I stared hard at her. “A man may smile and say sweet things while plotting murder. You cannot know the secrets of another's heart.”
The Sea Dragons went still.
“I'll have the slaves on the list investigated further,” Jucai said. Then he motioned to his advisers. “I want all three of you to lead search teams through the palace. Only Sea Dragons. I don't trust anyone else. Find me the disruptor!”
“But we don't even know what one looks like,” Yao said. “Is it made of metal? Wood? Is it a box or a tube? How big is it?”
“They're usually boxy machines made of metal, containing enchanted crystals,” I said. “They can be any size, from very large, which is what I assume we're looking for, to . . .” I trailed off as an image came to my mind. “Holy fuck!” I launched to my feet. “That's what he was wearing! That's why I felt weak!”
The Sea Dragons gaped at me.
I cleared my throat. “My apologies. The man who attacked me wore a strange, boxy pendant. I thought it was an amulet. But now, I know it was a small magic disruptor. You see, when we fought, my attack felt weak. I barely hurt him. He was using the magic disruptor.”
“But that shouldn't affect your strength,” Lady Sulai said. “Should it?”
“A Dragon's strength is entwined with their magic. Without it, we are no stronger than humans.”
Sulai gasped, and the men looked horrified.
“And they have such a machine?” Lord Tsukang cried.
“Yes, I'm certain of it now.”
“Go!” Jucai pointed at the door. “Find that disruptor!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” They hurried out of the room.
As soon as they were gone, Jucai sighed. “I don't think it's in the palace, Nadar. Nor do I think this has anything to do with our issues mating.”
I sat down. “Why not?”
“The lights.” He motioned at the chandeliers. “Our lights never so much as flickered.”
“Neither did the tower lights.” My gaze went to the window. They had to have kept it low.”
“And we were high up last night. It couldn't have touched us.”
“No, this has to be connected!” I wracked my brain for some connection. “It could have affected me because of my Fire Magic.”
“Then why would I feel it too?”
“Because you were mating me. Or maybe they're moving the device. We had the lights off last night. We wouldn't have noticed if the enchantment failed.”
“No one reported failed enchantments in the palace.” He took my hand. “I'm sorry, Nadar. I know you want an answer. So do I. But this isn't it.”
“I don't know how, but they’re connected, Jucai. I'm sure of it.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
The search teams didn’t find a magic disruptor in the palace. As for the city, all the fire-based enchantments began working about an hour after our meeting. The tower lights were never affected. It made no sense.
Still, I was certain a disruptor had stopped our mating magic. A small one had weakened me; what could a large one do? If our innate magic was in any way tied to our mating magic, which I believed it was, then something that disrupted our innate magic could also stop the mating magic from functioning.
I wanted to investigate further, but Jucai wouldn't let me leave his side, and he had important kingly things to do. So, I sat and stewed in my thoughts, trying to fit the pieces together, as he ruled his kingdom.
Magic used to impersonate Sea Dragons and frame them. Mating magic cut off. Fire enchantments temporarily broken. No disruptor in the palace. No effect on the tower lights. Oh, and let's not forget my attempted murder and the use of a small magic disruptor against me. Any of those things could lead to a war with Zaru, especially my death. But why was our mating magic affected? And why not the tower lights?
I stood up, intending to creep out to use the facilities.
