Dragonlands(192)

Jarrett nodded, knowing he'd lost before they'd even begun to argue. Tressa’s will was strong. He loved that about her. He’d just never expected to have to go up against it.

He leaned in, kissing Tressa on the lips. At first she responded only with a perfunctory peck, but as Jarrett's lips parted, his tongue drawing across her lips, she lowered her defenses. Tressa kissed him back with a hunger that seemed unusually ferocious.

He broke away. "I’ll miss you."

"What will you tell the others?" she asked.

He thought of the face Bastian would make when he realized Jarrett had been pushed aside too. Still, he resolved to believe it wasn't a pattern. That Tressa really did love him. That she'd be back in his arms soon enough.

"I’ll think of something. But I won't tell them the truth."

"Thank you." Tressa leaned against the headboard. "Can you tell Fi I'm ready to fly?"

Jarrett stuck his head out the door. "Come back in, Fi."

The girl with the black hair, black dress, and black slippers strode into the room. "I'll change on the balcony and meet you just outside the window."

"Thank you," Tressa said, offering a small smile to the girl who'd quickly become a friend.

In only breaths Fi was outside the window, in dragon form, stretching her wings. Jarrett lifted Tressa and carried her to the window.

"I'll be back," she whispered in his ear. "I promise."

"I believe you." Jarrett settled Tressa on Fi's back. He tied the ropes from Fi’s harness around Tressa's waist.

Without a word, the two flew away, south to a land Jarrett had believed, until so recently, was one of death. He could only hope it would bring Tressa new life.





Chapter Four


Jarrett strode back into the throne room, his heart heavy. Tressa was gone. Maybe for good.

"She left?" Bastian asked.

Jarrett simply nodded, not wanting to talk about it. Bastian returned the nod. Elinor tossed him a sympathetic smile and he suddenly wished he’d waited longer before joining them. They were all probably thinking about the way Tressa had left Bastian—multiple times—before leaving him for good. Jarrett guessed they were all wondering if she was doing it to him too.

"How can I help?" Jarrett asked, sitting at the table next to Elinor. He decided to ignore their uncomfortable glances.

Bastian cleared his throat. "As I was saying, Elinor, can you fill us in on some places your father might have taken the eggs?"

"Of course." Elinor unfurled a map made of heavy vellum. She pointed to the Snake River. "It's possible he went to the cave where we originally found Connor."

Jarrett eyed the map. He wasn't overly familiar with the Drowned Country. "How did he steal the eggs?"

Connor sat up straighter in his chair. "That was my fault. I was sleeping. By the time I woke up, he'd taken all but one of the eggs. I fought back and killed all of his helpers—everyone except Malachi."

"But I've seen dragon eggs,” Jarrett said. “They weigh more than any single man can lift."

"I know." Connor ran his hands through his hair, resting them on the back of his neck. "Malachi...he did some kind of magic. Created a wall of light that sucked the last egg out of the cave. I don't really know how to describe it."

"I do," Elinor said. "My father isn't just a healer. He's a mage of the highest order. He’d hoped I would follow in his footsteps, but I chose to solely be a healer. I had seen some of the things he did with his powers and I wasn't comfortable with them. To me, they felt almost evil."

"Almost?" Bastian asked with a snort.

"Okay," Elinor said. "Definitely evil." She shrugged, her blond curls falling over her shoulders. "He was my father. It was hard for me to admit he might be a little less than perfect."

"There aren't many mages in the Drowned Country," Jarrett said. "Where did he learn?"

"From ancient texts, I think,” Elinor said. “He didn't travel anywhere. When I was growing up, he was always around. Too much. He's self-taught."

"Impressive," Jarrett said. He kept his hands clasped together. No one at the table knew he could use magic, even if it was a little. He’d only told Tressa. "In any case, we might as well face the truth. Malachi could have opened a portal to just about anywhere," Jarrett concluded.

"So where do we start?" Bastian asked.

Jarrett tapped his knees with his thumbs. "I might know a way to figure out where he went. Can you take us to the place he opened the portal, Connor?"

Connor nodded and motioned for them to follow. "Fotia, come with me." The little dragon scuttled across the floor, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth.