sighed. “I wish I had a cool job like you. I’m just a boring old king of an entire race of magical creatures.”

“Yeah, I know,” Lee admitted. “But most aren’t cut out for what I do.”

“Because you have to deal with the sight of blood a lot, like doctors and nurses?” Rudolf asked.

Lee grimaced. “I can’t stand the sight of blood. No, because of the bureaucracy. The assassin’s union makes it difficult to do pretty much anything. Then there’s all this fair wage bullshit where they try and standardize the cost of a hit when each case is different.” She shrugged. “It’s an age-old debate, and if the old folks in this business have their way, they’ll set us back to the dark ages.”

“Why don’t you just kill them, then?” Rudolf suggested.

Lee’s eyes widened with surprise. She slapped the fae in the arm. “That’s a brilliant idea. Why didn’t I think of that?”

He cradled his arm like it was broken. “That’s why they call me an idea man. Well, no one really calls me that, but you could start, and maybe it will catch on.”

Lee shook her head. “No, I don’t think I want others knowing what a genius you are. I’m going to reserve all your great ideas for myself. Sorry.”

Rudolf shrugged. “I get it. But next time I have a great genius idea, just thank me. You don’t have to assault my precious arms.”

“Sorry,” she said, meaning it. “I forget that I have the strength of a gorilla.” Lee glanced around the square, surrounded by tall buildings and a bell tower. The ocean could be heard in the distance, crashing against the white shores. “So we’re looking for a guide, you said? What does he or she look like?”

“Probably a male,” Rudolf answered. “Females are never chosen to be a Fierce because they are awful with directions.”

A murderous expression fell across Lee’s face. “I happen to be a female.”

He nodded. “Then I don’t have to explain this to you. Anyway, he will have wings and be surrounded by golden light.”

Lee searched the square. “Well, that seems easy enough to find.”

“Oh, and he’s the size of a coffee cup,” Rudolf remarked.

Dropping her chin, Lee let out a frustrated growl. “I think you could have led with that.”

Rudolf waved off her annoyance. “Don’t start planning my elaborate death just yet. I know where to find the Fierce. We just look for the sparkling light.”

There were reflections of lights all over the brick square due to the bits of shiny paper that hung overhead meant to scare away crows and other types of birds.

“Right,” Lee said, her irritation growing. “So I search out the hundreds of sparkling lights on this side of the courtyard and what, you’ll take the other side? Then when we’re done, I’ll think about changing my practices and stab you with a blunt knife?”

Rudolf thought this over as if it was an idea that had merit. “No, but after we’re done here, I’ll take you to see Murray. He’s the guy who sharpens all my knives. Nice guy and he comes to you. Sharpens the knives from the trunk of his car.”

“Doesn’t seem sketchy in the least.” Lee’s eyes fluttered with annoyance.

“Not at all,” Rudolf agreed. “He also sells me designer watches at the market rate, which is how I know they are legit. If they weren’t, he’d slash the prices.”

“Remember when I called you brilliant earlier?” Lee asked seriously.

“Yeah, that’s when we became besties,” Rudolf remarked. “I’ve already thought about matching T-shirts.”

“Hold off a bit longer on that order,” Lee urged.

“Well, anyway, as your brilliant friend, don’t worry, I know exactly how to find the Fierce.”

“Please, just don’t say it involves looking for a sparkling light.” She shielded her eyes with her hand against the flickering lights around the courtyard.

“Well, it does, but I know a more specific place to look because I was once the Fierce,” Rudolf explained.

“If you were once the Fierce, why can’t you just lead us to the Great Library?”

“Because its location changes and the only way to get there is by following the Fierce,” he imparted.

“Why does the magical world have to be so annoyingly clever?” Lee asked.

“Well, it is, but not more so than me,” Rudolf said proudly. He led them through a narrow alleyway that emptied at the ocean. The turquoise waters crashed onto the beach, and the sun sparkled on the surface of the ocean.

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” Lee said, breathless. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to get out of the bakery. Overdue, I’d say. Good thing Sophia sent me on this mission.”

“I believe you begged for it.” Rudolf licked his finger and stuck it in the air. “Now, don’t get distracted by pretty water and men in speedos.”

“I think the bigger concern is that I’ll throw up from seeing men in speedos,” Lee replied.

He cut his eyes at her. “You’ll never catch a beau with an attitude like that.”

She furrowed her brow at him. “You did gather back at the bakery that I have a wife, right?”

He shrugged. “I have one too, but that wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to take another lover. Of course, what does stop me is the idea of being strangled in my sleep by my dear sweet queen.”

“Sounds like my kind of woman,” Lee said with a wink.

“She’s taken,” he stated protectively. “Now, let me focus here. The Fierce likes to sunbathe about this time, so I’m sure he’s somewhere on this beach.”

“What a dump,” Lee said, looking off the coast.

“Seriously, stop checking out men and give me some quiet,” Rudolf warned.

She shook her head. “Again, not checking out guys. I have a wife, and I’m not interested in men.”

“Sounds like a limiting attitude to me,” he muttered, counting on his fingers. “The fae love all genders. Women, men, cudi, lund—”

“Those last two aren’t genders,” Lee corrected.

He nodded. “Magicians don’t have them. Fae quit breeding with them because of some confusion about anatomy they apparently took offense to. Anyway, if they weren’t so uptight, they’d still be around, and we’d have quite the menagerie of parties at the Burning Man. The cudi especially know how to go down—”

“I feel like we need to stop talking,” Lee cut in.

He pursed his lips at her. “Fine. If you don’t want to hear about an epic limbo contest, then I won’t share with you.”

“Sounds good,” she chirped as he went back to studying the beach.

“That’s such a strange building,” Lee mumbled to herself.

“I thought we weren’t talking,” Rudolf scolded. “I’m trying to find the Fierce so I can take us to the Great Library.”

She shrugged. “Sorry, I just find that building right over there so perplexing.”

He glanced in the direction she was pointing and immediately did a double-take. “For the love of me!” he exclaimed. “That’s the Great Library!”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Lee glanced at the rickety old shack perched above a crumbling rock just off the coast. “That’s the Great Library? The place I’ve heard has every single book in the world?”

“All but one,” Rudolf corrected. “But yes.”

“I’m guessing that it’s not what it seems then? I thought we needed the Fierce to find the Great Library.” Lee scratched her head.

“We are supposed to,” he replied perplexed. “Something must be wrong. Maybe the Fierce is dead or the glamour wore off. Or the elves finally took over the real estate market. OR!” Rudolf clapped his hands to the side of his head, shock covering his face. “Oh, my gods! I can see through glamour! Finally, the spell worked!”

Lee rolled her eyes. “Then how do you explain how I can see it too, Einstein?”

“You can see through glamour, too?”

The assassin shook her head. “No, I think the answer is a bit more complex, but come on. We will have to find out on our own. Unless you’re done here now that you’ve led me to the Great Library.”

“No way, Jose,” Rudolf replied. “I’ve got to find out what’s going on.”

The pair made their way down the beach to the shack precariously stationed on the top of the boulder in the ocean. They had to wade through knee-deep waters to get to the crumbling staircase. When they reached the top, Rudolf grabbed the front door and flashed a toothy grin. “Ready to be amazed?”

Lee didn’t appear overly excited. “Let me guess it’s bigger on the inside.”

He deflated slightly. “Yes, but also—”

“There’s miles and miles of books,” Lee said dryly.

Rudolf grimaced. “You really know how to take the wind out of some sail.”

She nodded proudly. “It’s sort of a gift.”

“I’m canceling the matching bestie T-shirts.” Rudolf swung the door open.

“I think that’s for the best,” Lee said. “I only wear aprons and assassin wear.”

“Which is precisely what?” Rudolf wanted to know as they filed into the Great Library.

Lee never answered his question on what assassin’s wear included because her mouth fell open, and her eyes widened with shock. “Holy hell! This place is incredible.”

“Well, I told you that, but whatever.” Rudolf searched the long row in front of them that went on for hundreds of yards. On either side were shelf after shelf, all piled high with books. The second floor was open and identical to the top one. The light reflecting off the waters of Zanzibar streamed through the wall of windows on either side. Even if the Great Library wasn’t full of every book ever written, except one, it would still be an architectural masterpiece.

“We’re closed,” a familiar voice said from behind a shelf.

Lee looked back and forth, but Rudolf knew better and glanced down as the lynx known as Liv Beaufont’s sidekick came around the corner.

“Well, hi there, little kitty,” Rudolf cheerfully greeted Plato.

“I thought I smelled something dumb,” Plato said dryly.

Rudolf sniffed at his armpits. “Do I still smell like low-fat cheese? I thought I got rid of that.”

Lee shook her head. “Talking cat. Totally normal.”

“Yes, I talk,” the black and white cat admitted. Ever since Liv had won the war against the God Magician, Plato had become a bit warmer. He now hung around instead of disappearing and would talk in front of others who weren’t the Warrior for the House of Fourteen. It had something to do with realizing life was short, and he wasn’t going to live forever…well, close to, but not entirely. “I’ve got enough problems without having to deal with you, King Rudolf. What do you want?”

“Good to see you too,” Rudolf said, turning and pointing over his shoulder. “To add to your problems, it appears the Fierce is missing, and the glamour isn’t working for the Great Library. Did you remember to pay your glamour subscription fees?”

Plato didn’t appear impressed. “The Fierce are all on strike. I don’t suppose you want to take back your old position?”

Rudolf considered this for a moment. “I would, but I’ve got this pesky kingdom to run.”

“I thought you said it pretty much ran itself,” Lee countered.

He leaned forward and whispered through tight lips, “I’m trying to be polite. Maybe don’t call me out in front of the lynx.”

She shrugged as if she might consider it.

Plato jumped up on a nearby table, waving his white-tipped tail in the air. “It doesn’t matter. A Fierce won’t do me any good without a librarian, which is how this whole problem came about.”

Rudolf pulled out a chair at the table and took a seat, putting his feet up on its surface. “Tell your best buddy all about your problems.”

“Well, first of all, there’s this idiot who is putting his wet feet on the surface of an antique table, and I’m trying to figure out how to kill him,” Plato began matter-of-factly.

Rudolf combed his hand over his chin, thinking. “Have you considered being direct? I’ve found that sometimes people don’t get it unless you’re blunt.” He leaned forward. “People can be pretty thick.”

Lee patted on Rudolf’s shoulder. “He’s referring to you, smarty pants.”

Rudolf pulled his gaze to his dripping wet loafers and scrunched up his brow, realizing his oversight. Discreetly, he pulled them off the surface of the table. “Oh, right. Easy mistake to make.”

Lee shook her head and looked at the lynx. “He’s a special kind of stupid, isn’t he?”

“You have no idea,” Plato told her dryly. “How did you get paired up with him?”

“If you can believe it, I begged for this,” she answered. “In my obviously deranged brain, I thought going on an adventure with the fae would be less painful than having fairies scrub my entire body with brillo pads.”

“That will teach you,” the lynx replied before going back to Rudolf. “Why are you here?”

“My godchild sent us on an errand,” Rudolf stated, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back.

“You don’t have a godchild because, as far as I’m aware, no one is mental enough to put their offspring in your hands should they perish,” Plato stated.

Rudolf shrugged. “It’s not common knowledge that Sophia Beaufont is my godchild.”

“So not common knowledge that no one but you know about it?” Plato questioned.

“What gives, kitty?” Rudolf asked, having forgotten what they were talking about. “What happened to the glamour of the Great Library?”

“Well, we lost our librarian,” Plato began. “I thought that wouldn’t be a big issue at first because I’d replace Trinity, but it’s harder than I thought. No one wants the job because it’s quite lonesome and demanding. Without a full-time librarian, the place loses its glamour, and that made the Fierce feel slighted, so they went on strike. It’s just been one issue after another.”

“Wait, what is wrong with people?” Lee asked. “Someone doesn’t want to be a librarian for the greatest library in the world?”

“Yeah, you want the job?” Plato offered. “It only requires you to read the thousands of books that come in each day, as well as the backlog of millions on the shelves. You also have to sacrifice most of your magical reserves in order to keep the glamour up around the library, hence why it’s currently down. Oh, and you have to share your tips with the Fierce, which is another reason they are pissed. No librarian means their wages have been cut.”

“You know, on second thought, I think I’d rather spend eternity with Rudolf,” Lee answered.

Rudolf flashed a look of affection at the assassin. “Thank you very much. I have to decline the offer, though. I promised eternity to my wife. Really that’s only until she kicks the bucket, but thanks to your magical cupcake, that won’t be for a century or so.”

Lee shook her head at Plato. “He’s a special sort, isn’t he?”

“I can safely say, there is no one in the world like King Rudolf,” he answered.

“Oh, would you two stop,” Rudolf gushed.

“So you need a librarian who is really committed to this place,” Lee observed.

“Which was perfect for Trinity, the skeleton who really didn’t have a life outside of this place,” Plato explained. “There was a cyborg who was impersonating him to get information, but so far, I haven’t found anyone that desperate. Which means it falls on me, but I refuse to use my magical reserves to glamour the place.”

“Well, I’ll put a flyer up at the Crying Cat Bakery about the open position if you like,” Lee offered.

Plato batted his eyes at her. “While it’s a tempting offer for you to advertise the illustrious position of the librarian for the greatest library in the universe on the wall of your dusty shop, I’m going to pass, assassin.”

“Well, you’re the one who is desperate,” Lee fired back. “I was just trying to help.”

“I’m not desperate,” Plato argued. “I just have to come up with a creative solution. Anyway, tell me why you’re here.”

“Don’t you know already, you wicked and mysterious creature?” Rudolf asked.

He blinked at the fae. “It’s not fun if you know that I know.”

“How does the lynx know what we’re here for?” Lee asked him.

Rudolf giggled. “He knows everything. There’s no one more enigmatic than Plato, besides Father Time and Mother Nature. But I don’t know…” He wagged a finger at the lynx. “If there was a fight between the three of you, my money might be on you, Plato.”

“The moaning desmond,” Plato answered as if he hadn’t heard Rudolf. He jumped off the table and strode down the long main row. “It’s about a mile down here. Keep up or you will get lost, and you know what happens when patrons get lost in the Great Library.”

“They disappear for good?” Lee answered.

Plato gave her a wicked grin over his shoulder. “Oh, come on. I’ve got a much better imagination than that.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

“You have the easiest job in the world,” Lee remarked when she and Sophia stepped through the portal onto a lush tropical island. Birds chirped in the bright green trees along the beach and at their backs, the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea washed up on the white sands.

Sophia’s boots sunk into the moist ground as she pursed her lips at the assassin baker. “Don’t be deceived. Just because this flower, the moaning desmond, is located on this seemingly beautiful island, it will be no picnic to get to it. I don’t know what obstacles we will face, but mark my words, there will be some sort of beast waiting to tear our heads off.”

Lee grinned as she rubbed her hands together. “Okay, maybe not the easiest job, but definitely the best one. I never get to meet beasts that want to tear off my head. Just a cantankerous woman who I try to strangle on a regular basis, but I’ve got tiny hands, and they don’t fit around her neck that easily.” She held up her hands, and Sophia couldn’t help but laugh at the little child's hands on the grown adult woman.

“You’ve got doll hands!” she exclaimed, nearly doubling over with laughter.

Lee grimaced. “They are still deadly weapons. They are just ineffective at strangulation.”

“But if I lose something in a tiny hole, you’ll be the one I call,” Sophia joked.

Lee shook her head, and stared out at the mysterious island the book in the Great Library had said was the only location of the moaning desmond. Sophia was unsurprised to learn the island was uncharted, unnamed and uninhabited. When Lee questioned this, Sophia waved her off and explained that was typical for these mission locations.

“It’s usually on another planet like Oriceran, or in a parallel universe or in a place like the fairy godmother college where no one can enter without invitation,” Sophia had elaborated.

The two had worried that because of these factors, it would be impossible to portal there. However, it appeared just by being aware of the place made it so they could.

“So, where is the cabana boy with my pina colada?” Lee asked, her eyes scanning for potential dangers. What Sophia had said had put her on alert. She suspected that a strange monster was preparing to jump out and attempt to maul them.

“I think the visitor center is over there,” Sophia joked, pointing down the beach to where there appeared to be something floating in the water. A few somethings actually.

“Okay, well, let’s go ask Miranda where this flower is and also have her sign us up for kayaking,” Lee remarked. “I’m overdue for a vacation.” She rolled up her sleeve to show her pale skin.

Sophia shielded her eyes. “Yeah, you need to work on your base tan for sure. You’re hurting my eyes.”

“I don’t tan,” Lee said bitterly. “I freckle.”

“Oh, I have like three of those,” Sophia teased.

The assassin rolled her eyes. “Do you want me to kill you?”

“Not especially,” Sophia stated. “I never thought I’d be saying this, but I’m glad that you do kill people for a living because otherwise, I don’t know who I’d have pick this flower.”

“Can I get that first part in writing?” Lee asked. “And it’s not really for a living. More of a side hustle.”

“Maybe that’s because your hits are so elaborate,” Sophia remarked. “You could try my strategy of just stabbing people instead of setting up anvils over doorways with marbles on the stairs.”

Lee gave her an incredulous expression. “Why not just go into accounting then? Because my life would be so deadly boring at that point, I might as well just make it the worst.”

Sophia thought she heard a strange sound coming from the middle of the island as they set off, but it dissipated almost at once when she tried to focus on it. Thankfully, it didn’t appear the island was very large, so although they had no idea where this magical flower was, hopefully it wouldn’t take them too long to find.

In other circumstances, Sophia would have employed Lunis to fly overhead and scout out the territory for them. He was off on his own mission, though, trying to find the dragonettes. She desperately hoped the dragons were successful at finding the others and convincing them to come back to the Gullington—at least until the world was more accepting of them.

“I wonder what that is up ahead,” Lee mused, staring at the waters crashing around something just off the coast.

“I don’t think it’s one of those water trampolines or oversized inflatables you see at resorts,” Sophia commented, narrowing her eyes.

The assassin didn’t have Sophia’s enhanced vision, and so she didn’t know why the dragonrider sucked in a breath when she spied what was up ahead.

“What is it?” Lee asked, straightening as she pulled out her machete.

“It’s a plane,” Sophia said, spying the fuselage of a 747 sticking out of the water. “There’s been a plane crash here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Both the assassin and the dragonrider were on high alert as they approached the wreckage of the crashed plane. Sophia wasn’t sure if she was relieved or upset to find out the incident must have happened ages ago by how sea life had grown up over the top of the fuselage. It looked as though the sea was trying to claim the plane for itself.

Lee pointed to the tropical forest at their back. “Do you think there are survivors out there?”

“I want to say yes, or they got off the island,” Sophia replied.

“What do your Spidey senses tell you?” Lee asked, having noticed that Sophia had enhanced vision if she was able to see the wreckage from such a distance.

“I hear all sorts of strange things, but as soon as I try and focus on it, they disappear,” she explained.

“Do you think this place is like the Bermuda Triangle and planes go down and disappear around this place regularly?” Lee mused.

“Well, since it is in the Bermuda Triangle, my guess would be yes,” Sophia answered. She watched as the large palms behind them swayed dramatically like a gust of wind had passed through them. The air was still. The book where Lee had found the location for the moaning desmond had only given coordinates for the mysterious island. Sophia had looked it up and figured out they would be smack dab in the middle of the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

“Should we report the plane crash to the authorities?” Lee asked thoughtfully. “Since no one can really get here, they may be looking for it.”

Sophia gave her a look of disbelief. “You know, for a heartless assassin, you’re strangely sensitive.

Lee gave her a menacing glare. “If you tell anyone that, I will murder you.”

Sophia nodded. “I believe you’ll try. You should meet my friend, Ramy. He thinks he can kill me too.”

“Well, what do you think?” Lee was still studying the plane crash.

“I think we need to figure out what’s making the trees do that.” Sophia indicated the palms that were bending almost in half as if hurricane winds were assaulting them, although there was only a gentle breeze in the air.

“What do you think it could be?”

“Probably something with multiple heads, a mental illness, and a lot of time on its hands that it will use to try and end us,” Sophia muttered, her focus on the strange movement of the trees. They weren’t all swaying in the same direction, so it definitely wasn’t wind. It was more like an invisible monster.

“That sounds like a lot of people I know,” Lee said with a laugh, obviously not unnerved by the strange display in the trees.

Although her track record couldn’t really back it up, Sophia didn’t really go looking for trouble. Like her sister, Liv, she firmly believed that it sought her out. She decided to ignore the strange forest being knocked around by something invisible and the crashed aircraft and continue down the beach.

“Did the book that gave you the location of the moaning desmond tell you anything else of use?” Sophia asked.

“It said that memory retention starts in the womb, which explains why I know all the words to Elton John songs since that’s all my mum listened to when I was pregnant,” Lee told her.

