As I walk up to him, sirens ring through the air.
“Thousands will die because of you. Thousands could have been saved.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Burke, saving peopleanddragons is my specialty. Now all I want to hear from you is the location of the rest of the gold.”
Police cars surround us as he fumes. My mom tumbles out of the first one on the scene, and she runs for me. James was right. I’m not alone.
“You heard her,” James says from my side, his hand against my back in reassurance. “Start talking.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVENWHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR CRIMINAL FAMILY
JAMES
The police come in full force and arrest Dr. Burke and every poacher still breathing. Mom is quickly transported off to the hospital. I go with her as Farren takes the gold we have back to the sanctuary for three babies, who are most definitely hungry.
Later, we’re questioned for hours and while the existence of golden dragons is out in the open, we don’t divulge society’s secrets. Not yet. As we saw with Dr. Burke, this secret is too big, too upsetting and most of all, puts a massive target on the hatchlings’ backs. One day we’ll go public with the knowledge, but we’ll get laws in place first, safeguards. Because the moment everyone learns anyone can drink gold to become a gold-crafter, every poacher in Toulin will be after three baby dragons.
Over the course of the next two weeks, with police help, we track down Nity’s gold. Every scaler and poacher involved had pieces hidden in their possession. But Farren and I are getting pretty good at sensing and locating the metal, our range widening.
One of the poachers was a cousin to Colm Ditters. I will forever remember Colm’s face as we waltzed into his house and when he protested, Farrenphysically moved him by his bronze medallion. I smirked as I brushed past. “You’re in my girlfriend’s way.”
Dr. Burke and my mom are charged with killing Nity and stealing gold. A lawyer ensures me that Mom’s sentencing will be light, but the whole situation leads to a proper investigation of the Murphy racing tracks. With the evidence my mom gathered against Dad and set in that top drawer of his study, it’s probably the simplest investigation ever completed. Turns out blackmailing my father was easier than even I thought. He’s fudged metal counts and dragons’ measurements for racing. The easiest and biggest charge? Overscaling, which counts as animal cruelty.
It baffles me that I never questioned his practices.
In consequence, he has to relinquish ownership of every dragon in his “care,” which means Hort is on the market to be purchased. In-person he’d be the most sought-after dragon there is—a golden Sprinter. On paper however, he’s too big for regulation racing and no one in the riding community gives him a second glance, bringing his price way down. So far down that three weeks later, I clutch his paperwork in my hands. He’s legally mine forever. Mine to protect and care for as he should be.
I stay on the Walsh Sanctuary during the search for gold. When the start of school rounds the corner, a few relatives reach out with offers for me to live with them. But most are cities away, across all of Toulin. Aunt Roisin says I’ll have to leave Hort behind if I even want to consider stepping in her home in Hardsill.
So, eating dinner with the Walshes and Shelly and Jeffrey one night, I bolster myself up for my request. “I was hoping I could talk to you all about continuing to live here. To finish out my last year at school. I’ll help with all the dragons of course, just like this summer. I still have a lot to learn and I was hoping—”
Mrs. Walsh starts laughing. “The fact that you thought you had to ask.” Then she looks at me with such warm affection my heart clenches. “You are part of this family.”
“If we could adopt you, we would,” Mr. Walsh jokes. He’s back from the hospital and doing more than well. Farren and I have been fielding someveterinarian cases on our own, but soon he’ll be able to guide us again. And the phone won’t stop ringing with requests everywhere. We’re going to be busy.
“Thank you. But when I officially join this family, I intend it to be through marriage.”
Shelly and Jeffrey both hoot in approval and warm smiles.
Farren smacks me on the arm before settling her head in her hands. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
Dr. Walsh clears his throat. “In that case, we need to talk some ground rules.”
“I’ll agree to any deal as long as I’m allowed to date your daughter. On that, I can’t negotiate.”
When I’m ready, I meet with my mother. I sit across from her during visiting hours. She’s been sentenced to prison for six months, and probation for a few years after that. She’s filed for divorce from my father. Even in here, she feels freer. We talk as long as we can. And at the end I hug her. It’s going to take time to get my trust back, but I feel it’s possible. Little by little it’s possible.
Then I meet with my father. He doesn’t wait for my butt to warm the chair before he starts. “I’ll pay for Revers Academy. I’ll pay for whatever you want to do. Your decision.”
I pause. I’ve been waiting on those words for years and yet I don’t want it. “I’m guessing you expect a thank-you.”
His jaw ticks, temper rising. I think for the first time ever he’s seeing the real me, no mask.
“How are the Walshes treating you?”
“Well. They’re good people. Farren’s my girlfriend.”
He nods, no arguing. It sickens me that he’s probably pleased. The one rule just a memory now that Farren’s been revealed as a gold-crafter. I scoff.
