Julius hadn’t known it was possible for a dragon to look as insulted as Ian looked at that, and he quickly changed the subject before his brother did something they’d all regret. “That food was for Marci.”
“Oh, she won’t need it,” Bob said flippantly, shoving all three pieces of Marci’s bacon into his mouth at once. “You’ve got quite the busy bee of a mortal. She’s already up and about and receiving visitors.”
The ever-present knot of dread that had been temporarily banished by the amazing breakfast returned to Julius’s stomach with a vengeance. “Visitors?”
Bob turned innocently to Fredrick, who was hovering nearby. “Didn’t you tell him?”
“Tell me what?” Julius demanded. “What’s going on?”
The F looked slightly put out. “You were busy,” he said, pulling a familiar, slightly battered phone out of his pocket. “I didn’t want you to be disturbed during such a momentous occasion, so I took the liberty of intercepting your calls.”
“So youstolemy phone?” Julius cried, snatching what was obviously his phone from the F’s hand.
“I didn’t steal anything,” Fredrick growled, back perfectly straight. “I was merely holding it for you to reduce distractions. You are a member of the Heartstriker Council on very important business. We cannot afford to let anything put you off course.”
Julius ground his teeth. That phone had been in the front pocket of his suit coat, the one right over his heart. He had no idea how Fredrick could have taken it without him realizing, or why the F had thought it would be a good idea in the first place. Then again, though, this was a very different world than the one Julius was used to. Maybe high-ranking dragons handed over their phones to their assistants all the time?
But while that might explain Fredrick’s actions, it didn’t feel right to Julius. No dragon, high ranked or low, would ever allow an underling to take what was theirs without permission, and while Julius was not a typical dragon, he didn’t like it either.
“Please don’t do that again,” he said firmly, glaring at the F, who looked unrepentant. “I know you meant well, but I can take my own calls.” He glanced down at the screen, but other than a notice that Marci had called, there was nothing about why. “What did she say?”
“Just that she was going to lunch with a friend,” Fredrick replied. “And before you ask, she did not say with whom.”
Probably because she was rightfully pissed at being cut off from Julius by a dragon she didn’t even know. Fortunately, the vague message still told Julius everything he needed to know. There was only one dragon in the mountain good enough to sneak into Chelsie’s room and whom Marci would call friend. Looked like he was going to be paying yet another visit to Amelia’s trapped cave.
“Not that this is ever happening again,” he said, sliding his phone carefully into his pocket. “But for the record, Marci isalwayspriority. She’s my best friend and partner. If she calls, messages, or just shows up, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing. I want to know. Immediately.”
“Understood, sir,” Fredrick said crisply. “It won’t happen again.”
That would have been more believable if the F had looked even slightly ashamed of what he’d done. Unfortunately, the only thing he seemed bothered about was that Julius was making such a big fuss out of it. Shaking his head, Julius made a mental note to work with his new “assistant” on treating humans like people rather than pets and started for the door, waving to Bob, who was just polishing off the last of the food that had been meant for Marci.
“Thanks for the tip.”
“Iama most generous tipper,” the seer replied with a humble smile. “Give my regards to Amelia.”
Julius nodded and walked out the door, holding it open for Justin and Fredrick, who were apparently coming with him whether he wanted the company or not. That just made him sigh again, muttering under his breath about councils and ridiculousness as he started down the hall toward the elevators.
***
Amelia’s hall was every bit as dark, trapped, and scary as Julius remembered. He didn’t have Chelsie with him this time, either. A serious problem since he didn’t remember exactly where all the web-like traps she’d led him around were hidden.
“She’s almost as paranoid as Chelsie,” Justin muttered, sniffing the air above the first trap. “This place is warded to the teeth.”
“What else would you expect?” Fredrick asked. “Amelia didn’t survive eight centuries as Bethesda’s heir by accident, you know.”
“Well if you’re so impressed, what do we do?” Justin growled. “Stand here and yell until she comes out to let us in?”
“Actually,” the F said, reaching into his pocket. “I have a much better solution.” He held up a small, rectangular wooden object the size of a bookmark that was covered on both sides with scrawled dragon magic that reeked of Amelia. “This will get us through.”
“What is it?” Julius asked, squinting in the dark.
“A guarantee of safe passage,” Fredrick explained. “The Planeswalker sent them to everyone in F-clutch yesterday to limit interruptions to her work.”
That made sense. Someone had to set up all those banquet tables and keep Amelia supplied with liquor. “How does it work?”
“Observe.” Fredrick turned and stretched out his arm, dangling the little talisman over the first invisible trap. Sure enough, the moment the wooden markings got close to the ward, the sharp magic retracted like claws, leaving the hallway clear.
“I’ve already determined the pass has a three-foot range,” he said as he returned the talisman to his pocket. “So long as you stay next to me, you should be perfectly safe.”
