Page 130 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume One

The tone, the look of obvious hatred and disgust on his face, stopped Baldewin cold. He’d recognized them, knew about dragons and that they existed. How was that possible? Could he also know he was a mage, then?

Nestori answered that question before it could even form on Baldewin’s lips. He spoke too softly for Baldewin to hear the words, but there was a brilliant flash of light and a surge of power. The scent of petrichor and ozone filled the air. A spell.

And Baldewin couldn’t move.

Holy shit! The mage had cast a spell, and he was trapped. He barely managed to shift his gaze to his right to find that Warin was frozen as well.

Looking straight ahead, he could see the fleeing form of Nestori as he ran out of the park, disappearing into the concrete maze of Helsinki.

Around them, people raised their voices in shock and confusion. No one seemed to know what had happened. He thought he heard someone blaming it on a firework or a flashbang. At least no one seemed to notice they were frozen in place.

The spell dissipated after less than a minute, but it was enough for them to lose sight of Nestori. Warin started to run after the mage, but Baldewin caught his arm, stopping him.

“No,” Baldewin said.

Warin’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and his mouth fell open. “No? But we can catch him.”

“Yes, and he clearly fears us. Chasing after him and potentially cornering him is not going to get him to listen to us.”

Frowning, Warin glanced over his shoulder in the direction Nestori had escaped. “It seemed more like loathing than fear.”

Baldewin grunted. He could not argue with that. “But why?”

“Is he Jaeggi and we not know it?”

That was a consideration. The Jaeggi Clan was behind the destruction of many mages and dragons during the Dragon War. When they’d kidnapped Cameron, they’d made it clear they still had a deep and unrelenting hatred of dragons.

But if he was Jaeggi, why was he alone and so far from the rest of his clan?

Shaking his head, Baldewin pulled his phone out of his pocket and walked over to the table Nestori had been sitting at. “We have found him once. We will find him again. It’s more important that we report this to Alric. Circumstances are not as we anticipated.”

He dropped into the seat Nestori had vacated while Warin remained standing, his thick arms folded across his chest. The dragon could not draw his eyes away from the direction in which the mage had run, as if hoping Nestori would realize his error and turn around. Not likely. He’d sounded very confident when he shouted “no” at them.

With a knot twisting in his stomach, Baldewin called Alric’s personal mobile number. It wasn’t so much that he was worried about Alric being angry with them but the heavy feeling that he’d failed his king, failed his clan, in some way.

It wasn’t surprising that Alric answered the call after the first ring. Everyone in the castle would be eagerly awaiting news of the new mage.

“Do you have him? Is he safe?” Alric asked by way of greeting.

“No worries if Warin and I are safe?” Baldewin lightly teased.

Alric chuckled softly, a sound he heard far more of now that his oldest friend had found his mate. “I’m not worried about whether my two strongest warriors are safe in Helsinki. I also happen to know that you and Warin have been in communication with Lisette already today. If you were in danger, I’d know it.”

“Always a step ahead of us, Hoheit.”

Alric snorted. “I have to be in order to keep this crazy rabble in line. Now, what news? Have you found him?”

“Yes, but not all my news is good, Hoheit. I am sorry.”

“No apologies, my old friend. Tell me what has happened.”

“We found him, and he looks…weary. Worn,” Baldewin started.

“He’s in need of a damn good meal,” Warin grumbled under his breath, though Baldewin doubted Alric could hear him.

“He refused to speak with us when we tried to approach him. He…he knew who we were.” Baldewin paused, glanced around quickly, and lowered his voice. “He recognized us as dragons.”

“Oh.” The small sound was soft and surprised from Alric. The silence stretched for a second, and he could easily imagine his king trying to take in that information. “That will save you from that awkward conversation. Do you think this means he’s aware he’s a mage?”