Sophia tilted her head to the side and gave her a look that said, “Dude, seriously?”

Lee understood right away. “Oh, you mean, did the book tell me anything of use regarding the moaning desmond? Yeah, no, it just said it could be found on this island and had to be picked by the hands of an assassin.”

The trees beside them jerked violently as they progressed down the sandy beach. It was as if something was following them. Sophia was sure that something was.

“Should we go and check out the monster that’s stalking us?” Lee asked, having noticed as well.

“I don’t know,” Sophia remarked. “I usually like to avoid walking into dense tropical forests where something unseen is creating tons of commotion.”

Lee laughed. “Where’s the fun in that? I thought you had a sense of adventure.”

Sophia was about to respond when she noticed something appear in the forest next to them. At first, she thought it was just the darkness of the dense woods peeking out from the swaying trees. The black shape took a larger form, billowing up around the trees and moving quickly in their direction.

“Is that smoke?” Lee asked.

“I think so,” Sophia said, her instincts telling her to back away. “But, I don’t smell fire.”

“There can’t be smoke without fire,” Lee reasoned.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Sophia countered as the smoke monster grew above the canopy of trees, its form visible against the sky. It was long and self-contained and not streaming from a source.

“Okay, you don’t see that sort of thing every day,” Lee said, stepping backward with Sophia, her machete raising up.

Reaching out, Sophia grabbed her arm. “I don’t think that we should fight it.”

“Because we don’t know what it is?” The smoke monster moved like a form-changing snake, billowing in their direction. For some reason, it gave Sophia a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. She’d never seen smoke as alive, but this thing, whatever it was, seemed to have a pulse the same as her. She could almost see the motion of breathing as it expanded and contracted.

“I don’t think we should try and fight it because I don’t know how,” Sophia said, moving faster, not daring to put her back to the smoke monster.

It was so black and dense, nothing could be seen behind the creature.

“Do you get the feeling that everything is wrong in the world and will never be right again?” Lee asked. Her voice vibrated with the same fear Sophia felt at her core.

She nodded. “Yes, which is another reason I don’t think we should engage.”

“Then what’s the plan, boss?” Lee nearly tripped on a log as they continued to stumble backward.

Sophia whipped around and grabbed the assassin by the arm as she made an impromptu decision. “Run!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Sophia had to hold back her strength to stay even with Lee. The assassin couldn’t run as fast as her because of the chi of the dragon, which gave her enhanced abilities.

Even though Sophia felt she was literally running for her life, she wasn’t going to leave her friend behind to get eaten or consumed or whatever the smoke monster did. She dared to look over her shoulder, and to her horror, found the smoke monster pursuing them. It moved smoothly, quickly gaining on them.

Lee realized they were about to get overtaken and used a speed spell to run faster, momentarily overtaking Sophia. The dragonrider caught sight of how the assassin was running. If they weren’t running for their lives, she would have laughed at how Lee ran with T-Rex arms waving about as her feet kicked to the side. No wonder she was so slow before, Sophia thought. She ran like a crazed maniac on Adderall.

Sophia picked up her pace and moved ahead of Lee instantly. Running on the beach wasn’t easy, even with enhanced strength. Her boots sunk into the sand with each step, although she tried to be as light as she could with her paces.

Hearing a roaring sound, Sophia glanced behind her. To her horror, all she saw was blackness. The smoke monster was about to swallow them. With no idea how to fight the thing, Sophia decided that fleeing was still their best option, but not on the beach where they had so many disadvantages.

She grabbed Lee’s arm tightly and yanked her into the forest of trees.

The assassin didn’t resist but instead rejoiced. “Yes!” she exclaimed as they trampled into the woods, jumping over the tree roots and plants covering the ground.

The pair were instantly covered in shadows once under the canopy of the tropical forest. Sophia led the way, weaving around large trees whose thick roots created an obstacle course, forcing them to have to leap every few steps as they progressed deeper into the center of the island.

Sophia chanced a cautious glance when the roaring dissipated slightly.

Her instincts to enter the mysterious forest had been right, and it slowed the smoke monster down. At their backs, the trees were bending like they had before as the creature followed them. It wove around the trees in a thinner form, having to negotiate the thick branches and unable to just pass through them like real smoke. This gave them a chance to get a lead on the smoke monster, but they couldn’t run forever.

Up ahead, Sophia noticed a small clearing. At first, it filled her with dread. The open space would give the smoke monster a chance to move faster, no longer inhibited by the thick foliage around them.

Sophia was about to divert their path to the side and stay in the cover of the forest, but then she noticed something in the center of the clearing.

It didn’t make sense to her what she was seeing.

Ahead, built into the ground, was a metal door lying flat. There was a small viewing window on it, a series of numbers, and most importantly, a door handle. A hatch.

Sophia didn’t know why this strange door was built into the ground, and she didn’t know what they would find on the other side, but it was a door to something. She hoped that on the other side was a shelter that would keep them safe from the smoke monster at their back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Sophia was grateful for the lead on the smoke monster, but it wasn’t going to last, especially now they were in the open.

She grabbed the door handle and yanked, the metal biting into her fingers. It didn’t budge. It was locked.

Sophia was about to use an unlocking spell on the door, but Lee beat her to it.

A click told her it had worked.

She jerked on the handle again, and the door swung up at once. Sophia briefly saw a ladder leading down into total darkness inside.

Swinging her head over her shoulder, she found the smoke monster speeding through the trees. It was almost to the clearing.

Without another moment of hesitation, Sophia dropped down into the hatch and began climbing the ladder, not knowing what she’d find at the bottom. Lee hopped in after her and pulled the lid closed, casting them in total darkness.

Sophia froze and held her breath while she listened.

She held out her hand and created an orb of light that illuminated the tunnel and ladder where they were perched.

The roaring was suddenly louder. She expected the smoke monster to slip through the hatch and swallow them. When it didn’t and the roaring dissipated, Sophia let out a breath of relief.

“It can’t move through solid objects,” Lee said, apparently thinking the same thing.

“Yeah, I noticed that when it had to move around the trees,” Sophia related, working to control her breathing.

“I don’t think we should chance going back out there just yet,” Lee suggested.

Sophia agreed and peered down at the bunker below them. She couldn’t make out much from the ladder.

“Hello,” she called below. “Anyone down there?”

When no reply came back, Sophia decided to chance descending.

“Stay here,” she ordered to Lee. “I’ll go and check things out.”

Because her friends never listened to her, Lee followed.

“If there’s a crazed murderer, I’d rather be beside you to help,” she argued when Sophia shot her a punishing glare.

“I’m with a murderer,” Sophia replied.

“But I’m not crazed,” Lee spat back.

“That’s yet to be determined.”

When she was close to the floor, Sophia dropped down, spinning around at once and searching the bunker. It was larger than she would have thought, with multiple living areas. Although the orb of light didn’t illuminate a lot, it did show there was a kitchen modestly stocked with canned goods, all covered in dust. The living room had a pitched roof, with skylights that looked out at the forest above them. In the back were a set of bedrooms and a bathroom.

“What do you make of this?” Lee asked, tapping a dark television screen built into the wall.

“Some sort of storm shelter, I guess,” Sophia muttered, checking all of the rooms and finding no one there.

“What a strange island,” Lee observed. “A plane crash, a smoke monster, and an underground bunker. What gives?”

Sophia drew in a breath. “I’m not sure. That smoke monster isn’t the most perplexing part, but I hope not to meet it again.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I can outrun it again,” Lee related.

“Speaking of running,” Sophia began with a laugh. “What was that thing you were doing back there when we were escaping?”

“What do you mean?” Lee took a seat on a sofa covered in sheets. The place looked like it had been prepped for its residents to be gone for a while, with all the furniture draped in blankets.

“You run like a neurotic T-Rex,” Sophia joked.

“Oh, that,” Lee said, laughing too. “Yeah, it’s my one shortcoming. I don’t know how to run. No one ever taught me.”

“Um, it’s not really something you’re taught. Most just know how to do it without looking like a loon.”

“You’re very brave, insulting a deadly assassin while locked in an underground bunker,” Lee told her, pulling the machete from its sheath on her back, the light from the orb making her face appear sinister.

Sophia swung around, pretending to search the space. “Deadly assassin! Where?”

“Haha,” Lee replied with no humor. “I’ll let this go since we have to stick together to survive that thing out there.”

Sophia nodded, listening to the sounds outside the bunker. “I think it’s safe to venture back out.”

“So, we don’t have time for a nap then?” Lee asked.

Striding back to the ladder, Sophia shook her head. “No, I want off the island as quickly as possible. Something tells me there are more dangers out there.” She grabbed the first rung of the ladder and glanced back at Lee. “Ready to find out what they are?”

Lee slid her machete into its sheath and nodded. “Bring on the savages and wild boar. I’m ready for some action.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The tropical forest was quiet when Sophia popped her head out of the bunker. It was too quiet for her liking. There were no sounds from the birds in the trees or the ocean crashing against the beach, but to her relief, the smoke monster didn’t appear to be in the vicinity.

Sophia’s relief was short-lived when the first noise from the forest met her ears. It was chanting, like that of a hundred monks in a temple. Their voices were melodic and the rhythm constant.

Sophia paused outside the entrance to the bunker, trying to discern which direction the chanting was coming from. Unlike the smoke monster, the sound didn’t fill her with dread. Instead, it anchored her to the present moment with a quality of reassurance to it.

She was about to ask Lee what she made of the chanting, but the assassin charged passed her, speeding in the opposite direction they’d come from, straight into the thicket of trees.

“Where are you going?” Sophia asked, running after her.

“That noise,” Lee said, moving faster and doing that weird run thing again. “I have to find out where it’s coming from.”

“But it could be dangerous,” Sophia called, speeding to catch up with Lee.

“No,” she argued, a conviction in her tone. “It’s not. It can’t be. I’ve never felt safer and more assured in my life.”

So the constant chanting made Lee feel the same way, Sophia realized. Still, she didn’t think charging deeper into the forest and into the island was a good idea. There were a lot of unknowns, and there was still a dangerous smoke monster somewhere.

Lee didn’t seem to have the same hesitation as she ran faster, her hands swinging back and forth next to her shoulders like she was doing some strange zombie dance. Again, Sophia had to stop herself from laughing at the display.

She was grateful she had when they abruptly exited the thicket of the tropical forest to find themselves at the edge of a lagoon. On the far side was an ancient temple. It was made of six levels with a staircase running down the middle and columns marking the entrance.

Dwelling around the temple were the monks responsible for the chanting. They were wearing red robes and moving in an almost robotic fashion as they did chores, carrying baskets, gathering water from the lagoon, or carrying other items.

Lee started forward again, moving around the body of water.

“Where are you going?” Sophia hissed.

The assassin glanced at her over her shoulder. “To go and meet the monks that inhabit the island.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little strange they live here, in this mysterious place with a smoke monster?” she asked.

Lee considered this. “Well, I don’t think they are going to harm us, and maybe they will have answers regarding where this moaning desmond flower is located.”

“True,” Sophia replied, wondering if it was worth the risk.

As they approached the monks, Sophia saw there was something peculiar about them. She shouldn’t have expected anything not to be weird about the island at this point.

The working and chanting monks were semi-transparent, as if they were ghosts. Sophia tried to make out what they were chanting, but it didn’t sound like any language she knew.

“Excuse me,” Lee said loudly, trying to be heard over their collective voices.

This didn’t make them pause.

Lee cleared her throat and tried again. “Hey there, we were hoping you could help us."

Sophia tensed, expecting the monks to go silent. They didn’t. Instead, a man in a business suit appeared in the entrance to the temple.

Blinking, Sophia tried to discern if what she was seeing was real. Not only did it seem out of place for a businessman to come out of an ancient temple surrounded by chanting monks, but she could have sworn she recognized him, but she didn’t know how. It was the strangest bit of déjà vu she’d ever experienced, making her wonder if she’d lost her mind. Maybe that was a goal of the island—to make her feel lost.

When the man opened his mouth to speak, all of the monks fell silent at once, although they continued to move about doing their chores.

“To find what you seek, look for Penny’s boat,” the man said, his voice calm and clear and professional like they were discussing mortgage rates.

“Penny’s boat?” Sophia asked, glancing around the lagoon, half expecting to find a canoe suddenly drifting on the waters. There was nothing on the placid surface of the lagoon.

“Can you point us in the right direction of this boat?” Lee dared to ask.

The man shook his head. “But if you can’t find those that have fled, then instead, use a spell to keep them hidden. Even that which is evil deserves to be protected.”

Lee scratched her head. “The moaning desmond is evil?”

Sophia stepped up beside the assassin. “No, I think he’s referring to something else. We have evil dragons that have gone missing. Well, as he said, they fled.” She directed her attention back to the man. “There’s a spell that will hide them? Something that will protect them from frightened mortals?”

The man didn’t reply. Instead, he turned around and went back into the temple. At once, the monks started chanting again as they worked.

“I’m thinking we’re not invited into the temple for tea,” Lee said.

Sophia nodded. “But at least we know to look for Penny’s boat. Whatever that is.” She turned in a complete circle, trying to decide which direction to go. She saw a radio tower in the distance, on the far side of the lagoon. It appeared to be several stories high, towering high above the island. “Hey, what if we climb to the top of that? Maybe we can see the whole island from up there and find this boat.”

Lee smiled victoriously. “You know, for a blonde, you’re kind of smart at times.”

Sophia shot her a punishing glare. “After you pick this flower for me, watch your back.”

The assassin winked. “I always watch my back, dragonrider.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“I think one of us should remain on the ground to serve as a lookout,” Lee remarked as they made their way to the radio tower.

Sophia’s chin was high in the air as she studied the tall structure, trying to figure out if it could be occupied. “Well, I don’t mind staying here if you want to go up there and take a look around.”

Lee shook her head adamantly. “No, I’m the stronger one with more combat experience. I insist I stay here and keep an eye out.”

Sticking her hands on her hips, Sophia gave her an annoyed look. “I’m a dragonrider for the Elite, trained by the very best, and a Royal for the House of Fourteen.”

Lee smiled. “And despite all that coddling, you’ve still managed to be an okay person.”

“In all seriousness,” Sophia began. “I don’t think there’s anything up in the radio tower. The more dangerous job will be down here on the ground where the smoke monster could materialize again. I really can’t have anything happening to you, so I’d prefer for you to go up and search for this Penny’s boat.”

The light expression on Lee’s face fell away. “The thing is…”

Sophia sensed a sudden tension in her friend. “What is it?”

Lee looked up at the radio tower and shivered. “The thing is, I’m sort of, kind of, maybe a little bit—”

“You’re afraid of heights!” Sophia guessed, laughing.

The assassin scowled at her. “When I was a child, my sister pushed me out of bed when I was sleeping, and ever since then, I prefer to be on the ground.”

Confusion covered Sophia’s face. “Shouldn’t that experience have made you afraid of your sister or sleeping or beds? And actually, come to think of it, beds aren’t that high off the ground. Like only a few feet. Don’t you think—”

“Hey, I don’t judge you for your irrational fears,” Lee interrupted, appearing offended.

Sophia scratched her head. “I don’t have any…”

“Oh, really? What about when that man wanted to be yours, and you were all afraid of following your heart!” Lee pointed out.

“It’s natural for people to be afraid of getting their heartbroken,” Sophia argued.

“Yeah, well, how about when I offer you pastries and you turn your nose up at them?”

“You’ve tried to poison me several times,” Sophia countered.

“What about when you took off running that one time because a smoke monster was chasing you?”

“That was just a bit ago, and there’s still a very real chance that thing could come back and eat us or whatever it does,” Sophia stated. “I believe you were running for your life too, or whatever you are calling that sporadic weird dance you were doing.”

Lee threaded her fingers together. “So, do you want me to give you a leg up so you can get to the first bit of lattice?”

Sophia considered making another joke but decided against it for the moment. Even a deadly assassin had their weaknesses, she realized. “Yeah, that would be good since the climbable part is about ten feet off the ground. Thanks.”

“You’re so short, I often mistake you for a gnome,” Lee teased.

“And you’re so tall, don’t you get scared from way up there?” Sophia asked. “I mean, you could fall over at any moment.”

“Not funny,” Lee said dryly. “I scraped my nose when my sister pushed me out of bed.”

Sophia clapped her hands to her face, her mouth falling open dramatically. “Oh, wow. How have you managed all these years? Scraped nose! Is there no humanity left in the world?”

“The offer for the leg up will expire in twelve, eleven, ten—”

Sophia shook her head and pressed her hands into Lee’s shoulders as she placed her boot into her hands. When she was firmly in place, Lee shoved her up high, and Sophia sprang into the air like a cheerleader being tossed up at a pep rally. She grabbed the first diagonal rung and swung her leg around, holding onto it like a monkey.

“You know,” she observed, hanging upside down. “Most people start with a ten count. Or a five-count. Three is also very popular, but I’ve never heard of someone starting at twelve.”

“Most people are dumb,” Lee said as Sophia righted herself and began to climb.

Grunting, Sophia pulled herself up the crisscrossed boards that ran the length of the tower. As she got higher, the wind made the structure sway slightly. “Yeah, you wouldn’t have liked it up here,” she called down to Lee on the ground, which was really far away.

“Don’t think I don’t see the strain you’re putting on that flimsy structure. You better be quick before it topples over,” Lee teased.

“So this sister of yours,” Sophia said, getting into a rhythm as she climbed higher. “Did you off her for that whole bed incident?”

“She’s my sister,” Lee replied like that was a sufficient answer.

“So no, then?” Sophia asked, grateful to have Lee taking her mind off the fact she was free climbing up a tall structure on a seemingly haunted island.

“Assassins have rules. You wouldn’t understand, dragonrider,” Lee yelled up to her.

Sophia nodded. “I think I would. We don’t kill each other in my family, either.”

“Although this heart to heart is really nice, I think you better focus on climbing and talk a bit less,” Lee said, tension suddenly coating her voice.

“Yeah, it’s getting harder to talk and climb this high,” Sophia related, sweat beading down her back.

“That weird wind thing is happening with the trees again,” Lee admitted, making Sophia tense on the radio tower.

She looked over for the first time and realized how high she’d climbed. She was easily five or six stories off the ground. She could see almost all of the island stretching out to the north since they were on the southern tip.

To her horror, to the east of them by the ruins they’d just left, the trees were parting like they had before the appearance of the smoke monster.

Sophia jerked her gaze around the island, looking along the beaches to find a boat tethered at the shore. Besides the fuselage protruding from the waters where they had started their exploration, there wasn’t anything else like a boat.

The trees to the east arched severely, bending as they had before, although there was still little wind.

“Not trying to rush you, but…” Lee said urgently.

“I’m trying,” Sophia replied. She scanned the island, wondering if there was something she was missing. “A boat. A boat. Where is that freaking boat?”

Her eyes stopped when she looked toward the center of the island. She should have expected this from the mysterious island. Of course, the boat wouldn’t be in the waters around the shore. That would be too logical. Sophia spied Penny’s boat sitting on one of the lush hills in the center of the island, as though a tropical storm had picked it up and placed it there.

Grateful she knew where to go for the moaning desmond, Sophia began to descend and not a moment too soon.

“We have company, dragonrider,” Lee warned. “If you’re good with dropping from high places, now would be the time.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The ground was a punishing force when Sophia dropped from roughly thirty feet. She landed in a crouched position, grateful the chi of the dragon healed most of her minor injuries, or the fall would have broken a bone or two.

She wasn’t on the ground for more than a second before Lee grabbed her by the elbow and hauled her up. The assassin began running toward the center of the island, just as the smoke monster barreled through the trees. The radio tower was in a clearing and would give the strange beast an advantage unless they got to the trees right away.

“How did you know Penny’s boat was this way?” Sophia said between breaths, moving her arms rapidly to propel her faster.

“It’s the last place you looked before looking victorious and dropping off the radio tower,” Lee explained, moving fast too, having again employed a speed spell on her legs.

“Impressive,” Sophia said, awestruck by Lee’s detective skills.

In unison, the pair glanced over their shoulder, and then exchanged looks of fear. The smoke monster was quickly speeding in their direction, overwhelming the space at their back. The tree line was roughly fifty yards away. They weren’t going to make it before the smoke monster swallowed them.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Lee yelled, having come to the same conclusion about their impending death.

“We’ll make it,” Sophia urged, pulling ahead slightly as she ran, her feet hardly touching the soft earth.

“I don’t know,” Lee fretted and surprisingly overtook Sophia a second later, jerking her arms back and forth.

The roar of the smoke monster was louder than before. The blackness was a wall at their backs, overtaking everything. The dread was palpable. It served to rob Sophia of her very spirit—of her will to live. Never again did she think she’d smile or laugh or ever be the same.

Almost out of options, Sophia aimed a hand over her shoulder and blindly muttered an incantation that would either make things a whole lot better or a lot worse. It was all they had left—a simple spell that was inspired by the destruction of the smoke monster.

