Chapter 18 #2
He moved forward, disappearing into a thick fog. Wynn followed behind him, taking less than a dozen steps when a hand reached out to grasp her arm.
“Careful, Wynn, we can’t be sure Axton didn’t warn someone that we were asking questions about the coven.” Azh lowered his head to whisper directly in her ear. “He already admitted he was willing to trade your location to save his own skin.”
Belatedly realizing that they were no longer in the portal, despite the thick fog that continued to swirl around them, Wynn searched through her strands of magic to discover the slender silver thread.
Tapping into the power, she grimly ignored the throbbing red strand that had grown thicker and more ominous in the past few days. As if it were trying to consume her.
Grinding her teeth against the blast of fear, Wynn forced herself to concentrate on the tingle of magic that flowed from the silver strand to create a chilled breeze.
It wasn’t as strong as she wanted, but after a struggle to get started, it managed to clear away the fog, revealing they were standing on the banks of the Thames.
Around them the empty countryside was sleeping beneath the thick layer of darkness, the lights from a distant village the only visible sign of life.
“Axton would trade his own mother to save his skin,” she said, her eyes darting from side to side in search of hidden dangers.
“Is anything familiar?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “It looks like every other rural part of the country.”
Azh nodded toward the soft glow in the distance. “There’s a village in that direction.”
“It’s a place to start.”
They walked side by side, both on high alert as the heavy silence pressed against them. Wynn rarely spent time in the country, but she did know that she should be hearing the sounds of tiny animals scampering in the nearby fields or the croak of frogs from the river.
Had they been frightened off by Azh’s powerful presence? Or was there something else that had sent them into hiding?
Rounding a curve in the pathway, Wynn felt a familiar tingle sweep over her. She came to an abrupt halt.
“Wait.”
“Do you recognize something?”
“No, but I can feel magic.”
Azh moved with blinding speed to stand next to her, his power sizzling through the air.
“Demon?”
“Human.” She pointed toward a patch of oak trees that blocked the view of the rolling landscape. “There’s a circle in that direction.”
Reaching into the pocket of her coat, she pulled out the medallion they’d found in the destroyed pawnshop and slipped it over her head.
Azh studied her with a worried expression. “What are you doing?”
“Reclaiming my past.”
His gaze lowered to the medallion that shimmered as if reacting to the magic that drifted on the soft breeze.
“Just...” His words trailed away with a heavy sigh. Smart dragon. He knew that trying to tell her to be careful was a waste of breath. “All right, let’s go.”
She sent him an encouraging smile, veering off the pathway to follow the scent of brewing herbs that was thick in the air.
Whoever had created the circle was using it to add extra magic to a brewing potion.
She wasn’t familiar with the spell, but it had to be powerful for her to detect it from such a distance.
Entering the thickly wooded area, they instinctively slowed.
Neither had forgotten the traps set by Pheral.
The fissures should have been destroyed the moment the demon died, but it was always possible he’d tied the magic to one of his goons.
Not to mention the fact there could be other traps set by completely unknown enemies.
At last reaching the center of the woods, they discovered a large clearing where the outline of an ancient circle was dug deep into the earth and surrounded by large rocks.
Closer to the edge of the trees, there were a dozen cottages and outbuildings in various stages of decay.
A few were still standing, although they were empty shells, and others had already crumbled into piles of rotting timbers.
Whatever had happened to the small village had been a slow decline, not a quick desertion.
“It looks abandoned, but someone has to be close by.” Wynn nodded toward the heavy cast iron cauldron bubbling over an open fire in the middle of the circle. “No one would leave such a potent brew unattended.”
Azh tilted back his head, as if testing the air. “There’s a cottage hidden behind the bushes,” he at last announced. “I can smell a human inside.”
“I think I should have a chat with them.”
“We should have a chat.”
Wynn turned to face her companion, meeting his stern gaze with a determined expression.
“I’m not trying to keep you away, Azh, but I need you to stay here to keep a watch on my back.
” She glanced toward the bubbling pot, a chill inching down her spine.
She couldn’t explain what she was feeling, but she sensed a dark magic hovering just out of sight.
Like a monster preparing to leap from the shadows.
