Licked by the Flame (11 page)

But what
was
he searching for? He’d known all along there were forces working against him here. But he’d thought those were human. Now Eubryd said she’d seen fairies? When had fairies ever been a threat? Yet he’d felt danger permeating the air, twinging in his senses. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but the threat was real. It was his duty to neutralize it.

He had been posted here as Guardian, after all. The clutch of dragon eggs incubating inside this mountain must remain secret and protected, at all costs. Nothing could matter to him outside of this goal, not fairies, not dark magic, not greedy human entrepreneurs. He had to destroy every obstacle that got in his way. Preferably, Lianne would not be one of them. He knew better than to let himself care for a human, but he could not deny that he would do what would be needed to keep her safe.

The ground crunched under his feet as he approached the RGS. His own breathing echoed into the night. The ground was too rugged here for the SUV, so he’d had to leave Lianne and clamber down into a narrow crag, a gash carved into the volcanic rock by years of harsh weathering.

Magic still lingered in the air here, but it felt alien and unfamiliar. He didn’t quite know what to make of it. Residual, no doubt. The magic was not active now and he could sense no other creature beyond Lianne. He would know if they were not alone. Aside from this strange magic, there was little else to interfere with his senses out here.

This specific location had been carefully selected because of that very thing—it was remote, uninhabited, and the land was full of ancient magic. There were no humans to interfere within hundreds of miles. When Nic began guarding the clutch, he had been totally alone. He’d reveled in the loneliness, in the great honor of serving his kind.

For the first time in a millennium, dragons had elected to propagate themselves. Queens were selected from every clan across the globe, and great care was taken to produce the very best offspring who would carry on their lines. This location had been selected and the clutch was gathered, placed in this hallowed nursery and assigned a Guardian. For nearly a hundred years, Nic had watched over the clutch, cared for the future of his kind with his very life. The time for hatching was growing near, and he would not fail at his task now.

If not for these damn humans and their constant curiosity! Five years ago, Geo-Diagnostics selected this place as a potential source for geothermal energy development. Crandall McGowan and his group had felt that due to the distinctive nature of readings at this location, they had possibly found an entirely new, unexploited type of energy that might revolutionize an already revolutionary industry.

Indeed they had found something new. Dragon magic was entirely unknown to humans, and the rarity of an incubating clutch would surely confuse their sciences and technologies. It was not something humans should tamper with. They might think this mountain held something revolutionary and useful, but they were merely endangering themselves.

Nic had used every subtle method possible to dissuade them. He’d instigated social dissent, fabricated environmental concerns, delayed government permits, even resorted to sabotaging their equipment, yet McGowan’s outfit had been persistent. They’d been on-site nearly a year now and were inching forward every day, growing closer to their goal of tapping into the heart of the mountain to harness the energy burning below.

Movement in the shadows alerted him. He turned, ready for attack, but the creature made its presence known and he relaxed.
Eubryd
.

“I found you,” his scaly friend said as she appeared nearby, dropping low to see what he was up to. Her tiny eyes glittered as they glanced here and there. “Where is your female?”

“She’s back in the vehicle. How did I not feel you approaching?” he questioned.

“I don’t know. Perhaps your energies are being spent on more-human activities?”

“More likely it’s this damn strange magic in the air. Follow me. There is a sensor giving off unusual readings, right over here. But stay out of sight—there may be more at play here than we know.”

Eubryd did not seem as frightened as she probably should have. She rose up higher, peering over the crag in the earth and craning her neck to spot the SUV he’d left parked just out of view.

“So you brought her out with you,” she commented. “You’re not worried she’ll see things she shouldn’t?”

“I’m tending to that, but keep your head down. Those would be difficult memories to erase if she should happen to see you.”

“What, your sway is not weakening, is it?” Her leathery wings made a coy flutter as she hovered in front of him, meeting him at eye level. “I thought you were going to take care of yourself…
that
way.”

“I’m taking care of myself just fine. What have you found out here, Eubryd? Did you find the fairies?”

“You feel their magic, don’t you?”