Since Sophia didn’t dare turn around, she didn’t know if the spell would hit the intended target. Not until she heard the creaking of the radio tower followed by the ground shaking under their feet did she dare to assume the spell had worked.

A gust of dust shot up at their backs when the radio tower crashed to the ground. Sophia dove, and Lee copied her movement. They rolled until they were inside the darkness of the tree line once more. Only then did Sophia spin around to see the commotion.

The radio tower was still settling from its crash to the ground. It was broken in many places and creaked as it crumbled apart. The structure was partially covered by the smoke monster, which was distorted more than usual. It slipped back and forth, trying to recapture all its bits after being sawed in half by the falling of the tower.

The smoke monster wasn’t out for the count yet, but it was definitely injured. Sophia expected that it would be pursuing them again very soon. Thankfully, they were in the trees and where they were headed was dense jungle, although the ship she’d spied was high up on a hill that wasn’t shielded. Hopefully, they could get there and pick the moaning desmond before the smoke monster recovered and came after them once more.

“Come on,” Sophia said to Lee, who was bent over, pulling in labored breaths. “Let’s go get that damn flower.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The two had slowed slightly but were still running when they came to the center of the island and found the ship. It reminded Sophia of a pirate’s ship with multiple masts and a huge deck.

Like the fuselage, it had obviously been there for a while based on all the foliage that had grown up around it. There were actually a few trees growing up through the deck and probably a few dozen types of creatures inside the bowels who called the ship home.

“How in the world did this thing get here?” Lee asked, her eyes wide as they strode around the large structure.

“How did a radio tower get on the island?” Sophia questioned.

“A radio tower that you destroyed,” Lee pointed out. “But quick thinking there.”

“Thanks,” Sophia replied. “Also on that list of unexplainables, how did a temple with monks get on the island, or the underground bunker, or the plane? This place is a total enigma.”

Lee nodded, looking the ship over. “Where do you think this flower is? I think we don’t have long before that angry smoke monster comes and tries to roast us.”

Sophia walked around the ship, which was leaning against a hill. Vines partially obstructed the stern side. She grabbed a heap of them and pulled them to the side, finding the name of the vessel engraved on the back.

“What?” she questioned, stepping back and reading the words.

“Black Rock,” Lee said, reading aloud.

“So not Penny’s boat,” Sophia said, deflated.

“Did you see any other boats from the radio tower?” Lee asked.

“Well, I didn’t have a lot of time. When I saw a ship, I figured that was the one we were looking for,” Sophia explained. “There was also the whole smoke monster charging after us that made me hurry to look around.”

“Maybe we misheard the dude in the suit,” Lee reasoned. “I don’t suppose there could really be multiple ships on the island.”

Sophia lowered her chin and regarded the assassin from hooded eyes. “Yes, please underestimate the place with a smoke monster and mysterious businessmen that materialize from ancient temples.”

“Hey, what’s that?” Lee asked. She pointed to the pretty copper wrapped around the ship, making it sparkle in the waning sunlight. They didn’t have much daylight left.

Sophia dared to take a step forward and inspect the surface of the vessel. “Are those…”

“Pennies,” Lee cut in, finishing her sentence. “The boat’s exterior is covered in pennies.”

“Making it a penny boat.” Sophia nearly yelled but decided to keep her voice down in case the smoke monster was drawn to them by sound.

“Nice,” Lee said victoriously. “So, this is the right place.”

“Which means we just have to find the moaning desmond flower,” Sophia said, looking for anything that wasn’t green or brown like the foliage and boat around them.

“Uh-oh,” Lee groaned after looking upwards.

Sophia tensed. Expecting to spy the smoke monster. “What is it?”

She followed Lee’s gaze and immediately realized the problem.

The assassin pointed to the top of the mast leaning over the forest ground. “That’s what’s wrong.”

Stationed at the very tip-top of the mast, growing out of a ton of vines, was a bright pink flower. Sophia knew that it was the moaning desmond.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

“Is this a sick joke?” Lee asked, shaking her head at the ship.

They had used every spell they could think of to try and get to the moaning desmond, but nothing had worked. It appeared the flower indeed had to be picked by the hands of an assassin and nothing else. There were no short cuts. Lee was going to have to scale the mast of the Black Rock if they were going to get the flower. They’d even quickly searched around the vessel, thinking there might be other pink flowers somewhere nearby.

There weren’t.

Since they were limited on time, not knowing when the smoke monster would resurface, the only option was for Lee to climb to the top of the mast.

“I tell much funnier jokes than this,” Sophia said, pretending to be offended.

“I’ve decided that I’m not helping you,” Lee told her stubbornly. “I’m okay with getting scrubbed until my skin is peeling. I’ll even take Cat’s incessant nagging when I’m apparently breathing too loudly…or too much in general. There’s no way I’m climbing to the top of that unsteady mast, which will undoubtedly crack in half when I’m at the top.”

“You have to,” Sophia begged. “It’s really important.”

Lee crossed her arms and gave her a defiant expression. “Why?”

“Well…” Sophia suddenly realized she hadn’t explained why they were getting the flower. Lee had been so desperate to go on the mission she hadn’t even questioned things. But it seemed that motivation had run out, and Sophia had to encourage her to overcome her fears. “There’s this friend of mine, and she lost her memories when she sacrificed herself for someone she loved. Doing that made it so she will only live if she’s confined to the Gullington in Scotland. If she leaves for too long, she’ll die. So she has no memories of her life before the incident and no chance for a life afterward.

“I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but I really care about this person, and I want her to have a chance at a normal life…because, well, if it wasn’t for her, I never would have gotten through my first few months as a dragonrider. This friend, much like you, is a total pain in the ass, but she’s also one of the best people I’ve had the opportunity to know.”

Lee considered this long explanation with narrowed eyes. Finally, she said, “You didn’t have to say that last part, but thank you.”

“Well, I really do respect you, and despite your profession, you’re pretty great.”

Lee shook her head. “No, you didn’t have to say that part about me being a pain in the ass, but I’m honored.”

Sophia laughed, enjoying the opportunity to release some stress. “Well, you totally are. I want you to know that if it were you that needed to be saved and have your memory restored, I’d do something similar to get you the cure.”

“If I lose my memory, then do me a favor and let it go,” Lee said, starting forward to climb up the side of the ship.

“What? You’re going to do it?” Sophia asked in disbelief.

Lee paused and looked over her shoulder at Sophia. “I’m probably going to regret saying this. I’m definitely going to regret putting aside my fear of heights for this. But you know what, dragonrider, you’re a good person, and I’ve done a lot more for a lot of lesser people. I consider this a way to repay some of my karmic debt. Your friend…she sounds like good people. If they are your friend and you’re willing to risk your life for them, then they have to be pretty okay.”

Sophia smiled, grateful Lee was going to help, and she was that much closer to helping Ainsley. She was also grateful that near and far, she had awesome friends.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“Are you going to catch me if I fall?” Lee asked, hiking up a leg as she tried to clamber over the side of the ship. Her shoes kept slipping, and her nervousness wasn’t making the action all that graceful.

“Yeah, I’ll totally throw my body down to cushion your fall.”

Lee shook her head. “No, your boney ass will just make everything worse. I want you to stick out your arms to catch me.”

“Sure,” Sophia replied. “Just let me know when you’re about to fall.”

“I’ll give you a second or two notice,” Lee grunted, trying to find her grip. She wasn’t even halfway up the side of the ship, which meant, to Sophia’s disappointment, this was going to take a while.

“Is it ironic that a bit ago I was the one climbing, and you were on the ground, and now the roles are reversed?” Sophia mused.

“So beautifully ironic,” Lee muttered. “Be sure to journal every detail of this when you record it in your heart-shaped diary.”

“Should I take a picture for the scrapbook?” Sophia joked.

“Absolutely, and then put a rush order on your coffin,” Lee said, her hand reaching the railing and a victorious laugh spilling from her mouth.

“Wow, you’ve made it to the deck of the ship,” Sophia teased, knowing it was taking the assassin’s mind off the fear—or at least hoping that it was.

“Yeah, and this place is a mess,” Lee said, moving farther onto the ship.

“Well, then we should fire the crew.” Sophia couldn’t see Lee because she’d moved to the center of the deck, next to the first mast where the moaning desmond was located.

“I think Mother Nature has already done that for us.” Suddenly the ship shifted and jerked to the side, making it tilt even more. “Whoa!” Lee exclaimed, followed by several stomps as she fought to keep her balance.

“You okay?” Sophia asked, running around to the other side of the ship, hoping to get a better view of what was happening.

“Peachy,” Lee responded sarcastically. “Just facing a lifelong fear on top of a haunted pirate’s ship precariously hanging on the side of a slippery hill in the middle of a jungle.”

“That’s like a regular Tuesday for me,” Sophia said and retraced her steps, not wanting to be on the other side of the ship in case it fell further.

She could now see Lee trying to climb up the mast, although if she appeared ungraceful before, now she was an otter clambering to get a ball up high.

“How am I supposed to get up this?” Lee asked.

It was a relevant question since the rope ladder that led up to the lookout booth was missing—probably destroyed in whatever happened to the Black Rock that caused it to be in the middle of the Island.

“Try climbing,” Sophia offered, knowing that wasn’t particularly helpful.

Lee cast a wicked grin at her. “Wow, you’re about as helpful as a politician.”

“Use your legs,” Sophia suggested.

Instead of taking her advice, Lee pulled out her machete. Sophia thought at first she was going to try and chop down the mast. She was going to caution her not to since that might damage the moaning desmond when it fell. Instead of slicing into the wooden mast, the assassin bit the blade into the solid pole, creating a sort of rung.

She pulled herself up using her arms and then hiked up a leg on either side of it, clutching the mast for dear life.

“That was pretty smart,” Sophia commended.

“I have a degree in journalism,” Lee said, already sounding out of breath as she stood on the flat side of the machete blade.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Sophia asked. She checked over her shoulder for any sign of the smoke monster.

“I’m good at making shit up,” Lee responded with a laugh.

Sophia joined her, grateful to not find the trees swaying back and forth. “Maybe you should be the politician then.”

Lee pulled out another machete from a sheath on her back that Sophia hadn’t seen. “No, that won’t work because I’m too honest.”

“Where did you get that other machete?” Sophia asked, perplexed.

Lee scoffed. “I’m a freaking assassin. I always have four to five concealed weapons on my person.”

“Good to know,” Sophia said with a laugh, watching as Lee struck the blade into the mast just hard enough to make it stick. Then she carefully grabbed onto the handle and the other side of the blade and pulled herself up. Sophia thought she must be using a spell as well to ensure the blade stayed in place. Otherwise, it would have come unstuck when she hiked up her foot and stepped onto the narrow surface. However, she was doing it; the assassin was making her way up the mast.

When she was standing on the second machete, she held out her hand and summoned the first one, repeating the process.

If she was nervous, she wasn’t showing it.

“You’re doing great,” Sophia commended.

“Shush it, cheerleader,” Lee said with labored breathing. “I don’t need your positive reinforcement. I’m not a toddler learning to use an axe for the first time.”

Sophia shook her head. “We usually don’t teach toddlers how to use axes where I come from.”

“Which is exactly why you’re such a wimp.” Lee was almost to the top, and as long as she didn’t look down, Sophia reasoned she’d make quick work of this.

The sound of the trees stirring gained both of their attention. Sophia swung around to spy the forest. Lee jerked her gaze down, fear in her eyes.

“Oh, hell!” Lee exclaimed.

“What?” Sophia questioned at once. “Do you see the smoke monster?”

“No, but why didn’t you tell me how high I was?”

“I didn’t think that was going to help matters much,” Sophia related.

Lee clenched herself to the mast, pressing her face into it as she squeezed her eyes shut—not moving. “I can’t! I can’t! I can’t do this!”

“You are doing this,” Sophia encouraged, spying the violently swaying trees behind her. “You can do this. Tell yourself that.”

She wanted to add, “And hurry the hell up,” but decided it would be best if she didn’t since Lee looked on the verge of crying.

“Keep going,” Lee said, opening her eyes and drawing in a breath.

“You don’t have that much farther. You’re almost to the lookout bucket,” Sophia told her, finding it ironic that moments prior Lee hadn’t wanted her cheering her on, and now she was asking for it.

Lee nodded and swallowed. She seemed to resign to the fear.

Blindly, she reached over her head, grabbing onto the yard for the topmost sail. When she had her grip firmly around it, she dared to release her other hand and pulled herself up, her feet pinned on either side as she shimmied her way up.

Sophia was impressed by the display. It was more graceful than her prior efforts, and in light of the fact the smoke monster was on its way, it was even cooler.

From the horizontal beam, the lookout bucket was just another few feet. Lee slithered her way up through the bottom and climbed into the barrel-like structure. She nearly collapsed.

“You’re almost there,” Sophia imparted. “Just reach up and pick the flower growing at the top of the mast.”

Instead of doing this, Lee looked out at the forest at Sophia’s back. “You have to get out of here now!”

Swinging around, Sophia saw exactly what she was dreading. “No! I’m staying and waiting for you to come down.”

Lee shook her head. “I’m not coming down!”

“What?” Sophia yelled. “You have to!”

“No,” Lee argued. “I’m portaling home from here. And you should too before the smoke monster gets you!”

The assassin reached up and plucked the moaning desmond, a victorious expression on her face. Sophia let out a huge relieved exhale and watched as Lee opened a portal beside the lookout bucket.

She was going to have to dive for it, and if she didn’t make it, it was going to be bad news. Before she made her attempt, with the pink flower clutched in her hand, she glanced down at Sophia, an urgent expression in her eyes.

“Seriously!” she exclaimed. “It’s almost on you!”

Sophia dared to look behind her and spied the almost total darkness.

“Go!” Lee yelled. “I’ll be fine!”

Out of options and desperate to survive the third encounter with the smoke monster, Sophia did as she was told and opened a portal just as a nightmarish dread overwhelmed her. She dove through the portal, closing it almost at once and hoped the smoke monster didn’t follow her.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Tumbling through the portal onto the alleyway outside Crying Cat Bakery on Roya Lane, Sophia’s head thumped hard on the cobbled road.

The pain didn’t even register as she sprang to her feet, swinging around and checking for the smoke monster. To her relief, there was no dark monster or foreboding feeling on the lane. There also was no sign of her friend, the assassin baker.

“Where are you?” Sophia muttered to herself.

“Waiting on you,” Lee said behind her.

Sophia turned around, wondering how her friend was there when she had just done a full circle looking for the smoke monster.

Standing in the shadows, nearly obscured by darkness, Lee held the large pink flower in her hands, a sly expression on her face. She stepped out into the light of the alleyway, away from the cover of the buildings.

“You couldn’t have been waiting for long.” Sophia let out a long sigh of relief.

“For-freaking-ever,” Lee said, a laugh springing from her mouth, showing her own exuberance about having survived the island.

Sophia laughed. “Well, I’m just glad you made it back and didn’t die.”

Lee held out the flower. “I am too, although I’m canceling our vacation plans to Bora Bora.”

A visible shiver ran down Sophia’s neck and shoulders. “Yeah, no thanks. I think I’ve had enough island experience to last me for a while.”

“Same,” Lee related, holding out the moaning desmond. “Your flower, dragonrider.”

Sophia retrieved the special pouch Mama Jamba had made for just this purpose. She held it open, indicating the assassin should drop it into the bag. When it fell into the pouch, light as a feather, Sophia pulled the drawstrings closed with a grateful smile.

“I really appreciate your help with this,” Sophia told her.

“I’d really appreciate it if you never tell anyone what happened on that mast,” Lee stated.

“The part where you looked like you were about to cry?” Sophia teased.

“Yeah, and I won’t tell anyone about how you almost peed yourself on the radio tower.”

“You’re a real friend,” Sophia said, backing for the end of the alley, intending to see Bep at the Rose Apothecary.

“I don’t have many that I consider friends. More importantly, I have very few who would consider me a friend, but you, Sophia Beaufont, I’m glad to have you as one.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Bep had taken the moaning desmond, not at all looking impressed that Sophia had risked her life to successfully get it. Instead, she’d bustled to the back of the shop as she waved Sophia to the door and said, “Leave me to it. The memory elixir will be ready in a few days. Come back then.”

Which left Sophia with nothing to do but return to the Castle and give Hiker an update. She was grateful to find she was interrupting a meeting of the dragonriders when she entered his office.

“What are you doing here?” Hiker asked when she plopped down on the sofa next to Mama Jamba. It had been too long since she’d taken a load off.

“Oh, good to see you, Sophia,” she said, impersonating the Viking. “How are you? I’m glad to know you’ve returned from your latest mission safely.”

“You’ve obviously returned safely,” Hiker said with no sympathy. “Were you successful with the tasks I’ve assigned to you?”

Evan leaned forward, a curious expression on his face. “What’s this mission you’ve been on? We know you weren’t out tracking down those evil rug rats.”

“That’s none of your concern,” Hiker cut in before Sophia could answer.

“It was boring,” Sophia said, yawning. “I faced a smoke monster that gave me an acute case of depression, a temple of monks, a businessman who was strangely helpful, helped an assassin overcome their fear of heights, and got a boatload of sand in my boots.”

“But, were you successful?” Hiker asked, his voice stern.

“Why thank you, it was arduous and deadly at every turn,” Sophia related, knowing Hiker was moments away from murdering her if she didn’t have the information he wanted.

“As peacekeepers,” Wilder began from his place perched on the corner of Hiker’s desk, “should you really be helping assassins overcome their fears?”

Sophia shrugged. “Well, she was doing me a favor.”

“And this favor?” Hiker questioned, his tone growing tense. “Were you successful?”

“I was,” Sophia chirped. “Now we’re on phase two, and I’ve got to wait for the potions expert. Then I can help you-know-who with you-know-what.”

Evan and Wilder exchanged curious expressions. “What’s this person’s last name? I don’t want to get them mixed up with the wrong person. Is this that business I’m thinking of?”

“They don’t have last names,” Sophia lied. “And it’s exactly what you’re thinking of.”

Evan nodded proudly and slapped Wilder on the shoulder. “You’re finally hitting manhood. Yay for Sophia for finding the potion that will help you join the rest of us.”

Wilder grinned at his friend. “My last name is Thomson.”

“So you say,” Evan teased.

“There was something else of interest from my mission,” Sophia went on.

“This sand you got in your boots,” Mama Jamba began. “Do you have any of it with you?”

Sophia gave Mother Nature a curious expression before unlacing her boot. “Yeah, sure. The businessman I met, he randomly mentioned something that I think could help with the lost dragons. Any luck with them?”

“Yeah, we found them all and returned them to the nursery,” Evan lied. “That’s why our esteemed leader looks so calm and collected.”

Hiker shook his head, his hair completely abused by the many times he’d thrown his hand into it. His desk was a mess, piled high with newspapers from all over the world. His eyes kept darting to the television in the corner, which was currently muted. “Tracking them is proving difficult. But worse is that mortals are spotting them before we can get to their location. It’s only a matter of time before things escalate.”

“This information that you learned,” Mahkah urged, always a calming voice of reason.

Sophia nodded, emptying her boot onto the floor in front of Mama Jamba, to Hiker’s annoyance. The old woman smiled and looked delighted by the mess. “Yeah, he mentioned something about a protective spell. He said, if you can’t find those that have fled, then instead, use a spell to keep them hidden. Even that which is evil deserves to be protected. I think he was referring to the bad dragons.”

“How do we know we can trust him?” Hiker asked.

“Well, we don’t,” Sophia answered after consideration. “But he was on a mysterious and magical island and had walked out of a temple wearing a business suit and offered me advice on a mission he had no way of knowing about. I think he was trying to be helpful, although his other advice was off.” Sophia had reasoned the captain of the Black Rock had to be Penny, and that’s what the businessman meant by Penny’s boat. Maybe that’s why it was covered in copper coins. Regardless, they’d found the moaning desmond and been successful.

“What do you think?” Hiker asked his gaze on Mama Jamba.

The old woman was studying the contents of a box of chocolates, reading the different flavors on the lid. “I think they put too many raspberry liqueurs in these assortments. I want more chocolate fudge and less cherry covered things.”

“I was referring to the advice from this mysterious figure,” Hiker said with a sigh.

Mama Jamba looked up. “Obviously, I know what you were referring to. And although I’m not going to endorse this idea since making decisions for the Dragon Elite is your job, I will say there is one person in particular who might know about this spell.”

“It’s funny,” Hiker said, not laughing. “When you want things to go your way, you’re all too happy to intervene and overrule my authority. However, the moment I ask for a bit of clarification, all of a sudden, you’ve got boundaries you won’t cross.”

Mama Jamba took a bite of a truffle and then spat it out. “Oh, caramel. Seriously, the fae who invented that was trying to get all their pretty counterparts to lose their teeth. Smart guy, but it works on more than just fae.”

