Treoir Dragon Chronicles of the Belador World: Book 2 Page 8

  Even after what happened last night and Luigsech vanishing on Daegan, his blood boiled at any woman fearing for her life.

  With every word Reese shared, it began to sound as if Luigsech had told the truth when she said she’d done nothing to bring this on her.

  Now Daegan felt bad about what little intimidation he’d tried at the cottage, but in truth, the deadly woman had not been overly impressed.

  He allowed Reese to repeat the conversation, which clearly sounded as if Cavan would harm Luigsech’s friend if the woman failed to do his bidding. Now he understood Luigsech’s need to be here on time.

  But what had happened?

  When Reese spoke the words, “Immortuos Grimoire,” Daegan sent a telepathic message to Quinn.

  The minute Reese finishes the conversation and the woman rides away on her bicycle, I know everythin’ that happened yesterday from that point until Luigsech vanished durin’ the battle at her cottage.

  Nodding, Quinn waited until it was clear Cavan had departed from the grocery building. He leaned down. “Reese, we have questions.”

  Her face scrunched up and she scowled.

  Trying again, Quinn asked, “Did you recognize the man?”

  “No. Can’t see his face, but I think Luigsech could.”

  “Come back to us, Reese,” he said a little louder this time.

  She grumbled then her eyes snapped open. “What?”

  Standing straight again, Quinn turned to Daegan. “Ask your questions.”

  “Oh.” She smiled when she shifted her attention to Daegan and gave him a what-do-you-want look.

  “Ya said ya could not see the man’s face.”

  Reese stared off at nothing, then shook her head. “Nope. Everything else I saw was in perfect focus, but not his face. All I can tell you about him was that the woman recognized him, but she didn’t like him.”

  “Are ya sure she recognized him?” Daegan couldn’t decide if Luigsech was in league with this Cavan or not.

  “Yes. She sounded like she’d be here at ten this morning even if she had to drag herself to make the meeting.”

  Disappointment weighed on Daegan. Everywhere he turned left him with more questions. “Somethin’ must have gone wrong. I fear Cavan and Luigsech did not meet this mornin’. I have no idea what that means.”

  Reese nibbled on her lip. “One weird thing happened at the beginning.”

  “Was that why you shoved the cushion away?” Quinn asked.

  “Yes. I got two images like a double exposure.”

  Daegan hated the new terms of this era. “A what?”

  Quinn explained how the reference came from two overlapping photographic images, then asked Reese, “What do you think was happening?”

  She leaned to the side and picked up the cushion she had knocked away. “I think Luigsech held this or sat on it at some point and I was getting that vision, too. Could have been in the past, but I saw her reading that book again. I had the impression she’d just cracked it open in my first vision.”

  Daegan scratched his head and studied the floor.

  Quinn glanced at Daegan and followed his line of sight. “What are we searching for now?”

  “I am tryin’ to see this from Luigsech’s position. She had a hidden exit from her cottage. ’Tis only logical to assume there may be one from this buildin’. In fact, when I teleported in, I heard a click noise as if someone had closed a door, but I found no one in the buildin’ and the back door secured from the inside. Still, if she suspected I would come here, she could have arrived unseen. The question then is what would she have done once here?”

  Reese stood and started searching the area around her. “This seems to be her area so I’ll sit at the desk to see if she sat there this morning.”

  “Thank you, Reese, though I did have that desk in view as I waited.”

  “I hear you.” Reese took the seat at the desk and tried her remote viewing again. She opened her eyes and shook her head. “The most recent time she sat here, she’d filled out a form from five days ago.”

  While Quinn gave the other side of the room a second thorough search, Reese sat back in the chair looking around. She stretched her neck, staring at something. “What’s on the floor over there, Daegan?”

  He turned to where she pointed. “A rag. Luigsech seems to clutter more than the other woman, based upon the condition of this area.” He leaned over to pick up the wadded cloth that had been shoved into a spot between the wall and a bookcase.

