“Getting kidnapped.Dragged under the loch, chained, threatened by Red Caps, then dragged around by a mad doctor, escaping in a submersible, only to have it smashed by a dragon, drowning, and only barely being resuscitated might have me not looking my best.”
Oliver blinked.“Had I known, I would have brought clothing or a towel.However, Astaria’s instructions were to simply bring a Faraday-type box to the loch.”He held it out and flipped open the lid.
“Astaria called you?”
“Sent a text, actually.A basic one.Hence the lack of preparedness.”
“You brought the most important thing.”I plopped the pendant inside and closed the lid before fiddling with the latches.“It will need a lock, a sturdy one, and be prepared to lose the key.”
“Dare I ask why the concern over an ugly necklace?”
“It holds Tiamat’s soul, and seeing as how it can possess Nessie and make her do bad things, best we keep it far away from her.”
His brows lifted.“Well, that explains a lot.”
“Oliver, impeccable timing.I assume you brought clothes.”A very naked—and glorious looking—Alistair emerged from the loch in his manly shape.
“As I just told Davina, my instructions were to bring a box.Nothing more.But I do have spare garments in my car, just in case I have an incident while out and about.If you’ll give me a moment, I can fetch them.”
Off trotted Oliver—on two feet, not four—not that I watched.I only had eyes for Alistair.
“Did it work?Did you manage to free Nessie?”
“He did.”A trilling voice warbled as the water dragon surfaced, the long neck extending, bringing her head close to the beach.
“Nessie?”Alistair’s hesitation was valid.
“It’s me.Tiamat’s presence is gone.”
“So you claim.”He didn’t seem willing to just take her word for it.
“Test me if you must, but I assure you, I can no longer hear her voice.A blessing.I’d forgotten how foul she could be.How conniving.How cruel.”
“How could you forget after what she did to you?”
Nessie glanced at her flanks, where the scars of her injury had long since faded.“I foolishly thought her death might have mellowed her.That we might finally form a proper twin-bond like the humans are wont to do.Alas, she just wanted to use me and make me into a monster.”
“Hardly a monster,” I rushed to reply.
“I’d like to agree.However, the things my twin did while in control of my body this last decade…” Nessie’s head swung in chagrin.“It’s a wonder the military didn’t strike me dead.”
“As if Oliver would allow that,” Alistair’s retort.
Nessie’s head lifted.“You must hide Tiamat’s heart somewhere no one will ever find it.”
“Don’t worry.I’ll ensure it never comes anywhere close to you again,” Alistair stated.“I am sorry I didn’t realize sooner what happened.”
“I don’t think anyone could have predicted it.”
Alistair, however, glanced at Fiona.“Someone should have.”
The selkie shook her head.“It wasn’t something me or my sister were shown.Keep in mind, we don’t control what peeks of the future we’ll see.”
“Rather than blaming, let’s just be thankful things didn’t end up turning out worse.And some good came out of it.Malone is dead,” I announced.
“Are you sure?”Alister asked rather sharply.
“He was with me in the sub when Tiamat caved in the windshield.Considering I needed help escaping the loch, he likely drowned, which is a shame because he said some strange things.Something about a dragon older than you and Nessie that’s been asleep so long everyone forgot about him.”
