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“No.” Desmon was firm. “This is yours. And even if it wasn’t, I still wish for my half back.”
Eva finally nodded and proceeded to put the chain around her neck. “I understand. The other half of the locket wouldn’t mean the same to me, either. We’ll keep looking for it. We’re getting close, I can feel it.”
The sunny optimism in her voice changed the mood in the room.
“We’ve narrowed it down to one of the wizards,” I agreed. “I wonder if the WEC is involved or if he’s at least on the Council.”
“He could be working alone,” Seth said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned about wizards on the Council in the time I’ve been there. On the face of it they present a united front, but behind closed doors, everyone’s trying to one-up each other, jostling for position, all that fun stuff.” The way he said it told me he didn’t find it very fun at all.
“So on the surface they are elites with a plan for the world, but underneath they’re a bunch of high schoolers? Got it!” Eva said with a nod. “I’m glad they aren’t as bulletproof as they seem.” Then she looked at Desmon. “If you don’t mind me asking, how exactly did you come to get your half of the locket?”
For a long moment, it looked like the dragon wasn’t going to reply. Then he said, “I won it. From a dragoness. Our kind live a very long time, and we spend a lot of this time gambling and making bets. Meddling. Sometimes with each other, sometimes with the humans and monsters around us. The dragoness lost a bet, and this half-locket was my prize.
“It was one of her most valued possessions, but she never did tell me why. I think in her mind it was bad enough to have lost the bet and the artifact; she refused to tell me the reason it was so precious to her. The only thing I know is that it is very, very old, and there’s magic associated with it.”
“It couldn’t be that old,” Carly said, leaning in close to look at the locket around Eva’s neck. “That style of jewelry is only from the eighteenth century.”
Carly might not have looked like it, but she was a total history nerd. It was how she’d met Desmon in the first place. She’d been working at the museum, giving tours when schools came on field trips.
‘‘It could’ve had sentimental value to her?” I suggested.
“Perhaps, but there must be something else,” Seth said. “Especially now that we know a wizard is after it too. They don’t usually collect things unless there’s a good reason.”
“Did your mother ever say anything about it?” I asked Eva.
“No, just that it had been passed down through the female side of our family for generations. It was very clearly stipulated in the will that it was to go to me in turn. But no one could find it, and when I asked the funeral director, she was so apologetic because she said she was under the impression that it was supposed to be buried with her. Now I know she is a lying sack of turtle doo-doo. I guess Tony knew they weren’t going to leave him anything.”
“So he took the locket, and put it up for sale to make a quick buck,” I said, nodding as the pieces started to fall into place. “And then some wizard saw it, recognized its worth, and asked him to steal the other half.”
“Wait, what if this wizard guy comes after me? He probably knows I’m Tony’s sister, and he knows I have the locket. I don’t think it’s safe for me to wear it around, and I don’t think it’s safe to keep it at home either. I don’t have any special anti-theft system. Not even a camera.”
Seth reached out his hand. “Give it here a second. I have an idea.”
I smacked his hand out of the way. “You’re not trying to take the locket from her, are you, wizard?”
Seth scoffed. “Please. Whatever secrets it holds, I’m not interested. I mean, sure, I’m curious, but I don’t need power, or fame, or any more money than I already have. I like my life just the way it is, thank you. I’m not planning on keeping it. I just want to make a replica so that even if someone does manage to take it from her, they take the wrong one.”
That was actually a good idea. A decoy.
“Are you able to put a tracking spell on the fake one? So that if someone does take it, it will lead us straight to our wizard?” I asked.
Seth rolled his eyes. “Duhh. Of course.”
Chapter 11
Eva
I couldn’t believe it. I’d talked to the dragon and he’d treated me like someone important!
I’d seen images online of Desmon before, of course, but meeting him in person was something else entirely. He was always in a business suit in his official photos, looking powerful and proper. But now, in his casual clothes, namely a dark silk shirt unbuttoned at the front to mid-chest and fitted pants, he exuded an otherworldly presence.
He looked only to be in his late thirties, but I knew he was much older. Much, much older. Dragons lived a long time, and according to local legend, he had been here when the town was first established around a gold mine. His goldmine, to be precise.
For such a prominent figure in Darlington, Desmon wasn’t very social. He spent most of his time hidden away on his estate. Even his wedding to Carly hadn’t been publicized. The few photos I’d seen had been snapped by some unscrupulous paparazzi types who’d snuck close to the event.
The only reason why I wasn’t shaking in my proverbial boots to be meeting him was that everyone else in the room was treating him like a regular person. A very important regular person, mind you, but there wasn’t any groveling or kissing his feet or anything. So I followed along, matching everyone else’s behavior.
His wife Carly was a total sweetheart. I liked her more the better I got to know her. We’d had the chance to talk again earlier, after my nap and before my call with my brother. She was super laid back, kind of nerdy, and the complete opposite of the type of person I’d thought would interest someone like Desmon. I’d admit, I’d thought she’d be totally stuck up, living in the lap of luxury, but I was wrong, and it was totally my fault for assuming.