  When he lifted the cloth, a tiny note remained on the floor. He snatched it up.

  Quinn stepped up to him. “What did you find?”

  “A note with two words. ‘Go home.’” Daegan took in the spot where the note and cloth had been. He squatted low, turning his head to look toward the window. “This position would have given the woman a clear view of the street while protectin’ her presence from sight. Reese, would ya try your viewin’ once more over here?”

  “Happy to.”

  Quinn stepped aside for Reese to reach the spot on the floor Daegan pointed out. She paused at the reading chair to lift the cushion, which had given her the double image. Placing the cushion right where Daegan pointed, she settled on the soft pillow.

  Legs crossed, she leaned back against the end of the bookcase, and closed her eyes. “Oh, wow.”

  “What?” Daegan asked before stopping himself.

  But that had not disturbed her. “Everything is sharper like this is a more recent action.” Her hands had rested on her knees, but now she moved them toward her waist, moving her fingers as she looked at something in her mind.

  Her eyes began to flutter behind her eyelids.

  Quinn’s voice came into Daegan’s mind. I’ve seen her look like this when it was a much deeper viewing than what she just executed. We will find out more if she is not disturbed.

  Daegan gave him a strong nod of agreement. He’d had serious doubts about Reese’s remote viewing working when she’d been unable to track Cavan from the grocery. On the other hand, a being that powerful might be able to shield his trail, teleport, or open a bolt hole. Any one of those defense mechanisms would very likely prevent her from seeing much since she could not follow a teleportation or bolt hole escape.

  But Daegan’s pulse jumped with hope that this might be the vision he’d been hoping for.

  Reese’s face relaxed. Her lips twitched and her expression turned serious. Speaking again in that soft monotone, she said, “Luigsech is sitting here and checking the window. The street outside is in twilight. When anyone knocks on the door, she freezes, but keeps watching for someone. She made a phone call. No answer. Then she’s sitting here with that strange book in her lap. She’s spending more time checking the window, clearly worried about something ... or someone.”

  At twilight? Damn! Daegan can’t believe he stood so close the whole time that woman had been here and resisted teleporting in. He’d had a sound reason not to, but she’d been here.

  Close enough to get his hands on.

  “Luigsech crawls over to the desk from time to time and punches numbers on a desk phone she’s pulled to the floor. No answer each time. Wait. One time she spoke to ... Peter or Peadar? Some guy with goats her friend didn’t pick up.” Reese’s fingers moved to her knees again and curled into fists as she continued. “She has a wheat-colored tote bag next to her with something in it ... books. Two big books. She put the one she’s been reading in the bag, too, then she crawled over to find a pen and scrap of paper. She scribbled ‘Go home.’ on the paper and put it under a scrunched-up rag. It’s daylight outside. Bright. Like an hour or more has passed. She opened the book, then she seemed to debate reading something and slammed it shut, then shoved it in her bag. She hooked the tote strap over her shoulder then ... picked up a sword that had been leaning behind her back. It’s glowing.”

  Daegan imagined Luigsech had escaped last night with only that sword in hand.

  He drove her from her cottage by showing up and
drawing in the Imortiks. Power or not, she should not have had to run away panicked.

  So many decisions to regret over the past twenty-four hours.

  Ruadh’s voice smoked through Daegan’s mind. Gryphon is strong, but still needs us. Battle not place for regrets.

  Daegan’s dragon did not suffer human emotions when it came to battles and war, only to survive and win. But Daegan had to consider how his actions affected everyone. He would fight to save any of his people without the first regret for those who stood in the way, but he could not so easily dismiss his part in Luigsech’s terror.

  Not unless he discovered she had intentionally held back information.

  Huffing out a long breath and shifting her position on the cushion, Reese continued. “The woman crawled away from the front room until she could stand up in the back area. She moved to the right end of two wide bookcases against the back wall and put her hand between a row of books to ... pull something? A switch? Damn. A bookend is the switch.”