“Mama,” Hiker urged, his temper flaring.

Mother Nature put her finger in her mouth, trying to work a piece of caramel out from behind one of her teeth. “Oh, fine, son. Yes, that’s a good option. Hiding the dragons from mortals could work, but you don’t want them hidden from you, so a full-on invisibility spell won’t do.”

“What if…” Sophia paused as she worked out the details in her head. “What if it was like the spell that was used before so that mortals couldn’t see magic? They couldn’t see dragons then, right?”

Hiker’s eyes narrowed. “The spell that nearly ruined the Dragon Elite for centuries.”

“That’s the one!” Evan cheered rudely. “Great thinking Sophia. Way to really make our leader feel better and dredge up memories of the painful past.”

Sophia shook her head at the dragonrider before returning her attention to Hiker. “Think about it. Maybe we can localize the spell so that it only works on the evil dragons. That will give us time to find them and hopefully convince them to return to the Gullington before the world goes berserk.”

While Hiker thought this over, Mahkah again cut in with his voice of reason. “Things are heating up politically. The world needs time to dissipate all the excitement over dragons. This could give us the opportunity we need.”

The Viking glared at Mama Jamba, who was breaking into different chocolates and then discarding them based on what she found inside. “And this person who could help?”

“Well, the only expert I know of on all magical creatures,” Mama Jamba said, chewing.

“You’re the expert on magical creatures since you made most of them,” Hiker retorted, annoyance flaring in his tone.

She nodded. “But I’m not going to tell you how the spell works.”

“No, of course not.” Hiker rolled his eyes. “You’re just right here with the information we need.”

“I’m busy, son.” She picked another chocolate and studied it before taking a small bite.

“Yeah, she’s busy, sir,” Evan joked. “Can’t you see that? Can I have a chocolate, Mama Jamba?”

She didn’t verbally answer, but the look she gave Evan was pretty clear.

“Don’t you need to go and oil your dog’s gears or something, Evan?” Hiker asked.

“Nah, I’m good,” Evan remarked. “NO10JO is currently chewing up Quiet’s favorite pair of slippers because I dipped them in bacon drippings from the kitchen.”

“You really need more to do,” Sophia stated, shaking her head at him.

“That little runt stole all my belts, and now I have to use rope to tie up my pants or risk them coming down.” Evan held up his arms, his shirt coming up to show his pants cinched tight with frayed rope. “I don’t think this is going to hold much longer.”

“Wild, loan that boy a belt. My eyes can’t risk that rope breaking,” Sophia said with panic in her voice. She turned her head to the side, shielding her eyes like Evan’s pants might come down at any moment.

Evan laughed. “That boy’s belts won’t fit a man like me.”

Wilder nodded. “Because of your gut? I know. But if you start working out, maybe you can slim down.”

“Can we focus?” Hiker said. “Mama, this expert?”

Mother Nature continued to pick through the chocolates, not saying a word.

“I think she’s referring to Bermuda Laurens,” Sophia offered. “She’s the resident expert on magical creatures, having written exhaustive volumes on the subject.”

Hiker considered this, his attention still on Mama Jamba. “And we need her help because we want to specify the spell for the evil dragons, is that right?”

Mama Jamba chewed, her eyes closed as though she was really trying to take in the taste experience.

The Viking huffed. “Fine. I’ll take that as a yes.” He turned his attention to Sophia. “Do you know where to find Bermuda?”

Sophia thought for a moment. “No, but I can message my sister Liv, and she can message Bermuda’s son Rory, and he’ll probably know.”

“Seems like you should get her phone number for the next time so you can message her directly,” Evan offered. “Maybe she can airdrop it to you.”

Hiker studied Evan. “What’s airdropping, and how do you know about it?”

Evan’s eyes widened momentarily before he gulped and headed for the door. “What’s that? Quiet needs my help with something. I’ll be right there, little guy.” He hurried out of the office.

The leader of the Dragon Elite shook his head. “That boy will be the death of me.”

“And me,” Sophia agreed.

“I want you to go and find Bermuda,” he ordered. “Have her tell you how this spell could work and fast. Time is crucial here.” Turning his attention to the others, he gave them a stern expression. “You two, keep looking for the dragons and tell that dimwit in the hallway pretending to look for Quiet he’s to do the same. We’ve got to find those dragons before the mortals do and all-out war happens.”

Mahkah nodded and headed for the exit.

Wilder’s mouth twitched. “Actually, sir. I think I should assist Sophia if that’s okay.”

Hiker narrowed his eyes at him. “She’s completely capable of finding Bermuda on her own.”

“Absolutely she is,” Wilder remarked. “No doubt. But after her last mission, there’s potential there will be hidden dangers, and since as you say time is crucial, I thought if I was there, I could help and maybe make things go faster.”

Hiker didn’t seem to be buying this, based on the skeptical expression on his face.

“I think it’s a marvelous idea,” Mama Jamba said, lying back as she slid the box of chocolates to the far side of the sofa to put them out of her reach.

Hiker lowered his chin and gave her a petulant expression. “How come when I want your advice, you don’t give it, and when I don’t, you’re all too happy to offer it?”

She smiled. “It’s a gift, son.”

He shook his head and looked between Wilder and Sophia. “Fine. Go with her, but I expect if you two are both on the case, then you better be fast.”

“We’ll be back before you know it,” Wilder said, turning to Sophia and winking at her.

“I don’t want you back before I know it,” Hiker grumbled. “I just want you back with a solution before all hell breaks loose on this planet.”

“Amen to that, son,” Mama Jamba sang.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The grounds of the magical circus were quiet during the off hour, with most of the performers resting in their caravans or tents. The hay on the ground crunched under Sophia’s boots as they marched to the far side where the animals were being kept, according to the nice three-armed man she’d asked.

“So you’re not mad that I’m here?” Wilder asked, at her side.

She shook her head. “No, of course not.”

“It’s just that—”

“If we didn’t go on a mission together, then there would be no way for us to spend time with one another,” she said, cutting him off, having figured out his reasoning before he even had a chance to explain.

He nodded. “Yeah, and I think Hiker keeps trying to send me on long missions that keep me away from you.”

She couldn’t argue with that. Even Mama Jamba had said it was pretty transparent. “I’m glad you’re here, obviously. I don’t think you’ll speed up this part of the mission, as promised, but I’d rather have you here with me.”

He tugged her into the shadows of a small tent and pressed his face almost all the way up against hers, a sideways smile on his mouth. “I’m certain I’ll just make it take longer. But I think of it more as a morale builder than anything else. We’ve both been working hard.”

Sophia returned the smile, pretending to divert her eyes from his with a playful expression. “I have been thinking about a team-building experience for the gang.”

“Oh, well, let Mahkah and Evan go on their side quest-slash-morale-building mission,” Wilder said, his lips a breath from hers. “I’m not sharing you with them. Not when I have to go so long between times I get to see you.”

He kissed her in the still air of the circus, the strange smells from the neighboring trailers passing by them unnoticed. The two dragonriders took a moment selfishly for themselves before once again devoting their time, energy, and lives to the planet.

Wilder peeled away, reluctance heavy in his eyes. “Okay, so we have to go and find Bermuda?”

“I’m afraid we do,” Sophia said and took a step to the side, knowing she had to remain focused. “I’m sure this will be straightforward, and we’ll resolve things quickly, easily, and painlessly.”

Wilder laughed. “Whatever drugs you’re on, I want some.”

She laughed. “Yeah, someone definitely slipped me some hallucinogens.”

“Did you eat some of Mama Jamba’s chocolates?” Wilder teased.

“Just wishful thinking,” Sophia said, knowing the truth was she wanted to desperately be back in Wilder’s arms, but only when it made sense and the world at large wasn’t begging for her attention. Then she could really allow herself to enjoy it…and him.

Releasing her with visible reluctance, the same as she was feeling, Wilder stayed close by Sophia’s side as they strode through the circus grounds. Circus performers in street clothes glanced up at the two outsiders as they passed their trailers. With good reason, they gave them cautious glares.

There weren’t any shows that day at the circus—a rare day off for the performers and crew. Still, everyone they passed seemed on guard.

Sophia had once heard the circus was hesitant to allow outsiders into their midst, and she could see why. Most of the world throughout history had regarded the circus as a bunch of freaks. People loved to be entertained by these special individuals, but also to ridicule them for being different.

The performers and crew took the public’s money, but deep down, there was a skepticism of the people who made them feel like outcasts in society.

Sophia offered the men grilling outside their trailers or mothers roping in children running around like a flock of chicken, polite smiles. Still, she kept her eyes low, realizing she must look very strange to them, not just as an outsider, but also because she was wearing armor, a traveling cloak, and a sword.

“So Bermuda is in that tent at the far side,” Sophia said, pointing toward a large blue and green striped big top. It was the largest one and where the nightly performances were held.

“This circus…” Wilder was on high alert as they passed men standing shoulder to shoulder in front of a trailer.

“It’s full of magical creatures,” she told him, tight-lipped. “Elves, magicians, gnomes, fairies.”

“And the animals in this tent Bermuda is managing?” Wilder asked, but by the tone of his voice, he already knew the answer.

“They are all magical and have strange abilities, I’m guessing,” she answered.

“Cool,” Wilder said, not at all sounding cool about it. “So we’re just going to waltz in there with some fire breathing lions or whatnot?”

Sophia grinned at him. “You have a fire-breathing dragon, and a bunch of circus animals is worrying you?”

He shook his head. “I know all about dragons, and therefore how to act. I know very little about this place, its people, or the menagerie of animals we’re about to meet.”

“Well, you wanted a date.” Sophia batted her eyes at him. “As dragonriders, a show at a mysterious circus where everyone looks ready to pounce on us is right up our alley.”

When he smiled at her, his blue eyes lit up, making her heart flutter. “I really wouldn’t have it any other way or with any other.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The cacophony of noises when the pair entered the big top was initially deafening until Sophia adjusted her senses. She also had to dial back her sight from all the bright colors and flashes of light.

Wilder was hyper-alert, protectively taking a position in front of Sophia as a huge lion with wings roared to the right of them. The beast charged but hit an invisible wall and flew backward.

Sophia froze, enamored by the beauty of the creature before them and also terrified. There was a large circle in the dirt that glowed gold. She guessed it was a force field that kept the lion caged.

“Venice!” Bermuda yelled from the other side of the large tent as she hurried over. The giantess looked madder than hell, which Sophia was hoping to avoid in order to ensure her help, but sometimes it was impossible not to anger the expert on magical creatures.

The weird lion narrowed its eyes at Sophia and Wilder but calmed immediately. Its eagle-like wings were still spread like it might take off at any moment. The animal itself, minus the giant wingspan, was huge. Sophia admired how its muscles rippled under yellow fur that glowed in the firelight of the big top.

Venice’s mane was white, matching the feathers on its back and those around the collars on its wrists. The creature looked ready for a battle, both as a warrior and also a mysterious animal.

“What is the meaning of this?” Bermuda asked them, her voice loud enough to be heard over all the other noises happening in the big top.

Sophia’s attention was being pulled a dozen different directions as she saw so many strange sights, but she forced herself to focus on the giantess when she towered over her, hands on her hips.

“Hello, Mrs. Laurens. We were hoping to get your advice on something for the Dragon Elite,” Sophia said shyly.

She’d faced many enemies and big bad guys, but for some reason, the giantess always evoked fear in her.

“And you thought trespassing into my tent would be permissible?” Bermuda asked, looking Wilder over as if he was a strange magical creature before directing her attention back to Sophia.

“Well, I didn’t really know any other way to go about it,” Sophia explained. “Rory told Liv you were here, but there was no direct way to contact you. I’m sorry for not setting up an appointment. The guy at the front of the circus said you were here and it was okay to enter.”

Bermuda huffed. “That’s because he despises giants and that the animals have become a part of the circus. He is looking for any way to get under my skin.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Sophia said, working to not look at the weird thing flying around behind Bermuda or any of the other creatures vying for her attention. “But your disputes really aren’t my fault, and I did come to ask your advice on a global issue that affects dragons and mortals equally.”

Bermuda snapped her fingers at the winged lion, not taking her eyes off Sophia. “Venice, if you so much as try and fly out of your circle, it will be the last thing you do. I don’t care if you’re one of the last of your kind.”

Unable to stop herself, Sophia turned to find Venice cowering on the ground, his large head lying on his paws as his feathered wings folded over the sides of his face, partially obscuring him.

“Again, sorry for the interruption,” Sophia began, “but do you mind me asking you, what is that?”

Bermuda harrumphed. “There are so many things wrong with that question, Sophia. Venice is not a what or a that. He is one of the last of the Lions of Venice. Their real name is a mystery even to me, as it holds part of their magic.”

“He’s beautiful,” Wilder observed, running his eyes over the creature.

“Yes, he is,” Bermuda said, her gaze on the dragonrider. “As are you.” She gave Sophia an appreciative look. “He’s a strapping young man. You’ve done well.”

Sophia didn’t know how to respond. She knew Bermuda was familiar with Wilder from when she and Rory had helped the Dragon Elite to fight the cyborgs at the Gullington, but they still didn’t know each other that well. What she didn’t know was how the giantess knew she and Wilder were together.

“I’m not available for joining your fine display of creatures, though,” Wilder answered with a wink.

Sophia was sure this would cause Bermuda’s temper to flare, but to her surprise, the giantess shrugged. “If you ever change your mind, I’m always happy to add to my collection.”

The giantess held out a large hand, indicating the expansive tent filled with exotic creatures. Although Wilder in a circus exhibit seemed strange at first, as Sophia took in the various rings where creatures were confined, she realized he wouldn’t look that bizarre alongside them.

There were seven large golden rings around the tent and a single creature inside each. Next to Venice was a large white Pegasus that didn’t appear interested in them, as the lion had been. The creature with wings like Venice, but the body of a stallion, was grazing as it swished its long tail behind it.

Sophia had never been in the company of a Pegasus because they were quite rare and shy creatures.

“He’s enchanting,” she said, indicating the animal.

Bermuda glanced at the Pegasus and pursed her lips. “He’s stubborn is what he is and refuses to give the patrons a simple show.”

Sophia blinked at the giantess. “So these creatures, they really perform for the crowds here?”

She nodded. “I like to think that we educate the general public about the mysteries and beauties of such animals, but there is a sensational aspect to it that I can’t deny.”

“And the force fields?” Sophia asked, pointing to the golden rings that served as invisible cages.

“They keep them safe,” Bermuda explained. “They are animals after all, and although very intelligent and powerful in different ways, they all still are subject to their wild side. Don’t worry, each has consented to be a part of the circus, and none are held against their will. It’s a mutual partnership.”

Sophia was impressed. The animals did seem content and not trying to escape, unlike Venice, who she guessed had been caught off guard when they entered.

“Master Laurens,” a squeaky voice said at the giantess’ back.

Sophia didn’t see anything at first and then noticed cowering in the shadow of Bermuda was a tiny imp. The creature had big pointy ears and glowing yellow eyes and a mischievous expression on its toothy face. She’d heard about imps and knew they were very naughty when they wanted to be, having been related to demons long ago.

“What is it, Goat?” Bermuda asked at once.

“I think we need to separate the Onyx and Griffin,” the imp said, bowing.

The giantess looked toward the back of the tent where a large animal with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle was stalking back and forth in its circle, giving the creature next to it a murderous expression.

The other creature was something Sophia hadn’t seen before. It was much smaller than the griffin and looked to be part owl and part dog. It had the head and wings of the bird of prey but four paws and a bushy tail, which it had low and swinging back and forth menacingly.

“Oh, fine,” Bermuda said with a sigh. “Put the butterfly fairy in between them, Goat.” She indicated the circle in the far corner next to the Pegasus. The smallest of all the creatures was located there, but Sophia could still make out her details clearly.

The butterfly fairy was exactly as it was labeled. She had large purple butterfly wings, two antennae that unfolded from her soft pink hair, and strange pointy feet. The fairy fluttered around her circle, singing a low tune with a smile on her face.

“Yes, Master Laurens,” Goat said and toddled off toward the back of the tent.

“You have an imp working for you?” Wilder asked, his tone skeptical.

Bermuda nodded as though this was a common thing. “Many believe them to be troublemakers and they are. But if they are loyal to a master, then they are wonderful to have as they work really well with magical creatures. I couldn’t do this project for the circus if not for Goat.”

“Wow, it seems there really is a need for education regarding magical creatures,” Sophia admired.

“Indeed,” Bermuda stated matter-of-factly. “Which is why these here were happy to volunteer, but things aren’t so easy. Most of them are lone beings that don’t like the company of one another.”

“I see you’ve caught the wild and elusive woman.” Wilder pointed to a ring on the other side of the tent, at Bermuda’s back.

Standing in the center of the ring was a gorgeous woman in a long red dress with a low neckline and high slit up the side. Her long red hair cascaded over her shoulders as she lowered her chin and batted her eyes at Wilder.

Bermuda turned to see what he meant and shook her head. “There again is another reason education is so important. This kitsune actually is being held against its will as punishment for the ill will it created when it seduced several men out of their fortune.”

“Kitsune,” Sophia said, trying to remember what she’d learned about them from reading Mysterious Creatures. “That’s actually a fox with many tails. If it’s taken the form of a woman, then it’s very old and powerful.”

Bermuda nodded. “And lustful for riches which don’t belong to it.” She gave the Kitsune a disapproving look. “I’m hoping that as a part of my education initiative, naïve mortals learn how to spot a kitsune and therefore avoid falling for the seductive creature.”

“How do you do that?” Wilder asked, not having taken his eyes off the provocative woman.

“You stop looking at her,” Sophia encouraged, elbowing him in the side.

“Actually, quite the opposite,” Bermuda corrected. “A Kitsune can’t hide its form for long, especially when it gets excited. It is bound to show its true form when it’s close to being successful, but one has to be looking for the tail.”

The Kitsune raised a hand and waved flirtatiously at Wilder. Without taking his gaze off her, he lifted his hand and robotically waved back.

That’s when Sophia noticed it, although the movement was ever so slight. At the kitsune’s back, and only briefly, there was a wisp of red fur—a tail.

“Oh, I saw it,” Sophia said, excited.

“Very good,” Bermuda commended.

“Saw what?” Wilder asked seriously.

Bermuda snapped her fingers in front of his face, gaining his attention. “That is exactly why educating the public is so important. If not for us, this one would stride straight into that circle, come under the spell of the Kitsune until she’d taken all his worth and left him a shell of a man—destitute and hopeless.”

Wilder shivered, shaking his head. He grabbed Sophia’s hand. “Yeah, no thanks. Keep me safe, Soph.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Yeah, fine, but try and keep your eyes off scandalous women going forward.”

He nodded adamantly. “I think I’ve learned my lesson without all the hardship.” Wilder grinned at Bermuda, his dimples surfacing. “You’ve got a noble and worthy cause here, and I commend it.”

She didn’t appear the least bit flattered by the compliment. “It is a duty, and that’s what’s important. Now you came here looking for my advice so that you can fulfill your own duty. Please tell me what it is before Thunderbird wakes up.”

Before Sophia could ask what that was or why its waking would be a concern, a gust of wind followed by rain blasted them in the face. A clap of thunder assaulted her ears, and they were suddenly in a storm, under the shelter of the big top.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

With protective strength, Wilder lifted his cloak and held it up over Sophia, shielding her from the sudden storm. She held her hands to her ears as another clap of thunder rang. It was so loud that Sophia expected lightning had struck right beside them.

“Taurus!” Bermuda yelled over the torrential downpour. “Get down here! Taurus!”

Too curious not to see what was happening, Sophia encouraged Wilder to drop his cloak from over her. She was grateful when he did because through the rain, and the wind blowing dirt and debris around, she saw the form of a brilliant orange bird fly down from a perch by the apex of the structure.

The wingspan of the phoenix was huge, and its call chilling as it soared down, diving in their direction. Sophia nearly covered her head, afraid they were about to be assaulted by the mysterious creature, but then she saw Bermuda pointing to the ring opposite Venice and realized that’s where the phoenix was headed.

Taurus appeared to be made of fire as he soared through the force field of the ring. Once inside, the rain, wind, and thunder disappeared.

Shaking off the water, Sophia pushed her hair out of her face and studied the other bird flapping its wings next to the phoenix. This one was mostly yellow and white, matching the colors of Venice. It didn’t have a pair of wings like Taurus, but rather three pairs. Next to its head was the largest pair, followed by two more that got smaller and smaller. Like the phoenix, the bird had a long lion-like tail with feathers at its end.

“So, I’m guessing that’s the Thunderbird then?” Wilder asked with a laugh, pushing his dark hair out of his face.

