“You’re not the riders of those silver beasts that everyone is talking about, are you?” His gaze sharpened as he looked Kael and his brothers over. “I’ve petitioned the general for permission to come and talk to you, and to no avail. Your dragons could be the missing link between the modern chromatic dragons and the massive ancient creatures we know flew the skies of Nevermere. To have living specimens?—”
“Our dragons aren’t specimens.”
Dain’s growl forced Felix to pause, but Kael leaned forward.
“We’d be happy for you to meet our beasts,” he said. Felix’s ability to rally was admirable. His expression shifted instantly to one of hope. “On one condition. We need to find Drathnor’s nest.”
“Every academic worth his salt has sought the nests of the three sisters.” Felix shook his head. “The fact that dragons store their knowledge in stone rather than something as fragile aspaper is both genius and frustrating, because who knows how much history has been lost as humans spread out further across our country? So if I had any idea where the nest was, believe me, I’d let you know.”
“Maps,” Lorien said. “Of the different ruins around Wyrmpeak. Do you have something like that?”
“The archaeology team might perhaps.” Felix’s finger tapped his bottom lip. “I could ask, but I admit the study of ancient dragons is not a priority at the university. There was a professor here, John Murdoch?—”
“Murdoch, Murdoch, clever knave...” Lorien sang, then let his voice trailed away.
“You’re Harlstonian?” Felix asked, looking at the three silver riders.
“Coalbottom, born and bred,” Kael replied with a tilt of his chin.
“Didn’t realise they still sang that song about him.” The professor shook his head slowly. “In academic circles, Murdoch is used as an example of what can happen if you allow yourself to be consumed by your work. The lengths he went to determine what actually happened to Drathnor helped establish the study of dragonology…” I watched him purse his lips. “It also means other academics view us as crackpots by default. Most of the really important texts about dragons are found in the keep.”
I sank back into my chair, going limp at his words.
So the general is keeping this information from me,Auren growled.I will tear his head from his shoulders, no matter what his dragon might think.
“However, we are the only institution to have access to Professor Murdoch’s original papers.”
“Mad Murdoch might know where the nest was?” Lorien flushed when Felix glanced sharply his way. “I mean Professor Murdoch.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?”
A large key ring complete with archaic looking keys was produced and we were led deeper into the centre. Past classrooms full of students, Sinclair looked up briefly as we passed,then turned back to keep delivering his lecture. Framed images of dragons, samples of claws and fangs and scales all lined the walls, but we didn’t get a chance to pause and look further at them. Felix came to a stop outside a nondescript door and then pulled out a key.
“The door can be a little…”
His voice trailed away as the door swung open and it was immediately apparent why. Was the office left exactly as this ‘Mad’ Murdoch had left it? I didn’t know, but Felix did.
“This…?” His hands hovered in the air as his eyes darted back and forth. “That…?” With effort, he mastered himself. “I apologise, but I’ve been in this room many a time and this is not how it normally looks.”
“Like someone broke in and rifled through every drawer, every cupboard.” Lorien’s arms crossed over his chest as he regarded the mess. Papers were scattered everywhere, books left to fall open on the floor. Even a picture frame on the wall was left askew. “Looking for something.” He glanced back at Felix. “Any idea what that might be, Professor?”
Chapter 57
Lance
“Well, that didn’t get us very far,” I said as we walked out of the university grounds.
“Professor Rathbone promised to send us a copy of any maps he finds.”
Fern was trying very hard to be optimistic, and I didn’t like that at all.
Lad.I prodded my dragon.You keep saying the answer is in the earth. Have you got anything more concrete than that? There is nothing Auren wants more than to find that nest.
I know.Never before had I heard Viridian sound so despondent. Well, not since the time I was held against my will.I search, brother. I search and I search, digging in the earth, looking for the answers. I will dig up every inch of Nevermere if I must to find this for my mate. There is nothing that will stop me from trying.
“Viridian doesn’t have anything useful to add either,” I said, waving down a nearby carriage. “I guess we’re back to square one.”
“We could go down to the docks.” Kael paced back and forth. “The toffs might not have any ideas, but the commonpeople know more than they let on.” He glanced at me. “Some of the villages close by. Talk to the farmers there and see if they’ve seen anything strange.”