  Daegan had the urge to go look, but without more information it would not help.

  Taking a couple shallow breaths, Reese cocked her head with her eyes still shut, but seeing something that seemed important by her expression. “The middle of that big bookcase moved an inch as if it’s on hinges. She pulled the bookcase out and stopped. She seemed undecided, standing there with her forehead leaned against the open bookcase. Something happened. Power flushed in the building. She jerked her head and leaped inside the opening, then snapped the door shut. She’s in a dark area holding her breath and looking through a peephole at ... Daegan. After a minute, she breathes quietly again, pulls a keychain with a light from her pocket and starts walking fast hunched over. It’s a long dark tunnel with a low ceiling.”

  Just as Daegan had suspected.

  Luigsech accessed the ancestral centre from a hidden route. He cursed himself for missing her.

  He struggled for patience as Reese continued describing the steps Luigsech made and how the woman reached a spot where she climbed into a massive hollow tree, which opened to the forest.

  Sitting quietly for a long moment, Reese said, “Luigsech left the tree and ran for ... I can’t tell how long. She stopped in a field near a boulder where flowers and weeds grow. She bent down and lifted a section of earth. No, maybe ... oh, it’s a trapdoor.”

  Rubbing his neck, Daegan sent Quinn a look of lifted eyebrows.

  Quinn spoke silently to Daegan. I wish we could get her to race ahead, but that just interrupts her.

  Reese suddenly came out of her semi-trance wide-eyed. She spoke quickly. “Things started getting foggy, but the Luigsech woman went through another tunnel and ended up in what I’m guessing is her cottage. Do you want me to keep looking from here?”

  Daegan shook his head. “Ya may see more clearly following her from the cottage than to struggle with a foggy image. Or she may just be there right now. Prepare to teleport.”

  Chapter 9

  Light flashed rapidly against Renata’s closed eyelids.

  Dark sounds growled and half-words shouted nonstop.

  A film, something icky, clung to her face.

  She batted her hands wildly, striking out to stop another attack, but it was that beast. That nasty yellow thing. She could feel it reaching into her core. Cold crawled through her body, first turning her fingers numb, then heat scorched her skin.

  She bit down to keep from crying out.

  Never give the bastards anything to celebrate.

  Don’t open your eyes, she repeated over and over in her head. Beladors would find her. The dragon promised to save her. He’d tried. That hideous yellow thing hurt the dragon.

  What happened to the Treoir dragon?

  Howling and screams erupted, raising hairs on her neck.

  Crazy words she couldn’t understand cluttered the air.

  Tears spilled down her face. If only she could have seen Roberto one more time.

  Where was Devon? What happened to him? Maybe he escaped.

  If he did, Devon would come for her.

  She’d seen another Belador in this place the one time she opened her eyes. Don’t open your eyes.

  No. She kept them clinched tight. She didn’t know the name of the other Belador, could only see that he was male. He’d been so awful, screaming when they ... she sobbed. Bile raced up her throat. She clenched her teeth.

  She squeezed her eyes tight. Stay strong.

  Don’t open your eyes!

  Noises slowly subdued until she couldn’t even hear breathing.

  The sudden quiet tempted her to look.

  But the glowing monsters played mean tricks.

  She’d been in darkness for so long. She had no concept of time. If only she could see what

  was ...

  No! Don’t open your eyes!

  She tried calling out telepathically again. I’m Renata. A Belador. Help me.

  Laughter howled all around her.

  Had she said that out loud?

  No. Maybe.

  Her throat was too dry to talk. She could barely swallow.

  Don’t ... open your eyes. Don’t ... She slumped, exhausted from another round of hell. She had to stay strong. She could do this if she just napped ...

  She dropped off.

  “Renata!” screamed in her ear.

  She jerked wide-eyed awake and ... screamed.

  Chapter 10

  Daegan teleported onto the yard outside the prim white cottage with a bright yellow door.

