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Chapter 20
“Camille—are you okay?”
I was getting a little tired of that question. “Yes, I’m fine. I just had a panic attack and then an out-of-body experience, and quite frankly, please, just give it a rest. I need more food. I need sugar. Caffeine.”
As I mulled over what had happened, I realized that the panic had disappeared. I was still terrified of Hyto, but now the fear was based on the battle we were facing, not what he had already done to me.
“There is no help for it—Smoky, we have to face him. We can’t let him decimate the area.” I pushed away hands that would keep me in bed and stood, the pain in my body substantially less than it had been a few minutes ago. “I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of being afraid. I’m tired of feeling like my life is out of control. I am going to face him, and I’ll be carrying the horn of the Black Beast when I do. Your father doesn’t know I possess it.”
The cloak made out of the Black Beast’s hide would go a long way toward protecting me, too. I straightened my shoulders. “It’s time to end this.”
Delilah stood beside me. “I’ll be there.”
Smoky frowned. “I don’t want my wife in any more danger from—”
“You idiot. Still you spout off about this?” I hit him lovingly on the arm. “I’m in danger as long as Hyto is alive. I’m in far worse danger if you get yourself killed and I’m still alive. We stand together. We’re husband and wife.”
“And husband.” Trillian stepped forward.
Morio started to pipe up, but I stared him down. “Not you. Shut up. You have every reason for staying in bed, and stay there, you will.”
“I can be of use—”
“Yeah, you’ll be of use all right. I’ll be so worried about you that I won’t be able to concentrate. You stay here, guard Maggie and Iris—”
“Oh no, girl.” Iris slipped through the pack. “I’ll be there with you. My powers are far stronger than they were before we went back to the Northlands. Long have you helped me and protected me. I owe you one, Camille. I owe all of you a great deal. I’ll be there.”
I held up my hand as they all started to chime in. “I got it, I got it. All for one, one for all. But somebody has to stay behind to guard Menolly while she’s asleep, and Maggie, Morio, and Hanna. And Georgio and Estelle.” I looked over at the pair, and they both smiled shyly.
“Fair maiden, what sort of treachery could you possibly worry your beautiful head over?” Georgio said, sweeping into a low bow. “I would be glad to put asunder your worries.”
I quietly walked over to him. “St. George, my stalwart hero. Do not worry yourself over this matter. You stay here and help to guard those who must stay behind, and you will assuage my worries. Will you do that for me?”
He smiled then, his face lighting up. “I will do that and more for you.” With a look over at Smoky, he shook his head. “I still find it odd that you would unite yourself with the dragon—you know I must slay him—but until that day, we stand a truce between us if there is a common enemy come to call.”
Feeling my heart warm, I leaned forward and kissed Georgio on the head. “Brave knight. Stand tall.”
Turning to the others, I shrugged. “Well, then. Trillian, Vanzir, Roz—you three stay here tomorrow. Shade, Delilah, Iris, Smoky, and I will march out to meet . . .” I paused, my gaze flickering over to Georgio. Best he not know another dragon was coming into the mix. He hadn’t figured out Shade yet, which was a good thing. “To meet Hyto.”
Smoky let out a long sigh. “I wish . . . I have to make a quick trip. Stay inside, all of you. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Do not let Camille out of your sight. I implore you.” He slipped on his ankle-length trench and took off out of the door.
“Where’s he going?” Vanzir asked.
“I have no idea,” I said. “Not a clue.”
By the time Smoky got home, Trillian, Morio, and I were the last ones up. We waited in the bedroom, me sitting cross-legged on the bed while Morio sat fidgeting in his wheelchair and Trillian paced the room. As Smoky burst through the doors, I let out a long sigh of relief.
“I was afraid you might have gone to meet Hyto by yourself—to hunt him down.” I blurted out the words before thinking them through.
Smoky scowled. “No, but that doesn’t mean the thought didn’t occur to me. But no, I had other matters to attend to. Come. We should get some sleep before tomorrow. We’ll need all our energy.”
I bit my lip, staring at the floor. “This may be the last night we all have together. Hyto is ruthless.” Lifting my head, I gazed at each of them, exhausted. “I’m tired.” Part of me felt like we should have sex—celebrate life even in the midst of what we were facing, but the truth was, I was just exhausted. “Sleep with me. Surround me with your love.”
And so they pulled Morio’s bed close to Smoky’s four-poster, and then Smoky, Trillian, and I crawled into the billowy folds of the comforter, and together, pressed warm against each other. I trailed my hand over Trillian’s side to hold Morio’s as we slept.
Sometime before dawn, we woke and dressed. I wore my spidersilk skirt, a matching tunic, the cloak of the Black Unicorn, and sturdy granny boots. As I slid the horn into my side pocket, relieved that it still had power in it, I wondered what would work against a dragon—which element? White dragons used mist and snow and ice . . . but they also breathed fire. Would wind or earth work best? They flew, so they were adept in the air. But earth . . . earth might actually do some harm.
Breakfast was a silent affair, with Delilah serving fried-egg sandwiches, and Trillian silently fuming. He wanted to come with us, but he knew that we needed him there to protect the others.
