“I’ve kept myself occupied. I wasn’t always thinking about you, and I’m patient. I remembered the story Dad told us about what happened when a dragon shifter lost its scale. Your strength deteriorates until your own fire consumes you. I could have arrived sooner, but then I’d have to deal with Lancelot and your Viking bodyguards.” He smiled. “I figured if I timed it right, I could watch you disintegrate into a pile of ash.”
Balthazar gritted his teeth as Bal roared in fury and fought for control, but he wouldn’t let go. The pain became so bad he doubled over, clutching his chest.
“I see that Bal is giving you a hard time.” He looked at Eva. “However, I hadn’t expected a beautiful human addition to our family dispute. Come here, Eva. I won’t bite—unless you provoke me.”
Ti clenched her hand. “She’s quite lovely, and very intelligent. I can see why you enjoy her company. And she doesn’t seem fazed by our—unique culture.” Ti glanced past his shoulder. “Ah, Thorsson, the always faithful bodyguard. You think you can help Balthazar by swinging your ancient letter opener at me? Good luck with that.”
“Shut up, Ti.” Balthazar stared at Eva.
“I’m okay.” She gave him a small smile. How she found the confidence that he lacked to defeat his brother was beyond him. But he would do it to free her, or die trying. “I guess you hadn’t found anything—useful?”
“No, but thank you for trying.”
“What’s this about?” Ti looked at him. “Was Eva looking for something for you?”
He clenched his fists. “It’s none of your concern.”
His brother’s quizzical expression cleared. “Don’t tell me that Miss Haraldsdóttir was hunting for your scale?” He laughed loudly. “Oh, this is highly amusing—a human looking for a missing dragon scale. Humans don’t even believe in dragons! What makes you think that you could locate something so elusive?”
Eva glared at Ti. “You don’t think I can?”
“Eva, please, he’s taunting you.” Balthazar adjusted his stance. “Ti’s good at that.”
“That’s too bad. I might have explained to him how good I am at finding things.”
“I didn’t take you for a braggart, Miss Haraldsdóttir.” Ti narrowed his eyes. “However, maybe I should allow you to amuse us with your theoretical findings of a dragon scale.” He smiled. “It may also provide Balthazar with enough time to think of a way not to get killed.”
Balthazar tensed, but then felt a heavy hand on his shoulder—Thorsson.
“So tell us, Miss Haraldsdóttir, how would you find a dragon scale?”
Eva looked around the field. “Balthazar told me that you fought here.” She tugged her hand out of Ti’s and walked several feet away. “It must have been one hell of a fight.” She turned and smiled at Balthazar. “Congratulations.”
Ti’s eyes flashed red. “Careful, human.”
“My father and I explored this area. It’s interesting what one can find in a country steeped in history.” She scuffed the ground with her shoe. “Swords, shields, helmets, graves with Viking remains. Even artifacts like vases and jewelry.”
Ti raised an eyebrow. “And you find this interesting—how?”
“History, Ti Anda. You learn so much about a culture.” She finally turned to face them. “Like I said, I found a lot of things here.”
“Wait a minute.” Ti stalked towards her, and Balthazar’s heart raced with fear, but he held still. “Are you saying that you found Balthazar’s scale?”
“No, I haven’t.”
Balthazar sighed in utter defeat. Eva had risked her life to help him, and now he didn’t know what Ti would do to her after his death. Of course, his end was at hand—even if Lancelot decided at the last minute to take Ti on, Balthazar couldn’t transform, and his younger brother didn’t have the strength to kill Ti on his own. Ti would squash him like an insect, probably kill Lancelot and Thorsson too, and do unspeakable things to Eva.
“However, we found something unique. A vase telling the story of your fight.” She glanced at Ti. “Three distinct pictures were on it. The first one displays the actual fight, and the Vikings hiding behind the hills surrounding the battlefield.”
Balthazar remembered how the ground shook, the air filled with heat and flame as he and Ti fought that day. The volcano had erupted, spewing lava and ash everywhere.
“The second painting showed Balthazar pinning Ti to the ground, and Ti struggling to get up. But the third painting…” Eva licked her lips. “The third painting shows Balthazar as a man, and another dragon shielding him from Ti’s attacks.”