Gabriel, his parents, several of Gabriel’s cousins, and about a dozen of Gabriel’s employees stood on the front steps. There was a lot of arguing and yelling and arm-waving going on, and puffs of steam and smoke emanating from dragons’ curved nostrils.
Finally, Kelly glanced at Teresa and said, “Screw it,” and headed for the door.
“Miss, Gabriel told you to stay inside!” Winthrop protested, following at her heels.
She ignored him and walked out onto the front steps. To her surprise, Gabriel turned and glared at her with a look of utter fury and betrayal.
“I trusted you,” he said simply.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“You betrayed us,” Tabitha said bitterly. “You told the Elders about Alexandra.”
“I didn’t tell the Elders!” Kelly spluttered. “I told my mother, because I thought she might be able to find a healing stone that would save Alexandra.”
“Why would you do that?” Gabriel demanded angrily. “Now the Elders are giving us forty-eight hours to hand over Alexandra to be terminated. That’s what happens to mentally ill dragons. That’s why we kept her hidden. Is the commission on the ruby that important to you? Hell, we could have given you the money if it mattered that much.”
Kelly looked at him in shock. That was what he thought of her? He might as well have stabbed her in the heart.
“I was trying to help,” she said furiously.
“There’s no point in lying now,” Gabriel said, his voice bitter.
“Hey, more bad language coming your way,” Teresa piped up. “Fuck. You. Don’t you dare talk to my sister that way.”
Winthrop cleared his throat.
“I know, I know, you can’t see me anymore,” Teresa said, her tone resigned.
“Actually, I was going to let you know that I will be packing my bags. I wonder if your hotel has an adjoining suite.” Winthrop gave Gabriel a severe, chastising look.
“I’ll help you pack,” Teresa said, and followed him back into the castle.
Tears of hurt and anger filled Kelly’s eyes. “I have never lied to you,” she said to Gabriel. “From the minute I came here, I told you that I was going to do my very best to find the Dragonsblood and that I would turn you in for it when I found it. Does that sound like somebody who’s trying to deceive you? If I had known what would happen to Alexandra, I wouldn’t have told my agency. I’m going to take a cab into town, and I’m going do my very best to track down some healing stones somehow before the deadline is up. And you can all kiss my ass.”
“Did you know about this?” Principe Teague asked Calder. “Did you know that your family was concealing a mentally ill dragon in their castle and endangering the lives of every human being in the valley?”
Calder met his gaze. “I knew my sister was here, yes. I visit her as often as I can. And she isn’t a danger to anybody.”
Teague’s eyes lit up and he said, tone gloating, “When I tell the Dragon Elders about it, you will be fired.”
“So be it,” Calder said coolly. “I regret nothing.”
“You know, while I’m beingtruthful, you are all being a bunch of hypocrites, blaming Calder for your problems,” Kelly snapped. “You were the ones who caused Alexandra’s condition. You didn’t mean to, I know, but you one hundred percent are responsible for it. It’s not his damn fault that he did his job and prevented Emerson from stealing the citrine. I’d have done the same thing in his position.”
Smoke poured from Tabitha’s nostrils, and scales covered her body. “You…you…you…”
“I what?” Kelly yelled. “You can’t say anything because you know I’m right!”
She stomped off towards the end of the driveway, and heard footsteps thudding after her.
“Hold on,” Calder called. “I’ll give you a ride.”
Kelly sighed and climbed into his car. She blinked back tears as they drove away, but she refused to look back at the castle, and she refused to cry. She was too pissed off.
They drove to town in silence, and Calder parked on the town’s main street, in front of the Dragon’s Scale Hotel.
“They’ll have rooms here,” he said. Then he glanced at her as she slid out of her seat. “You know, my brother really loves you.” Calder sighed. “For what it’s worth.”
