“Excuse me for resorting to violence when a horned beast is chasing me,” Evan stated.
“Is it something dangerous? What could it be?” Tiffannee asked the gillie. Fear made her voice quiver.
Blathers drew in a breath. “I really can’t say yet. We’ll have to continue and stay vigilant.”
Evan rubbed his hands together eagerly. “A wild haggis is in our midst, isn’t it?”
Sophia refrained from laughing, especially when Tiffannee’s eyes widened.
“A what?” the mortal asked. “Are they dangerous? What do they look like?”
Evan’s face went deathly slack. “The elusive haggis have rarely been seen by others. They have teeth and move quickly and make an awful ruckus when they attack their prey.”
Dr. Freud slid closer to Blathers, nearly shaking from fear. “Maybe we should turn back.”
Blathers didn’t appear amused by the prank, but he wasn’t going to spoil it for Evan. He simply shook his head. “We continue. Whatever is out there already has our scent and would be after us either way.”
Tiffannee shook with fear as they strode down the slope of a hill, the open area not showing signs of any animals. There was a pond in the distance that appeared quite placid, but Sophia knew from experience that didn’t mean anything. That could change very quickly if a huge sea monster sprang from it and tried to attack them.
Even in Scotland that was supposed to be devoid of deadly creatures like big cats, wolves, and snakes, there was always some magical, dangerous animal stalking Sophia. Like the Highland cow for instance, which were usually known for being passive and peaceful. It would, of course, be Sophia who found the one deranged bovine who tried to mow her and Evan down.
More potential names for the dating app, Lunis stated in Sophia’s head.
She nearly laughed from the surprise interruption. I’m sort of trying to stay vigilant since some dangerous creature is stalking us.
I’ll help you keep an eye out, Lunis offered. In the meantime, let me run the options by you for the name. It needs to be punchy.
That’s sort of how I’m feeling about your face right now, Sophia teased. It makes me want to be punchy.
Hah-hah, Lunis said with zero inflection. Okay, how about these for names? Flying Dates? Winged Love? Horn-chi-halo? Or Bump-and-Thump Dragon Style?
Nope, nope, nope, and double nope, Sophia replied.
As they approached the pond, Sophia caught sight of a flock of swans on the edge of the still waters, pecking around in the low grass for seeds and bugs. She tensed at the sight of them.
“Oh, aren’t they lovely,” Tiffannee said in a sing-song voice and pointed at them.
Surprise sprang to the mortal’s face when the gillie halted and put out a protective arm to hold her back. “Proceed with caution. We have to pass those swans.”
Tiffannee laughed, which attracted the attention of all the swans who hadn’t yet noticed them. All their necks swooped up into the air at once like synchronized swimmers, and their beady eyes landed on the group. “They’re swans. These can’t be the dangerous animals you sensed.”
Blathers gave her a sideways expression that showed his uncertainty. “It’s important to never underestimate anything in the Highlands, especially on a journey such as this. The hunt for the Glenlivet Thistle brings out dangers that would normally ignore us. It’s how the thistle protects itself, only to be picked by those who are worthy of its power.”
“Do we have to pass them?” Sophia pointed at the other side of the pond. “Couldn’t we go that way around?”
“I’m afraid not,” Blathers answered. “My instinct tells me that your thistle is straight up that hill on the other side of the eastern side of the pond.”
Sophia nodded. “That seems about right.”
“Oh, stop with your ‘the universe is always trying to bring me down’ attitude.” Evan charged past her. “The universe tries to keep us on our toes, which means no breaks, Pink Princess. We do things the hard way because we’re the Dragon Elite.”
“You might,” Sophia argued and hurried to keep up with him as Blathers took off too. Tiffannee reluctantly followed.
“Give the flock a wide berth,” Blathers warned as they approached, but as he said that, the dozen or so swans made their way quickly in their direction as if they all had fish filets in their pockets.
“They’re so pretty,” Tiffannee observed.
“Their necks are strong enough to break a man’s bones quite easily,” Blathers stated.
“Yeah, because something is pretty doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. Look at me.” Evan’s implication was strong in his voice.
The mortal simply rolled her eyes at him.
Okay, I have some new naming options, Lunis said in Sophia’s head as the swans sped in their direction.
I’m busy, Sophia replied.
You’re always busy, Lunis argued. Oh, and the animals that you need to watch out for are a flock of swans.
Thanks, she said blandly. You’re supremely helpful.
That I am, Lunis stated. Now it’s your turn to return the favor. What do you think of these names: Flaming Hearts, Love Scales, Ember Heart, or Lizard Love?
The birds spread their wings and flapped them as they hurried in their direction.
Hells bells, Sophia said in reply to the impending attack.
That’s a good title for a dragon dating app for the demons, but this one is geared toward the angel dragons, Lunis replied.
She shook her head, amused by her dragon although his timing was awful.
“Pull your weapons,” Blathers stated with an edge to his voice.
“I thought that harming the creatures—”
“Sometimes it’s kill or be killed,” the gillie interrupted. “Plus, I don’t think they’re real.” He pulled a pistol from a holster on his hip that Sophia didn’t notice before.
He aimed at the closest swan and shot with one eye closed. The bullet hit the bird in the chest, and a puff of smoke overwhelmed the sight. The swan vanished.
“Oh, cool.” Evan pulled his ax from its holster. “The old disappearing swan game. This will be fun.”
“Be careful,” Blathers warned. “If they bite you, then I fear it will be deadly.”
Tiffannee retreated several steps at that warning, but Sophia doubled back to cut off the mortal because the swans had spread out and some were approaching from the other side. They were surrounding them and fast.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Sophia briefly caught sight of Blathers reloading his one-shot pistol as Evan went to work and swung his ax. Puffs of smoke shot into the air, along with loud pops as the swans vanished from the attacks. However, Evan would soon be overwhelmed if they didn’t all work together. There were too many swans and their wings beating in the air made it hard to get in close to attack.
Yanking Inexorabilis from its sheath as she ran, Sophia cut Tiffannee off. The mortal spun to find that the swans had surrounded and trapped her.
Sophia swung her sword as one of the closest swans lunged for the doctor and felt the blade go through its neck cleanly, as if slicing through a melon rather than an animal.
A plume of smoke shot into the air and overwhelmed the area, making it hard to see.