“Remember, Hoheit, it wasn’t that long ago that Tori was under the belief dragons were evil betrayers. It takes a while to adjust that mindset after hearing it your entire life,” Baldewin murmured.
Tori opened his mouth to apologize, but Alric was already speaking.
“Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry I didn’t consider that, Tori. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or more threatened than you already do. My only concern is your safety.”
And Tori believed him. He’d never met the dragon, but there was an earnest quality to his voice that left Tori convinced he actually cared about his well-being. It didn’t hurt that Baldewin trusted him so completely, and Tori found himself trusting Baldewin’s judgment.
“Another option is a spell,” Tori found himself offering. His voice wobbled a little, and he had to clear his throat before continuing. None of his teachers ever trusted him to cast such a spell, but he knew its workings by heart. He knew he could successfully do it. There was just a small problem. “I can do a masking spell that will hide our magical signature, which I’m assuming the Jaeggi are using to keep finding us. I just don’t have the elements to complete the spell. If my memory serves correctly, they aren’t the type of things I can easily pick up while on the road.”
“Dieter, will you contact Lissette and ask her to come to my office? I’d like her input on the spell and the elements needed,” Alric said in a low voice. “Tori, the quickest way for me to get you those ingredients is via dragon. Are you comfortable with me sending another guard in your direction as a courier and protection?”
“Actually, Hoheit, I’m thinking it might be best to send both a guard and a mage to us,” Baldewin said.
From the backseat, Warin chuckled. “I can’t believe you’re actually going to suggest it.”
Baldewin waved a dismissive hand at his friend. Tori watched them both as best he could from the rearview mirror, but he still got the impression he was missing something. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best time to try and figure out what they were up to. It was hard enough keeping his mind on the road and talking to the king at the same time.
“Sasha helped me on the retrieval of Cassie from the United States, and she is a fast flier. She would provide excellent protection for Tori, and I think Tori would be comfortable with her presence.” Baldewin paused and licked his lips. “And Cassie has become quite an accomplished mage in the past month. She is the one who originally located Tori. I believe she could be of great assistance in the casting of the masking spell. She would also be far more believable than me in explaining to Tori how our mages are valued at Burkhard.”
There was a long, tense silence before Alric spoke again. And even then, his voice was flat and disbelieving.
“You want me to send you Cassie?” Alric inquired.
“Yes.”
“Cassie Burkhard? Cameron’s twin sister? That Cassie?”
Baldewin dropped his head back against the headrest and sighed heavily. “Yes, that Cassie. I don’t believe we have any other Cassies in the castle. I haven’t been gone that long.”
“What does she have on you?”
“Alric!” Baldewin snapped.
Tori winced, but it disappeared under the sound of the king’s raucous laughter. He clearly wasn’t disturbed by Baldewin’s tone or the man’s use of his name.
“I know you, my friend, and I know my new little sister. Cassie is quite wonderful, but she has a knack for driving you crazy, which is quite the feat. I can only imagine she must have some interesting little bit of information on you if you are putting her name at the top of the list to help you.” Alric’s voice was full of warm teasing and laughter. Not at all what Tori would expect from such a leader, and he found that he liked it. He was actually starting to look forward to meeting this Alric.
“Cassie has been a great help in terms of locating Tori, and I know she would very much like to see more of Europe with her mate,” Baldewin said. There was no missing that the dragon was carefully choosing his words. “And in all honesty, I do believe Cassie will help put Tori more at ease about Burkhard. As…excitable as she is, everyone does instantly like the woman.”
“Assuming she isn’t threatening you with her baseball bat, Cheryl,” Warin interjected.
Baldewin twisted in his seat to look back at Warin. He didn’t look pleased, but his friend only laughed. Yes, now Tori wanted to ask about this Cheryl, but now wasn’t the time.
“I’m not thrilled with the idea of two mages being protected by only three dragons, but they are also three of my fiercest fighters. Plus, it sounds as if Tori is quite accomplished in spell casting. I’ll send Cassie with Sasha if she wishes to join you,” Alric agreed.
Warin snorted and lifted his voice. “I doubt Cassie is going to turn down this offer.”
“No, it’s not likely. Where should they meet you?”
Warin grabbed the back of Baldewin and Tori’s seats, pulling himself forward so he could lean closer to where Baldewin held the phone. Releasing Baldewin’s seat, he looked at his own phone. “We’re not far from Riga. The next major town on our current route is Kaunas, Lithuania. We’re a little more than three hours away.”
“Is it big enough to catch a direct train from there to Munich?” Alric asked.
“It looks like it. I would need to double check.”
“Do you wish us to switch from the car?” Baldewin said.
“It might be for the best to further cover your trail. The masking spell will help, but they may still be looking for you on the road. It’s at least an option I would like you to explore.”
“We will, Hoheit.”
“Tori’s safety is our main priority. If this does not work and Tori is unwilling to fly, then my only option left is to send more dragons in your direction. I will not allow the Jaeggi to harm him or any mage,” Alric warned in a dark voice that left no room for argument. Tori appreciated that the man was willing to accommodate him this much.
“I appreciate your patience…er…Your Majesty,” Tori awkwardly tacked on. The dragons had been calling him Hoheit, but he wasn’t sure what that meant and if it was a term he was supposed to be using when speaking to the king. Baldewin grinned at him, looking supportive.
“I know you’ve not had a lot of reasons to trust us, Tori, but we really do want you safe, regardless of whether you choose to stay in Burkhard or leave the next day.”
Surprisingly, Tori believed the dragon king. Sincerity filled his voice like a warm blanket wrapping around Tori in the car. He couldn’t remember ever feeling that kind of concern from anyone he’d grown up with, not even his parents. It was an odd thing to feel valued, yet sad over what he’d been missing his entire life.
Fortunately, he wasn’t given much of a chance to ponder it.
“Oh good! Lisette is here now,” Alric announced, a new lightness or maybe relief entering his voice. “Now you can speak mage to mage about this spell.”
Oh hell.
To say that Tori was nervous about speaking with an experienced mage, one a king deferred to, was a vast understatement. Right up there with saying Finland got a little chilly. He was all panic and no disco but kept his eyes on the road. Nervous was one thing; dead via car accident another.