Bermuda nodded, combing her own hair with her fingers. “Yes, and when it awakes or is upset or really whenever it feels like it, the Thunderbird can create hurricane-force wind, rain, and thunder as you’ve just experienced. However, its companion, the phoenix, instantly calms it, so it’s advisable to have them together for just the purposes of subduing the Thunderbird.”

“Wow, this is fascinating,” Sophia said, watching as the two birds pressed into each other, appearing to comfort one another. She was grateful Bermuda had undertaken such a worthy campaign to educate the public on these creatures.

“It is,” Bermuda said. “Now, go on then and tell me what you need advice on. I’m guessing it has to do with dragons.”

“In fact, it does,” Sophia responded. “You might be following what’s happening worldwide and the fear spreading regarding dragons being evil.”

“Unfortunately, I’m aware, and I can’t help. I thought I might be able to with an educational initiative, but it really isn’t my place. That rests solely in the hands of the Dragon Elite.”

“I agree,” Sophia replied. “Although the thought counts.”

“Thoughts count very little, Sophia,” Bermuda corrected. “That’s something people who have failed to act say. It’s not my area, and I refuse to intervene.”

“Right,” Sophia said carefully, not wanting to set off the giantess, especially with all her magical creatures around her. “Anyway, re-educating the public will be important, but before that, we have a bit of an issue. Many of the evil dragons have left the Gullington, and we fear that with the current global fears from mortals, they could be in danger or a war might break out.”

“That’s exactly what will happen if it goes unchecked,” Bermuda agreed at once. “Fear in mortals leads to irrational thinking, I’m afraid. They will act first and ask questions later.”

“Currently, all of our dragons are trying to locate the dragonettes,” Wilder explained. “But they are making slow progress.”

“Because usually when a dragon doesn’t want to be found, then they won’t be,” Bermuda supplied.

“That’s why we need to buy some time,” Sophia cut in. “We were thinking that maybe we could employ a similar spell that was used on mortals that prevented them from seeing magic—however, this one would be specific to the dragonettes. Mama Jamba recommended you for supplying information on such a spell. Do you think you can help?”

A rare smile lit up Bermuda’s face. “Mama Jamba, you say? I’m honored she’d think of me.”

“Well, she knew the answer,” Wilder began. “But she doesn’t like to tell us things because that’s enabling or something, so she sent us to you.”

Sophia cut her eyes at him. “I think what Wild is trying to say is, she trusted you to give us the right information since she prefers to stay out of our affairs.”

Bermuda considered this. “Well, I don’t see how what I can offer will hurt things in light of Mama Jamba not offering it directly, so I’ll oblige.”

“Thank you!” Sophia exclaimed, making Venice growl behind them.

“If you would refrain from loud noises, that would be best,” Bermuda scolded. “Venice can get out of his ring if he so desires, and as I mentioned before, these creatures are still very much wild.”

“I know the feeling,” Wilder said, winking at Sophia.

She stifled her laughter and nodded dutifully. “Of course and my apologies. I’m just grateful to have your help.”

“Well, take it for what it is because it may only create more issues for you,” Bermuda explained. “You see, I don’t know the spell that was used on mortals so they couldn’t see magic. I do think that your idea could work if you direct it specifically at the dragonettes. It would cloak them from mortal’s eyes, giving you the best chance of finding them.”

“How do we do that?” Sophia asked, starting to lose hope.

“It’s rather simple,” Bermuda answered. “If you adapt the spell and use it on one of the dragonettes, it should work on all of them that are outside of the Gullington.”

“And to do that…” Wilder’s tone was full of cynicism. He must have known what was coming next.

“You’ll have to capture at least one of the dragonettes,” Bermuda supplied.

“That’s our problem to begin with,” Wilder stated. “They are sneaky little things and don’t want to be caught, as you mentioned.”

Bermuda shrugged. “That’s the only way I can see the spell working. There must be a way to catch one of them. I mean, they are young and inexperienced, and you have many mature dragons to work with.”

Sophia nodded. “Okay, so we catch one dragonette, but then we have to use an adapted spell. How do we find out what that is?”

“Fortunately for you, I know exactly where that spell is located,” Bermuda said, although her tone didn’t sound congruent with her message. She seemed very reluctant. “Unfortunately for you, getting ahold of that spell will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.”

“I’m used to that,” Sophia joked. “Where is it?”

“It’s at the House of Fourteen,” Bermuda answered.

Sophia actually smiled. “Well, that doesn’t seem impossible. I mean, I know all the Warriors and Councilors. I dare say, I have an in there.”

Bermuda didn’t appear as optimistic. “You’ll have to get a unanimous vote from the council to have access to that spell, and I can’t see a reality where they are going to release it.”

“Why is that?” Wilder asked.

The giantess gave them a sympathetic expression, obviously sensing their plight. “It seems unlikely to me the House of Fourteen is going to release the spell created by the God Magician and the Sinclair family that nearly destroyed the magicians forever. It is because of that spell and what it did to mortals that the House of Fourteen has undergone so much turmoil and distrust from the rest of the world.”

She gave Sophia a stern expression, a small bit of hope in her eyes. “However, I trust if anyone can find a way to get that spell, it will be you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Seeing all of the magical animals at the circus made Sophia sorely miss Lunis. He’d been gone looking for the dragonettes with no communication with her. She’d never missed someone so much that it hurt her body like an open wound.

Wilder must have read the emotion on Sophia’s face as they left the circus on the edge of San Luis Obispo on the central coast in California. “What is it?”

She worked on arranging a pleasant expression on her face, but it was useless, especially with him. “I miss Lunis.”

“Oh,” he said, nodding immediately and seeming to get it. “You still can’t communicate with him, can you?”

She shook her head. “No, Hiker has him devoting all his energies to finding the dragonettes.”

A sideways smile made his blue eyes shine. “I think I can help you with that since Hiker had us helping with tracking down the dragonettes before.”

“Oh, you still can communicate with Simi, can’t you?” she asked.

“Yep,” he said, his mouth popping. “And she can communicate with Lunis. Where are we headed next on this very untraditional date? Should we grab something to eat?”

Sophia had forgotten about eating with all the demands. That wouldn’t do well for her magic, though. “Yes. Let’s grab some tacos in Santa Monica. You can go with me to the House of Fourteen to persuade them to give us the spell. Maybe two dragonriders will be more convincing than one.”

“Can I get into the House of Fourteen?” Wilder asked.

“I think so because you’re a Dragon Elite, and technically we outrank them, although they loathe being reminded of it,” Sophia explained with a sly grin. “Well, some of the Councilors loathe it, the unreasonable ones.”

“So you’re going to remind them of that fact,” Wilder guessed.

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Lunis has agreed to meet us for lunch on the beach beforehand.”

Sophia threw her arms around Wilder, hugging him tightly. “Thank you!”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly, his face in her hair and his smile pressed against her head. “Anything for you, Soph. This one was an easy one, but I’d do a lot more if you asked.”

Sophia peeled away and looked up at him with a shy smile. “Good because having to deal with the House of Fourteen Councilors can be a pain in the ass.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Sophia inhaled two tacos before she realized Wilder was watching her with a curious stare.

“What? I’m hungry,” she stated. “I forgot to eat for like…well, a while.”

He smiled. “No. I just didn’t realize that was how one ate tacos.”

She laughed, remembering he hadn’t had much experience with Mexican food.

A bit uncertainly, he held up the soft taco stuffed with carne asada, pico de gallo, and fresco cheese. “So I’m supposed to chew, right? Or do I just swallow them whole like you did?”

“Ha-ha,” she said. She was about to volley her own joke at him, but something blue in the cloudless Santa Monica sky caught her eye and she bolted her feet. “Lunis!”

Even from a distance, with the Pacific Ocean stretching between them, Sophia could see the relief in her dragon’s eyes as he flew in her direction. His blue wings moved gracefully and he sped up, shooting forward suddenly.

Even though she could see his iridescent scales clearly and his claws and wise eyes, the mortals on the beach saw a large kite floating through the sky.

When Lunis landed on the beach, he kicked up a great deal of sand, making it rain down on Sophia. She shielded her face but was still instantly covered. Wilder was the unlucky one that now had sand in his tacos.

She shook her head, running up to her dragon and throwing her arms around his neck. “And to think I actually missed you. I can’t recall why now,” she said, the gritty sand crunching in her mouth when she talked.

Lunis nestled his long neck around her, his warmth filling Sophia up immediately. You missed me because I’m amazing.

“And buying me new tacos,” Wilder said, chucking the food into a nearby trashcan.

I would, but I’m sort of tapped out at the moment, Lunis stated with a laugh. The sand adds flavor.

Sophia pulled away and looked her dragon over. “You know, I’ve sort of had my fill of sand for the next century.”

I don’t, actually, Lunis reminded her.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said, remembering he’d been cut off from her thoughts and experiences. She quickly told him about the island and the other things she’d been doing. “And you?”

Well, flying around permanently glamoured has been very taxing, Lunis explained. I guess I see why Hiker wanted us to sever our telepathic link to conserve energy. Looking for these little jerks is exhausting.

“Any new leads?” Wilder asked, coming to stand beside Sophia.

Well, Blackey was spotted over the White House, and you can guess how that made the mortals feel, Lunis told them.

Sophia gasped. “Oh, dear.”

He nodded his large head. By the time I got there, the toadstool was gone. Since questioning mortals about which way he went isn’t really an option, I headed south only to find out he went north. It seems he’s always just slipping by me.

“I’m sorry,” Sophia related. “That’s got to be frustrating.”

It is, Lunis said, a smile curling up the corners of his mouth. But I’m starting to figure out how he thinks. It’s only a matter of time before I anticipate his next move, and then I’ll have him.

“And the other dragons?” Sophia asked. “Are they having much luck with tracking down the other dragonettes?”

The expression that wisped to Lunis’ face didn’t fill her with hope. It’s about the same as me. The dragonettes are always one step ahead of them, sweeping by crowded marketplaces or busy tourist areas. By the time we get wind of it, the runts are gone again.

“Well, I’m hoping that you can catch at least one of them,” Sophia imparted and explained to Lunis what Bermuda had told them they needed to make the protective spell work.

The dragon hung his head. Great, so we have a strategy for protecting them, but only if we catch one. The irony of this isn’t lost on me.

“We only have to catch one in the short term.” Sophia tried to sound optimistic.

“And you don’t even have to be nice to them,” Wilder offered. “Because we only need them to make the protective spell cloak the rest. Then we can find them and try and be diplomatic and convince them to return to the Gullington.”

So you’re saying I can put Blackey in a headlock then? Lunis asked.

“The visual of you putting another dragon in a headlock is pretty entertaining,” Wilder mused.

“Truth be told,” Sophia said slowly, thinking. “Once the dragons are cloaked, we really don’t have to worry about them returning to the Gullington if they don’t want to.”

That’s good because I don’t think the little buggers will want to come home, Lunis insisted. They’ve gotten a taste of freedom, and I think they are doing what evil dragons do best.

Sophia’s eyebrows jumped up on her forehead. “Oh, no. I hadn’t heard of any pillaging and destruction.”

Lunis shook his head. That’s what one expects them to do, but actually, the evil part of these dragons makes them selfish. That’s really the major defining characteristic that makes them different from us. And since they want what they want, they prefer to live alone and not have to share with others. We, on the other hand, prefer to be around our own and the Dragon Elite, where we can be a part of something.

Sophia thought about this for a moment. “Maybe this is semantics, but it seems to me the evil dragons aren’t necessarily that. They are just the opposite of you. You prefer community, and they like solitude. You’re willing to risk your life for the betterment of society, and they are self-serving.”

“It’s yin and yang,” Wilder added.

Yes, I think that’s fair to say, Lunis said.

“We know the angels had a grand design behind setting up the dragons and riders the way they did,” Sophia began. “We’ve heard it’s about balance, but maybe there’s more to it than that. Maybe the evil dragons, although I’d like to find a better term for them, are meant to provide different solutions because they think differently. Being selfish might cause them to see things in unique ways or make different decisions.”

“How about the demon dragons?” Wilder offered. “And the good ones, ours, we can call the angel ones?”

“That’s good,” Sophia said. “That is how it’s explained in The Complete History of Dragonriders. I think it said, ‘When Michael the archangel’s blood infiltrated the Earth, soaking into the dragon eggs, according to the legend, other blood was spilled at the same time by the demon Nergal. Half the eggs absorbed the angel’s blood and the other half, the blood of the demon. Some were born “angels” like the ones who formed the Dragon Elite. The others were born “demons.’”

“Then there we have it,” Wilder sang. “And we just learned from Bermuda that demons can actually be helpful, like Goat. It’s all about knowing their use and how they can be most beneficial.”

Cool, Lunis chirped. Then I was right to call Blackey a little demon.

“It seems that you have a lot of nicknames for that dragonette,” Sophia observed.

Yes, but most I can’t say in mixed company, Lunis joked.

Sophia pressed her hand to her chest and attempted her best southern accent. “How very gentlemanly of you.”

He bowed slightly, doing his own accent. Well, I do try not to be cavalier in the presence of a lady.

“Oh, for the love of the angels,” Wilder said, shaking his head. “You guys are the weirdest.”

Lunis shot him a rude glare. And you and Simi are like a bunch of stuffy old ladies running the PTA at an elementary school. You cover your mouth when you giggle and only tell tasteful jokes like how you like your cucumber sandwiches cut while straightening your bonnets.

“What’s a PTA?” Wilder asked, hiding a grin.

I think you’re missing the point, Lunis stated.

“That we need tighter bonnets that don’t get blown around in the wind?” Wilder suggested.

Lunis shook his head and looked at Sophia. I can’t work with him. He just doesn’t get how jokes work.

Sophia winked at him. “I think he does and you two get on fine.”

If he didn’t make you so happy I’d singe off his head of pretty hair, Lunis whispered, although Wilder could plainly hear what he said.

“You said I have pretty hair.” He batted his eyelashes at the dragon.

I also said you had a weak jawline, Lunis spat.

Wilder’s mouth fell open as he feigned offense. “When did you say that?”

To anyone that will listen, Lunis answered. Simi and I’ve taken to calling you Weak Jaw.

“No, you haven’t,” Wilder retorted.

Lunis laughed wickedly. I call you that, but she hasn’t come around to the idea of name-calling yet, but just you wait.

“I feel like there are better uses for your energy,” Sophia said with a giggle.

Unfortunately, there are, and they require my attention right away, Lunis agreed, suddenly looking sad.

She returned the expression, reaching out and running the back of her hand over his face when he lowered his head to say goodbye. “Don’t worry, Lun, we will be together again soon. This can’t last forever.”

He pressed his face into her hand, nearly pushing her back. I’m glad that I had the chance to see you. With a coy look at Wilder, Lunis said, Thanks for having Simi communicate Sophia’s location.

Wilder nodded, a smile on his face. “I was happy to help, especially because I didn’t like seeing Soph sad.”

The dragon returned his gaze to his rider. Don’t be sad. I’ll go and find Blackey or one of the other demon dragonettes, and you go get that spell.

Sophia agreed with a nod. “Okay, and then we’ll be reunited so we can continue to save the world in other ways.”

For the rest of our lives, the blue dragon sang, springing into the air at once and soaring away, back over the ocean.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

“Lunis said that I make you happy,” Wilder said to Sophia as they trudged through the sand, up to the palm reading shop on the Santa Monica boardwalk. It was the façade for the House of Fourteen and the way that most entered. She still wasn’t certain that Wilder could enter the headquarters but suspected he could. In a vision of the past, when using the reset point, Sophia had seen Hiker Wallace in the Chamber of the Tree, so she reasoned that other Dragon Elite should be able to enter.

“Of course you make me happy,” she told him, blushing slightly. “Why would I be with you otherwise?”

He combed his fingers through his hair and jerked his head to the side. “For my head of great locks.”

She shook her head. “And your giant ego.”

“Modesty has never suited me,” he agreed.

When at the front of the rundown palm reading shop, Sophia paused to ensure no one was paying them much attention. The place was glamoured to make it appear like those entering were walking into the shop and not accessing it through secret means. It was best that way so that mortals didn’t stick their hand to the door, hoping it opened for them as it did for Royals and others who could enter the House of Fourteen.

“I expected for the House of Fourteen to be a bit grander than a palm reading shop,” Wilder said, studying the small two-story building sandwiched between a souvenir store and a restaurant and bar on the boardwalk.

“What makes you think that it is?” Sophia questioned, lifting her hand to press it to the door to be granted access.

“Well, because Father Time resides in a pawn shop on Roya Lane and we just found the expert on magical creatures at a circus.”

She shrugged. “Technically Papa Creola’s headquarters are the Fantastical Armory, but I could see how it could be mistaken for a pawn shop. But no, this is just the ruse for the House of Fourteen. They’ve been known to have enemies, so much like the Dragon Elite, the House has to have its location hidden.”

“Then shall we?” Wilder asked, holding out his arm to her.

She nodded and pressed her hand to the palm reading door, making it swing open at once.

Once inside the mysterious and always changing entrance to the House of Fourteen, Sophia had to wait for Wilder, who was in awe of the long hallway that led to the chamber where the Councilors and Warriors met.

His eyes were wide as he ran them over the golden walls filled with the ancient language of the founders. “It’s like it’s…”

“Alive,” Sophia supplied. “Liv and Clark say that it very much is. Apparently, it’s like magic has a life of its own in a way.”

He touched his hands to the wall cautiously, as though not sure if it would burn him since he wasn’t a Royal. “Can you read it?”

She shook her head. “No, because I’m not a Warrior. Before I became a dragonrider, I couldn’t even see it, but that status changed things for me. Now watch what happens.” She touched her hand to a symbol and it danced under her fingers, swimming around the wall like a fish in an aquarium.

“That’s pretty amazing,” he gushed. “Why does it do that?”

“I’m not sure,” she answered. “I guess it responds to Royals regardless of our status.”

“But, you are in line to become a Warrior, right?” Wilder asked.

Sophia frowned. “If something happened to Liv, which I can’t even think about. But my plan is to be a Dragon Elite until the end of my time. One day Liv and Clark will have children who will replace them when the time is right.”

“Or your children would be eligible too, right?” Wilder asked, instantly making her uncomfortable.

“The rules on how Councilors and Warriors are chosen are a bit convoluted,” Sophia explained. “Usually it’s based on birth order which becomes Councilor versus Warriors. When there are no children, then spouses and cousins are considered, but that’s rare. It was designed so that usually siblings made up the two positions.”

Wilder nodded, seeming to understand. “Because that creates balance.”

“I think so,” Sophia related. “I guess each institution, like the Dragon Elite, has a way of maintaining that within their ranks.”

Wilder followed Sophia to the end of the corridor, where the Door of Reflection led to the Chamber of the Tree. “So, you grew up here?”

She pointed to a door opposite the chamber. “Yeah, through there. That’s the residential wing. There’s a garden and a library and homes for all of the Royals.”

“Sounds like a unique place to grow up,” Wilder observed.

Sophia smiled. “My childhood was anything but typical.”

He lifted his hand and rested it on her shoulder, lowering his chin and staring into her eyes. “Then that must be why I like you so much. You’re anything but typical, even for a dragonrider.”

Sophia found herself blushing, butterflies flitting around her stomach. She found herself leaning into the man in front of her, hungry to close the distance.

A cough startled them both, making Sophia and Wilder jump apart. Standing beside the Door of Reflection was her older brother, Clark.

“Hi,” she squeaked, her face suddenly hot with embarrassment.

“Sophia, what brings you here…with…”

“Wilder,” the dragonrider supplied.

Clark nodded politely but had a stern expression on his face. “With Wilder. Yes, I remember you from the wedding.”

“Hey Clark,” she said, striding forward and hugging her brother before explaining to him why they were there.

His face grew even more grave as she explained their situation. “There’s no way that you can go into the Chamber of the Tree and demand the God Magician’s spell. It will do you no good during a time when there’s already so much doubt surrounding the Dragon Elite.”

“But we need it,” Sophia begged. “If the council wants to fix this situation then we’re going to need to protect the dragonettes.”

“I agree, but you can’t ask for that spell,” Clark stated with conviction. “You are right that you have the authority to do so, but if something goes wrong, the heat is going to fall on you. Honestly, even if you demanded it, I think they’d have a reasonable cause to deny you, and then it will turn into a dispute. That spell is just too powerful, and it created centuries of problems for us.”

“You?” Wilder cut in. “It’s because of that spell the Dragon Elite was useless for all of my time with them, up until now.”

Clark sighed. “I realize that, but it’s complicated. I fear that you’d get so much push back that it would take away from all the progress Sophia has forged with those on the council who don’t like the Dragon Elite’s authority. But worse, Sophia, when they find out the dragonettes are out there…well, it’s going to create chaos. The council will panic. It will be incredibly hard to keep them out of your business, and believe me, the last thing you need is the House of Fourteen trying to take over this situation.”

“Haven’t they already heard the rumors about the dragonettes over the White House and whatnot?” Wilder asked.

