“Are you a prisoner here?” Aeri asked.
“Here?” he looked around. “No. These are my chambers, undisturbed by the outside world.” He shot Tarron a look. “Until you destroyed the lock.”
Tarron inclined his head. “My apologies. I will fix it.”
“Thank you. See that you do.”
I gestured to Tarron. “This is Tarron, King of the Seelie Fae. And Declan, a Fallen Angel.”
My father’s keen eyes studied the two men, then he nodded and turned to the door. He opened it and stepped through.
We followed him into another small stone room. In the center sat an ornate round table, dark wood decorated with the heavy carvings that I associated with the medieval period. This room was also lined with tapestries, and I got the impression that my father had never fit into the modern world.
“Are you content here?” I asked.
“Very.” He inclined his head. “I chose to stay, to have this task.” He hesitated. “So that I might one day see you two.”
My throat tightened. In all the misery of the last few months, I hadn’t even thought to hope for something like this.
It was a gift.
My father sat, and the rest of us joined him. When he spoke, his voice was heavy. “You are looking for the Dragon Bloods, then.”
“Yes,” Aeri said. “We have your power.”
“Then why do you seek them? Most descendants of the original dragons never look for them. It’s incredibly dangerous.”
“We don’t have a choice,” I said. “My mother has escaped her imprisonment and is coming after Tarron’s kingdom. She’s already poisoned the Unseelie Court, and the Seelie Court will be next.”
“We need to save them both,” Tarron said.
I leaned forward. “I believe the only way to do that is to find the Dragon Bloods and request more power. I need to become stronger.”
My father frowned. “I’m not sure that is how it works.”
“They gave me this power,” I insisted. “They can give me more—enough that I can become like her. Strong enough to defeat her.”
“She’s impossibly strong,” my father said. “But becoming like her… I do not think that is the answer.”
“I need more strength, though. And we need to heal Tarron.”
My father looked at Tarron, then nodded. “The curse on you is strong.”
“Can you tell us how to find the Dragon Bloods, then?” I begged. “How do we find the Slate Isles? What are they?”
My father sighed. “The Slate Isles are a series of islands off the coast of Western Scotland, near the little town of Ellenabeich. They are made of the same slate that roofs many of the houses all over the world.”
“They’re quarry islands?” Tarron asked.
“A few of them are,” my father said. “The ones closest to land. They’re torn up from the quarrying, but that just makes them better cover for the dragons. Humans believe that the stone is quarried by other humans. When in fact, it’s quarried by magic before it’s sold on the mainland. But it’s the main islands that you are interested in. They are also torn up—but by the activity of the dragons.”
“Real dragons?” I’d heard the myths about our origin—that we shared the blood of dragons. But I’d never known—and had no one to ask—what that really meant. How did a human get Dragon Blood?
“Yes,” my father answered. “Real dragons. Some of them can adopt human form. Perhaps all can, but choose not to. I have had precious few opportunities to visit in my life, and even then, I did not learn all their secrets.”
“How do we find them?” Aeri asked.
“There is a portal in the crypts of York Minster. Enter it just before dawn tomorrow, using this.” He flicked his hand, and a shiny black flake appeared in it. He passed it across the table to us.
I leaned over to look at it. “A dragon scale?”
“Appropriate, is it not?”
“It is. But what does it do?”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“What happens when we exit the portal?” Aeri asked.
“You’ll need to catch a ride. Find the sleeping stone dragon, and from there, it is up to you. But be sure that you approach the islands with his help—and only during the daylight. The dragons would not take kindly to uninvited visitors in the dark. That’s when thieves sneak in, and dragons are notoriously protective of their treasure.”
“Will they welcome us?” I asked.
“That is difficult to say,” my father said. “They are used to their solitude. But they lend help when it is needed. Not that it is easy to obtain. You must prove yourself.”
The seriousness in his voice made me swallow hard. It would not be easy.
“Can we come back and visit you?” Aeri asked.
It was the question I’d had on my mind as well.
He nodded. “I would like that.”
Wow. I smiled. “Thanks.”
“No, thank you.”
We said our goodbyes and left. It was getting dark already.
“We need to find a place to get some sleep.” Aeri looked at me. “It’d be better if you saved your powers and didn’t transport us back to Magic’s Bend.”
I nodded.
“I know a place,” Tarron said. “An inn. It’s old, but charming.”
“Lead the way.” I took his hand.
He almost pulled away, and from the worried look in his eyes, I understood why.
I gripped him tighter, leaning close to murmur, “I can handle myself.”
“Not if your mother gets control of me.”
I shivered, but didn’t let go. “I can handle that, too.”
The inn was close, located down a narrow street right near the massive York Minster cathedral where we would be able to find the portal in the morning. A sign hung out over the door that read The Guy Fawkes Hotel.
“Was it really his house?” I asked, thinking of the famous plotter who’d tried to assassinate King James I.
“They say he was born here.” Tarron stepped inside the tiny foyer, and I followed him in.
The space opened up to a little pub on the left. The small wooden bar gleamed. Behind the counter, an impressive gin selection shined beneath the lights. A young bartender looked up and smiled. He reminded me of Connor, with his floppy dark hair and T-shirt.
As Tarron approached and arranged for two rooms, Aeri squeezed into the foyer next to me.
“Can you believe that just happened?” she whispered.
“I really can’t.” I grinned at her. “I’m glad though.”
She hugged me. “Me too.”
It wasn't just us anymore. Now, we had our father.
Sure, he was a ghost who lived within the medieval prison of York, but I’d take it.
Tarron returned from the bar and held up three keys.
“Three?” I frowned.
“For me.” His tone brooked no argument, and I didn’t bother. As much as I trusted him, he was right—the false queen and her magic were to be feared. “The staff will bring up dinner to us. We’ll sleep, then head out early.”
I nodded and followed him up the creaking stairs. Declan and Aeri went into their room, and I followed Tarron into his.