“I have no map, but if you will allow me to touch your head, I can show you the directions.”
“How?”
“It is not easily explained.”
He glanced at Tyrin.
Irritation rippled through me. “If my intention was to harm you, surely you would be dead by now.”
The boy took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
Resting my hands on his temples, I imagined the way home from the Seattle portal station as I had seen in my grandsire’s memories. I showed him which exit to take off the freeway, then the dirt road that would lead to my land. Then I gave him a glimpse of the manor and the staff. When I released Jameson, his eyes were full of awe.
“You live in a castle,” he said. “With all kinds of creatures.”
“An enchanted manor,” I corrected. “And my people will not hurt you.” Opening my satchel, I withdrew ample funds for the trip and handed them to the boy. “I shall pay to extend your stay for two nights. If we are not back after the second night, teleport to Seattle and travel to the hedge surrounding my estate. Do not attempt to cross it. Instead, simply shout for Catori.” Using the materials provided on the nightstand, I penned a note for the dryad and handed it over. “Give her this, and she will take you to Leander.”
“Is Leander your dad?”
“No, he is my blacksmith. A minotaur.”
Jameson’s eyes grew impossibly wider. “One of the bull people?”
“Precisely. If we fail to return after the second night, Leander will take care of you.”
The boy hesitated, doubtlessly wanting to argue, but he could barely stand. He had to recognize the futility of insisting on accompanying us. “Okay,” he said finally.
Reminding him to stay in his room and lock the door, Tyrin and I made our way downstairs, where the innkeeper greeted us. I approached his desk and made the accommodation for Jameson.
“The boy has been through much,” I said, eyeing the jinn. “It would greatly upset me should anything happen to him.”
“This inn is protected by the Peace Council.”
I added more silver to the pile. “Understood. However, he may require additional attention.”
The innkeeper scooped up the silver and tucked it into his money pouch. “I will keep an eye on him.”
Tyrin stepped up beside me, sliding another piece of silver onto the countertop before pointing to the racks on the wall behind the jinn. “I would like to purchase one of your maps.”
It was afternoon, and the temperature was sweltering by the time Tyrin and I left the inn. Sand still floated in the air, making our shemaghs necessary. We stopped at a food cart long enough to purchase two orders of spiced fish with rice, vegetables, and bread before following the pull of the artifact to the southeast.
I longed to shift and fly to our destination, but the buildings were far too close together to accommodate my dragon form. Instead, we broke into an easy run that ate up the miles. The massive buildings—stacked nearly on top of one another—grew increasingly dilapidated the further we raced from the city center.
The terrain opened onto a coastal highway, and for the first time since we’d left the inn, I could breathe without inhaling sand. The road hugged the sea, offering an unobstructed view of the port ahead and, more importantly, enough space to shift.
I did not.
We were closing in on the artifact. Its pull sharpened with every step, and I intended to assess the situation before revealing myself. An enormous black dragon against a cloudless sky was not easily overlooked, and the element of surprise was worth more than the comfort of my true form. Besides, Ziara knew what I was capable of. When the time came, the little thief would surrenderthe moment she laid eyes on me, sparing us all an unnecessary confrontation.
At least, that was what I told myself as I wiped the sweat from my brow and scraped sand from places it had no right to be.
In the distance, a coal-black galleon cut through the water, heading for the port ahead, sailing impossibly fast for such a large vessel with no wind in its sails. Following its trajectory to the dock stretching out over the water, I spotted four figures waiting in precisely the direction from which the artifact tugged at me.
The wolves!I thought to Tyrin, unwilling to waste the oxygen required to speak aloud.
He followed my extended finger and realized what was happening. We both sped up.
Fire glowed from the galleon’s eyes and mouth. The metal ribcage and deadly naval ram marked it as a formidable vessel made for battle, but I required a proper look at its crew.