“Yes,” Clark answered. “But we thought they were out for training, not all of the evil dragons have left the Gullington.”

“So, what are we supposed to do?” Sophia questioned. “Getting the dragonettes is proving much harder than we thought, and it’s only a matter of time before mortals get scared, and the dragonettes respond with force. We are trying to avoid a full out war here.”

“I get it, and I think your strategy using the spell focused on the dragonettes specifically is a good one,” Clark began. “But, you simply can’t go in there and ask the council.” He grabbed Sophia by the arm, leading her back down the golden hallway they’d come through. When they were by the exit, he leaned forward, Wilder at their side. “That spell is in the Forgotten Archives.”

Sophia groaned. “The book that tells the real history mortals forgot when the God Magician made it so they couldn’t see magic?”

He nodded solemnly.

“Then you’ve read that book in its entirety,” Sophia said, hope springing to her face. “You can tell us what it is.”

His face didn’t lighten. “I have read it. However, I don’t recall the specifics because it was quite complex and will have to be adapted for your purposes.”

“Where’s this book?” Wilder asked.

“It’s kept in the Chamber of the Tree.” She looked at her brother, her expression begging. “Will you steal it for me? Or how about we create a diversion, and I’ll sneak in and get it?”

Clark gave her a punishing expression. “No, that’s not the way we’re going to deal with this. You’re a Beaufont, and we don’t steal…unless it’s to save the world or something.”

She stuck her hands on her hips, the expression on her face said, “What do you think I’m doing?”

“Soph,” he said softly. “Although the Forgotten Archives is unique and rare when Liv unearthed it, she broke the spell that had kept it hidden. That meant a copy of the book could be made and it could go into the—”

“The Great Library!” Sophia exclaimed and then covered her mouth with her hand, apologetic.

“Yes,” Clark hissed, leaning in closer. “There should be a copy of it there. I’ll warn you though, it’s not a brief summary, and finding the information will take time. Thankfully, Plato is in the library and should be able to help you.”

“Nice,” Wilder rejoiced. “We’re back on track.”

“However,” Clark said, drawing out the word and holding up a finger to pause the momentary celebration. “Even though there’s a copy of the Forgotten Archives in the Great Library, not just anyone can access it. That was part of the deal the council made knowing many of the House of Fourteen’s secrets are inside that volume.”

“Let me guess,” Wilder said dryly. “Only Royals, huh?”

He nodded. “But that’s you, Sophia, so you’ll have no trouble reading the book.”

Sophia smiled wide, grateful to be making progress after thinking there were going to be a lot of obstacles put up by the council. “Thanks, Clark. You’re the best.”

He returned the smile. “Thank you. Please tell Liv that, since she likes to say I’m the worst because I request she uses coasters and stops leaving every cabinet door and drawer wide open.”

Sophia laughed, always loving to hear about the sibling’s roommate's adventures. “Okay. Thanks for your help.”

Clark grabbed Sophia’s hands and squeezed them once before backing away. “You didn’t hear anything from me.”

She winked at her brother. “Hear what?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Sophia and Wilder hadn’t made it a few steps out of the House of Fourteen before her phone buzzed with a message from Bep at the Rose Apothecary to tell her the memory elixir was ready.

Although Sophia had been excited to go on another adventure with Wilder, she knew Ainsley was her first priority, even with the dragonettes out there needing their protection. Hiker had made that clear, and his reasoning was sound. Sophia reasoned she just had to pop into the Rose Apothecary and grab the potion, then she could be off to the Great Library to find the spell. Everything was finally coming together, she thought, feeling hopeful.

She left Wilder in Santa Monica while she portaled to Roya Lane. He told her he was returning to the Gullington to continue searching for the dragonettes. She hoped he caught one of them and got them that much closer to completing the spell.

Sophia found the potions expert drinking a glass of wine and talking to herself when she entered the Rose Apothecary. The dragonrider stood in the doorway for a long moment, listening to the exchange.

“It’s going to be foggy again today,” Bep said, taking a sip of white wine.

“I’m okay with that because I think the fog is pretty,” she replied like she was the other person in the conversation. “It’s poetic and makes me feel like I’m in a Sherlock Holmes novel.”

She took another drink and shook her head. “Oh, but it does a real number on my hair and feels like I’m wearing a wet blanket.”

Bep laughed. “Who would wear a wet blanket? That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard of.”

Feeling like she was intruding on a personal moment, Sophia cleared her throat to get Bep’s attention. “I have something for that cough if you’d like.” She pointed to the shelf on the far side of the shop. “Over there are some tinctures you can have. They will clear that congestion up right away.”

Sophia smiled politely. “Thank you, but I’m okay.”

“Very well,” Bep said, shrugging. “Would you like a glass of wine?” She held up the unlabeled bottle. “It’s my own batch. I make it in the back, right next to the foot fungus remedy.”

“Although that sounds tempting, I should really just grab the memory elixir and be on my way,” Sophia replied.

Apparently dismissing her answer, Bep snapped her finger and another glass materialized. She filled it and slid the wine in Sophia’s direction. “You’re going to need this after you hear what I have to tell you.”

“Oh, hell,” Sophia said, not needing any more encouragement to take a sip of the wine. It was cool and crisp, like a spring morning rather than a foggy day.

Bep waved her off. “Oh, no reason to be dramatic. It’s just that the healing potion will take a bit longer than I figured. Once I started working with the dragon eggshells you had delivered, I realized they were complicated to deal with, and it will take time.”

Sophia wanted to tell the potions expert she could be working right then instead of drinking wine, but she figured it was none of her business. “Okay, well, at least we have the memory elixir to start with. That’s something, at least.”

“It is,” Bep stated. She pulled a small vial from her robes and handed it to Sophia. “Now, you need to administer the entire dose at once.”

Sophia nodded. “I can do that.”

“And it has to be given to the patient in question in the Burning House,” Bep explained, pulling out a piece of paper

“Say what?”

“The Burning House’s location is on that slip of parchment,” Bep explained. “It is a mysterious structure that is always on fire, although no one knows why it never burns down completely. Nothing can be done to put it out, and it’s a mystery as to how it started burning in the first place.”

“And we are to go into this burning house?”

Bep nodded matter-of-factly.

“Is that safe?” Sophia asked.

“How am I to know?” Bep countered. “I only know there’s a magnetic draw to the place, and you’ll need that in order for your friend to recover all her memories. The elixir will clear her mind and the Burning House will bring them back. You can’t just have one. You need both together.”

“Okay, so enter a burning building, have her drink the entire potion, and hope we don’t catch on fire,” Sophia summed up, reading the slip of paper. “Anything else?”

Bep pointed to the still-full glass. “Drink your wine. That’s Danish courage right there and you’re going to need it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

When Sophia entered the Castle, she nearly ran over Quiet. She backed up, giving him a sideways expression.

“You were waiting for me, weren’t you?” she guessed, taking in the expectant expression on his face and that he didn’t seem surprised at nearly having gotten toppled over.

The groundskeeper nodded.

“You know what I’m about to do, then?” she asked, feeling the vial of memory elixir in her pocket.

Another nod.

“Do you agree I should give Ainsley back her memories from before the incident?”

This time he paused, apprehension on his face. Finally, after deliberation, the gnome nodded.

“And is it safe to take her away?”

Quiet pointed to the grandfather clock in the entryway and held up a single finger.

“I have an hour?” Sophia tried to decipher his cryptic way of communicating.

“Yes,” he mouthed.

“Okay, so I have one hour to take her away and get her back.” Sophia’s gaze fell away. She suddenly felt heavy realizing the momentous occasion they were about to have. Ainsley, thanks to Quiet, had her memory from after the incident. She no longer forgot who she was or that she’d been injured protecting Hiker. However, she didn’t remember anything before Thad attacked her. She didn’t remember being a diplomat for the elves, or the life she once had. She didn’t remember loving Hiker, and once she did, Sophia was certain it would change everything.

This was the first step to curing her for good. After Ainsley had her memories, she’d still have to return to the Gullington, but it was uncertain for how long.

At her core, Sophia hoped that learning how she used to be would be good enough for Ainsley, but something told her that this would just be the beginning of a very long road of healing.

“Okay, I’ll have Ainsley back in time,” Sophia promised, although she knew this would be difficult. Nothing sounded easy about entering a mysteriously burning building that was always on fire.

Since the gnome was just standing there and not seeming to try and communicate with her, Sophia hurried by him, making for the stairs that led to Hiker’s office.

“Also,” Quiet said in a voice she could actually hear. That was such a rarity that Sophia froze. She turned and blinked at him.

“When she remembers,” Quiet began, his voice still just a whisper, “tell her I did what I had to, to keep her alive. There was no way to save him.”

Sophia continued to blink at the groundskeeper, more than confused. “Him? But Ainsley did save Hiker?” She pointed to the office at the top of the second-floor landing. “He survived, although his humor and patience didn’t,” she joked.

Without another word, Quiet pivoted and strode away, not offering her any insights into what he meant.

CHAPTER FORTY

Mama Jamba was asleep on the couch when Sophia entered. She paused, her eyes shifting from Hiker to the sleeping woman.

Catching sight of her hesitation, he waved her off. “Don’t worry. Nothing could wake that woman. I actually tried when she was snoring, and she didn’t so much as budge.”

“Oh, okay,” Sophia said. She still kept her voice low, just in case. “I wanted to tell you that I have the memory elixir for Ainsley.”

She had expected Hiker to look relieved, but instead, he appeared more burdened. Finally coming to terms with it, he nodded. “Very well, give it to her. I’m ready.”

Sophia twitched her mouth to the side. “The thing is, I have to take her to the Burning House to administer the dose, according to the potions expert.”

“The Burning House,” Hiker said, suddenly alarmed.

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Of course I have,” he replied. “It’s legendary. No one knows why it burns.”

She nodded. “Or what started it or why it doesn’t burn to the ground. Yeah, I’ve heard it’s a mystery.”

“Not only that, but it’s dangerous,” Hiker told her, sounding worried, although he never seemed to be overly concerned when she went on missions. “There are many who have ventured in there and not returned.”

“Well, we will be careful,” she soothed. “The potions expert was very clear that Ainsley had to go into the Burning House for the memory elixir to work.”

He nodded, chewing on his lip. “Yeah, I’ve heard that it has many psychological properties and benefits, although most of them are unknown.”

“Yeah, the potions expert said the elixir would clear the way, and then the Burning House would magnetize the lost memories to Ainsley,” Sophia explained.

Hiker seemed lost. “I can’t really argue with that logic. Seems about right. But she can’t be gone for long.”

Sophia nodded. “Quiet said one hour.”

His brow wrinkled with more confusion. “Said? Quiet?”

“Yeah and then he said—”

Mama Jamba suddenly mumbled in her sleep, cutting Sophia off before she could tell the bit that Quiet had said about not being able to save him.

“Can you make it back in an hour?” Hiker asked, pacing.

“I’m going to have to,” Sophia answered.

“You’re going to have to be fast because if Ainsley is gone too long then—”

“Don’t worry, sir, I’ve taken Ainsley out of the Gullington before, remember?”

He lifted his gaze, not looking close to not worrying. “This is different. The Burning House. And then she’ll have her memories…and she’ll have to return here. How long until there is a cure?”

Sophia shrugged. “That’s uncertain, but it’s going to take longer than the potions expert thought.”

Hiker sighed heavily. “Of course.”

“If you think that getting her memory back before the cure isn’t a good idea, then we can wait,” Sophia offered. “I mean, I’ve learned more about the spell to protect the dragonettes, but it’s going to require me as a Royal to go and research it in the Great Library.”

Hiker considered this and then shook his head. “No, like I said before, Ainsley first. If all hell breaks loose, I want her helped first. Especially now that I know restoring her memory will involve something as dangerous as entering the Burning House. When you return, you can go do the research for the protective spell.”

“After I get a proper night’s rest and a good meal though, right?” she asked, daring to joke.

He didn’t laugh. “You can sleep and eat later.”

“Well, I wish I would have known that before all these missions started, or I would have banked some rest and packed a few sandwiches.”

“Sophia,” Hiker said, nearly stuttering. “When Ainsley gets her memories back…she’s going to be…”

“What is it, sir?” she asked, realizing he was having trouble constructing sentences.

“She may not want to come back here, but she has to,” he finished.

“She has to,” Sophia argued. “She won’t survive.”

Hiker hung his head. “When she remembers…she may not care.”

“Sir, what is she going to learn?”

He put his back to her. “I can’t say. She might not want me to. She may not want anyone to know this. Just ensure she returns no matter what.”

“Okay,” Sophia said, drawing out the word as Mama Jamba shifted on the sofa, appearing deep in sleep.

“The Burning House is supposedly very dangerous,” he continued after glancing at the sleeping woman. “I don’t know what dangers you’ll face, but it’s important that you protect Ainsley. She’s not used to intense situations.”

“Protect me from what?” Ainsley asked, suddenly at Sophia’s shoulder, appearing out of the middle of nowhere.

“Hey, Ains,” Sophia said, startled.

“Hay is for horses and goats and Vikings,” she replied. “The Castle informed me that you needed me, S. Beaufont.”

“Yeah, I have the memory elixir,” she supplied.

Ainsley smiled, holding out her hand. “Give it. And thanks. I’ll take that and be on my merry way.”

“Not so fast.” Hiker swung around to face them. “This will only give you your memories back. You still have to be cured, which will take more time.”

“Still, that’s progress,” Ainsley fired at the leader of the Dragon Elite. “I can’t wait to learn who I used to be and why I loathe you so much, H. I know there’s got to be a few hundred reasons I can add to my already huge list.”

“Ainsley…” Hiker began but trailed away defeated.

“Ains,” Sophia cut in. “I have to take you to a special place to give you the memory elixir.”

“Like a restaurant or a bar?” Ainsley asked. “I haven’t been out in ages. Should I put on something fancy?” She held out her brown burlap dress and frowned at it.

“No, I think you’re fine,” Sophia replied. “This is special in that it’s potentially dangerous.”

“It’s definitely dangerous,” Hiker corrected.

“Oh, so you’re giving my memories and then taking me out?” Ainsley asked, her tone cutting.

“I’m sending you with Sophia,” he countered.

“Another woman you want taken out so you can have your boys’ club,” Ainsley argued.

He shook his head. “You know you’ll be safe with Sophia. She won’t let anything happen to you.”

Ainsley gave Sophia a fond expression. “Actually, I do know that. Because unlike you, she’s a real friend. Thanks, S. Beaufont, for helping me to get my memory back and working so hard to cure me. It’s funny what someone can do if they care enough.”

Hiker sighed, the subtle insults from the housekeeper obviously getting to him. “Ainsley, I didn’t know there was a way to help you. If I did…the world was a very different place after your accident, and up until recently, we’ve been trapped at the Gullington.”

Ainsley laughed shrilly. “It’s funny you say that because you could all actually leave here and just chose not to. I, on the other hand, get lightheaded and forget who I am if I’m gone from the Gullington for too long.”

“Well, that will soon change,” Hiker said, not sounding happy. “And then you can do whatever you want.”

“I can’t wait,” Ainsley told him smugly, holding out her arm to Sophia. “Shall we, S. Beaufont? I’m eager to remember who I was.”

Sophia threaded her arm through her friend’s. She was worried about where they were going, but not more than how Ainsley’s memories would change everything. “Yeah, I’m ready,” she said, forgetting the fact she hadn’t slept.

When the pair turned for the door, Mama Jamba spoke, her voice clear and concise like she hadn’t just been sleeping. “Fight fire with fire, sweet dears.”

Sophia swung around her eyes wide. “What? What was that? Did you say to fight fire with fire?”

But when she studied Mother Nature, she was fast asleep again, snoring loudly.

Hiker shook his head and gave her a cautious look. “Be safe, Sophia. I’ll see you in an hour.”

She nodded and escorted the housekeeper out of the Castle.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

“Where are we?” Ainsley asked after they stepped through the portal outside the Gullington.

“Texas,” Sophia answered.

“Why?” Ainsley questioned, looking around at the flat land and pine trees.

“Because that’s where the place is located that we need to go to for your memories. I have to warn you it’s considered dangerous,” Sophia explained. “Apparently, it’s a building that’s always on fire, no matter what. And we have to enter it.”

The elf laughed. “I’ve been in the Castle for centuries. I think I can handle a building that’s mysteriously on fire all the time.”

“Okay, but I’m not sure I made this clear,” Sophia began, pulling them in the right direction, knowing each second counted. “We have to enter this burning building.”

Ainsley wasn’t deterred. “Remember when Quiet almost died and the Castle was falling apart and full of ongoing fires? It takes more than a burning building to scare me.”

“Well, that’s good,” Sophia said with a deep breath. “But Quiet did say something he wanted me to relate for when you get your memories back.”

Ainsley stopped in her tracks, all lightness disappearing from her face. “Did you say that Quiet said something? As in, you could understand it?”

Sophia nodded. “It’s only happened a couple of times, but yes.”

“What did he say?” Ainsley urged, suddenly desperate for the information.

Sophia cleared her throat, trying to remember the words verbatim. “He said, ‘Tell her I did what I had to, to keep her alive. There was no way to save him.’”

The shapeshifter's reaction was similar to Sophia’s, full of confusion. “Save him? But I thought I did save Hiker? Does he mean someone else? One of the other Dragon Elite that was in battle that day? Thad was later hurt, too, and his dragon. Is that what he means?”

Sophia offered a sympathetic shrug. “I’m sorry, Ains. I don’t know. Maybe it will make sense once you have your memories.” She grabbed her friend’s hand, encouraging her forward. “Come on. We have to be quick. The building should just be down this hill, next to a pond.”

Ainsley laughed. “A burning building next to a water source. Of course, because that makes for fun irony.”

Sophia nodded. “I agree.”

She could see the slope of the hill now. The building would be at the bottom. As they drew closer, she saw the smoke and smelled the fire and felt the intensity of the heat.

When she laid her eyes on the Burning House, she wasn’t prepared for what she saw. Ainsley, who was being flippant about the whole thing, tensed as well, her face going white.

“We have to enter that?”

Sophia gulped, the blood draining from her face as well. “I’m afraid so.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Sophia wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but this wasn’t it. The Burning House wasn’t just a building that was casually on fire with the rooftop neatly covered in small flames. Instead, it was a large house that easily had a dozen rooms and was raging with a five-alarm fire.

“When you said we have to enter the Burning House, did you mean like, just pop in over the threshold?” Ainsley asked.

Just to be sure, Sophia checked the instructions Bep had included with the location. “It says that we have to go to the center of the Burning House.”

Ainsley’s green eyes grew large. “Of course we do. So I die, but my consolation present is that I get my memories back. Is that right?”

“I think…” Sophia said, studying the strange structure that had flames licking up several yards into the air. “There has to be a trick to this place.”

“Like one of the pranks Evan plays on Quiet?” Ainsley asked.

Sophia shook her head. “No, I think it’s got to be more mind over matter. Like a mind game.”

“Well, it’s going to win, I fear,” Ainsley said, visibly shaking at the prospect of entering. The place should have fallen down based on how consumed it was by flames, and there was no disputing the fire was hot. From up on the hill, several dozen yards away, Sophia could feel the heat-seeking to singe off her eyebrows.

“You know how people walk on hot coals?” Sophia offered.

“You mean crazy guru types?” Ainsley asked. “Sure, I’ve seen them on nature programs when curled up in your bed watching Netflix.”

Sophia cut her eyes to her friend. “Good to know. Anyway, yes, similar to that. I wonder if that’s what we have to do to get through this.”

“What did Mama Jamba say when she was pretending to sleep?”

Sophia laughed. “I think she was actually asleep, but just woke up suddenly to offer us some last-minute advice. She said we have to fight fire with fire.”

“So go ahead then and blast the house with some fire magic,” Ainsley encouraged.

“No,” Sophia said, shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s it. Maybe it’s for when we get into the Burning House. From what the potions expert said, this fire can’t be put out. It’s been burning for like, forever.”

Sophia didn’t want to relate the part about how many had entered the building and not returned. She knew this was dangerous. But Mama Jamba wouldn’t have sent her there with advice if there wasn’t a way to return safely. And Hiker and Bep had okayed this mission knowing the dangers. There had to be a way to survive. Sophia just had to figure it out.

“Ains,” she began, her tone full of confidence she didn’t yet feel. “We need to be fast. Are you ready to enter the Burning House?” She held out a hand for her friend.

“Yes, but let me just change into something that’s a bit more comfortable,” Ainsley said, wrinkling her nose, as though thinking of a different, more suitable outfit.

Sophia couldn’t argue that something else would be better than the burlap dress but didn’t really think they had time for wardrobe changes.

Ainsley’s eyes lit up as she nodded with confidence. “Yes, something that makes me nimble, less of a target for the fire, and cute.” She squeezed her eyes shut and disappeared. Or at least it appeared at first she did.