“There’s a heaviness in the atmosphere that’s giving me the creeps. ”
Azh folded his arms over his chest. “And?”
She heaved a loud sigh. “And if it’s a human they’re going to be too distracted to get any sensible answers from them. They can’t help themselves when you’re around. They turn into babbling idiots.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Humans weren’t prepared to be in the presence of a full-fledged dragon. They were either overcome with lust or fear when they caught sight of Azh. Many times both.
“Leave the door open,” he instead commanded.
She rolled her eyes. “Like you couldn’t huff and puff and blow down Buckingham Palace, let alone a puny cottage.”
He held her gaze, his jaw tight with the effort to control the beast who smoldered deep in his eyes. The dragon wasn’t happy with her demand that she face the unknown human on her own.
“I want to hear what she has to say,” he explained between clenched teeth.
“Fine.”
On the point of turning away, Wynn found herself grabbed by the shoulders and hauled against Azh’s hard body.
She tilted back her head in surprise, barely given time to brace herself as he swooped his head down to kiss her with a savage hunger.
Wynn instinctively grasped his sweatshirt, her knees going weak as heat blasted through her.
For a long moment they simply melted into the desire that instantly sizzled between them. It wasn’t just need that brought an edge of urgency to the embrace. It was the whispering fear this might be their last kiss.
Eventually it was a whiff of something nasty coming from the cauldron in the center of the circle that brought Wynn back to her senses. This wasn’t going to be her last kiss, she fiercely swore.
She didn’t care what it took, she was going to defeat the dragon magic that was pulsing inside her, as if struggling to be released.
“Stay here,” she commanded, turning away. One glance into that gorgeous face and she would be a goner.
Feeling his gaze burning into her back, Wynn walked along the edge of the circle until she was past the untrimmed hedge that hid the cottage from view.
A quick glance assured her it was in better condition than the others, but it was still in dire need of repairs.
The thatched roof was shabby and the windows coated in dust. Even the front step needed a good scrubbing, although there was a new sign next to it painted with the words:
Herbal Healing by Charlotte
With a shudder, Wynn walked up the narrow path and knocked on the wooden door. She hoped the herbal healing wasn’t the stench coming from the cauldron. That stuff smelled nasty.
There was a long silence, as if whoever was inside was hoping that Wynn would assume the cottage was empty and leave. Wynn knocked again, this time with enough force to send a cloud of decaying straw drifting from the roof.
There was another long silence before the door cracked open to reveal an older woman with long, tangled gray hair that framed her gaunt face and wary blue eyes.
“Yes?” She glanced over Wynn’s shoulder as if sensing Azh’s presence in the distance. When she couldn’t see any lurking danger, she returned her attention to Wynn. “What do you want?”
“Are you Charlotte?”
“Yes, but I don’t take clients this late.”
“That’s okay. I’m not here for your healing.”
Charlotte furrowed her brow. “Are you lost?”
“No.” Wynn’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I’m hoping that I’m finally home.”
“Home? Are you from the village? Do I know you?”
“Perhaps.” Wynn reached up to touch the glittering medallion.
The watery blue eyes widened as the woman pulled open the door wide enough to reveal the interior of the small cottage.
Wynn caught a glimpse of a sofa with worn cushions pulled close to the stone fireplace and a wooden table with one chair.
There were dozens of leatherbound books piled on the flagstone floor along with glass bottles filled with potions.
The ceiling was low, with open beams that had bundles of herbs tied together hanging from them.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was seared into my flesh when your coven tried to burn me alive,” Wynn said in blunt tones.
“What? I don’t...” The words trailed away as the blue gaze locked on Wynn’s face. Then she released a hiss of shock. “Oh, blessed goddess. Gwen? Gwen Winsor? How is this possible? I watched you die.”
Wynn was briefly distracted by the woman’s horrified words. Her name was Gwen Winsor? Ew. It sounded like a stuck up aristocrat. No way she was going back to that. She was Wynn. Magic thief, escape artist, and dragon lover. Wild and free.
With an effort, she returned her scattered thoughts to the reason she was standing outside the shabby cottage.
“So you were there when I was murdered?”