“Moira!” Jules fell on all fours beside her.
She blinked up at him, raising a bloody hand. Jules clutched the hand to his cheek. "Moira? Wait right here. I'll call an ambulance." Though Jules knew she'd never see a human doctor who might uncover her secrets. If only they’d associated with other dragons. He placed one hand over the wound, willing it to heal. Removing the knife might do more damage. Who could he call? Who could help?
Elouan. He’d call Elouan.
"No, child. Listen, there’s… no time. I’m using every bit of my power to hold on as long as I can, but the spells will fail with my last breath.” She winced, face scrunching in pain. “Magic will no longer hide you. Some want to hurt you. I don't know how they found us, but they did. You must go."
"But go where?"
"Though you deny it, I scented an alpha dragon on you the night I lowered the spell. Do you trust him?"
"Trust who? Elouan?"
Moira attempted a smile. "That's his name?”
“Yes, ma’am. He wanted to meet you. M…my family.” Jules’s heart raced. He couldn’t stay here talking; he had to get help!
She grasped Jules’s wrist. “Elouan Thorne, Crown Prince of High Reaches?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve found an honorable alpha dragon all on your own, even though the spell hid you from each other. You'll now see him for who he is, and he’ll see you. Go to him. It’s in his nature to protect. Get back to our world. Seek out your brother.” Moira let out a wet-sounding cough. "You know where to find the hoard."
“Moira, please! I need to find help!” He tried to pull away, but Moira held on with surprising strength.
She pulled Jules closer, whispering into his ear with a voice gone weaker, words emerging choppy, "I love you as my own child and wish I could've seen long ago that you needed to be happy.” Her eyes widened when her gaze fell on his neck. “You’re mated?”
“Yes.”
How Moira could smile so wide in her condition baffled Jules, though tears shimmered in her eyes. “If you've found a mate who makes you happy, that's all that matters, and an alpha prince, at that. Radomir and I didn’t fail after all…” Her eyes slid shut. “Rad?” she murmured, voice barely audible. “Is that you?” Her head fell to the side.
"Wait! No!" Jules put fingers to her neck, finding no pulse. He stood on shaky legs. What to do? What to do?
His cellphone rang. His fingers trembled when he answered. "Elouan?"
"Yes. Look, did something just happen?"
Jules nearly dropped the phone between the trembling in his hands and the blood. "What do you mean?"
"I…felt you…in distress."
Elouan felt him? “Some…someone killed Moira and Ra…Radomir. She said they're coming for me right before she died." Jules fought back a sob. His eyes burned with unshed tears. “I was too late to help.” He couldn't fall apart now, not when they'd fought so hard to keep him alive.
"Where are you?"
"Home."
"Leave. Leave now. Meet me at the coffee shop. Take the safe route, okay, though keep out of sight." Elouan sounded frantic now.
"Okay." Jules disconnected the call and glanced around the only home he’d ever known. With the only people he’d truly known. They’d done more than isolate him. They’d given their lives for him.
His eyes burned. He choked back a sob. Elouan. He must meet Elouan. Elouan would know what to do.
Chapter Eighteen
Elouan shoved his phone back into his pocket. Someone killed Jules's guardians? Had he called the cops? Elouan would sort everything out once he got there.
"What’s wrong?” Curtis asked, placing a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.