Under closer inspection, Sophia realized that Ainsley had shrunk, shapeshifting into the form of a field mouse. She grinned down at her friend. “Good thinking. But you’ll have to change when it’s time to take the potion. Until then, let’s make haste and get into the Burning House and out as quickly as possible.”

The little mouse took off, taking the lead, making Sophia run to catch up with her.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

The blast of heat was real when Sophia entered the Burning House. At first, she thought the fire might be a really convincing illusion, but there was no mistaking that it was real flame. It was perplexing that the flames didn’t destroy the structure. The fire just kept burning, like a gas flame on a fake log.

Sophia nearly lost track of Ainsley as she ran into the house. It was smart of her to take such a small figure that could be close to the ground, but Sophia couldn’t move as fast in her current form, and she was the one carrying the antidote.

She pulled the scarf she’d thought to bring from her pocket and wrapped it around her nose and mouth, making her look like a bandit. The fire burned her eyes, but at least she could breathe.

Squinting from the brightness of the fire, Sophia tried to locate the field mouse. She spied the creature up ahead, waiting for her by a fire filled wall.

Most people don’t willingly walk into a burning building unless they have to, like the love of their life is stranded, or they are saving something of importance. Sophia found it ironic she was choosing to walk into the Burning House even though the reason wasn’t life or death. If it were her, then she’d want her memories back and to remember who she was and why. She’d want her past back. Ainsley deserved that.

Sophia had reasoned she could have sent Ainsley into the Burning House on her own with the memory elixir. However, the housekeeper wasn’t used to battles and dangers, having been locked up in the Gullington for the better part of several centuries. No, Ainsley needed her. Not just to navigate through the building, encountering whatever else might be in there besides raging flames. But also to be there for her when she remembered who she was. The worry on Hiker’s face and Quiet’s strange remark made Sophia think that whatever Ainsley learned was going to have far-reaching effects.

Hunching down low, Sophia entered the Burning House. Embers flew down from the rafters above, singeing her head. She pulled up her hood, instantly covered in sweat after only seconds in the building.

The path through the Burning House was as one might have expected, obstructed at every turn. Sophia paused, trying to figure out how to proceed. It was much easier for Ainsley in her form as a small field mouse. For Sophia, she was going to have to jump over burning furniture or dare to slide between flames that were licking up into the air. She decided to take a mixed approach, taking off running and jumping over an overturned chair that was covered in flames. The fire looked like water the way it ran over the piece of furniture.

Her lungs instantly ached from the effort, but she didn’t let that slow her down. When she came to a narrow hallway, the only way through was straight, but passing by the walls would be difficult since there was little room in between not occupied by fire.

Sophia sucked in a breath, wishing she could be smaller. She remembered seeing instances of firefighters passing through flames to get out of burning buildings. Like them, if she moved fast enough, maybe the flames wouldn’t hurt her…or not as much.

With her head down and a prayer locked away in her heart, Sophia charged forward and felt a blinding pain as she passed through the fire. To her relief, she did come out on the other side. But what she faced made her realize she hadn’t passed the worst of it—not by even a little bit.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Ainsley was waiting for Sophia when she passed through the hallway of flames. The field mouse might have been an excellent form for traveling through tight places, but only wings would help her to get through the next part. However, that wasn’t something Sophia wanted to risk with all the embers flying down from overhead.

“Don’t shift!” Sophia had to yell to be heard over the crackling of the burning building. “One injury in bird form and you’ll be toast.”

She dared to laugh at her own joke and realized the smoke must be going to her head. Kneeling, Sophia picked up the little field mouse, finding it strange she was carrying her friend who in real life was taller than her. She stuck the mouse onto her shoulder, and Ainsley responded with a squeak that Sophia took to mean, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Sophia said, turning her attention to the next obstacle. Not only were the walls in this part of the house doused in flames like everywhere else, but the floor was covered in burning red coals. They stretched for roughly twenty feet—not a distance Sophia could easily leap. It would have been impossible for Ainsley in field mouse form to try and traverse the distance.

The only way through was straight ahead, and it reminded Sophia of people seeking enlightenment walking on burning coals. She’d heard the experience was supposed to teach mind over matter. Maybe it was possible to convince oneself the coals weren’t hot when they were the only thing on fire. It was much more difficult for Sophia with a house burning all around them.

She mopped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her arm.

“The key has to be to keep moving,” she said to herself.

Ainsley squeaked on her shoulder, and this time it sounded reassuring.

Sophia nodded, pretending she heard words of encouragement from the shapeshifter.

“I can do this,” Sophia declared, looking down at her boots and wondering how long until they melted right off her feet. If she was fast enough, they’d hardly touch the coals long enough for there to be any danger. That’s what she wanted to believe anyway.

It seemed like a weird time to remember something from one of her physics’ textbooks, but maybe the timing was perfect. Sophia remembered that on an atomic level, two things never actually ever touch. There’s always a buffer between things because they are made of atoms and the electrons repel. Using that idea, Sophia tried to convince herself her feet were never going to touch the burning coals.

“Angels above,” Sophia said, daring to suck in a small breath. “Watch over me.”

She started forward, not at a run as she had before when she’d cleared the furniture, but at an even pace, conscious of keeping her steps light and her mind focused.

Sophia refused to look down at her path and focused on where the floor was no longer covered in red coals. She saw herself there and felt the firm floor under her boots and celebrated in her heart having passed through the obstacle.

When Sophia’s shoe came down on the first patch of coals, she didn’t register any difference. She kept moving at an even pace. After a few steps, she realized the uneven terrain made it harder to keep her balance.

Immediately Sophia banished the negative thoughts from her head. She replaced it with the thought: “I can do this.”

Her feet were moving faster as she progressed. The field mouse on her shoulder was frozen. Sophia pictured Ainsley holding her breath in fear. That was probably a good idea since the smoke was so intense as she neared the middle of the Burning House, it made it hard to keep her eyes open.

Still, Sophia didn’t blink as she walked across the hot coals. Her breath, like her steps, remained steady. When she stepped off the bed of coals, she nearly crumbled to the ground from the crash of adrenaline that hit her. That’s when she realized the soles of her boots had melted through, and her feet were burned. It hadn’t registered until the very moment she’d successfully completed the task.

Sophia wasn’t granted a single moment to check her wounds or feel sorry for herself because something she wasn’t expecting rose up from a pit in the center of the house. Just when Sophia thought things couldn’t get any worse…

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Sitting in the middle of the Burning House was a giant pit. Its bottom was unseen, but the flames covering it licked up to its edge, promising to scorch any who dared to pass. Before doing so, it appeared trespassers had to face the pit’s owner—a disgusting and menacing demon.

The beast rose up out of the pit as though riding on the flames. His red arms were extended, and his chin lifted like he was a god rising to full power. Behind the creature was a platform in the middle of the pit, and standing on it was a low pedestal. That had to be the center of the Burning House and the place where Ainsley needed to take the memory elixir. But first, they were going to have to defeat this monster.

Sophia had seen demons, but nothing like this. She’d heard stories from Liv about fighting them. They were awful, sinful creatures that feasted on the goodness of others. Demons were supposedly magicians who had been turned by a bite from another demonic being. They lost their soul and were then sent on a mission to steal happiness from the world.

Based on the appearance of the demon before them, they also lost any of their former attractiveness. This demon was reminiscent of a minotaur with two bull-like horns protruding from either side of its bald head. Through its nose it wore a large ring. Although it had the body of a man, it seemed as strong as a bull.

Sophia felt Ainsley trembling on her shoulder. She was glad the elf was still in field mouse form. The last thing she needed was to have the housekeeper in her way. She knew Ainsley was strong and brave—that’s why they were there, to recover memories she’d lost trying to save Hiker from death. However, she wasn’t trained, and fighting this demon was going to take exceptional combat skills.

Wrapped around the demon’s chest were thick chains like it had just pulled itself from the depths of hell where it had been chained. Once it was free from the restraints, it held them in one hand, an evil glint in its eyes as it stared at Sophia.

She’d forgotten about the constant heat burning her face, the potential fires edging in her direction, or the embers raining down on her. All her focus was on the demon before her, and the threats it seemed to be silently promising her as it hovered in the air, riding the flames below.

What had Mama Jamba said just before they left Hiker’s office, Sophia wondered. It hadn’t made sense then, but this had to be what she was referring to.

“Fight fire with fire,” Mother Nature had said.

Sophia had assumed she’d meant the Burning House, but since she’d entered, she’d been avoiding the fire the best she could. There was no use fighting it when it was all around her.

But this demon, who she was going to call Border Control because he was obviously blocking the path to the center of the Burning House, needed to be fought. It appeared the only way to do that was with fire.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Sophia held out her hand and created a ball of fire. It was ironic she was standing in a burning building and decided what she needed right then was a bit more fire. Thankfully, the fireballs she created didn’t harm her as they rotated above her palm. It was a perk of magic.

She was grateful she’d followed her instincts and not used her magic up until then, thinking she needed to reserve it in case of an emergency. Although entering a burning building could be classified as a general emergency.

Border Control whipped the chain, shooting sparks at Sophia along with a gust of hot wind.

She ducked, shielding her face and keeping Ainsley on her shoulder unharmed.

When she straightened, careful to not lower her arm completely, Border Control was laughing. It sounded more like angry thunder. With the whites of the demon’s teeth contrasting against his red face and the mischievous delight in his eyes, Sophia guessed the sound was meant to be a laugh.

Before she could throw the fireball at the demon, he unleashed another attack. This time the thick chain reached all the way and nearly touched Sophia. It banged into the crumbling ground under her feet, sending debris to fall and be swallowed to by the pits of hell.

Border Control was playing with her. That was the modus operandi of a demon. They liked to play with their food, and her soul and her goodness were considered its food.

“Is it hot enough for you?” Sophia asked, narrowing her eyes at the demon.

He opened his mouth, and the roar that came out shook the house, making rafters fall from overhead and flames jump off the wall, spreading more fire all over the place. The sound was so deafening Sophia had no choice but to drop the fireball and clap her hands to her ears. The ear-splitting sound was even louder than when the thunderbird had made her think she’d been struck by lightning.

It shook her head and made her think her teeth would fall out. It felt like it would saw her head in two.

Sophia didn’t know how a sound could make her feel so close to death. But as it shook the ground under her feet, she truly believed the demon’s scream would end her. It felt like it went on and on with no end possible.

Even when she saw from the edge of her blurry vision that the demon closed his mouth, the scream still echoed in her being like a nightmare she’d carry with her always.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the noise that was vibrating her organs from the inside. Her attention was suddenly stolen by how much closer Border Control was to her. It was still floating on the flames in the pit, but it had moved closer, nearly to where she stood.

All it would have to do was reach out with its long arms and wrap its giant hands around her neck. Then it could sling her into the pits of hell and that would be that.

Sophia stumbled back, not even caring if she stepped into the fire. She had to put distance between her and Border Control. That was the only way to stay alive and also plan her attack.

The demon held out its other hand that had been empty, and another chain materialized.

Damn it, Sophia thought. She hadn’t even gotten off one fireball on Border Control, and it was already about to throw two attacks at her at once.

She felt the flames behind her and became acutely aware there was little room for this battle. The fire encroached closer around them as if setting the stage for the fight by quarantining her to a small boxing ring.

Border Control threw its hand down, making the first chain hit the ground, and causing Sophia to stumble from the force. It sent the other into the air like a whip and it snapped next to her head. More games…

Sophia held out her hand to create another fireball, but before she could, the demon was whipping the chains again. This time it wasn’t tricks. Instead, it sent both chains in her direction simultaneously, giving her few options to avoid being hit.

Grabbing Ainsley on her shoulder, she dove toward the ground and rolled just as the chain rippled. Sophia dove underneath it, Ainsley quivering in her closed hand. She popped up to her feet just before rolling into a wall of fire on the other side of the pit. That’s when she saw it.

A tiny beam ran the length of the pit. One end was on the ground beside her, and the other was on the platform in the middle. It was the only way across.

Hearing the demon pulling his chains back in, planning another attack, Sophia made a split-second decision. She released the field mouse and dared to whisper to her.

“Go,” Sophia urged Ainsley. “Run across to the other side. You’ll be safe there, I think. I’ll be over with the antidote as soon as I take care of this hothead.”

Ainsley looked up at Sophia from the ground, the fires reflecting in her mouse eyes. She nodded once and then scurried over to the beam. The shapeshifter only hesitated briefly before crawling onto the beam and making quick work of the voyage across the fiery pit.

Sophia wished she could have given her the memory elixir to take with her, but the field mouse obviously couldn’t carry it. In human form, it would have been a lot harder for Ainsley to cross over on the beam. Her friend was safe and she didn’t have to worry about her, and that’s what mattered most right then.

The cackle of the demon behind her reminded Sophia there were also other things that mattered too—like bringing Border Control down for good.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Sophia was pretty certain that when a demon laughed, a fairy died somewhere on the planet. It was quite the opposite of when angels smiled.

She knew she was going to enjoy destroying this monster a lot more than she would have thought.

Border Control threw its arm up and began circling one of the chains over his head like a lasso. Sophia was certain she could see where this was going, and she had zero plans of being lassoed by a demon. Before he could unleash his attack, she shot her hand into the air, and as it rose, she created a fireball. With the very same movement, she threw it like a pitcher trying to strike out a batter on their first attempt.

The fireball soared through the air. The surprise that covered Border Control’s face instantly satisfied Sophia. Its black eyes widened, and his mouth formed a hard line as it redirected the chain, hitting the fireball and breaking it into pieces that shot back at Sophia.

She ducked down low, covering her head as the pieces soared over her. Sophia nodded as she rose to her feet, tired of playing by the demon’s rules.

“Two can play at this game, Ugly Face,” she said. Insulting one’s enemies was a good way to anger them and make them irrational during a battle.

Her words had apparently struck its curiosity, and like a confused bull, it tilted its head to the side, trying to figure out what she meant. This gave Sophia the chance to pull her hands out from behind her back, where she was holding two huge fireballs.

Before Border Control could react, she launched them at the demon in quick succession. As she suspected, it yanked up the chains, knocking the first fireball to the ground. It was too slow to deflect the second, and the fireball knocked straight into his massive chest and sent the demon back several feet. It trampled into the fire, screaming as though the fire it had been riding on didn’t burn, but the ones in the house did.

That was it, Sophia thought. The pit was its safe place, and the Burning House was somehow its shortcoming. All she had to do was attack it with fire in a way it couldn’t escape.

Border Control huffed, steam issuing from its nose as it shook off the fire that had burned its arms and legs. It stomped on the ground, narrowing its eyes at her.

The beast’s eyes were so intently focused on Sophia that it didn’t notice her muttering an incantation or directing her hand discreetly toward the ceiling. She knew this was a risky move. It had the potential to kill the demon, but also her. However, it was the only option she thought was available since the fireballs could only have so much impact. Using that strategy would take time, and they didn’t have that. Ainsley needed to get back, but not before they did what they came here to do.

With a flick of her wrist, Sophia finished the spell. Overhead there was a crack. Embers rained down. The demon jerked his head up, fear making it tense. Before Sophia could catch the fate of Border Control, she spun on her heels and sped in the direction of the beam that served as a bridge to the center of the pit where Ainsley stood still in field mouse form.

Sophia just caught the sound of the rafters breaking overhead and fire raining down in huge chunks as her feet found the narrow beam. The demon screamed as the fire fell from overhead. There was no escaping the bath of fire assaulting him.

Sophia would have liked to see him being defeated by his own element, but her attention had to remain firmly focused on what she was doing. What was funny to her, although she wasn’t laughing at all, was that if she had to cross the pits of hell, normally she would have taken every step with careful precision. She would have thought through every movement and would have held her breath and felt the fire all around her.

But knowing the explosion she’d created to bring down the ceiling would create a ripple effect and bring down the Burning House, she didn’t have a chance to think about anything except getting as far from the damage as she could.

Her feet crossed quickly over the beam, one after another. With her arms by her side for balance, she teetered back and forth, nearly falling to one side and then the other, but always correcting the movement. From the middle of the beam, she dared to look down at the molten lava bubbling underneath her.

Sophia didn’t know what this place was or why, but she hoped they survived it. Falling into a pit of lava was not how she saw herself going.

As she neared the platform where the field mouse stood, chewing nervously on its nails, Sophia sped up at the sound of the domino effect of damage she’d created behind her. Her feet moved so fast she was certain she’d trip forward. At the last moment, only a few feet from the end, was when she did and tumbled forward. Rolling onto the platform, she fell on her back flat on the ground, her eyes staring at the burning ceiling above.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Sophia’s lungs ached, and she had multiple burns on her face, neck, and hands, but she was alive. She was lying face-up on the platform in the middle of the fire pit. She’d made it.

When she felt little nails dig into her side and gentle pressure on her chest, she didn’t startle. A few seconds later, two beady eyes stared down at her from above. The little field mouse was perched on her looking at her with an expectant stare.

Sophia had seen Border Control go down from the corner of her vision. She’d heard the domino of destruction seize just before she tumbled toward safety. Needing the break, she’d given herself a moment to rest even though she still felt like she was roasting.

“Yes, I get that this is no time for a nap,” she said, picking up the field mouse and putting it on the ground beside her.

As Sophia sat up, the most remarkable formation started around the Burning House. The fires that had been raging since the moment they entered the place slowly faded, and with them gone, the temperature came down.

As she had suspected, the rafters and roof above had covered the demon, killing him instantly, or at least incapacitating him. She was pretty certain one had to behead a demon to kill them, but all she needed was him to take a little break so they could do what they came for. Border Control might as well nap since she obviously wasn’t getting one.

She watched in awe as one by one each of the fires around them extinguished, replaced by unharmed walls, furnishings, and other parts of a seemingly normal home. Even the pit disappeared, covered by a plush rug like it had never existed.

A breeze swept through the house and carried the remains of the debris and Border Control away, making the smell of smoke disappear.

Sophia actually felt a little cold, the thin layer of sweat covering her along with the gentle breeze making her shiver.

“Well, that’s not something you see every day,” Ainsley said, sitting on the ground next to Sophia, back in her usual form.

They were no longer on a pedestal on a platform in the middle of a house. Instead, they were sitting in the center of a family room as if they were waiting to start a movie and share a bowl of popcorn.

The more Sophia looked around, the more the house appeared completely normal like it had never been on fire. She shook her head, trying to make sense of it. She had no idea what this place was or why, but she was in awe of the things magic did.

Pushing up to a standing position, she held out a hand to her friend, remembering they were on a tight schedule. The hour had to be close to up. When Sophia had to nearly drag Ainsley up to her feet, she knew that was true.

“Are you okay?” she asked, watching as the housekeeper drew in labored breaths.

Ainsley nodded, but then her words defied her movement. “No. I have to get back soon. I can’t survive much longer…not without the Gullington.”

Sophia withdrew the memory elixir from her cloak pocket and was grateful to find it unscathed from the journey and battle through the fiery house. “Okay, well, first take this. Then we are running out of here and portaling back. I’ll have you home very soon.”

Ainsley drew in a breath and reached out for the vial. Her hand hesitated briefly before closing around the elixir. With a jerkiness to her movements, she grabbed it and yanked off the cap. As though she was afraid she wouldn’t go through with it unless rushed, Ainsley threw her head back and guzzled down the potion.

When she brought her chin down, her eyes were filled with tears, and her mouth pinched. She shook her head like the potion had tasted awful. Then all at once, she lowered her head and stared at the floor, her eyes shifting back and forth.

“Ains,” Sophia said, her voice careful. “Are you okay?”

“I’m remembering…” Her eyes continued to move side to side, unseeing.

“That’s good,” Sophia replied. “That’s what we wanted.”

“Oh, S. Beaufont.” Ainsley was suddenly giggling with delight, but not taking her gaze off the floor, where it was like a projector of her past life was showing her the pictures from her memory. “I was so many things. I knew how to ballroom dance.” She swayed suddenly, humming a tune, her hand on her dress as if about to curtsey.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Sophia said, not wanting to interrupt her friend but knowing they only had a short bit of time before they had to return.

“I could play many musical instruments,” Ainsley continued. “Oh, and I had so many friends. Mostly elves. Then I became a diplomat for the council, and they regarded my expertise second to none on strategy. I came to the Gullington, permitted entry because I was to help them. Serve them in a way. I did for many years…” Her voice trailed away as she blinked. “And we fell in love. I loved him fiercely. More than I remembered ever loving anyone. I was mad for him.”

“Hiker?” Sophia had to ask.

Ainsley clutched her chest. “But he was the same as he is now. It’s always been about the Dragon Elite. The war was brewing. Thad Reinhart was never going to rest until he destroyed his brother. The world of magicians with the House of Fourteen was crumbling, and we all knew it. Nothing I could do would stop it. In a way, I think Hiker wanted me to get far from it. But he didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know why I would give it all up. Why I would stay with him forever.”

