“No. The…third? I think? The first tug was so faint it was barely more than a tingle. I didn’t even realize at first that’s what it was. The second time was clearer. The third happened today, not fifteen minutes past. It was unmistakable.”
Ravi nodded in support of this. “He jumped like a scalded cat.”
Lisette pushed short, white hair out of her eyes and regarded Warin. “When precisely did it start?”
“I can’t tell you what time, I barely noticed it. But five days ago was the first instance.”
“And you’ve felt it three times.” She breathed in, tapping a finger to her mouth as her eyes narrowed in thought. “Hoheit, I would say that whoever it is, they’re narrowing their search. With each casting, they’ve come in closer, which is why he’s feeling the tug of it so strongly. It’s likely whoever this is knows our approximate location at least.”
“The Jaeggi?” Warin asked in concern. “Can you tell if it’s them?”
Lisette shook her head. “The Jaeggi already know where we are and wouldn’t dare get closer to us like this. No, this person seems to be trying to get to you specifically.”
Oh. Excellent point. Warin had been so worried by the possibility of an enemy using magic against him, he’d not thought of that. But the battle at Sonthofen to reclaim Cameron from their grasp had shown the Jaeggi knew exactly where they were.
Unless it wasn’t about locating Warin, but luring him out? Burkhard Castle had significant defenses, not just physically, but magically.
Gunter entered at that moment, looking out of breath. He likely had run the distance from the basement of the castle to here. Stumbling to a stop in the doorway, he braced a hand against the doorjamb and asked, “What’s this about Warin being under magical attack?”
“Not a magical attack, rather a seeking spell,” Lisette corrected. “And from a great distance, to boot. I wish I could do a counter spell and trace it back, but it’s too faint for me to properly work with. Warin, when you felt the tug, in what direction did you feel it?”
Spells were literal things, or so it had been explained once to him. Seeking spells would go in a direct line, ignoring things like manmade roads and such. He turned and pointed west and a little north. “From there.”
Everyone shared a speaking look.
“Soooo…” Ravi looked from face to face as he drew the sound out. “If we’re all in agreement this is likely not the Jaeggi? Then does that mean we have a young mage out there somewhere working this spell, trying to find a dragon?”
“It’s a distinct possibility,” Lisette admitted. “I certainly can’t think of another. I can’t speak to what purpose they would use the spell, but I assume it’s to find a dragon.”
To do what? was the unspoken question in the room.
Warin didn’t have the patience to sit and wait for this person to find him. And frankly, if there was to be trouble, he didn’t want it here. For the first time in five hundred years, they had young mages to think of and protect. Like hell would he allow possible danger near them.
But what if this mage didn’t bring danger? What if this was a lone mage like Tori or Cameron searching for a dragon mate? Just the idea seemed too big to even dare wish for. Dragons had been seeking their lost mage mates for centuries, and now one was quite literally tugging on Warin’s tail. He had to go.
“Hoheit, I wish to go and seek out this mage.”
“A scouting mission?” Alric’s forehead wrinkled slightly as he thought. “I agree that seems wise, as we have no information at this time. But I don’t want you to go alone. Gunter, will you accompany him?”
Gunter nodded immediately, eager. “I’ll gather some equipment. If we do find the mage, then can we engage, Hoheit?”
“Use your best judgement on that. But stay in contact, regardless. I don’t wish for either of you to be hurt. This might be a trap, a way for the Jaeggi to draw you out of our defenses.”
So Alric had realized it as well. No surprise there. Their king had a tactically sound mind. “We’ll be cautious going forward. Gunter, I feel that we should fly. We can quickly get out of area that way.”
“I’m all for it. I’ll meet you in the courtyard in five minutes.”
Warin gave his king a quick bow and left as well. He’d need to throw a few clothes together into a bag. Lisette had said the mage was some distance away, but who knew how far that actually was.
He rather hoped it was the Jaeggi. Warin wouldn’t mind squashing a few of the murderous bastards.
Coffee.
Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.
Coffee made the world go round and North’s brain work. He needed more coffee since he wasn’t stopping long enough to catch up on his sleep.
From the hills of Georgia to bustling London to beautiful Brussels, North was moving as quickly as he possibly could. Time was not on his side. He half expected one or both of his parents to jerk his leash at any second and demand he return from this foolish venture.
But if he could just find a dragon, prove to them it was all real. They ignored the magic, but they couldn’t ignore a dragon. Come on, it’s a dragon!
And if they finally faced the fact that magic and dragons were real, then they would have to face that he was destined for so much more than…concrete and their bland, black-and-white world.
Maybe it wasn’t just about proving it to them. Maybe he needed to believe it was all real, that he was destined for something more, something greater with this gift. If dragons did still exist, then he’d finally have the proof he needed to take that final step to break out on his own.
North shuddered, and it had nothing to do with the bite of cold in the air. He didn’t want to think about going back to Georgia or his parents’ determination to make him work at the family concrete company. Right now, his future stretched out in front of him in a sea of endless, unrelenting grey. Grey concrete, grey dust, grey rocks, and grey life.
Things were definitely not looking grey at that moment. He’d splurged on a metro ticket from the hotel into the city central and holy crap! It was worth every euro. This old city was decked out in her finest for the Christmas season. Twinkling fairy lights dripped from nearly every building, store fronts were filled with ornaments and elaborately decorated gingerbread, and the people—everyone was so nice and smiling.
Of course, those four years of Spanish he’d been forced to take in high school weren’t doing him a bit of good since the wonderful people of Belgium spoke French, German, and/or Dutch, but with it being Europe, he hadn’t needed to search too hard to find a kind soul who spoke English.
And no one seemed to bat an eye at a little lost, blond twink wearing a touch of make-up. Just to bring out his eyes. And maybe a hint across his cheekbones because they really were his best features.
Maybe if he didn’t find a dragon, he could just disappear into Brussels. He’d learn this town inside and out, welcome all the flustered tourists, and answer their questions like he’d been born in this place and not his strange little Georgia town. Or he’d learn to make chocolate or waffles. No, fries! Americans thought they had an obsession with fries. It was nothing compared to what he saw in Brussels.