Chapter 11 #3
“First, if you were ever human, that time has long past,” Azh said dryly.
“And second, I’d never associate the word fragile with you.
You have the fierce spirit of a dragon.” He returned his attention to the medallion.
“I don’t think it tried to hurt me. It was more a warning it didn’t want to be touched.
If you owned it in the past, I think it’s possible it might recognize you. ”
His words made sense. Dammit.
She bent down, cautiously reaching toward the necklace. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally absorb another mysterious magic. On the other hand, there had to be a reason that Axton had kept the medallion for two centuries.
“I don’t feel anything threatening.”
She gathered her courage and plucked the medallion off the floor. The metal felt cool against her skin, the pulse of power barely noticeable. It was more a gentle welcome than a punishment.
“It’s like the power recognizes you,” Azh murmured.
Wynn studied the faint etchings on the medallion, a memory stirring in the back of her mind. There was pain. A screaming pain that enveloped her like a tidal wave. Then there was...nothing. A blessed darkness that wrapped her in peace.
She released a shuddering breath. Was the memory hers? Or the medallion?
“What power?” she muttered. “And what does it recognize?”
“Two questions that we need to answer.” Azh used the tip of his boot to shove aside the rubble that had been on top of the necklace. “The destruction of this shop started where the medallion was lying and spread from there.”
With a frown, Wynn stepped back. The floor where the medallion had been lying was untouched by fire, but everything around it was charred beyond recognition. She held the necklace by the silver chain, allowing the medallion to twirl in the muted light.
“You think this has something to do with the corruption?”
“There’s a reason you were having nightmares about this particular shop. The medallion is the most obvious link to you.”
“Maybe,” she conceded. “But it’s not much help. I don’t know how I got it or what it does.”
He shrugged. “Then let’s go back to the beginning.”
Wynn felt a stab of irritation. After a year of scouring her brain for anything that might explain her strange nightmares, she didn’t want to waste time going over it again.
“I’ve told you everything I can remember.”
“No, I meant let’s physically go to the place you first woke up.”
“Why?”
Azh arched a brow and Wynn abruptly realized she was sounding like a petulant child. Probably because she was tired, hungry, and frustrated that every time she thought they might get answers it led to a dead end. None of that was Azh’s fault.
“Okay,” she grudgingly agreed. “It’s possible there’s a reason I was dumped in that spot.”
She tucked the necklace in her coat pocket, carefully retracing her steps out of the ruined pawnshop. She took a moment to wonder what happened to Axton and his clan, hoping they’d managed to escape. Sure, they were immoral opportunists, but they didn’t deserve to be slaughtered because of her.
Making a mental note to see if she could track them down once she’d figured out what the hell was happening, Wynn headed back toward the river.
She knew she should be studying the medallion, figuring out what the etching might mean.
Or at least trying to discover why she’d remembered a crippling pain when she’d first picked it up.
Instead, she was forced to concentrate on planting one foot in front of the other. She was running on autopilot as the deep weariness clouded her mind, making it hard to think clearly.
“You’re tired,” Azh abruptly announced.
She didn’t bother to argue. “Too many sleepless nights followed by running from one disaster to another.”
“I think I can help with that.”
“The sleepless nights or too many disasters?”
“Both.”
Stepping into the shadows of a nearby building, Azh ignored the thickening crowd of pedestrians scurrying to work with various levels of dread and anticipation. Most had their attention glued to their phones. The few who bothered to notice them stumbled over their feet as they caught sight of Azh.
Male or female, it didn’t matter. He was so brutally gorgeous it was impossible not to react.
Expecting him to pull open the door so they could enter the building, Wynn took a step back as she felt the heat of his magic. His hand was moving in a circle, as if he were opening a portal.
“Wait,” she protested. “You’re not going to feed me to your mother, are you?”
“Never.” He stepped forward, disappearing into a soft silver mist.
Wynn followed, her steps reluctant. She didn’t think he’d feed her to his mother. But his confidence in her courage meant he might lead her back to the lions’ den...or rather the dragons’ lair...without considering the fact his people might want her dead.
A few steps into the mist, she was forced to suddenly stop as she rammed into Azh’s broad back. She grunted. She knew he was solid, but damn. He felt like a brick wall.
Regaining her balance, she rubbed her nose that had been squashed against his shoulder. “Is something wrong?”
He turned to study her with a faint smile.
“This space is between our hidden lair and the world. The barrier is created to prevent anyone from using magic when they’re here.
That way no one can come in and no one can leave.
” He held up his hand as her lips parted to ask how he could pass through.
“Unless the treaty allows them access. You’re safe here. ”
She glanced around. She wasn’t worried about the lack of a bed. She’d spent a lot of nights on the ground. But there was something unnerving about trying to sleep when she couldn’t see the danger coming.
“Are you staying?”
The words escaped her lips before she could stop them, but before she could pretend she couldn’t care less if the dragon decided to disappear into the mist, Azh stepped forward and cupped her face in his hands.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” He brushed a kiss over her lips, his flames wrapping her in a possessive warmth. “Rest.”