When Ainsley looked up, her eyes were filled with tears, and they pierced Sophia’s heart.

“What is it?” Sophia asked because she had to. She had to know the truth even if it was none of her business.

A gasp fell out of Ainsley’s mouth, followed by more tears. “I was pregnant with our child.”

She fainted.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Sophia had so many questions, and there was no time for them. She dove forward, catching Ainsley before she hit the floor. The housekeeper lay in her arms, unconscious, although Sophia could feel her pulse beating in her skin against her arms.

Lying there with her eyes closed, Ainsley appeared innocent and sweet. She didn’t seem like someone who was over five hundred years old, who knew how to dance, play musical instruments, speak multiple languages, and preside over the affairs of many different magical races. Yet, Sophia knew deep in her core from the beginning there was an incredible competence in the elf.

Grateful the Burning House wasn’t still on fire, Sophia carried the housekeeper through the place, wishing she was still in field mouse form. It was much easier to carry her then. However, Sophia was strong due to the chi of the dragon. More importantly, she was motivated and knew that if Ainsley had passed out, she was close to the end. That wasn’t an option.

Moving like she had when crossing the beam over the pit of fire, Sophia’s feet were fast, nearly tripping over each other. She was out of the house in record time. The sunlight cascading down the hill mocked her with its cheerfulness as she stumbled out of the house carrying the passed-out shapeshifter.

“Hold on, Ains,” Sophia urged, trying to run up the hill but nearly tumbling forward. She had to slow to keep Ainsley in her arms.

Sophia needed to get a bit away from the Burning House before she could make a portal. That was the rule. Portals were usually never allowed in close proximity to a magical structure such as this.

Sophia realized with frustration she had to climb the hill before she could open the portal. It was a very steep hill, too.

If her magical reserves weren’t low, she would have used magic to help her, but she needed her magic to open a portal. And she needed it to help Ainsley if things got worse. She really hoped they didn’t, though, because healing magic wasn’t her specialty.

Deciding speed was more important than stamina, Sophia ran, pressing forward as she carried the grown woman up the hill. Her hands shook. Her mind trembled with everything she’d just heard and experienced.

Ainsley had been so much before being reduced to a housekeeper for the Dragon Elite. But Hiker had done that to save her and to keep her at the Gullington. She had saved his life because she loved him and didn’t want the man she loved who wouldn’t let her give it all up to die. But she was willing to do so because she was pregnant with his child.

Then Sophia remembered Quiet’s words before they left for the Burning House. It all made sense.

Sophia pushed onward, urging herself to remember Quiet’s exact words. Forcing herself to focus on them and not the pain in her legs.

What had he said?

As she neared the top of the hill, it came to her. Quiet had said, “Tell her I did what I had to, to keep her alive. There was no way to save him.”

CHAPTER FIFTY

When Sophia reached the top of the hill, she had to lay Ainsley down to create the portal. She turned to find little fires igniting all over the Burning House. They spread until they were covering the building, and where she was certain they would continue to burn for the rest of eternity. It was the strangest of structures, just like the one she was returning to.

Sophia created the portal to the Gullington and then scooped up Ainsley, who felt like a million pounds. Marching on autopilot, she stepped through the portal and stumbled until she crossed the Barrier into the Gullington. Once there, unable to hold her arms up any longer, she tumbled to the ground, not letting Ainsley fall hard. Sophia rolled over next to her friend, grateful to see her chest still rising and falling.

She was back inside the Barrier. In the Gullington, she’d recover. It was up to Sophia to find the cure so that one day Ainsley could leave.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

The sunlight was bright when Sophia opened her eyes. It was the sunlight that had woken her, she knew at once.

She expected to find herself lying on the Expanse next to Ainsley. Then she felt the cozy pillow next to her face and soft sheets covering her and knew she was in the Castle.

She peeled open an eye to find a blurry figure thundering back and forth in front of her bed. Hiker Wallace was not being quiet as he trudged with his hands behind his back, obviously waiting for her to wake up. Or, as she suspected, trying to wake her up by stomping and opening her window shades wide.

Sophia, wanting to deal with this, pushed up, blinking awake. “How is she?” she asked, finding her voice catching with emotion.

He paused, realizing she was awake. He stared at her like she was a species he’d never set eyes on. Sophia realized she appeared different than he’d ever seen her in her pajamas, with her hair draped in her face.

He swallowed and pulled his gaze away. “She’s resting. It will take her quite some time to recover from her stint away from here.”

“I tried to be fast,” Sophia said. “There were many dangers and—”

“Mama said you had several burns on your body and that your magic was depleted. Quiet has since healed you,” Hiker stated.

Sophia nodded, looking down at her hands. She realized that without Ainsley here, it would have to be Mama Jamba who checked over people. She was glad for that and suspected the Castle had put her in the pajamas after healing her wounds. “I feel…tired.”

Hiker nodded. “Like I said before, the Burning House is dangerous.”

“We fought a demon and we—”

“Did she get her memory back?” Hiker asked, interrupting her.

Of course, that’s what he needed to know. Sophia should have realized that. He wouldn’t know anything with Ainsley passed out and Sophia, too. He must have been wondering all this time about what had happened.

Sophia pulled her covers up to her chest and nodded. “Yeah, and she told me. I’m guessing that after visiting the reset point that you know…”

He sucked in a breath. “I had no idea. I never would have allowed her on the battlefield if so.”

“She did it because she loved you so much,” Sophia argued. “She said she was willing to give up her life. Her position—”

“I know that!” he exclaimed, cutting her off. “I saw that in the reset point. I thought she was being foolish.”

“She was being practical,” Sophia scolded. “How else was she supposed to raise a family?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “We aren’t allowed to have families as the Dragon Elite.”

“That’s a rule you came up with,” Sophia argued.

Hiker opened his mouth like he was going to argue and then nodded. “Maybe I did. I don’t remember. It’s been so many years. So many centuries of just sitting around this place and forgetting what we’re supposed to be doing. And now, I can’t even fathom living my life the way I used to.” He threw his hands into his hair, distraught. “I’ve forgotten who I was and who I am and what I’m supposed to do.”

“It sounds like the perfect time to start over,” Sophia offered, her voice sensitive.

He glanced up like this was a novel idea. Then his eyes shifted to look out the window to the Expanse. “Maybe you’re right.”

“You know,” Sophia began. “It’s never too late to start over. One of my favorite stories says something like that.”

He groaned. “Is this when you quote me something from a nursery rhyme?”

Sophia closed her eyes, the words from the Curious Case of Benjamin Button coming to her at once, “It’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over.”

When Sophia was done, Hiker looked like he was just getting started, heat rising in his eyes. “So not from a nursery story, then?”

She actually laughed. “You can start over. You can try again. I know she was pregnant with your son.”

“Son?” he asked, suddenly perplexed.

She gave him a sensitive expression. “Quiet told me. He said for me to tell Ainsley he did what he had to, to keep her alive. But there was no way to save him.”

Hiker’s face became something new, full of more grief than she’d ever witnessed there. “Son,” he said the word.

“Yes, sir,” she answered. “I’m sorry.”

“I am, too,” Hiker replied. “Like I said, she shouldn’t have been there that day, but there was never any arguing with Ainsley, even back then. She had tried to tell me about the child, I realize now. But I wouldn’t listen. I’m certain she would have rather died than have a dragonrider’s child. Back then, it would have been awful if Thad won and I died. The world would have been much worse. And if Thad won, then Ainsley with my child would have been sent into incarceration. I’m certain she knew that.”

“So now it seems she wasn’t being so foolish,” Sophia offered.

Hiker shook his head. “No, not foolish at all. I’m sorry we lost that child. I’m sorry she lost so much. But she saved me, and in doing so, she secured the future of the world in a way.” A sudden laugh from Hiker took Sophia by surprise. “Most will never realize that a shapeshifting elf is the reason the world was able to return to normal, albeit several centuries later.”

Sophia sighed and looked at the leader of the Dragon Elite with sympathy. “Try and remember that, sir. Remember it for you and for Ainsley. Remember that it may take several years or centuries, but we can overcome great odds. We can return to normal if we really want…but maybe it will be a new normal.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He studied her with discerning eyes. Then he turned and made his way for the door. Once there, he spun back around and gave her an appreciative expression. “Thank you for what you did today. Thank you for your discretion. But more than that, thank you for being a part of the Dragon Elite. I may be bad at showing it, but I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you’re one of us.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

The next morning when Sophia awoke, she had more energy than she would have expected thanks to the Castle. She sprang out of bed, excited for the adventures to come, and then nearly tumbled to her knees. Apparently, she still needed to take it easy for a little while. She hoped a good breakfast would help.

When she made her way into the dining hall, she realized the flaw in her plan. There was no one to serve breakfast. That was evident by the lack of activity in the dining hall. It felt so empty without Ainsley.

Sitting waiting for her was Evan, his dirty boots resting on the table while he reclined. Beside him was a box of donuts.

Sophia eyed them, a curious and skeptical expression on her face. “What’s this?” She indicated the box on the table.

“Hiker told me to take care of breakfast because he thinks I know what I’m doing since I spent half a second in the kitchen,” he explained. “I’m going to tell him I stole your phone and ordered these.” He pointed at the box of donuts.

“Smart,” Sophia said, sitting down and opening the box, grateful to find it full of sweet treats.

“So, where were you, and where is Ainsley?” Evan asked.

“Away, and she’s busy.” Sophia took a bite and swallowed.

“I’m not buying it,” Evan stated.

“And yet, that’s all I’m offering you,” she retorted.

He gave her a cautious glare before nodding. “Fair enough. You keep your secrets. Keep hers. Keep Hiker’s. Just be sure to keep mine.” He patted the phone in his pocket.

Sophia took another bite. “I’m a secret keeper.”

Quiet entered, his eyes widening when he got a whiff of the donuts.

“Oh, and let him have as many donuts as he wants,” Sophia added.

Evan groaned. “But, he’s the absolute worst.”

“He’s the best,” Sophia said, winking at the gnome. “Hey Quiet, Ev—I mean, I got you some donuts. Have one, would you? I’ve been keeping Evan from eating yours.”

Quiet bowed slightly to her and then muttered in Evan’s direction, holding up a tiny fist before taking a donut and waddling from the dining hall.

Evan leaned down and patted NO10JO on the head. “Thanks, Soph. I do believe you kept me from getting another day of sabotage in my room. If that gnome found out I got donuts he could eat, he’d probably put my things all over the Expanse again.”

Sophia laughed, enjoying the opportunity to relax. It wouldn’t last long. It wouldn’t last for more than a few hours, but that didn’t matter. As long as she was fighting for the ones she loved and the planet she called home, she didn’t really mind. She just needed a bit of rest every now and then, a good carb-filled meal on occasion, and the companionship of her favorite people.

Her life was simple, and after nearly coming close to death once again, she was grateful for another day of loving. Another day for fighting for the Dragon Elite.

Sophia took a bite of her donut, refilling her reserves, and setting her sights on finding the cure for Ainsley, the spell that would protect the dragonettes, and the way to bring down the politicians who would rather have power than peace.

She swallowed the sweet treat, already feeling better, although she was still weak. Soon she’d be ready for the next adventure, and she was certain it would bring so much more than the last. More scares. More tears. Definitely more laughter.

THE STORY CONTINUES

The story continues with book 14, Warfare Neutralized.

SARAH’S AUTHOR NOTES

Thank you to you, the reader, for taking the time to read this book. Your support means so much to everyone at LMBPN. We hope you continue to enjoy, allowing us to craft more stories that hopefully enrich and entertain you and your life. That’s always my main goals as the author.

Future Sarah is with you today, writing author notes in December 2021 for a book I wrote in June 2020.

These books, as you probably know by now, were written in two installments and published as one and then split out. That’s why you get author notes from the future. Not because I have a time machine…yet.

It’s fun sitting in my position of knowing what happened and looking down on Past Sarah. It’s the only time I can look down on anyone, since I’m short and strangely it happens to be myself.

Back in June, almost July 2020, the borders to the UK were just about to reopen during the pandemic. I had a long awaited anticipation to return to Scotland, where this series is set. As soon as borders opened, I was on one of the first planes allowed to fly over the pond.

I remember when I was questioned by the UK border control in July 2020 about my reasons for visiting the country. There was no one in line. There was no one at the airport. I was one of a few people on the plane. It seemed sort of ridiculous at the time to even fly a large 747 across the pond with a handful of people.

My other half was really worried about me getting into the country. There were so many things that could go wrong. And once I got there, strong restrictions prevented me from doing anything. But love prevails.

So I strode up to the border agent on my first day back in the UK since the pandemic started and she commenced to asks me questions about why I’m there and where would I be staying. If I had one wrong answer, well, tension were high and there would be little talking my way out of getting sent back to the US.

You all probably can guess how this story turned out. I got into the UK. I then got back into the UK a few more times after that, each time, restrictions getting tighter. However, so was my determination. What you probably didn’t guess is that I sold the border agent a copy of Sophia’s book.

That’s right! I was like, “Yeah, I’m here on business. I write books about Scotland. If you love sassy dragons and adventures, you might want to look them up. They are on Amazon.”

The agent, we both knew, could use a good book to occupy her attention. She wouldn’t have anything to do for hours…days…weeks…months. No one was coming into the UK when variants were breaking out every five seconds. Just Sarah…so she could keep writing about dragons and castles in Scotland.

And there you have it. That’s the kind of thing I do for you, to ensure you have your stories. Well, and other reasons. I’m headed to Scotland in ten days. It’s Christmas time and I can’t think of any better place to be than enjoying Christmas at the Gullington. Happy Holidays.

Much love and Peace,

Tiny Ninja

December 9, 2021

MICHAEL’S AUTHOR NOTES

Thank you for not only reading this book but these author notes as well!

I’m in Dubai, UAE (United Arab Emirates)

Behind me, about 50 steps away, is a cacophonous group of blackbirds cawing into the night. I’m waiting for Judith (my wife) to get her fingerprints taken to finish the requirements for a visa which is what we need to be able to open a business banking account.

I’ll drop a picture of ‘where’ I sat while I started these author notes at the bottom. I am outside of a facility ICA - Interior Citizenship Authority?

I AM SO TIRED

It’s Thursday here in the UAE, and we have been here since last Sunday at about 8:00 AM. I can’t get over the jet lag issues, and I feel forever tired at this time. Unfortunately, I will be a zombie (it feels like) for the rest of my life.

I might be a bit drama-queen at the moment, but I am so out of it that my wife has been worried about me.

‘I’m not sick. I’m sleep deprived.’

I feel for everyone who has gone through this situation (or similar – or worse due to COVID where it just zaps your energy.) We had to get tests just 48 hours ago, so I’m not worried that this is anything other than lack of sleep.

I’M AWAKE WHEN I DON’T WANT TO BE

And I can’t sleep when I want to. It’s driving me a bit nuts. Eventually, I hope the company is large enough to have other people running around the world to deal with time zone fluctuations. I realize that I wouldn’t be here right now if I had not set the bar that I wanted LMBPN International based out of a foreign country. I have only myself to blame.

If I have ever mentioned having galaxy-wide aspirations (I’m a sci-fi writer after all), I officially declare I reduce my publishing goal to only worldwide dominance.

Someone else can have the Solar System.

Have a good day, a fantastic night, and lots of sleep.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Michael Anderle

BOOKS BY SARAH NOFFKE

Sarah Noffke writes YA and NA science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy. In addition to being an author, she is a mother, podcaster and professor. Noffke holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business/writing courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. www.sarahnoffke.com

Check out other work by Sarah author here.

Ghost Squadron:

Formation #1:

Kill the bad guys. Save the Galaxy. All in a hard day’s work.

After ten years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he’s just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It’s not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it’ll have to do.

That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies. Someone has to stop them.

Eddie, along with the genetically-enhanced combat pilot Julianna Fregin and her trusty E.I. named Pip, must recruit a diverse team of specialists, both human and alien. They’ll need to master their new Q-Ship, one of the most powerful strike ships ever constructed.  And finally, they’ll have to stop a faceless enemy so powerful, it threatens to destroy the entire Federation.

All in a day’s work, right?

Experience this exciting military sci-fi saga and the latest addition to the expanded Kurtherian Gambit Universe. If you’re a fan of Mass Effect, Firefly, or Star Wars, you’ll love this riveting new space opera.

*NOTE: If cursing is a problem, then this might not be for you.

Check out the entire series here.

The Precious Galaxy Series:

Corruption #1

A new evil lurks in the darkness.

After an explosion, the crew of a battlecruiser mysteriously disappears.

Bailey and Lewis, complete strangers, find themselves suddenly onboard the damaged ship. Lewis hasn’t worked a case in years, not since the final one broke his spirit and his bank account. The last thing Bailey remembers is preparing to take down a fugitive on Onyx Station.

Mysteries are harder to solve when there’s no evidence left behind.

Bailey and Lewis don’t know how they got onboard Ricky Bobby or why. However, they quickly learn that whatever was responsible for the explosion and disappearance of the crew is still on the ship.

Monsters are real and what this one can do changes everything.

The new team bands together to discover what happened and how to fight the monster lurking in the bottom of the battlecruiser.

Will they find the missing crew? Or will the monster end them all?

The Soul Stone Mage Series:

House of Enchanted #1:

The Kingdom of Virgo has lived in peace for thousands of years…until now.

The humans from Terran have always been real assholes to the witches of Virgo. Now a silent war is brewing, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Princess Azure will soon be crowned queen of the Kingdom of Virgo.

In the Dark Forest a powerful potion-maker has been murdered.

Charmsgood was the only wizard who could stop a deadly virus plaguing Virgo. He also knew about the devastation the people from Terran had done to the forest.

Azure must protect her people. Mend the Dark Forest. Create alliances with savage beasts. No biggie, right?

But on coronation day everything changes. Princess Azure isn’t who she thought she was and that’s a big freaking problem.

Welcome to The Revelations of Oriceran. Check out the entire series here.

The Lucidites Series:

Awoken, #1:

Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

Stunned, #2

Revived, #3

The Reverians Series:

Defects, #1:

In the happy, clean community of Austin Valley, everything appears to be perfect. Seventeen-year-old Em Fuller, however, fears something is askew. Em is one of the new generation of Dream Travelers. For some reason, the gods have not seen fit to gift all of them with their expected special abilities. Em is a Defect—one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power. Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth. The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.

Rebels, #2

Warriors, #3

Vagabond Circus Series:

Suspended, #1:

When a stranger joins the cast of Vagabond Circus—a circus that is run by Dream Travelers and features real magic—mysterious events start happening. The once orderly grounds of the circus become riddled with hidden threats. And the ringmaster realizes not only are his circus and its magic at risk, but also his very life.

Vagabond Circus caters to the skeptics. Without skeptics, it would close its doors. This is because Vagabond Circus runs for two reasons and only two reasons: first and foremost to provide the lost and lonely Dream Travelers a place to be illustrious. And secondly, to show the nonbelievers that there’s still magic in the world. If they believe, then they care, and if they care, then they don’t destroy. They stop the small abuse that day-by-day breaks down humanity’s spirit. If Vagabond Circus makes one skeptic believe in magic, then they halt the cycle, just a little bit. They allow a little more love into this world. That’s Dr. Dave Raydon’s mission. And that’s why this ringmaster recruits. That’s why he directs. That’s why he puts on a show that makes people question their beliefs. He wants the world to believe in magic once again.

Paralyzed, #2

Released, #3

Ren Series:

Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, #1:

Born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts, Ren Lewis, is certain of one thing: God made a mistake. No one should be born with so much power. A monster awoke in him the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse his powers, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn’t bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace. He must kill the monster.

*Note* This book is NA and has strong language, violence and sexual references.

Ren: God’s Little Monster, #2

Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, #3

Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, #3.5

Ren: The Monster’s Death

Olento Research Series:

Alpha Wolf, #1:

Twelve men went missing.

Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab.

And on the night of a new moon, eleven of those men, possessed by new—and inhuman—powers, break out of their prison and race through the streets of Los Angeles until they disappear one by one into the night.

Olento Research wants its experiments back. Its CEO, Mika Lenna, will tear every city apart until he has his werewolves imprisoned once again. He didn’t undertake a huge risk just to lose his would-be assassins.

However, the Lucidite Institute’s main mission is to save the world from injustices. Now, it’s Adelaide’s job to find these mutated men and protect them and society, and fast. Already around the nation, wolflike men are being spotted. Attacks on innocent women are happening. And then, Adelaide realizes what her next step must be: She has to find the alpha wolf first. Only once she’s located him can she stop whoever is behind this experiment to create wild beasts out of human beings.

Lone Wolf, #2

Rabid Wolf, #3

Bad Wolf, #4

BOOKS BY MICHAEL ANDERLE

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