  Luigsech had an affinity for that color it seemed.

  He’d landed out here to enter alone first to insure Reese’s safety as well as Quinn’s. As soon as those two appeared, Reese ducked out from under Quinn’s arm and stood with her arms crossed.

  “Ya watch out for Reese,” Daegan told Quinn. “Do not forget demons appeared with the Imortiks last night. I need a moment to check the interior to be sure ’tis safe.”

  Reese cocked her chin up in a show of bravado, but she also paled at the mention of demons. “I have the power to kill a demon.”

  Daegan lost patience with the friction going on between her and Quinn, but he managed to keep his voice calm. “I have no doubt ya are capable of defendin’ yourself against demons, Reese, but your safety is of utmost importance to me. Ya are the only one I know of among our allies with the ability to track someone usin’ your remote vision gift. For that reason, I ask ya to not jump into danger unless ya have no other option.”

  Quinn said nothing, but a wave of relief passed through his gaze.

  She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Got it. Sorry. I’m ... just cranky. I want to get Tristan back as much as anyone. I’ll sit tight.”

  “Good. Thank ya for all ya are doin’.” Turning to Quinn, Daegan said, “Call to me if anythin’, demon or otherwise, appears.”

  “Understood.”

  Daegan stepped over to look inside a window. Everything seemed as wrecked as it had when he’d left earlier this morning under the cover of darkness.

  He teleported inside and made a quick check of the rooms then teleported Quinn and Reese inside.

  “... feel a presence out here,” Reese said, finishing a sentence she’d started outside.

  “What?” Daegan asked as he shoved a curtain aside to peer through a window at the front of the cottage.

  “Right before you snatched us in here, I sensed something around us,” she explained. “Not sure if it was a demon or some other being, but not natural. I could probably figure it out if I had another couple minutes out there.”

  “No.” Daegan appreciated the thought, but he would not put her at any additional risk.

  She blew a lock of hair off her face. “I didn’t say I wanted to go back out, only that I might have been able to identify the source.”

  “Point taken.” But Daegan had no time to waste determining if someone, or something, hid in the tree line. Venom in his body continued to eat away at his power. How long would it be before he could protect
no one? The sands of his hourglass poured out faster with every breath, upping the risk of loss on more than one level.

  Pushing ahead, Daegan asked Reese, “Where did ya see Luigsech enter the cottage from her secret tunnel?”

  “I’m pretty sure it was in a bedroom.”

  “’Tis only one bedroom.” Daegan tossed Quinn a look. “Stay in this front room and keep an eye out for any activity outside. We shall search the bedroom.”

  “I’ll do that and search this room for anything I can find that might offer information on her as well,” Quinn confirmed.

  “Good idea.”

  “What’s that stink?” Reese pinched her nose.

  “’Tis the residue of dead Imortiks.”

  She nodded at Daegan, who moved ahead of her leading the way to the bedroom.

  “Except for the smell and destruction, this is a cool cottage. Probably been here a few hundred years,” Reese mused as she stepped into the bedroom. “A wonderful sanctuary in a beautiful country.”

  Once again, Daegan paused to take in the location from Reese’s perspective. Lacy curtains no longer bright white had aged with time, but the delicate material had been kept clean with care. If Daegan guessed, the oak bed had been hand carved as had the standing chest. Not likely to see multiples of that one or the quilted cover on the bed. Nothing showy, but a place that had been lived in, and loved, a long time.

  Had this been Luigsech’s safe haven?

  He felt another twinge of guilt over pushing the woman from her home. Actually, the Imortiks had sent her running as much as him showing up unannounced.

  Tristan’s face smoked through Daegan’s mind.

  He got over his momentary attack of conscience.

  Who was Luigsech to be so deeply involved with a preternatural such as Cavan?

  “I’ll sit on the bed and see if she sat there to pack a bag or something.” Reese eased down on the neatly made bed.