“Too much of it, as a matter of fact. It’s the strangest fairy magic I’ve ever felt,” he said.

“Perhaps they are strange fairies.”

“No, it has to be something more.”

Yes, his senses could sort through the magic lingering in this place, and he did, indeed, recognize fairy magic. And Eubryd’s magic, of course. And the hot, fiery magic from the clutch brooding inside the mountain…all of that was here, yet still he felt something more. Layered in behind all of it, he could sense a dark, dangerous magic that he’d not encountered before. It was old—nearly as ancient as dragon magic.

“Is this the sensor you were talking about?” Eubryd asked, flapping her way over to the spot where the sensor stuck up out of the ground, a small box jammed into place on a stake.

“It is,” he said and knelt by it. “The humans placed these RGSs a year ago, but something is wrong.”

Sure enough, the malfunction was easy to detect. This sensor had been modified. A strange component had been added, wired into it in an almost haphazard fashion. It was not the work of McGowan’s careful technicians. No, this was something that had been added here, in the field. The wires, however, were blackened and charred. Clearly this little module had shorted itself out. And something more: it had the distinct feel of magic.

“This RGS has been tampered with,” he said. “Someone added a component, and it carries magic.”

Eubryd nodded. “I’ve seen that before. Most of these sensors have that little thing wired onto it. This is the only one that looks burned up, though.”

“You have been inspecting the RGSs and never told me about that?”

“I only just discovered it! And really, Nic, you have to admit you’ve been a little preoccupied. This woman has distracted you.”

“No, I’ve got her under control. Damn it, Eubryd, you should have informed me about all of this. Do you know what this module does?”

“Haven’t the slightest idea.”

“The humans use these sensors to detect seismic activity inside the mountain,” he explained. “I’ve been carefully doctoring the readouts from them so the humans believe this mountain is unsuitable to their purpose and finally give up on the project. Plus, I have been using the undoctored data to monitor the clutch inside the mountain. This amateurishly added device, however, seems to be designed to further confuse the original sensor’s readings.”

“That’s good, then, isn’t it?” Eubryd asked. “Someone is working with you to disrupt the humans.”

“No! Someone is working against me. I’m already disrupting the humans. This added device only serves to disrupt me. I’m afraid, Eubryd, that someone is deliberately trying to hide something inside the mountain.”

“What would be the point of that?”

A very good question. He could come up with only one answer.

“By the Flames, Eubryd, someone has gotten into the clutch!”

She appeared as shocked by that notion as he was. “No, no. That can’t have happened. The clutch is fine. Surely we’d know if it was not.”

“But these sensors have been modified specifically to prevent me from knowing when there is activity inside the mountain. Someone intended to go in.”

“They can’t. You set up your safeguards, right? Only you and I know how to get inside the mountain.”

“Safeguards can be broken. I need to go to the clutch.”

“No! Not now, not with so many strange things happening, Nic. Fairies have been here—you know you can sense them. They’re the ones who tampered with this sensor. They’re deceitful little creatures. They must be trying to trick you into giving away your secrets. If you go into the mountain now, they’ll watch and they
will
know how it’s done.”

His instinct was to run to the clutch, to defend it and make certain it hadn’t been compromised. But Eubryd made sense. Fairies were notoriously scheming, always looking for ways to promote their agenda, to assume more power among magical beings and have a greater say in governing the Forbidden Realm. His own kind had joked for ages that fairies sometimes acted as if they ruled the Realm, as if fairy law covered everyone.

Perhaps Eubryd was right. Perhaps this was some misguided fairy scheme. Did they think they could hold the clutch hostage? Make some sort of power play against the dragons? It was ridiculous, of course, and could never work, but fairies were ridiculous creatures. Nic would do well to have a better idea of what was going on before he rushed into something and divulged the secret entrance to his mountain.

“Where are these fairies now?” he asked.

“I don’t know. They’re using their sparkling dust to keep out of sight, and the strange magic in the air seems to be obscuring them.”

