“What did you find out?” Graham asked.
Seth shook water from his hair like a dog. “The ghouls were programmed to hunt Meera down and stop her from getting the egg to the dragon.”
Graham frowned. “But it’s already done. Omelet’s with Desmon.”
Seth guffawed. “Omelet!I like it. But the spell is still active, so it’s still trying to stop her.”
“Maybe they don’t know the egg is already with Desmon?” Graham asked.
“But I’ve been here in Darlington. Why else would I have come here?” An uncomfortable lump settled in my stomach as the recurring dream I’d been having crashed rudely into my consciousness. “Unless… What if Desmon’s the wrong dragon?”
Three pairs of eyes turned to me.
“Explain, woman,” demanded a dripping-wet Seth.
“Well, I’ve been having these dreams…”
Chapter 25
Graham
“And how long have you been having these dreams?” Desmon asked Meera back at his library.
We were spending altogether way too much time in Desmon’s library when I’d rather be back at the penthouse. I stood behind Meera’s chair, my arms crossed as Desmon had asked Meera to recount everything she could remember about the dreams. I’d known about them, but not all the details. It had taken me everyounce of control not to growl when I’d found out that the dream dragon had offered Meera a life with him, full of treasures and riches.
“Graham told me about your first dream. And I was sure the instances were not related since the ones bringing in the ghouls are untrained. I still don’t think they are the same people, but perhaps different groups after the same thing. How many times have you had this dream?
“She’s been waking up every night with them,” I said. “And I’ve checked with Sybil too. She hasn’t detected any magic breaching our wards.”
Seth nodded. “Sybil’s good. She’d know if something breached her wards. But the only way to really know if magic is involved is if she or I were there when the dreams happen. A spell could’ve landed on her before she reached Redrock and stayed dormant when not active to avoid detection. If we are actually dealing with a dragon, then he’d have access to strong magic. Nothing like the amateurs who sent the ghouls.”
I gritted my teeth. This meant Seth thought there was a distinct possibility that there was a very real dragon offering Meera a very real life of luxury. I didn’t like it. Fuck, I abhorred it. I wanted to pick her up, carry her back to Redrock, and hide her away in my suite forever.
But if Seth was right and the dreams really were the result of magic, then it was clear that the dragon could reach her, even in the penthouse. I didn’t want that happening, not even in a dream.
“Were you able to figure out who sent the ghouls?” Desmon asked Seth.
“No, unfortunately they exploded before I could ascertain that,” Seth said, leaning casually against a shelf. “But I learned enough.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“The spell on the ghouls is the set-and-forget type, meaning it doesn’t end until it runs its course and reaches a predefined ending. Whoever cast the spell was a lazy fuck too; they only defined two outcomes. Success, which entails removing Meera as a threat. And failure, which has Meera handing Omelet over to the dragon. And since Meera has clearly handed it to Desmon and the spell is still running, I’d say the spell was crafted with another dragon in mind.”
“One of the parents,” I said, nodding. “Doesn’t that mean the wizards must know who they are?”
“Not necessarily. They could use the DNA from the egg. They are relying on the possibility that the spell knows, even if they themselves don’t.”
“DNA?” Meera asked.
“It could be something tiny, like the residue from the scaly shell rubbing on fabric. Like I said,” Seth crossed his arms over his chest, “it’s risky business. But it clearly found dragon DNA or else the spell would’ve backfired in their faces.”
“So those ghouls are going to keep coming after me until either I’m dead or I hand the egg over to the right dragon?” There was a note of panic in Meera’s voice that had my stomach in knots.
“I will protect you,” I said solemnly.
“Thank you, Graham. I know you will. But I can’t have you protecting me forever. I have a life I need to get back to.”
“I know one of the parents,” Desmon said, surprising us all.
