All he could do now was wait.
Chapter 6
The powerful roar of an engine caught Balthazar’s attention. He opened the door and watched as the luxury Range Rover drew nearer. Its driver handled the rough road with ease as the large vehicle kept its course.
He waited, finally spying Eva in the passenger seat. The sight of his older brother after so many years set his teeth on edge. Ti could have remained hidden for the rest of his natural days, and Balthazar would have left him alone. It was obvious Ti kept track of time after he had lost his scale. He wouldn’t have known if it had been found—he only cared about the chance of defeating him to claim their family hoard. A flash of sadness filled Balthazar’s heart. Greed was a very powerful motivator in dragons, and Ti had shown himself to be a classic case.
The jeep didn’t stop at the house, and he saw Eva’s worried expression through the window as it drove past.
“Lancelot, Thorsson, get your battle faces on. Ti’s made his appearance.”
Lancelot looked over his shoulder. “Where are they?”
“Ti’s heading for the volcano.” He stepped outside. “Come on.”
Ti’s abandoned Jeep sat in front of their parents’ graves. Balthazar left his vehicle beside his brother’s and looked around. He finally spotted them standing on the extensive flat landscape south of the volcano. “Thorsson, I want you and Lancelot to stay here.”
“My lord.” The big man lowered himself on one knee. “Please reconsider. Let me accompany you.”
Balthazar glanced at Lancelot. His younger brother’s skin had started to transform into scales. “Don’t be too eager.”
Lancelot stared at him in surprise. “He’s going to kill you if I don’t go with you.”
“He’ll try. I need you to stay here with Thorsson. Ti knows you’re a threat. He’ll kill Eva long before we’re halfway across.”
“You’re not going by yourself, Balthazar. It’s either me or Thorsson.”
“Fine.” He had never imagined himself in such an unforgiving situation. He couldn’t fight on his own, and the woman he cared for was a hostage. The possibility of dying at Ti’s feet grew greater as he weighed his options and realized that he had none. “Thorsson, come with me. If anything happens, get Eva out of there.”
Thorsson shook his head. “My lord—”
“Don’t argue with me. Do as I say or stay here.”
His bodyguard frowned and opened his mouth but shut it again. “I will do as you ask.”
“Good. Let’s get this over and done with.”
They walked across the grassy field. Small rumblings beneath his feet alerted him that although Lysuhóll hadn’t erupted for several centuries, the lava deep below the surface still flowed. Balthazar sensed its unease, adding to his determination to get Eva away before the fight began.
Ti’s features had remained unchanged over the decades. His auburn hair was longer, just past his shoulders and tied in a loose knot. He was dressed in loose beige slacks and a black silk shirt, looking unruffled in his natural element. His face was unlined, save for a faint crease above his eyebrows. His time away was spent worrying over something.
But it was his eyes that caught Balthazar’s attention. They flashed red in the afternoon sunlight. Eva stood beside him, her hands in her pockets, a hint that she was scared.
“Balthazar,” he called out, his voice deep and slightly patronizing. “Come closer and let me look at you.”
Balthazar stopped several yards away from them and focused on Eva. “Are you all right?”
She nodded and wrapped her arms around her chest.
He felt her fear, and anguish filled his heart, but he had to be extremely careful for both of them. “What are you doing here, Ti?”
He stepped forward. “I want two things, brother—the family hoard, and your dead body at my feet.”
Balthazar sensed his brother’s fury. “It was a fair battle, Ti. I had you pinned with my teeth around your throat.”
“That you did.” He stepped a little closer.
“That’s far enough.”
Ti stopped and smiled. “But then I tore a scale off your shoulder and forced you to shift back into human form. I was prepared to destroy you before Lancelot interfered. Where is our younger brother, by the way? I’d like to say hello.”
“He’s around.” He glanced at Eva, who had a quizzical look on her face. He knew what it meant—did you get the vase and looked at it? He nodded, but shrugged as well—I looked at it but couldn’t figure out the clue. “I don’t understand what took you so long. I expected you back much sooner than this.”