Nic closed his eyes and drew in a deep, demanding breath. He let the air fill his lungs; he held it there and examined it, searching through each molecule with his dragon senses. Fairy magic still crackled around them. The distinctive texture and scent was unmistakable. He reached out into the vastness, sensing the rocks, the breeze, the chill in the air. He forced his mind to reach past the temptation of Lianne. He had to keep focus…yes, there they were. Fairies were nearby.

“I feel them,” he said.

“You do?”

“Yes. Not too far, I believe, and…”

Suddenly he felt their panic. They knew he detected them. Like a breath of air, instantly they were gone. They must have been watching him, using their Fairy Dust to make themselves invisible. Now they seemed to have simply dissipated in the wind.

“They flew off,” he announced. “Whatever they were up to, those fairies are gone.”

“What should we do?” Eubryd asked.

“Go to the clan and tell them what you’ve seen. I will stay here. One way or another, the clutch must be kept safe. I’ll hunt down our enemies and get rid of them. Whatever it takes.”

“Whatever it takes, Nicolai? Can you do that?”

“Of course I can.”

“But what if our enemy is…human?”

“Do you doubt me, Eubryd?”

“You’ve been away from your own kind for so long. Nic. You’ve walked in that frail human body so many years…I wonder if you haven’t developed an affection for them.”

“Watch what you imply there, my friend. You might soon learn I have very little affection for anything these days. Go to my clan and tell them I will soon have this mountain free from any encroachment, human or otherwise.”

“Very well. But I’ll stay on my watch, just in case,” Eubryd replied. “You might find you require my help.”

“I won’t. I can handle things here.”

“Even the female?”

He snarled at his friend’s insinuation. “Especially the female. Now go.”

Eubryd shook her reptilian head and clenched her clawed feet. Clearly she had some misgivings about leaving him to deal with things entirely on his own, but he found her hesitation somehow endearing. Wyverns were tiny little things, yet they were fierce. She’d sworn an oath to serve his Dragonrealm, and she was deadly serious in her determination to fulfill that oath.

“I will return to complete this mission, Nicolai,” she vowed.

He doubted he’d need her, but appreciated the sentiment. “Thank you, Eubryd. Take care on your travels.”

She unfurled her wings—tipped with little hooks that she used as her fingers—and took off into the night. Her snakelike form undulated through the cool air and disappeared into the enormity of the sky in a matter of moments. Her wyvern senses would keep her safe, as would the security of the Veil. She would travel to their homeland in a matter of a few hours, magic assisting her the whole way.

Meanwhile, Nic had a few things here to deal with. He would start by resetting this sensor and doctoring the readouts. Then he would alter Lianne’s memories of the night—she’d believe his so-called findings regarding their equipment were accurate. Now that he had his strength back, he no longer had to keep everyone calm by convincing them this was nothing more than a glitch. He could finally insinuate himself deep enough into their minds to actually control their perceptions. He would convince them that there had, indeed, been an earthquake, and that the other sensors recorded the same thing. The mountain was unstable and the humans would believe they were in danger the longer they stayed here. He could finally accomplish his goal of being rid of them once and for all.

Just in time to deal with this new threat from, apparently, fairies.

He stooped to examine the sensor with its odd little add-on. Fairies may have been responsible for altering the RGS, but they certainly had not manufactured the added device. That was clearly crafted by humans—humans who knew enough about magic to incorporate it into their technology.

They would have to be working with the fairies to accomplish such a thing. Could this really be so? What would be the point of such an alliance? And how did the magic pass so freely through the Veil that was made specifically to prevent such a thing?

If the Veil could be penetrated this way, then his protections over the mountain might be as well. How could he know, without giving away any secrets? The clutch could be in mortal danger even as he stood here.

He concentrated his energy once again, reaching with his mind into the darkness. He could feel Lianne, waiting for him in the vehicle. He could feel a storm gathering in the distance, too. Foaming black clouds were beginning to form over the waters and were moving this way. He could feel the magic of the mountain, and the strange, sinister sensation that lingered around him. Had his security been breached? Was his enemy still nearby, watching to follow him into the mountain? He wished he could be certain that was not the case.